Chapter 67: The Chase Continues

It was an incident that happened in the jurisdiction of the Capital Region Police Station, and since the fire department was called, the fire support must have arrived in five or ten minutes.

The speed at which the police in our country respond is really fast, but the fire department’s response time is even more amazing than you’d think.

However, maybe because this was Icheon.

It took over ten minutes for the fire department to arrive.

Even if the difference was only a few minutes, there was no helping the bit of anxiety that crept in during that time.

I wanted to hand over to the firefighters and hear from their mouths that the child was safe.

Still, about fifteen minutes later, the fire support finally arrived.

The Ambulance stopped quickly out front, and the firefighters revealed themselves, hurrying into the house.

The support from the Capital Region Police Station arrived at almost the same time, dragging Go Hyunsook over to the Squad Car.

“Hello. Is this the person?”

“Yes.”

At the firefighter’s question, Lee Jaehyun immediately nodded and stepped aside.

The responding firefighter quickly moved to check Choi Daehyun’s condition.

If there was anything seriously wrong, they would notice right away.

Lee Jaehyun watched the firefighter, tension on his face, as they examined Choi Daehyun.

Fortunately, after checking Daehyun’s condition, the firefighter gave a slight nod.

“There don’t seem to be any major issues with his body. His response is a bit slow, but if he took sleeping pills, this much is normal. He doesn’t seem to be in great distress, but it’s best to transport him to the hospital for a thorough checkup.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Jaehyun sincerely thanked the firefighter.

He finally moved his gaze, which had been fixed on Choi Daehyun, and stood up.

He confirmed with the firefighter that there were no immediate visible problems with the child.

That didn’t mean the case was completely over.

They had secured the kidnapper Go Hyunsook and the child, but had not yet caught the other kidnapper, Park Yech’an.

Until that guy was caught, the case wasn’t finished.

Thinking so, Lee Jaehyun turned and stepped outside, glancing toward the Squad Car where Go Hyunsook was being processed.

At that moment, a familiar figure appeared before his eyes.

Wearing a black dress, it was Se-re-hen.

As soon as she appeared, her eyes sparkled and she spoke.

“I found them. The kid’s mother and the kidnapper are in the same place.”

“Where?”

“Gonjiam Station.”

“Ah…”

At Se-re-hen’s words, Lee Jaehyun’s expression finally shifted in realization.

Gonjiam Station, the child’s mother, the kidnapper’s phone…

It felt as though the puzzle pieces were finally falling into place in his mind.

Go Hyunsook and Park Yech’an were both quite cautious by nature.

They were the type who best exploited the saying, ‘It’s darkest under the lamp.’

So, it wasn’t hard to deduce that they’d be in a crowded area.

From Lee Jaehyun’s perspective, a subway station was the most fitting location.

“They haven’t met directly, but from the look of things, the kid’s mom seems to be hiding the bag of money somewhere.”

He didn’t immediately understand what she meant.

Why hide it?

There could be several reasons, but not many came to mind right away.

“Hide it?”

“Yes, I checked up to the point where she put the bag of money in something like a drawer, and then I followed the kidnapper’s energy and came straight here.”

At Se-re-hen’s words about the bag being placed in something like a drawer, Lee Jaehyun’s mind raced.

The child’s father was with the detectives and would have been told that Choi Daehyun was safe.

But the child’s mother, acting alone, hadn’t been told yet.

Like she said before, maybe she didn’t want to hand over the money bag until she saw Choi Daehyun for herself.

Or perhaps Park Yech’an instructed her to leave the money bag there.

He wasn’t sure which it was.

But at least Lee Jaehyun knew exactly what he had to do right now.

“I need to go and catch him.”

He’d saved him in this life, but in the previous one, the guy had kidnapped Choi Daehyun, killed him, and in the end, took his own life.

If possible, he wanted to catch the guy with his own hands.

With determined strides, Lee Jaehyun approached Team Leader Oh Min-seok, who was talking with the local officers.

“Team Leader Oh.”

“Oh, Officer Lee Jaehyun. Good work.”

“No, sir. The job’s not finished yet.”

“Right, we still have to catch the other guy.”

Team Leader Oh Min-seok spoke, coming to stand by Lee Jaehyun’s side.

Since the child’s father was at the scene with the police, they had brought him along.

But the child’s mother was still with the kidnapper.

This was about saving not just a citizen, but a family, and as much as it was the police’s duty to catch the criminal.

The case was not over, but ongoing.

“I think I know where Park Yech’an is.”

“Where?”

Team Leader Oh Min-seok’s eyes sharpened at Lee Jaehyun’s words.

After seeing what Lee Jaehyun did in the previous case and his performance in this one, Oh Min-seok had come to trust him considerably.

He gestured with his chin, as if to say, “Go on.”

“Gonjiam Station.”

“The station… That makes sense. With so many people, it’s easy to blend in and move around… That’s logical.”

“Yes, we should go and catch them—”

Just as Lee Jaehyun was speaking, a voice came through the radio.

— Team Leader, we’ve found the car. It’s at Gonjiam Station. Should we go in?

With confirmation of Lee Jaehyun’s words, Team Leader Oh Min-seok glanced at him with an odd look, then nodded.

“Yeah, approach with caution. Look around naturally and move so they don’t get suspicious.”

— Understood.

The detective immediately responded to Team Leader Oh Min-seok’s instructions.

With that, the radio transmission ended.

Team Leader Oh Min-seok shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Lee Jaehyun, who was still watching him with a steady gaze.

“Looks like our team found him too. Why don’t you go to the hospital with Choi Daehyun, Officer Lee? Let the team handle Park Yech’an.”

“I’d like to see Park Yech’an myself.”

“…Well, all right. Then let’s go together.”

“Yes, Team Leader. Thank you.”

Lee Jaehyun bowed slightly, then quickly set off.

It was time to go catch Park Yech’an.

***

Wearing a black hat and a mask, Park Yech’an nervously scanned his surroundings.

There were plenty of people passing by, but no one seemed to suspect him.

Still, maybe because he’d committed a crime, everything made him nervous.

It felt like someone was constantly watching him.

A little while ago, he’d felt a real stare so strongly that it gave him goosebumps.

“Seriously, I thought I was going crazy.”

Park Yech’an even rubbed his arms as if the air had suddenly gotten colder.

Since then, his body had been trembling from the constant nerves.

He took a steady breath and reviewed his plan once more.

His mother would be with the child.

Meanwhile, he just had to wait in a spot where he could clearly see the Locker at Gonjiam Station for the money.

If someone carrying a bag, looking anxious and glancing around, appeared, he’d call and tell them to put the money bag in the Locker.

Then, he’d send them to a deserted Playground about fifteen minutes away by car—a place barely anyone visited anymore.

Whoever brought the money bag, whether it was the kid’s mom or dad, would frantically search for the Playground.

What Park Yech’an had to do there was simple and clear.

“All I have to do is check the money bag.”

He’d check the Locker, make sure the money was inside the bag.

Then, he’d contact his mother, and she’d take the child to the Playground and leave him there.

Since the Playground was about five minutes from home, timing wasn’t a problem.

She’d just leave the child and come back, and he’d take the money bag and go home.

That way, the debts at home could be paid, and his mother could feel at ease.

“But why isn’t she answering?”

Park Yech’an fiddled with his smartphone.

His last contact with his mother had been ten minutes ago.

But for some reason, there’d been no word from her since.

His first time committing a crime.

It sounded simple enough, but the anxiety that came with that word—first—was immense.

Had he left any evidence behind?

What if he got caught? Worries like that flashed through his mind.

And in this tense mood, the silent smartphone only added to his anxiety.

“Forget it. Mom knows what she’s doing.”

Park Yech’an tried to calm himself down.

He’d gone through so much to get here.

All that was left was to get the money from the kid’s mom and hand it over.

Thinking that, he shoved the silent smartphone into his pocket and looked toward the meeting spot.

“Anyway, when is the kid’s mom coming? I hope she’s not bringing any detectives along after all this.”

Even though it was a local station, the area around the station was busy with people.

Watching the bustling crowd, Park Yech’an recalled the key instructions his mother had given him.

“As long as you don’t get caught.”

Go Hyunsook had emphasized to him not to show himself.

Like a shadow, quietly retrieve the money—this was what Go Hyunsook repeated several times when giving him the job.

He hadn’t shown his face to the child, but if the kid’s mother or father recognized him… then things would get really bad.

He’d have to take care of not only the child, but also the parents who saw his face—maybe even kill them.

And when that moment came… could he really kill someone else?

“I probably couldn’t.”

In the end, he’d end up choosing to take his own life.

And then only his mother would be left.

He had to secure the money bag quietly, without being discovered, no matter what.

Just then, a woman with a worried face, glancing anxiously around, caught his eye.

It was Choi Daehyun’s Mother.

He slyly pulled out his smartphone and sent a text.

The kid’s mom hurriedly checked her phone, then slipped the money bag into the Locker.

— Stage one, complete.

After texting his mother, Park Yech’an sent the kid’s mom directions to the Playground.

— If you go here, you’ll find your child.

The kid’s mom gasped, drew in a shaky breath, then dashed out of the station.

Watching her, Park Yech’an stood up as well.

Now all that was left was to check the money and send his mother the confirmation for stage two.

A sly smile crept across his lips.

Of course, Park Yech’an… had no way of predicting what the future held.