Chapter 4: The Bait

“The problem is… I don’t think the riot unit will support full-scale stakeout operations.”

Violent Crimes Team Two consisted of five members.
Among them, two were unable to participate in stakeouts due to their roles in suspect identification.

That was when—

“I can go alone.”

At Si-eon’s flat statement, several pairs of eyes turned toward him at once.

“Hey now, Team Leader. Even if you are the team leader, this is a serial killer. You can’t seriously go alone.”

“Exactly. What are you going to do without backup?”

“Hey, Jinhee. You wanna keep running back and forth to the office then?”

At Captain Kim’s remark, Si-eon frowned.

“That’ll kill our mobility. It’s not like we’re trying to advertise that we’re staking out the place.
Honestly, it’s more efficient if I go alone.”

“I’ll go with you.”

At Sooyoung’s quiet interjection, this time all eyes shifted to her.
Some were startled. Others looked flustered.

“Detective Han… you?”

“Yes. I’m part of the team now too, aren’t I?”

She might lack field experience, but no one knew this case better than she did.
Sooyoung believed she could more than hold her own as support.

The traffic light turned red, and the car slowed to a stop.
Sooyoung lifted her head from the documents she’d been reading the entire ride.
Feeling a gaze lingering on her, she looked to the side.

Their eyes met.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“You really planning to run the field yourself?”

“We’re short on manpower. And two people are better than one.”

As his eyes narrowed slightly, Sooyoung turned forward again.
Watching pedestrians quicken their pace under the blinking crosswalk signal, she parted her tightly pressed lips.

“…Jeon Seul-gi.
She fits the victims’ age range—late thirties to early forties. She’s forty-one.
She seemed the most likely next target.”

She turned her head, but their gazes didn’t meet.

Si-eon stared out the window, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.
Veins stood out starkly along the back of his hand.
Sooyoung’s eyes traced the motion, then lifted.

His expression revealed nothing—what he was thinking was unreadable.
She had just begun to study him more closely when—

“Why are you staring so hard?”

His low voice filled the car.

Sooyoung straightened, looking in the same direction as him.

“…It’s nothing.”

Soon the light changed, and the car moved again.
Their stakeout location was Sadong, not far from headquarters—a residential area packed with low-rise housing and narrow alleys.

After parking, Si-eon unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.
Sooyoung’s head snapped toward him, and she hurriedly followed him out.

Beep.

She watched him lock the car doors, confusion clear in her eyes.

“We’re here to stake out.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why are we getting out?”

“To meet Jeon Seul-gi first.”

“…What?”

As Si-eon fully turned and started forward, Sooyoung quickly stepped into his path, eyes wide.

“You’re going to meet her? Why?”

“You said it yourself. She’s the most likely next victim.”

“So you’re planning to warn her?”

“If someone could appear anytime, anywhere, it’s better that she knows she’s in danger.”

“And what if she goes into hiding?
Then we have no idea how the suspect will react.”

“That still doesn’t mean we let an innocent person die.”

He didn’t back down, his gaze tilting slightly.

“Catching the suspect is important.
But preventing further victims—that’s our job too.”

His brow creased faintly.
As he stepped past her and strode ahead, Sooyoung closed her eyes briefly, pressing them tight.

She didn’t know Si-eon deeply—but she knew this much:
when he believed something was right, he didn’t hesitate.
Arguing further would only sour things between them.

So she swallowed her objections and followed.

After confirming the address, Si-eon pressed the doorbell.
When the short chime faded, a woman’s voice came through the intercom.

—Who is it?

“Is this Jeon Seul-gi’s residence?”

—…Yes, it is. Who’s calling?

“Police.”

The mechanical hum cut off abruptly, as if the receiver had been dropped.
Moments later, the sound of a lock disengaging followed.

Clunk.

The door opened just a crack, revealing a woman with a guarded stare.

“P-police… what is this about…?”

Si-eon pulled out his ID again, showing it clearly to reassure her.

“We’d like to ask you a few questions.
You volunteered at the Hope Nuri Center before, correct?”

“Uh… yes. That’s right.”

“Some volunteers from that center have become victims in murder cases.”

Her eyes trembled violently.

“May we speak inside?”

After a brief hesitation, she nodded and closed the door again—
then released the chain and opened it fully.

Fortunately, she agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

But at the same time, she’d learned she might be the next victim.
Fear was unavoidable.

Si-eon said this was the best way to protect her, but Sooyoung couldn’t help wondering—
had they exposed her to a danger she might never have known?

“Jeon Seul-gi was very frightened earlier.”

Sooyoung’s calm voice filled the quiet car.
Leaning back into the leather seat, Si-eon glanced toward the passenger side.

“You still don’t understand why I went to see her.”

“…No.”

“We needed to restrict her movements.
If your analysis is right—if the suspect is preparing his next kill, and she’s the target—
then we need to draw him here. That’s how we catch him.”

Sooyoung pressed her lips together.

“He has to expose himself.
Up until now, he’s lured victims into spaces favorable to him.
This time, we do the luring.
You said it yourself—if murder is the goal, it won’t take long.”

She could see the logic in it, at least partially.
Without agreeing or disagreeing, she stared forward, fiddling with the radio in her hand.

“…The suspect will be more dangerous than we think.
If he used both knives and blunt weapons, he may be carrying more than one weapon.
His motive might stem from childhood trauma—or he could be a sexual sadist with homicidal paraphilia…”

“At the end of the day, he’s just a criminal.”

That was when—

Bzzz.
Bzzzz.

The phone vibrated loudly inside the car.
Checking the screen, Si-eon answered.

“Yes, Captain.”

—Team Leader! We just identified the suspect!
Kang Young-hoon, age twenty-seven.
Worked as a social worker at Hope Nuri Center for two years.
Just like Detective Han’s analysis—he’s lived in this area for twenty-six years.
The rookie just uploaded his profile to the group chat.

“Got it. I’ll check right away.”

As soon as the call ended, Sooyoung felt her own phone vibrate.
She opened the message and pulled up the profile Officer Kang had shared.

“…Kang Young-hoon.”

She murmured the name as she studied the man’s face.
At the same time, Si-eon retrieved a pair of handcuffs from the console.

Then—

“If the suspect shows up, don’t come outside.
Call for backup over the radio.”

His low voice settled heavily in the car.
Sooyoung frowned.

“…I told you. I can pull my weight.”

“He’s a killer. A serial killer.
You said it yourself—he’s more dangerous than he looks.
If you’ve been inside his head, you should know that.”

“…Do you think I’m a liability?”

At her question, Si-eon pressed his lips together.
His jaw tightened, tension carving sharp lines along it.
Then the crease between his brows smoothed, and he spoke.

“I don’t.”

The sincerity in his voice softened Sooyoung’s tense gaze—slowly, unmistakably.