Genius Profiler Hansol Im - Chapter 13
Sinners will be judged
“Mr. Shin Jong-tae, April 23rd on 22;00, do you remember what you did?”
“That day… I can’t remember… maybe I drank too much that day.”
“Do you usually spend your time drinking?”
“I don’t have any work these days, so I just end up drinking. During the day, I pick up waste cans and papers and sell them…”
“It was reported that there was a criminal record of gambling, fraud and theft. Have you quit gambling these days? It’s usually hard to stop something like that.”
Shin Jong-tae shook his hand to refute Hansol’s words.
“I need money to gamble. Sir, even if I try to gamble, people don’t let me join as I have no money.”
“… then, let’s move onto the next question. That day, Mr. Shin Jong-tae didn’t gamble, you worked the morning by collecting the paper and waste cans, and went drinking with the money you earned from that?”
“Yes, yes, that is right, Sir. Even if I do have a record for fraud, I’m not the kind to lie about such a thing.”
Hansol watched Shin Jong-tae speak. That was when Hansol noticed something. Shin Jong-tae’s right hand’s index finger had a scar, as if it was cut by something sharp.
“Mr. Shin Jong-tae, there is a scar over there? How did you injure yourself?”
“Ah… I cut it while I was picking up a can.”
If he really did get cut by the can’s mouth, then the cut should be sleek.
There shouldn’t be any rough marks.
However, Shin Jong-tae’s index finger was roughed up.
… lie…
“If you got cut because of holding the can from its mouth, the wound shouldn’t be like that. Mr. Shin Jong-tae.”
That was when Shin Jong-tae’s expression changed. His eyes began to wander as if he got caught for something. Hansol kept looking at him, while Shin Jong-tae avoided his gaze.
“How was the murder? Did it make you excited? Was it thrilling?”
“… that, what are you!”
“I think that the cut on the right hand came from the victim, but it must have been fun cutting through him. Oh, just thinking about it must give you thrill.”
“I-I didn’t saw!”
“When did I ever say anything about sawing? I didn’t even use the word ‘saw’.”
“Th-that is why I am saying. Sir… no, please let me go. I did saw through, but… would my sentence be reduced if I speak honestly in the court? I am sorry. I did something terrible.”
Shin Jong-tae looked frightened as he tried to confide.
Hansol watched him talk quietly.
“Mr. Shin Jong-tae, what did you saw?”
“That, that was… the dog of the neighbour was constantly barking.”
“You thought of sawing a dog because of that?”
“Ri-right… I was looking for the dog… can, can I tell you a secret? I’ll tell you a secret, Sir…”
“Mr. Shin Jong-tae. Firstly, the neighbour’s dog belongs in a private property. If you killed a neighbour’s dog, you touched something from a private property. You will be punished for it. This usually ends with fines, but…”
Shin Jong-tae began to pray.
“Pl-please… I only killed one dog, and fine for that… He was the one who barked at me…”
‘Hmm… this is truth…’
“If you secretly broke into a neighbour’s house, that is residential intrusion. We will be investigating it separately. It isn’t under the jurisdiction of our team. This case will get transferred to another team.”
“… Sir, please… I can’t get kicked out the house I earned from hard work again…”
Hansol looked at his watch. One hour was done.
“We will end the questioning here.”
Hansol told Kang Woo-cheol that Shin Jong-tae’s actions should be handed over to another team.
Kang Woo-cheol helped Shin Jong-tae get up and told him to go straight home.
Lieutenant Jung Yu-mi approached Hansol and gave him a glass of water.
“… I heard it all, so Shin Jong-tae killed a dog around 22:00 on April 23rd?”
“That is right. In fact, we need to check how long that dog has disappeared from, and if we manage to find the body of the dog, his alibi can be established.”
“It wasn’t killing by force, but sawing? Just like the suspect… how is this possible doctor?”
“In the case of Shin Jong-tae, there could be an alibi, but the fact that he was acting schizophrenic is suspicious. I think we need to take a look at his medical records from the hospital. And even though he said a dog from next door, it might not be the next door dog. It would be better keep an open mind and continue the investigation.”
“Okay. I will bring in the psychiatry records of Shin Jong-tae from his hospital.”
“And criminal charges need to be placed on him from intrusion and theft, and convey the message to the team.”
Kang Woo-cheol ran in and handed Hansol a paper bag.
“Doctor! This was found on the crime scene. There are records of blood marks on the site along with luminol, and more.”
“A copy of them?”
That was when Team Leader Woojin shook the USB in his hand showing Hansol.
“Don’t worry, Dr. Im. I have been backing up the entire data of this case.”
It was important to handle the data in advance, and make sure to check what needs to be removed as the prosecution team could enter anytime and ask for the case and its files to be transferred to them.
“But Woo-cheol. When did you bring all that data?”
“Ah, who do you think I am, Team Leader! Even in Hwajong police station, I was recognized for my ability to acquire this kind of information.”
“Yes, you are good at this. Anyway, you made sure that the prosecution isn’t aware of the data we are bringing in secretly?”
“Of course. From the moment the prosecution got involved, I am being extra cautious.”
“Everyone is doing a good job. Dr. Im are you leaving?”
“I want to analyse the data. It is my job to be prepared for question the other suspects.”
Hansol put the materials into his briefcase and bid from work.
** *
Upon returning home, Hansol took out the data from his briefcase.
Luminol, a fluorescent substance which reacts to blood stains. What could it do with this investigation?
‘… what I am most curious about is how the criminal managed to clear the bloodstain, the site was way too clean, but if he used Luminol, then I guess we might know something.’
Hansol turned on music. His favourite song, Mozart <Lacirimosa> played.
Lacrimosa Dies illa,
When the day of tears come,
Qua resurgent ex favilla
Resurrect from the dust
Judicandus homo reus.
The sinner will be judged.
Huic ergo parce, Deus.
I beg you treat that person, Lord.
Pie Jesu Domine,
Lord Jesus show mercy,
Dona eis requiem, Amen.
Let them rest, Amen.
Hansol recollected the crime scene as he saw the luminol photo.
‘…? This.’
Something was written on the wall. When he had visited the site, he couldn’t find any trace of something being written in blood and then being erased.
[Judicandus homo reus. The sinner will be judged.]
The lyrics of Mozart’s <Lacirimosa>, which was being played in his house.
‘Judge the sinner…’
Listening at the words of <Lacirimosa>, Hansol was able to guess something.
The suspect is thinking of himself as the Judge. He was convinced that he as the Judge could be taking care of the sinner.
However, Hansol wondered why the suspect erased the words.
If he truly believed himself to be the Judge, he should have left the words on the wall. What was the reason to erase it?
Hansol closed his eyes. And began to think of himself as the killer.
The saw in the right hand.
In front if him is the victim, Jin-hyung, lying down. He nailed his hands and feet. He couldn’t stop the laughter which was escaping from his mouth.
And the sinner was going to get judged.
My God, who is merciful, accept my judgement. A man sleeping in front, not knowing what he is being judged for.
Slowly approaching, one step, two steps closer.
Heeeing!
The chansaw began to run. His first target were the fingers. The man lying opens his hands when he cut off the thumb finger. The man slowly begins to notice what’s going on, and falls to the floor with his hand which had all its fingers cut off, and the other hand intact.
Unable to walk as his feet are penetrated with long nails. He tried to move them, but only feels pain.
The killer watches him. At that site… music flows as if it is a necessity for the Holy Judgement, he is about to give. The killer looks at the victim, as his appetite begins to rise.
He watches the victim bleed in the corner. There was no other way to escape, and the victim is in the corner.
He pleads to be pardoned, but the killer doesn’t respond. The killer brings in a shot. The victim to is forcefully given the shot turns unable to struggle.
The victim thinks about seeing his surroundings, but his eyes start to turn heavy, with the music playing around, he slowly loses consciousness.
Hansol opens his eyes.
He reviewed the luminol photo once again.
As he thought, the bloodstains on the corner of the room must have come from one hand.
And continued all the war to the other corner.
The peculiar thing was that there were no blood spots in the place where the victim was lying down.
‘… the killer committed a planned murder. Plastic was laid underneath it to not let the blood touch the floor. As a judge, he thought that he had the right to watch him suffer.’
A few drops of blood on the other wall. It was clearly distinguishable because of the fluorescent light shining on it.
In the place where Hansol assumed the table was placed, the blood spots were visible more.
‘One thing worked as expected.’
Until all the blood was drained from the body, the killer would have left the plastic to keep the blood from running onto the floor.
Then what about that large plastic wrap?
There was no way he would have dumped it in the same area, where the victim was found.
If would be easy for Hansol if the suspect did, but the suspect, who came up with such determination to punish the sinner as the Lord’s judge, would be acting as cautious as possible. In simple terms, the plastic wrap couldn’t be found.
Not just the plastic, the table and chainsaws used in the crime too would be hard to find.
Hints about the subject increased.
He is, at least, religious.
And a ‘psychopath’ who believes that he can judge others and stands above the rights of others.
Hansol had clearly hidden his innate instincts, however this case brought out something.
Hansol’s beating heart could understand.
‘He is my kind.’
The thought that the killer may not appear in the three listed suspects suddenly passed through Hansol’s mind.
