After work was assigned to each member, everyone dispersed to start working on their respective jobs. I went to my cabin and sat in front of my computer, opening the database for unsolved cases, typing the keyword 'Giggling Man', and waiting for the page to open up. As the page loaded and the case opened up on my screen, I saw all the information in respective folders. I clicked on the folder that read victims, it opened up and showed pictures of about 60 victims. All of the victims were young, fell in the age group of the 20s to 30s, and were orphans. The victims in this time are also orphans, he is following the same victim pattern.
I sighed and looked at the time on my watch and it read 11 pm. I felt so tired from all the traveling and thinking and just wanted to go to sleep. I took my laptop and other belongings locked my cabin and went to my car. Once I got in, I called Min Ji and informed her that I'm going home. I drove through the almost empty roads and reached my home. Once I went inside and kept my things on the table, got refreshed and changed into comfortable pajamas. I remembered not eating anything after lunch, so I made some ramen for myself and ate it while watching TV. I thought of working some more time, but I had no energy left, so I switched off the lights and went to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up to my phone ringing, I rubbed my eyes and squinted my eyes to look at the caller ID, it read Jin Ho. I picked up the phone and mumbled a hello groggily.
"Soo Min, we have another victim," he said and that was enough to wake me up. I looked at the time and it read 5:30 am. I immediately pushed the sheets off my bed and stumbled toward the bathroom.
"What? We have not yet got the reports of the previous victim and now another? I'm on my way" I grumbled and put the phone on the side table and went to refresh myself.
I grabbed the car key, handbag, and phone and left my home to the crime scene. It was the same crime scene as the previous victims. I don't know why he chose this place, maybe because it's isolated or maybe it's isolated in the past time. I reached the crime scene in 15 minutes.
I got down from the car took my phone and walked toward the crime scene where Jin Ho was standing. Once the officers saw me, they bowed and continued with their work. I went near the police tapes and wore the necessary equipment before stepping into the crime scene. The victim was the same as the previous victims, burnt and curled up. Jin Ho came towards me and gave me a Ziplock cover which contained a letter from the killer. I gripped it tightly and read it with a sharp intake of my breath.
'Hello, finally you figured out who I am, I am happy. Life is too boring nowadays, so I came up with a challenge. I am also getting old, so I thought I will give you a chance to catch me. I give you two weeks, before that you have to arrest me. How does that sound? The last time I had fun was when I challenged your father. Let's see how capable you are. And the more time you take, the more bodies you have to find. Your time starts now.'
I panicked reading the letter, thinking about the sudden challenge that made me extremely worried. With no major leads or clues, how am I going to move the case and find him? Will I be able to make my father proud? Will I be able to make justice to the position I hold? Negative thoughts started plaguing my mind. No, I am not going to let myself go down the spiral of negative thoughts, I have already struggled for years to come out of it. I have to think and work fast if I need to save people and fulfill the promise I made to my late father.
I handed over the letter to Jin Ho and looked at him.
"We have to work faster. Tell the officers to speed up on their jobs and inform the coroner's office and forensic department to make this case the priority." He nodded and was about to leave when I stopped him.
"By the way, where is Min Ji?"
"She has gone to collect the autopsy and forensic reports of the third victim."
I nodded and went to the police officers standing near the forensic technicians working at the crime scene.
"Update me on the case," I said to the one in charge of the crime scene.
"Yes ma'am. At around 5:15 am we got a call that a body was there and the caller was an old woman who was coming back from Busan to her home which is located nearby. Since she was old, we questioned her and immediately sent her home instead of detaining her" he answered while looking at the small tab he had in his hand.
"How come she saw the body while it's dark?" I asked him curiously.
"After the second victim, we immediately installed street lamps and we haven't installed CCTV yet," he told with a nervous look.
"Shouldn't you have done it along with the street lamp? Look. This case has become a high priority now, we need to speed up the process. Do you understand? I don't want any excuses; I need the CCTVs installed today. Now update the findings of the victim"
He nodded and swiped the screen on his small tab.
"From the looks of the victim, we assume the victim is a female and might have been pregnant. We couldn't find any pieces of evidence at the crime scene, as usual, it is clear."
"Hmm, okay keep working on the case and stay in the forensic office and get the reports ASAP," I told him and turned to walk towards Jin Ho.
He was standing near my car along with Min Ji. I walked toward them and waved at Min Ji.
"Hey! Did you get the reports?" I asked her as she handed me over two files, one autopsy and the other forensic.
I opened the forensic file and read through the details which showed nothing unusual. The other details of the report were the same as the previous victims.
I opened the autopsy report, which read the victim might have had a pacemaker in his heart. That would mean he had visited some hospital, so we can easily identify the victim. I closed the file and immediately turned to Jin Ho.
"This victim is assumed to have had a pacemaker, so he must have visited a hospital. I want the details of people who got pacemakers in the active years of the killer. According to the profile of the victim, his age falls between 40 and 50, with his height ranging from 158 to 162 cm. I think with the age variable you can cut down to a shorter list of people"
"But I don't understand one thing. All the victims until now were homeless or orphans, then how come this victim was able to get a pacemaker? The killer wouldn't risk it to kill a rich person, because that would make identifying the victim easier right?" Min Ji asked curiously.
"Exactly. I was thinking about the same. Anyway, let's continue with the investigation and we will be able to get a lead. And Jin Ho you take care of the reports of the victim, while Min Ji and I are going to work on the 2040 case" I said and got into the car along with Min Ji and left to my cabin.
I sighed nervously as I drove the car and stopped at the red signal, as my trembling hands gripped the steering wheel tightly to stop the shaking. Min Ji looked at me with a worried look.
"Soo Min, are you okay? What's wrong?"
"Min Ji, I am scared. He has given me a deadline of 2 weeks to catch him. What if I fail to do so? Because of me so many people will die and I won't be able to fulfill the promise" I said as my eyes burned due to the unshed tears.
Min Ji touched my shoulder to provide some comfort and looked at me with a small smile.
"The Soo Min I know always succeeds and never backs down. I know you will catch him no matter what" she said with so much trust in her eyes. And I wanted to work harder so that I don't shatter the trust she has in me.
I smiled at her and started the car with newfound confidence and drove straight to my office in hopes of finding a major lead.