The Cop Is Too Strong [EN]: Chapter 137

137. Glue Murder Case (2)

As the sun sets, the moon begins its early evening ascent.

The detectives of the Violent Crimes Unit, weary from days of relentless pursuit, reconvened at headquarters.

“Hoo….”

“Ha, it’s stifling in here.”

“Wh-what is that smell?!”

The team leader, entering last, pinched his nose and hastily threw open the headquarters window.

Only then did the other detectives recognize the source of the odor, their faces wrinkling in distaste. Haru, however, maintained her composure, silently attending to her duties.

“Um, is it just me?”

Oh Geng was about to remove his shoes to inspect his feet when a groan echoed from across the room.

“Ugh! I, I think it’s me.”

While the youngest detective gagged at the scent of his own feet, Oh Geng followed suit, sniffing his own.

“Ugh, that’s potent. Guess I’m not alone in this.”

It was a testament to their tireless efforts. Hae-soo surreptitiously slipped off his shoes for a quick sniff, and his head swam.

“I desperately need to wash my feet and air out my combat boots.”

“Sigh, you’ve all been through a lot. My babies, take a break for at least an hour. We’ll collapse before we even catch the culprit,” Oh Geng muttered, retrieving a fresh pair of shoes from his locker.

“I’d be energized if we had a lead, but this stagnation is killing me. Hyung [older brother/senior colleague], has the Intelligence Division turned up anything?”

“I called them, but they’ve got nothing.”

“Ugh….”

It had been three days now.

They had been investigating non-stop, sleeping only three or four hours at a time. Yet, they were still chasing shadows, leaving everyone utterly drained.

Oh Geng retreated to a corner, whispering into his phone, presumably talking to his wife.

“…Yeah, I couldn’t come home because I was investigating. No, it’s not over yet. Can you bring me some underwear and clothes tomorrow morning? Oh, and shoes, the most comfortable ones, that don’t smell. Yeah, yeah.”

Inspired, the team leader also called his wife, and the youngest put in a request to his girlfriend.

Hae-soo quietly observed them before turning to Haru. Even Haru, usually so stoic, looked worn.

“Officer Ha.”

“Yes, Senior Shin.”

Haru responded instantly to Hae-soo’s summons.

“Go home and pack some clothes, underwear, and shoes—for both of us.”

“Ah, personal errands unrelated to work? Is this what they call abuse of power by a senior?”

“What abuse of power? This is an extension of the investigation. Just go.”

Hae-soo urged, and Haru reluctantly returned to her desk to gather her things.

The team leader, overhearing their exchange, chimed in with a gesture.

“Officer Ha, while you’re at it, take your time to wash up and come in tomorrow morning. There’s nothing to do tonight anyway. It’s not good to sleep surrounded by a bunch of smelly men, got it?”

“No, sir. I’ll be right back.”

“Aish, I’m telling you no. We’re all going home to sleep too, so come in tomorrow. Go.”

Haru bowed silently and headed for the door.

“I’ll see Haru off.”

“Huh? S-see her off?”

“What do you mean, ‘see her off’… Ah, okay, damn it, why am I jealous? I love you, my wife.”

As Hae-soo and Haru exited headquarters together, Haru looked at him expectantly.

“Are you seeing me off? To where?”

But Hae-soo stopped abruptly at the entrance.

“Yeah, this is far enough.”

“You had another motive. You used me.”

“That’s right. Now go.”

Haru pouted, glared at Hae-soo for a moment, and then turned away.

Hae-soo retreated to a corner and pulled out his phone.

-Yes, Hyung [term for older brother or close male friend] Shin~!

“Hey, I just sent you the app name and ID in a text. Investigate the owner of that ID. They signed up with a burner phone, so there’s no readily available information. Find even the smallest hint.”

-Ah… Is this case proving difficult? I understand. Isn’t background checking my specialty? Don’t worry!

Jeong Young-soo’s voice was unusually cheerful.

“You seem to be in a good mood?”

-Re-really? Haha, actually, spring has come to a guy like me too. I guess that’s why.

“Spring? Well, good for you. Thanks for your help. I’ll share anything that comes up with you.”

-Understood!

Spring, he mentioned going to the theater with a woman before. It seems like he’s dating that woman.

Hae-soo briefly worried that he might be interrupting his date, but he dismissed the thought and returned to headquarters.

* * *

Haru possessed a driver’s license but preferred public transportation.

Screech- Pshhh.

The bus halted, and as the doors swung open, she boarded.

As usual, nearly everyone on the bus glanced at her, some stealing multiple glances.

Haru, accustomed to this unspoken “bus etiquette,” took a seat without a second thought.

Tadatadak [sound of footsteps]

Then, a man belatedly boarded the bus. Haru, like the other passengers, briefly scanned his face.

‘Park Ji-won.’

She recognized him instantly, despite having only seen a mugshot. Their eyes met, but Haru immediately averted her gaze and stared straight ahead.

But Park Ji-won approached her and spoke first.

“Oh, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Huh?”

“Yes.”

“Haha, you’re unique. You’re that Violent Crimes Unit detective, right? Your name is… Officer Haru!”

As he spoke, he casually settled into the seat beside Haru.

“Yes.”

She answered tersely, but her head tilted slightly, questioning how he knew her name.

“Ah, a murder happened in front of my house, so I saw the detectives investigating. They even took my number.”

“Yes.”

“So, I was curious and stopped by the police station on the way. The photo in the organizational chart was so pretty that I remembered it. You’re working hard. Is there any progress?”

How many people would be curious enough to visit the police station just to peruse the organizational chart? Yet, Haru didn’t find his behavior particularly strange.

Haru refocused her gaze on the front of the bus and replied.

“I can’t disclose any information due to the nature of my work.”

“I guess not, sigh. I wish I could be of some help… Ah, there’s a saying, ‘The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime.'”

“That’s right. But because that saying is so well-known, more criminals these days watch from afar instead of getting close.”

“Really? Anyway, I saw a strange person walking around the neighborhood a few days ago. That….”

Haru listened attentively, hoping his words might offer some insight. Park Ji-won smiled playfully at her attentiveness.

“Ah, look at me, I should get you something since you’re working so hard for our citizens.”

He retrieved a bottle of energy drink from his bag and offered it to Haru.

“Have some of this.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s okay. Have it.”

“Um.”

Haru glanced at Park Ji-won and accepted the drink.

“Then, I’ll drink it gratefully.”

Haru downed the entire bottle without hesitation, and a corner of Park Ji-won’s mouth quirked upward as he watched.

* * *

After Haru left headquarters,

Oh Geng slumped onto the sofa and sighed deeply.

“Sigh… We’re having such a hard time, how hard must it be for Officer Ha? Women usually carry an extra set of underwear, and isn’t it more uncomfortable if they don’t wash? Instinctively.”

“That’s probably true.”

“But she doesn’t complain at all.”

“We landed the number one rookie. There are some things we can’t ask her to do because she’s a woman, but she’s capable, physically fit, and a skilled fighter. She’s the best. The best bride.”

“Huh?”

“No, rest.”

“Yes, Hyung [term for older brother or close male friend] Oh Geng, Team Leader, please rest. Youngest.”

“Yes! Senior.”

The youngest, who had been lying down, jumped up at Hae-soo’s call. When Hae-soo gestured, he grabbed the car keys and quickly followed.

Watching the two large men leave headquarters, the team leader muttered.

“It’s good to be young. Look at how energetic they are.”

“Uh, yawn.”

“Yeah, sleep, sleep.”

* * *

The estimated time of death was dawn, and the time when the drunk and the woman were caught on the black box footage was late at night. Therefore, they concluded that they were more likely to find something if they searched the area at night.

So, Hae-soo and the youngest revisited the scene.

They spotted a police car parked not far from the location.

Two police officers and several other people were gathered around a utility pole.

“Something must be going on.”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Hae-soo approached the police officer and inquired.

“You’re working hard. What’s going on?”

“Oh!”

The police officer from the Dongbu District Police Station recognized Hae-soo, already a legend in the force, and was startled into a salute.

“Yes! We responded to a report of a drunk collapsed against a utility pole. What brings you here?”

“Ah….”

Hae-soo narrowed his eyes, studying the drunk. He wore a bucket hat pulled low, and his t-shirt was stained with vomit.

He reached out and slightly lifted the hat.

‘That’s the guy.’

Only the back and side views were visible in the footage, but the hairstyle and silhouette matched.

“Ugh, who is it! Who turned on the light!”

As soon as Hae-soo replaced the hat, the drunk fell silent again.

“We’ll take this person.”

“Ye-yes? Ah… It’s good for us, but….”

“He’s a person of interest in our case. The person we were looking for.”

“Ah, yes! Understood!”

The police officers snapped to attention and saluted Hae-soo and the youngest again.

“You’re always awesome! Good work!”

Hae-soo gave them a thumbs up and led the drunk away.

After removing and washing his vomit-stained t-shirt, dressing him in sportswear, and giving him a hangover drink, the drunk seemed to regain some clarity.

Hae-soo immediately showed him the black box footage on his phone.

“Is this you, sir? Do you remember this day?”

“Huh? Uh… I don’t know…”

The drunk squinted and shook his head. But the moment the woman appeared on the screen, his eyes widened.

“Oh! That b*tch! No, that bastard!”

“Do you remember this woman?”

The drunk pointed at the screen with his index finger and shouted.

“That’s a man, a man!! I definitely thought she was a pretty woman, but her thing was bigger than mine!”

Hae-soo and the youngest exchanged glances, their mouths opening in unison.

“That neighborhood resident!”

“Park Ji-won!”

Hae-soo immediately showed Park Ji-won’s face to the drunk.

“Is this the person?”

“Hmm, it seems right. The eyes, the eyes were as big as marbles… similar, no, it seems right.”

If he wore eye makeup as a cross-dresser, his eyes would have appeared much larger. This strengthened the likelihood that the woman the drunk encountered was Park Ji-won, a man dressed as a woman.

Of course, there was no conclusive evidence that Park Ji-won, the cross-dresser, was the actual killer.

However, the victim had attempted to solicit prostitution through a chat app before his murder, Park Ji-won was present at the scene around the time of death, and the only witness, the drunk, testified that the “woman” was actually a cross-dressing man.

All the circumstances pointed towards him as a prime suspect.

“Do, Rookie, you said you have that person’s phone number?”

Hae-soo retrieved his phone and dialed the number before the team leader could even speak.

-The phone is turned off, connecting to voicemail…

“It’s turned off.”

Hae-soo relayed, glancing at the youngest. The youngest leaped up and grabbed the car keys.

“Let’s go.”