Chapter 27: The Dahlias (5)
The whole party was invaded by the police within minutes. The signs 'Do Not Cross. Crime Scene' were tied all around the garden while the cops questioned the guests. The forensics' team was gathering evidence while doctors examined the bones. They carefully laid the bones on a white cloth and white lights from the cameras flashed away as the photographer clicked pictures of the crime scene.
Minho was standing right outside the yellow markers beside the Dahlia bed, recording his statement.
"I saw Detective Jeon rushing outside and breaking the wall apart," he informed the officer who was taking his testimony. "She found the body."
Gayoon, meanwhile, was stooping over the bones. She wore a pair of gloves and her hair was tied into a messy bun. Taejoon, who was also there, tried not to look her way. Her dress was half torn from the bottom, revealing her smooth legs. A lot of the officers had a difficult time looking away as her shapely legs were distracting them but Gayoon did not care. She was too absorbed into the crime.
"Any idea on how this person might have died?" she asked the forensic doctor, Kim Jaein. Jaein was a little older than Gayoon and an excellent forensic expert. Her insights were always correct and they were able to solve lot's of cases thanks to her.
"His head wasn't bashed in," she noted. "But the teeth have been removed. I'm guessing someone removed the teeth by pulling them out to remove evidence of identification. The spine seems fine too and there weren't any traces of blood in the wall so I'm guessing he wasn't stabbed or shot. Might be poisoning or even a natural death."
"He?" Gayoon noted. "It's a guy?"
"I'm sure of it," Jaein stated. "The pelvis is taller and narrow. Women normally have wider pelvis. Plus, the chest area is flat. It's a guy."
"Why would his body be hidden in there if it was a natural death?" Gayoon frowned.
"I can't tell, detective," she sighed. "I'll examine the bones and see if I could get a DNA match. I believe you have caught the culprit?"
Gayoon gleaned at Lee Shawn who was being questioned by the police. The dead body was found in his property so he was their prime suspect. But why did the spirit inform Gayoon about the dead body when he knew Lee Shawn would be the prime suspect? What would he achieve from this?
Taejoon approached her.
"How did you know the body was hidden in here?" he asked suspiciously.
Minho, who was standing closeby, listened intently.
"I-I overheard some men saying that this wall wasn't around six months ago," she lied. "And Kim Joon had disappeared around that time. So I came out to investigate and found out that it was hollow. So I broke it open."
Taejoon seemed to have accepted her explanation but Minho frowned. The last person she was talking to was Lee Shawn so who would tell her that the wall was not built until a few months back? It was clear to him that she was lying.
Gayoon turned around to see Minho gazing at her but she avoided his eye. She had bigger problems than him at that moment. She made her way towards Lee Shawn, who looked baffled by the turn of events. The cops had raided his party and he had no idea why.
"Who is that man?" she questioned him. "Why was he buried in your garden?"
"I have no idea!" he claimed. "I really don't know who it is or how he was buried inside that wall!"
"You built that wall and you don't know what was in it?" Gayoon accused him. "Do you think we are dumb?"
Shawn was sweating. Gayoon could tell that the spirit had temporarily left his body but it was somewhere around there, watching them. It would not leave this world that easily. It may have led Gayoon to find its body but even if the body was buried or cremated, it would have little effect on the ghost. It was attached to something else and it wanted to get its hands on it.
"Well, explain yourself at the police station," she said. She ushered at the officers to take him away.
"No!" Shawn shouted as the officers handcuffed him and began to pull him towards the police vehicle. "I'm innocent! I really am! I-"
His voice got muffled as the door of the car closed on his face. He kept on shouting but no one cared.
"He could have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you," Taejoon commented.
"Let's just say, he got unlucky," she sighed. He really did. If the spirit had not figured out she could sense it, Lee Shawn would have gotten away indeed.
"By the way," Taejoon said. "Nice legs."
He pointed at her ripped bottom half. Gayoon suddenly realized that the other cops were trying not to look her way. She ripped too much of the fabric and her entire thigh was exposed.
"Ugh!" she exclaimed, trying to hide behind Taejoon. "This is so embarrassing! I didn't even realize that my legs were exposed...UGH!"
"The cops aren't complaining," Taejoon joked as he hid her behind his large frame. He knew that she was probably blushing out of embarrassment and it made him laugh. Gayoon lightly punched his back.
Gayoon usually wore loose and baggy clothes since she was more comfortable in them. She rarely wore revealing clothes and definitely not during her duty hours. The other cops were gaping at her and it made her uncomfortable.
Suddenly, she felt a long blanket being wrapped around her. The cloth was long enough to cover her thighs. Startled, she turned around to see the retreating back of a tall figure, walking away from them and heading for the exit.
Gayoon was startled by the gesture. The money lover actually helped her? She watched in astonishment as he left the scene without looking back.
"Who's that?" Taejoon frowned, turning to look at her only to find a long blanket wrapped around her. He followed her gaze to see a man who was slightly taller than him, getting into an expensive looking car.
"Just a simple money lover," Gayoon sighed. That day she learned something about Minho. He would help people as long as it was free.