Crimson Park

Chapter 24

A haze.

The whole afternoon had been a haze – as if you had a night of too much drinking and all you could remember were bits and pieces of random events: the way your lawyers eyes bulged when you confessed to taking the fall for Dongnam; the way the gallery gasped when you told them the police had missed a weapons depot, two grow ops and a brothel; Jungkook walking swiftly out of the courtroom mid cross-examination; Dongnam's thug's eyes throwing warnings at you as you kept speaking.

Then, as if you had woken up the next morning with a hangover, you were trying to piece the events together while the lawyer scolded you inside a tiny attorney's conference room.

"You've lost your fucking mind!" he shrieked. "We might not even make it out of this damn room now! You realise my neck is going to be on the line for this?!"

"Then I suggest you leave now, and try to get out of the country," you said.

"We can still fix this."

"No. I've made up my mind. You no longer represent me."

He froze, looking at you, searching your face for some hint that you weren't being serious.

"The sooner you leave, the better. You're fired. Now go."

"Ms. Park..."

"Tick-tock," you tapped your wrist. His face flushed red, and he looked as if he was about to explode – but instead, he grabbed his suitcase and hurried out of the room.

That was it – you were alone. What the hell were you thinking? You were in big, BIG trouble now.

Just then, the door flung open, and you yelped as two men came striding into the room. You were relieved, however, to recognize them as Detective Kim and Jungkook.

"Make sure no one comes in here," Namjoon said sternly to the guards before he shut and locked the door behind him.

"Are you okay?" Jungkook asked you, his face contorted in worry. You nodded, then the two men took a seat across the table.

"Where is your lawyer?" Namjoon asked.

"I fired him," you replied.

"I take it you've changed your mind about helping us?"

Adrenaline was still coursing through your veins, so you didn't say anything for a moment as you composed yourself. You cracked your neck, pulled your shoulders back and crossed your legs and your arms, then finally looked back up to them and said "yes."

"That's good news," sighed Namjoon.

"Under some conditions."

"What are those?"

"Firstly, I want the plea deal you offered."

"Can we still grandfather it mid-trial?" Jungkook turned to Namjoon.

Namjoon looked concerned. "I'm not sure. It has to be cleared by the judge – but let me talk to the prosecutor."

"It won't be cleared by the judge," you interrupted their discussion.

"What do you mean?"

"He's paid for. By Dongnam. He won't accept any deal for me to talk."

Both their eyes widened, and they momentarily went tongue-tied.

"Are you sure?" asked Namjoon.

"Positive. I wired the money to him myself."

"Do you have any evidence?"

"I do."

"So, what do we do now?" asked Jungkook. "Go after the judge?"

"That brings us to condition two. After the judge rejects the first plea bargain, we cut a new deal," you spoke up. Both men looked at you. "I told you about the remaining assets. But Dongnam would have them moved and evacuated by the time you get there. You don't know where they are going. But... if you offer me another deal, I'll tell you that the trafficked prostitutes are being moved to shipping containers on the docks."