Legal Love On The High Seas

Chapter 2

The cool, sterile air of the police station was a stark contrast to the salty breeze of the sea that Captain Park Min-woo and Prosecutor Soo-jin had grown accustomed to during their investigation. The station was bustling with activity, but a somber tone hung over the officers as they navigated through their duties.

Min-woo had been uneasy since morning. His marine engineer, Jae-hyun, had been missing for days, and his absence had put a significant strain on their operations. Min-woo had made numerous calls, sent several messages, and even reached out to Jae-hyun's family, but there was no word from him. His crew was tight-knit, and the absence of one was deeply felt by all.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Min-woo asked one of his officers over the phone as he and Soo-jin walked toward the main desk at the police station. The question had become a painful daily ritual.

"No, Captain, nothing yet," came the disappointing reply.

As they approached the desk, Soo-jin noticed the tension in Min-woo's posture. "We'll find him," she reassured, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Min-woo only nodded, his mind clearly burdened with concern.

They were at the station to follow up on some regulatory filings for their ship when an officer approached them, a grim expression on his face. "Prosecutor Han, Captain Park, there's been a report you might want to hear about. A body was found washed up on the shore early this morning."

Soo-jin's professional instincts kicked in immediately. "Do we have an ID on the victim?"

The officer nodded grimly, handing over a file. "Yes, it's one of your crew, Captain. A marine engineer named Lee Jae-hyun."

The world seemed to stop spinning for Min-woo. The folder in his hand felt like it weighed a ton. With shaky hands, he opened it to find a photo of Jae-hyun, unmistakable and lifeless. His heart sank as waves of shock and grief crashed over him.

Soo-jin watched Min-woo's reaction with concern. "Min-woo, did you-"

"I didn't know," Min-woo cut her off, his voice barely a whisper. His mind raced with confusion and sorrow. "He was missing for days, and now..." His voice trailed off as the reality of the situation sank in.

"We need to find out what happened to him," Soo-jin said, her voice firm, pulling Min-woo back to the moment. They were not only colleagues but also friends, and she felt his pain acutely.

"Yes, of course," Min-woo replied, the captain in him taking over. He squared his shoulders, the weight of leadership and loss evident in his eyes.

The officer led them to a private room where they could discuss the details without interruption. According to the preliminary report, Jae-hyun's body showed signs of a struggle. There were bruises and cuts, which indicated that he might have been involved in a fight or an accident before ending up in the water.

"The medical examiner will determine the cause of death," the officer explained. "But from the looks of it, he didn't just fall into the water."

Soo-jin's legal mind began piecing together the possibilities. "We need to consider all scenarios-accident, foul play, perhaps related to our current investigation. Min-woo, can you think of any reason why Jae-hyun would be targeted or involved in something dangerous?"

Min-woo thought hard, his mind racing through recent events and past conversations. "He mentioned some irregularities he found in the ship's fuel logs last week. He was supposed to look into it further. I didn't think much of it at the time-it seemed like a typical inventory issue."