Detour

21

Haein

It was a very clean statement.

Smith returned home because he forgot something inside his office and caught a man inside it. They had a fight, until another man came in, hitting him and then he was unconscious. Minutes later he woke up, and another man was lurking inside his office, he had another fight with the third man. He was able to fight against him and he screamed for help, alarming the third man, stabbing him few more times before he ran away. His neighbors asked for security's help upon hearing his screams, and he was able to call 119. Security and police officers came in time and he was brought to the hospital.

His statement was well polished, like a rehearsed one. He was unable to identify the first two intruders because of the masks and hat, but the last one, he identified him.

A previous business partner whom he sued, a huge amount of money involved.

The investigators were able to search inside his house since it was declared as a crime scene, the knife collections are intact, and the team was able to photograph and get fingerprints from them. I specifically instructed to check blood traces too using Luminol.

I asked Kim if she noticed any missing knife from his collection pieces that could have been used to stab him, but she was having a hard time to recall since it was dark inside.

I have completed the reports to Song this morning and right now, Kim and I were inside his office, briefing him of events last night.

"This happening makes our investigation back to square one, is that right Inspector?" He asked. Of course, Smith was removed from the suspect list. I think Smith knew who the killer was and the killer was trying to silence him, and his statements were lies.

"We will go back again to all the reports Sir. I am still suspicious of Smith, and the intention of his perpetrator. I am sure with the kind of wounds he received, the attack was supposed to scare him and not to kill him. I still believe he's our key to catch the criminal."

"Are you sure this is connected to the case still?"

"We can look for other evidences Sir but we are to start again reviewing and investigating other possibilities. I am not ruling out Smith still, if not a suspect, an accomplice or someone who knows something about it."

"Okay Inspector. Thank you. Give me more updates about this."

"Yes Sir. I have requested his knife collection to pass through the luminol test to identify any blood traces from any of it. I also sent a psychoanalysis request from our criminal psychologist. I still don't buy it that an ex business partner attacked him, so if its the killer, we need to understand what would probably be his next steps if we are to gauge on a serial killer perspective. The report would run for the next two or three days."

"Do we need anything more?"

"Smith denied the police protection we offered. Still needing an eye on him just in case." I answered.

Both of us were dismissed after a quick wrap up.

Kim and I left Song's office and went straight inside mine. Thankfully, she looked focus again on the case and no longer lingering on that bad feeling last night. Or maybe I made her madder with what I did last night.

"Kim."

She hummed in response.

I sat at the chair next to her and peek at her laptop.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

He shoved the laptop to me. "Just checking the areas of the crime. Suddenly there's something I felt when I went to your house last night."