Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover

Chapter 123: 5 Days-Just a Woman

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........

Gayoon mulled over the note in her hands. She was sitting alone in the interrogation room. Sometimes when she felt lost and confused, she locks herself in that room to think clearly. There were no spirits nor anyone else who would disturb her there and she could think quietly in peace. 

Minho and Kanji left to brief their private security team to find Mina. Two of the most powerful men in the country were out to find her and yet, the serial killer was still able to hide while Gayoon was questioning her abilities in that little room.

"Black van," she muttered to herself "Yumi's heart"

The CCK team had already obtained Dohyun's vehicle registration number and a team was dispersed to look for it. The van was last captured on CCTV, leaving the city's lines but after that it disappeared. No doubt the van must have gone into the vast forest along the city lines but it would take them weeks to look for Mina in that wilderness and they did not have much time left. It was the second day and they had barely three days in their hand.

But the line which intrigued Gayoon the most was about the black shadow. Why did the anonymous sender mention a black shadow? How was this connected to the case? 

"UGH!" she exclaimed. She put her head down and tried to clear her thoughts. What was the missing link? How did the CCK get his victims? He did not just kidnap random women. There must be a link!

"Think!" she scolded herself. "Think!"

She wanted to question the first survivor, Mimi, but according to Minho she was suffering from dementia. Years of suppressed fear and nightmares finally caught up to her and there was no way they could use her as a reliable witness. The police team also visited the spot where CCK was shot but that place was now turned into an amusement park. 

Should I ask Yumi? She wondered. It was a step she dreaded to take but there was little choice. Yumi might know something which would help them find Mina. 

I'm gonna ask her, she decided and got up to leave. She was almost at the door when it burst open and Taejoon walked in.

"Taejoon!" she said in surprise. "Did you find anything?"

"Not yet," he admitted. "But I want to talk to you."

He looked really serious and Gayoon dreaded what he was going to say.

"What are you doing?" he questioned her. "You were removed from the case! You know that killer is out to take revenge on Hwang Minho! Don't you think that killer might target you next? Why are you risking your life like this?"

His question annoyed Gayoon. As much as she appreciated the concern, her gut feeling told her that Taejoon was more worried that she was working with Minho than about her actual wellbeing.

"I'm a police officer," she stated. "It's my job to help people."

"You told him to hire you for his sister's kidnapping and to treat it as an independent case," he accused her.

"So?" she shot back. "What's wrong with that? You know very well that the CCK kidnapped a friend of mine and I have more reason to find him! I will be more relentless!"

"You are mixing your personal and professional life!" he retorted. "And this will make you the CCK's next target! You're just a...a"

"A what, Taejoon?" she demanded, waiting for him to answer despite knowing fully well what he wanted to say.

"You're just a...a...woman!" he finally said out loud. "You might be a good detective but it still does not change the fact that you're still a woman! That killer is targeting women and you're also close to the person he wants to exact revenge from! Don't you think that you should worry about your safety first?"

Gayoon gave him a cold gaze. "Safety?" she scoffed, shaking her head. Even after solving numerous cases and giving her heart and soul to a job she loved, all her accomplishments were zeroed down to her gender. It was her personal life which interested people more than a mad killer on the loose. 

"Thanks partner," she said in a sarcastic and sad tone. "Thanks a lot for believing in me. After all these years, thanks for seeing me as a capable officer rather than think me of as a woman who should think of her safety first."

"Gayoon I didn't mean that-"

"No, that's exactly what you meant," she said. "After all, I should think of my safety because I'm a woman, not a police officer who swore to protect the citizens."

Hurt and disappointment filled her eyes, making Taejoon avert his eyes in guilt. He did not want to put his words that way but seeing her recklessness only made him worried for her and he ended up blurting those things to her.

"Now if you would excuse me," she said. "I have to go and do my job."

She reached for the knob before pausing to add, "And about mixing my personal and professional commitments. Think whatever the fuck you want. As long as I can catch the killer and save Mina, I don't care about your or other people's opinions."

She turned and left him in the room to reflect on his actions.There were far more pressing matters in her hand.

...

Minho was in his office, briefing his security team alongside Kanji who had also brought his men. Even though Minho's reputation was fairly clean and he never dabbed into the underworld business, Kanji's case was different. His father, Jang Jason, was one of the most dreaded men in the mafia due to his influence. Their businesses were legal but that did not stop Jason from extending his control over the nation's mafia for his self interests. And with Kanji as his heir, the mafia were bound to follow him.

After dispersing the men to find more information, Minho and Kanji were alone in his office, trying to figure out their next move.

"The forest where CCK's old hideout was has been destroyed," Minho stated. "It's now an amusement park and hence, it's unlikely that he's gonna use that hideout."

"The police think it's a copycat killer," Kanji pointed out. "But how is it even possible? The killer knew that you had injured the CCK years ago. Only the three of us knew this! Even Mimi didn't know the details. And that doctor was a toddler when CCK was hospitalized! How did she know about all these details?"

Minho was also wondering along the same lines. The new CCK knew too much. Only someone who was present that night could have known all this. Moreover, the MO was completely the same. Copycats usually differ from the original ones at one point but this killer was a perfection in being CCK.

"Only Doctor Dohyun herself can reveal this mystery," he finally said.