The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 161

We had concluded that the murder weapon that killed President Kang Woosung and the elderly doctor was likely the same sharp object. To confirm this objectively, we sent the materials to the medical examiner to request an opinion.

The medical examiner also offered the opinion that the stab wounds left on the necks of the two victims were consistent. In both length and diameter. I even heard the opinion that if one only looked at the wounds, it appeared to be a serial murder.

Therefore, we intended to use a lie detector to find out the location where the weapon had been hidden.

“Please look at these photos.”

The forensic team member showed Chief Tak the photos we had selected. She pushed photos of all kinds of places—mountains, rivers, seas, fields, graves, houses, ordinary buildings, and more—at him, waiting for his physical reaction to change. I wanted to narrow down, even if just a little, the candidate sites where the awl might be hidden.

I often wondered. How does the irrational and illogical desire of criminals to keep souvenirs overcome the fear of being convicted? I thought someone as knowledgeable about investigation and law as Chief Tak wouldn’t get caught, but he too had lost to his impulses.

“Prosecutor.”

I asked, my eyes fixed on Chief Tak, who was visible through the magic mirror.

“Was there some kind of belief formed that if you used that awl, you wouldn’t get caught for the murder?”

“Who knows. I don’t even want to understand it.”

“It’s not about understanding, it’s because I need to know in order to speculate on your actions.”

His lips, reflected in the glass, were pressed tightly shut.

The lie detector test lasted longer than ever before.

The forensic team member came out after finishing the interrogation that had dragged on for a long time. She had a more exhausted expression than usual, perhaps because it was burdensome to interrogate her former boss, Tak Sungwoong. Prosecutor Joo asked for the results immediately.

“How are the results?”

“First, I’ll tell you only about the part you were concerned about. It is true that 1225 is not his own burner phone. It came out as true when asked if it belonged to his son.”

“What about the places suspected to be the hiding spot for the awl?”

“None of them showed any particular reaction, but… the one that showed a somewhat meaningful biological change was the grave?”

“Is it not to a significant degree?”

“There wasn’t really any reaction to the photos at all…. Still, the graph rose slightly higher at the grave.”

I stared at the photo of the grave and muttered quietly.

“We need to check Chief Tak’s parents’ grave. It would be best to get a warrant to investigate not only the gravesite, but all the places that Oh Jahyeon and Mr. Tak Sungwoong visit even occasionally.”

“Let’s do that.”

Prosecutor Joo moved his gaze back to the magic mirror. The anger in his eyes toward Chief Tak had subsided considerably, but there was still a heavy surge in the waves.

With a weary face, he ran a hand through his hair and turned his head toward the forensic team member.

“Then please send the report briefly.”

“Understood, Prosecutor.”

The staff member went back into the interrogation room to wrap things up, and we walked toward Room 512. After confirming that there was no one around, he whispered to me softly.

“I work until next week, and then the disciplinary action begins.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll make sure to finish the indictment for attempted murder and abandonment of a corpse by then, so don’t worry.”

“Please don’t overwork yourself.”

“Just say thank you. If you do, I don’t think I’ll have anything in the world to worry about.”

I glanced up at him. Saying he wouldn’t have anything to worry about? It was strange and peculiar that I had a person by my side whose one word could have such an incredible influence.

Wanting to be a source of strength, I said it with sincerity.

“Of course I am grateful.”

“I wonder if that’s really true.”

“Prosecutor, you are being difficult for no reason. You know I mean it.”

Though we were at the office, I retorted a bit boldly. Instead of scolding me like a boss for talking back, Prosecutor Joo just chuckled, like a lover.

“I suppose so.”

While we walked down the corridor sharing light conversation to ease the tension, I was having slightly different thoughts inside.

I resolved firmly: I will definitely find that awl, and I will find out who Chief Tak’s son is, before the disciplinary action begins.

The mole was one thing, but the existence of the son was more important. Not only did he help abandon the bodies, but he might also be the one keeping the murder weapon.

Prosecutor Joo relied on me only when it came to investigations. He doesn’t rely on Prosecutor Yoon Gyuho, Chief Song, or any other investigator. We had been clinging to this case for half a year—a case that had been tormenting us for 15 years—and I wanted to tie it up together no matter what.

Since there was less than two weeks left until the disciplinary action, all of my personal time was forfeited. As soon as I entered the prosecutor’s office, I began tracking Chief Tak’s past accounts.

The orphanage that the maternal uncle mentioned—that might be the key.

I poured the last weekend before his suspension into finding the orphanage that Chief Tak had sponsored. However, whether he sponsored it under someone else’s name, lied to the uncle, or paid in cash, no matter how far back I went, I could not find a connection between Chief Tak and an orphanage.

In the end, I set out for direct inquiries according to the basics of investigation, holding a photo of Chief Tak from 25 years ago.

The number of orphanages established or closed in Danhyeon City over the last 30 years was about ten. I failed to find any leads at the five places I visited on Saturday, but on Sunday morning, I left the apartment with Prosecutor Joo again. He clearly looked unhappy with my plan.

“Why are you rushing when you could just look into it slowly after I get disciplined? Preparing the indictment is more urgent.”

“Still. We need to find out who the son is to get a solid lead. The son might be keeping the awl.”

From outside the entrance of the orphanage, the sound of children could be heard faintly. I stared at the nameplate of ‘Spring Flower Orphanage’ hanging at the entrance and muttered.

“It seems he’s managed to hide his child until now, somehow.”

“It’s the power of money.”

“Is that so?”

“It could also be revenge against Oh Jahyeon’s father, who opposed them his whole life.”

For some reason, the second assumption seemed more likely.

Even though Oh Jahyeon’s father opposed them until the end, the two secretly had a child. Moreover, they didn’t let go of the wicked greed to inherit the fortune as well. There was no word more appropriate than ‘revenge’ to encompass all those decisions. And that side seemed to fit the personalities of Tak Sungwoong and Oh Jahyeon, whom I had experienced so far, even better.

“I think it’s because of revenge.”

“Is that so?”

“He left the awl stuck in the neck. Like he was displaying it. Murderers who feel vengeful do that.”

Prosecutor Joo chewed over my words for a long time before replying.

“Come to think of it, you did consistently say from the beginning that it seemed like a crime of grudge.”

“He couldn’t kill Oh Jahyeon’s father, so it seems he projected his anger onto the victims. They were all, in fact, obstacles to Oh Jahyeon, so I think Chief Tak would have been angry, too.”

“That’s true.”

Prosecutor Joo quietly acknowledged my guess.

We went inside the Spring Flower Orphanage and found the official who had worked there the longest. After presenting his ID, Prosecutor Joo held out Chief Tak’s photo.

“Do you happen to know this person? He must have donated a large sum of money to an orphanage 30 to 40 years ago.”

The middle-aged woman checked the photo more carefully than anyone we had met so far, but she shook her head.

“I don’t know. There are many people who donate non-face-to-face, you see.”

“His name is Tak Sungwoong.”

“Just a moment.”

The staff member went into the storage room and came out with a dusty stack of documents. However, she could not find Chief Tak’s name.

Perhaps he had donated under a pseudonym. Since no donation history was found in the account, it was not an impossible scenario. We also checked if a child with the surname ‘Tak’ had ever been admitted, but since it was a rare surname, there wasn’t a single one.

As we were about to turn away, she suddenly stopped us.

“Do you happen to know around when the child was left?”

I answered with what I suspected.

“It would have been right after birth.”

“Then the surname could be different from the parents’. It could be the mother’s surname. If there is no information about the parents, we register the birth by arbitrarily making up both the surname and the name. If it’s a newborn, parents usually leave a note with the child’s name, but there are cases where that’s not the case.”

We thanked her and walked out. We went around the remaining orphanages until evening, but we ended up empty-handed until the end.

With summer approaching, sunset was late. It was only after 7 o’clock that the twilight began to fall. Prosecutor Joo let out a long sigh as he walked down a small country road where fields stretched out.

“I’m displeased.”

“About what?”

“Officer Lee doing this.”