The Disney Princess Murders

09

--- Outside the house ---

"Hey," Yoongi called out, "take a look at this."

Jin walked over to Yoongi, who was crouched by the front door. "What is it?"

Yoongi pointed at two small, slender, pick-like objects laying just under a rose bush. "What are they?"

"They're lock-picking tools," Yoongi answered as he rose to his feet and signaled for a forensic tech, "That's how he got in."

Jin nodded as he watched the tech snap a picture of the lock picks before carefully bagging the evidence. "This would explain why Taehyung didn't see him shadowing Jungkook yesterday, or why neither he nor Jimin witnessed a break in of any kind. He was already in the house."

--- Inside the house ---

"Hey, agent Jung, I think I found his possible hiding place," detective Lee called to the agent standing just outside the bedroom door. She gestured to the hall closet as agent Jung reached her side,"We found fingerprints on both the inner and outer door handle as well as a few hairs, that don't seem to match agent Jeon's."

Agent Jung looked at the closet, and the forensic tech collecting what he could from inside, "It's certainly big enough to hide a man of Jang's size, and we know Jungkook had no reason to use the hall closet."

"Any idea how he got in and out without being spotted?" Lee asked.

Hoseok nodded, "Agent Min found lock picking tools discarded under the rose bush by the front door."

"Didn't agent Kim and agent Park have to unlock the front door?"

"Yes, we believe Jang picked the lock to get in the house, then relocked the door once inside. As for how he got out," Hoseok indicated towards the window situated at the other end of the hallway, "that window is decorative and is unabled to be opened, yet it was found pryed open from the inside. Window leads to a section of the backyard that can't be seen from the road."

"So, he breaks through the front door by picking the lock, then jimmies the windows seal in order to be able to open it for his escape, before hiding in the closet to await agent Jeon's return home."

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Taehyung hasn't said a word since finding Jungkook missing. Yes, they wanted this to happen, but not this way. They were supposed to witness the kidnapping, and follow the suspect to his destination where they'd arrest him for his crimes, it wasn't supposed to be like this. Jimin, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It's not your fault Tae, none of us expected him to break into the home when Jungkook wasn't there."

"How are we gonna find him hyung?" Tae asked Jimin solemnly.

"We're gonna find him Taehyung." Jimin reassured him.

"Of course we are," Namjoon stated firmly, "Jang's only got a head start on us, but he won't get far."

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

He stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling, his mind dizzy and hazy. His body felt heavy and his mouth like cotton. Jungkook closed his eyes against the dizziness and confusion of his mind, waiting for it to subside. When he opened his eye's again, the ceiling no longer seemed to spin.

His body, though still a bit heavy, began to tingle with wakefulness. He slowly started to sit up, and it was then that he noticed the shackles upon his wrists...his golden gloved wrists.

Jungkook glanced down at himself, to see a yellow-gold skirt pooled around him. Footsteps suddenly echoed throughout the room, drawing closer and closer, immediately gaining Jungkook's attention.

Jang Changmin appeared before him, smile on his face and a red rose in hand, "Hello princess."

Jungkook calmly stared up at his captor, "How long will you keep me prisoner."

Changmin knelt before him, caressing Jungkook's face with the rose, cheek to lips, "Oh princess, you're not my prisoner, you're my guest."