At the Crossroads

Chapter 13

What Jinyoung thought as he made his way to their team's office in the police headquarters, was that the two murders, Jung Wonjae's and Nam Yunseok's, had happened on the same day, only one week apart. Was that a significance? Or just a coincidence?

But for sure, except the knife wounds, the styles of the two murders were not the same. One in a basement garage and another in the victim's garden yard.

"Hi. Morning. Long time no see!" Jackson cheerfully greeted from his seat as Jinyoung entered the room. Apparently, Jinyoung was the last one to arrive. The other three were already seated at the long table.

"Morning. How's the investigation going?"

Jinyoung sat opposite Yugyeom and glanced at Jaebum, "And how was your little adventure yesterday?"

"I don't know if it can be called a suspicious activity or not. But he met a man yesterday. In a grand restaurant. That was all I found out," Jaebum shrugged. But his posture was not relaxed and his expression was grave. That was his typical look when he was in deep thoughts.

"Tell me about the murder. Were there any CCTVs? Anything you found at the crime scene?"

Jackson flipped through his worn-out notebook but Yugyeom was already talking. "There were two CCTVs in the yard and more inside the house. But the first two were destroyed, one at the gate and another at the porch. We checked those inside but apparently those three guys hadn't entered the house. There's only the footage of Nam Yunseok leaving the house."

"Then Nam Yunseok was out to meet those three guys?" Jinyoung mused. "But then if he was willing to meet them, why did the guys have to fight the guards to enter the yard? It doesn't make sense. Or could it be that he came out because of the commotion, not to see the guys?"

Jackson shook his head; he was no longer looking at his notes. "Nah. The house and the gate are far enough. I doubt Nam Yunseok heard anything. Besides, it was when most of the people were asleep. If they hadn't been careful, they would've woken up the neighbours."

"But Nam Yunseok had no prior plans to meet them either," Yugyeom said. He put two sealed poly bags in which were a pretty big stone and some pieces of glass, respectively. Jinyoung examined them and came to the conclusion that the tiny glass pieces were from a window.

"Where did you find the stone?"

"In Nam Yunseok's bedroom. This was the reason why he came out," Yugyeom said.

The difference between the two murders had become clearer. The first one, Jung Wonjae and the murderer had met, the place and time having been arranged. But now, Nam Yunseok had had no idea of what he had been getting into. Jinyoung handed the bags to Yugyeom to keep them back in the evidence box.

"You two went to Captain Construction yesterday, right?"

Yugyeom sat up straight and cleared his throat. But this time, Jackson had stolen the chance to talk. "Nam Yunseok was a devoted man and respected. At least, that was what the employees said. A diligent man. He was both the CEO and the largest shareholder. We checked the company's record. During the years he had been the CEO there, the company'd advanced a great deal. More local and foreign investments and great management."

"We talked to the secretary and all the managers. They said there would be a board meeting this week to select a new CEO," Yugyeom continued the talk.

"Did you meet the shareholders?"

"No. But we took pictures of them from the company profiles. Just in case." Yugyeom took out a file holder in which there were the printed photos of the shareholders along with their profile details.

As he spread the pictures on the table, Jaebum, who had shown little interest in their conversation, jumped from his seat to see the photos closer.

"Who're they?" His eyes were, however, fixed on one particular photo.

"The shareholders of Captain Construction."

Jaebum grabbed that specific picture he had been eyeing and looked at it closer. Then his eyes closed, before looking at the photo again.

"This man! I can't be mistaken. This man who Kim Shiwoo met yesterday," Jaebum looked more shocked than triumphant. Perhaps, he couldn't believe that another murder was apparently connected to Kim Shiwoo.

The other three looked at the picture of a man who seemed to be in his forties and was in a business suit, and then exchanged glances.

"Are you sure this was the one you saw with Kim Shiwoo yesterday?" Jinyoung asked.

"I'm deadly sure. Unless he has a twin."

The previous evening, Jaebum had almost lost track of Kim Shiwoo's car. For a number of times, he had been left due to the red lights when Kim Shiwoo had escaped them. It was probably only luck when he did not miss the sight of Kim Shiwoo's car entering the underground car park of the restaurant.

When he followed into the car park, he found Kim Shiwoo talking with a man there. The two of them left together into the restaurant and were led into a private room. Which meant Jaebum had no chance of finding out what they met for but had a meal there and returned home.

Assumedly it was a business appointment. He had been trying to match that man's face with the businessmen he knew or had seen, since last night.

"He's the second largest shareholder of the company and has a seat on the board too," Yugyeom said, "Lee Joongsu's his name."

"It was too much of a coincidence for Kim Shiwoo to meet the second largest shareholder of the company whose CEO and majority shareholder had just been killed, wasn't it?" Jackson said.

"What're we going to do now?" Jinyoung slumped back in his chair. The first murder had not been to the court yet and now another murder related to Kim Shiwoo?

"Interview all the shareholders and directors?" Jackson suggested. "To find out if there could be any reason why Lee Joongsu or Kim Shiwoo intended to eliminate Nam Yunseok, if they were really culprits?"

"It must be jealousy. Or to take control of the company. What else?" Yugyeom said.

"Whatever. We need to interview them to be sure."

Jaebum decided and everyone else agreed.