Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Found Her
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Go Hyun-sook gazed out the window with a pleased expression on her face.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
At first, a single patrol officer had been a bit of a nuisance, but she had dealt with him.
‘Over a cat, why so suspicious?’
He had been unusually suspicious for a patrol officer.
Still, he must be sleeping soundly even now after drinking the ginger tea she offered.
The effects lasted four hours at the shortest, six at the longest.
He had looked quite exhausted, so he would probably sleep a full six hours.
Even when he woke up, he wouldn’t immediately suspect sleeping pills.
And from the start, it was unlikely he would connect it to a child kidnapping.
She had calculated that far before making her move, and with the plan unfolding smoothly, Go Hyun-sook couldn’t help but feel good.
‘Cops are a hassle...’
Honestly, it would have been much easier without reporting it to the police, but she had prepared for that too.
After directing them to the Onsang Rest Area, she planned to check if police were there.
She had even set up cameras separately, so she could detect any police appearance or odd developments right away.
Even if nothing suspicious showed up, she intended to send a bait text.
She had sent it just ten minutes ago.
The cops had been decently disguised up to that point...
But with the child’s parents desperately fleeing and causing a commotion, no one could stay put.
Several police moved in, and Go Hyun-sook clicked her tongue after spotting their movements on her phone.
“What, did they bring this many?”
There were more than she expected.
Well, for kidnapping one kid, that number made sense.
Watching them fumble against the kid’s dad, hesitating and letting the mom slip away, it was clear they were rookies despite the numbers.
Some looked seasoned, but they were a minority.
Probably detectives, not regular cops.
‘I thought it was hard to tell regular cops from detectives these days, but no.’
Honestly, she thought her plan was thorough, but she had been a bit tense out of excessive caution before committing.
Hadn’t one patrol officer doggedly pursued her, seeming like a clear obstacle?
Without him, she would have prepared one more day before proceeding.
The plan had started a day early unexpectedly... Anyway, he had been a pain in various ways.
The way he talked and acted didn’t match his age.
Even hearing the most junior patrol officer was like that, she worried about how tiring the other cops must be...
But upon closer look, the others seemed like a ragtag bunch.
“Living this long... and the world still surprises me.”
Go Hyun-sook muttered as she turned to look at the young boy asleep on the living room sofa.
An eleven-year-old boy.
Choi Dae-hyeon, from a decent family.
His dad was some mid-sized company executive, she recalled.
Anyway, they could easily scrape together 50 million won, so she chose them.
Once the target was set, tracking movements wasn’t hard.
Korea wasn’t quite the “land of propriety” anymore, but people still showed basic courtesy.
Few kids refused an old lady asking directions or company.
Some did, but Choi Dae-hyeon wasn’t one.
She chatted during the short walk, gathering info.
What academy he attended, when it ended, what he did then...
Choi Dae-hyeon chattered away, practically begging to be kidnapped.
So she granted his wish.
Seeing him sleep peacefully, it was amusing... and oddly cute despite the situation.
‘Not as much as when our Ye-chan was little, though.’
Was it shameless to boast about her son now?
Go Hyun-sook let out a soft chuckle.
She had dosed him enough for another four hours, but just in case, she double-checked the blindfold.
Then she took a deep breath.
The boy hadn’t woken once, hadn’t seen her, her son, or Park Ye-chan’s faces.
At most, he glimpsed her briefly when she gave the drug, but masked and hatted, he couldn’t have identified her.
Now, if Park Ye-chan just did his part...
Everything was going smoothly; she just had to wait, and it would resolve.
No need to kill the kid, and 50 million won would soon be hers and Park Ye-chan’s.
She smiled at the money practically in her grasp.
On the living room sofa, Choi Dae-hyeon slept like the dead.
Go Hyun-sook smirked at the sight.
‘Yeah, sleep tight...’
By the time he woke, it would all be over.
Go Hyun-sook’s lips curved up slightly.
* * *
Lee Jae-hyun sped toward Icheon, face set in grim determination.
Beside him, Oh Min-seok was pinpointing Go Hyun-sook’s address.
“Hello?”
―Yes, Team Leader Oh.
Min Ji-hye’s voice came through the phone.
Oh Min-seok quickly greeted and continued.
“Yes, could you send me the address of Go Hyun-sook’s house in Icheon?”
―Right away via text.
No petty team rivalries or info-hoarding here.
Even with Lee Jae-hyun on loan...
With a child’s life at stake, no time for that nonsense.
Before a minute passed after Min Ji-hye’s reply, the address hit Oh Min-seok’s phone.
“Thanks.”
―No problem. But...
Min Ji-hye brushed off the thanks, then hesitated.
Lee Jae-hyun, listening, tilted his head.
Then her voice returned, decision made.
―Take good care of our team’s maknae.
“Pardon?”
―He doesn’t take care of himself.
“True enough. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Oh Min-seok chuckled at her words, glancing at Lee Jae-hyun, who coughed awkwardly and looked away.
Not a kid anymore.
A bit embarrassing to get such worry at his age, but...
Not a bad feeling.
Too bad the situation left no room for sentiment.
“Got the address. Now we hit it for real.”
Lee Jae-hyun floored the accelerator.
Secure the kid fast, and the case was 90% solved.
Until then, nothing was.
Hence the rush; Oh Min-seok stared ahead tensely, lips sealed.
He broke the silence first.
“Knew bringing you would pay off.”
“...Pardon?”
“Just as I expected.”
Lee Jae-hyun tilted his head, recalling their earlier talk.
Oh Min-seok had said he seemed reckless but actually thoughtful...
But hadn’t answered what he specifically expected from the support request.
Lee Jae-hyun assumed it was for big results despite risks.
Didn’t quite fit now.
“Kid’s not secured yet. Isn’t that when I meet expectations—bringing him out safe?”
“Fair, but... what you’ve shown so far is enough, I’d say.”
“Really.”
“In the heat of it, you instinctively prioritized. Naturally tackling them one by one.”
Lee Jae-hyun stayed silent.
No ready reply.
Oh Min-seok glanced over.
“Like a vet detective planning ops pre-field. Doing it on the fly? Impressive.”
“...Thanks for the kind words.”
Lee Jae-hyun mumbled awkwardly.
Truth was, he’d never thought that way.
What made him a real cop was losing his father.
He whipped himself to fill the void...
To fill the gangster-like emptiness faster, catch crooks quicker.
That birthed his mad dog side.
Fastest path to goal, sidelining all else.
“...”
“...”
Silence fell again.
No drama.
Just Go Hyun-sook’s house coming into view.
They shut up in unison.
“Park here.”
“Yes.”
Lee Jae-hyun stopped short of the house.
Closer risked alerting her.
They disembarked, heading down a path between rice paddies.
Crunch crunch.
A village of farmhouses clustered amid green fields.
As Lee Jae-hyun neared the blue-roofed house per nav...
A figure appeared beyond the wall.
An old woman emerging, heading to the yard garden.
Recognizing her face, Lee Jae-hyun clenched his fist.
‘Found her.’
The granny who fed the cat on walks, offered him ginger tea.
A criminal in kindly grandma guise.
Go Hyun-sook was there.