At the Crossroads

Chapter 19

Alone in their team's office room, Jinyoung was at the table, going over all the evidences they had got so far. All the evidences pointed towards Kim Shiwoo as the one who had been behind all the murders. But how had Mark entered the picture?

Had it been his own ignorance that he had never detected anything suspicious, concerned with Mark? Even now Jinyoung could not think of a single thing that would have made him relate the murders or any crimes to Mark. Except that Mark and Kim Shiwoo had been in each other's company a lot.

There had been chaos at the crime scene the previous day. Jinyoung contacted his team before delivering the news to the manager and it was not long before all the hotel staff and customers got wind of what had happened and a crowd formed near Kim Shiwoo's room.

Jinyoung did not have any desire to see Mark although he needed to and to question him as his duty demanded. He let the manager control the crowd and prevent them from touching anything in the room, and waited for his team downstairs.

When he was back upstairs with his team, Mark was neither in the crowd nor anywhere to be seen. The team carried out the usual task: observing the wound - the weapon was not there -, getting the fingerprints on the glasses and Kim Shiwoo's body, and questioning the staff. Of course, no one had seen Kim Shiwoo out of the room that afternoon.

Jinyoung was playing the recordings again when the door opened and Yugyeom came in. He looked completely sober and hesitated a little before saying, "Hyung, Mark Tuan's here. In the interrogation room."

Jinyoung stood up and Yugyeom said, "Will you be okay? Should we ask Jaebum hyung or Jackson hyung to do instead?"

"Why won't I be? I should be the one who is interrogating him."

Yugyeom said nothing more and they left the room together to the interrogation room on the third floor. When they arrived, Mark was already seated inside the room. And his first reaction was pure surprise as Jinyoung entered.

Incredulity was evident in his eyes when Jinyoung extended his hand for a handshake and introduced himself as an investigator.

"I thought I was playing with you all the time. But turned out you were the one playing with me? Nice game to you, huh?" said Mark, his lips slowly turning into an amused, sly smile.

"I'm sorry if I deceived you, Mr. Tuan. Now can we start?"

"A few questions, concerned with Shiwoo hyung? Fire away." Mark sat up straight, his tone still laced with amusement, as his eyes were steady on Jinyoung.

"You don't look like someone whose friend was just murdered." Jinyoung could not help snorting when he could see Mark's indifference. "Be serious for a moment, can you?"

"I'm serious alright," Mark assured Jinyoung. Although his eyes and smile said otherwise.

"You were in Kim Shiwoo's room yesterday afternoon, weren't you? And you two were playing chess."

"Why're you asking me when you know?"

"Just answer me yes or no." Jinyoung regretted ever having been a little upset for Mark. How come Mark could annoy him even in such a situation?

"Yes. At some point, you were also there beside me."

"Answer only what I ask," Jinyoung snapped. "Do you admit that you were the last person to see him alive?"

The reason for Jinyoung's question suddenly dawned on Mark, "Are you saying I killed him? That's why I'm here? I can't believe I'm being accused of murder!"