Chapter 10 - First Witnesses

After eating, Soo Min and Hyun Woo got into the car and, having a guest list on hand, visited them one by one, asking questions about Choi Ye Eun. Unfortunately, only few people had direct contact with her at this event, and no one noticed her disappearance, except perhaps the bodyguard who was supposed to watch her. Many repeated that they should talk to Ye Eun's fiance, since he was with her most of the time. In any case, talking to the guests of the event did not bring much to the case and Soo Min felt that they were wasting time. The organizer of the charity party had a guest list that was checked both on entering and leaving. And the only person who didn't leave the party through the front door, with others, was Choi Ye Eun. So it was doubtful that any of the guests had something to do with her disappearance, or could be a witness. Ye Eun managed to walk away from the mansion a good few kilometres before getting into the mysterious car and disappearing.

The security guard sent by Ye Eun's father, CEO Choi Young Sik, was first looking for the girl around the entire mansion before he went outside, and this house was huge. Then he also had to check the equally big garden behind the house. Unfortunately, while the man was still searching that place, Choi Ye Eun was already far away on the road, getting into the kidnapper's car. The security guard was clearly depressed while Soo Min and Hyun Woo were talking with him. Because of this incident he not only lost job, but in general his career was over, because no one would want to hire him, since he lost the person he was supposed to keep an eye on. Hyun Woo tried to cheer him up somehow and he succeeded a bit. Soo Min looked at her partner slightly surprised with how much empathy he addressed the man. Definitely Hyun Woo was different than the rest of her colleagues in the Section. That's why Soo Min was glad that she decided to take him under her wing. And at the same time she felt a little guilty that didn't do the same when Jung Mo appeared in their Section year ago.

Seeing the recording from the cameras one could see that Ye Eun knew the driver for sure. She talked to him briefly and without much resistance got into his car. The same was with one of the previous victims, Jung Hee Young, a daughter of the owners of Gangnam's cafe. Hee Young also apparently knew the perpetrator because she let him into her house, for there were not even the smallest signs of burglary.

Because of that, after returning to the station, Soo Min decided to check the list of people who those both girls knew and see if any names would repeat. Soo Min felt that she must find a trail that would move the investigation forward. The case of the "Cherry Blossom Reaper" stood in a blind spot far too long. When Min Joo Chan was taking care of it, there were not even any certain suspects, except for the short episode with Seo In Sung, who was suspected at the very beginning and it was mainly because the first victims were models from his agency. However, the only thing that could tie him to the perpetrator was his height, figure and the fact that he had a bouquet made of artificial cherry blossoms in his house. It was true that Seo In Sung was a admirer of beauty, a perfectionist and was famous for his somewhat unstable behavior, therefore, at that time it was very easy to make him guilty. However, due to a lack of hard evidence, Seo In Sung was released, all the time invariably claiming that he was innocent. But Soo Min, already having a list of people who both Choi Ye Eun and Jung Hee Young knew, saw that his name also appeared on it. She knew that soon after talking to the Choi family and Ye Eun's fiance, they would also have to question him again.

To Hyun Woo she gave the task to call Choi Ye Eun's parents to arrange the most convenient hour for the detective's visit, then also to the girl's fiance for the same purpose. Madam Lee invited them for tomorrow's early morning, as the CEO Choi had a little bit of time only before work. Then they were supposed to go to the office of the lawyer Jang Chang Woo, who was the father of Choi Ye Eun's fiance, and tomorrow his son did not have classes at the university and worked with him from the morning.

- I hope we can finally find something helpful.- Hyun Woo spoke up, hanging up the telephone after the conversation with the lawyer Jang Chang Woo office.- For now, it doesn't point to any specific person. How can there be practically no circumstantial evidence in the investigation?- he asked more to himself, obviously surprised by this discovery.

- I am not saying this maliciously, but it is mainly because Joo Chan had this case.- answered Soo Min.- And he is not suitable for solving more complicated mysteries. He is strong, seems to be indestructible, slightly unpredictable and that scares the majority of criminals... But when Joo Chan has to use his head instead of muscles, the real problem begins.- she sighed lightly.- And when it comes to the "Cherry Blossom Reaper" case, you need your head a lot more than anything else.- she added, and returned to looking at the rest of the names on the lists.

- Well, that's true.- Hyun Woo agreed.- When I caught that degenerate in Gwangju, I felt like Sherlock Holmes after solving a huge mystery, I was so proud. But now I see that compared to "Reaper", that guy is nothing.- he admitted.- I'm starting to wonder if I really deserved this promotion...- Hyun Woo added, sighing heavily.

- Yah, stop talking nonsense.- Soo Min scolded him.- It's difficult to get a promotion and transfer to a Seoul, especially if you come from a smaller city, so if you got it, then deservedly.- she assured him.- Also, I followed the case of that Gwangju monster you caught. And as a detective with more experience I can tell you that it was also a difficult case. That's true that the perpetrator was not so intelligent and left some traces, but this doesn't mean that the case was easy. Besides, you were more of an intervention policeman than a detective, right?- Soo Min asked, although she knew the answer to that question.

- Well, that's right.- Hyun Woo confirmed.- Thanks for thinking so.- he smiled slightly.- Why didn't you mention that you know so much about it, sunbae?- he asked then.

- You know, everyone around praised you so much, so I didn't want you to feel too confident. It does not really help in our work.- answered Soo Min and smiled gently.

- Well, it could happen.- said Hyun Woo with a slight amusement.- Wow, no wonder, that's my sunbae. I seriously feel like I will learn a lot and be safe under your wings, officer Kim.- he added, smiling broadly.