"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you when I get back," said Taeyeon into the phone after the whining had stopped. "I'll read you a bedtime story every night for the rest of the week."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"When will you be back?"
"Tomorrow or the day after. Be a good girl, okay? Listen to Fany and to Auntie Yoong."
"Okay," replied the little girl sadly.
"Don't sound so sad. I'll be back before you know it. Now you need to go to bed and I need to work. Good night, Jiyoon-ah."
"Good night, Taetae. Come home soon."
She had to smile when she heard that, feeling a new kind of warmth spreading inside her heart. "I will. Can you give the phone to Fany?"
"Hello?"
"Hey, I just remembered something."
"What?"
"That lunch appointment with Hyoyeon's friend tomorrow."
Tiffany groaned. "I totally forgot about that. I'll call and reschedule."
"Okay."
"Are you still in the train?"
"We've just arrived at the station." Taeyeon stood up, shouldered her bag and started to move towards the exit with Yuri and Sooyoung.
"Have you eaten?"
"Had a sandwich so I'm good."
"Be careful."
"I will. I'll call you back later. Go tuck her in."
"Bye."
"Bye." Taeyeon ended the call and sighed, wishing that she were in Seoul instead.
"It's tougher to leave home now, huh?" commented Sooyoung.
"Yeah."
"Don't worry. We just have to talk to a few people, get the info we need and head back. Won't take more than a day, I think."
"I hope so. I don't feel comfortable leaving them alone in Seoul under the circumstances."
"There's Yoong and Joonmyun too. They'll be fine," said Yuri.
The three stepped off the train and merged with the crowd, going towards the station hall.
"Ah. There he is," Sooyoung said and increased her walking speed to greet Sehun who bowed politely to her.
"Welcome back, Inspector Choi."
"Thanks, Sehun. These are Inspector Kim Taeyeon and Inspector Kwon Yuri," she introduced her friends. "This is Assistant Inspector Oh Sehun. He's been extremely helpful."
The young man blushed a little as he bowed to the two inspectors. "Thank you, Inspector Choi." He then gestured for them to follow him to his car.
"Have you brought in the hospital staff for questioning?" asked Sooyoung once they had driven away from the station.
"I have. The doctor, the two nurses and the morgue resident are at the station now. That guy tried to skip town."
"Huh? Which guy?"
"Hyeonwoo."
"The shady resident? Why? Doesn't he know that running indicates guilt?"
He shrugged. "No idea. He wouldn't talk though. The only one who looks innocent is the female nurse."
