CHAPTER 8: THE BLACK LOTUS

 ,,For today, I'll prefer Premium Arrangement!" SolHi read loudly while staring at the laptop screen on which could be seen the ,,Black Lotus" web page and Ha Ni's sexy photo in the center.

  ,,Premium?" DooSan asked while approaching her. ,,What kind of Premium?"

  ,,Deliveries?!" SolHi answered in mockery, showing him the web page. ,,You, men, have such interesting preferences," she continued while nodding. ,,Should I order a Premium Delivery for you too, partner?" she whispered, through her teeth.

  ,,Only if it's you in a gift box and wrapped in a red bow," DooSan grinned at her. ,,But as I doubt you will accept that easy to enter a box and to be my ,,dead gift," I'll better pass over".

  To DooSan's surprise, SolHi took a knife, used for opening envelopes, and she stretched the hand toward him. ,,You can give it a try. I don't think that's so hard for you to do such a job. Or should I bring a pillow?"

  DooSan ironically smiled while staring at her. ,,I think I should give you the byname ,,dog." Not for nothing you are always showing your fangs."

  SolHi grabbed the knife tightly with her left hand and took a few steps toward DooSan, who moved back, staring at her. ,,What? Will you do this here?" he mumbled.

  ,,Why? As far as I know, the rabid dogs never watch for a proper place to attack. Or what, are you afraid, mister… partner?" and SolHi's eyes threw fire toward her opponent and she somehow managed to disarm him.

  ,,Not at all," DooSan answered while trying to seem calm. But he slowly took the knife from SolHi's left hand, noticing that her right hand was badly shaking. ,,Something happens?" he asked SolHi, who hid her right hand behind her back. ,,Nothing important," SolHi said and she approached the computer again. ,,It seems that Li Ha Ni isn't or wasn't a simple waitress".

  ,,We saw it in her lover's apartment. That dress… is not something women use, generally. Only… you know what kind of women have such garments."

  ,,Wow, nice manners of thinking, prosecutor. Next time I'll use a mini-dress, I'll have in mind the idea of looking like a prostitute. Maybe I'll have you on all fours this way, in front of me. Men love such… games".

  ,,Ya," yelled DooSan, forcing her to cover her ears.

  ,,Yeh, yeh, I caught the bark," SolHi mumbled. ,,Better check the apartment, than attack me," SolHi commanded, and, sitting in front of the computer, she started to check its content.

  ,,She loves to command the others," DooSan mumbled and started to look through Ha Ni's stuff, but only usual things he found. Only in one locked drawer, after forcing it with a knife, DooSan found some men's stuff.

  ,,We have a He too," he said loudly and SolHi approached him. She stared at the man's clothes for a few minutes, then, lifting them, she found some condoms under it. Without touching it, SolHi made some funny faces and, watching Doosan, she said: ,,yours?"

  ,,Yeah, I always carry such things with me when I'm checking some murder cases. It's a kind of accessory".

  ,,No need to brag," SolHi calmly answered. ,,It has been just a remark. Follow me. I'll show you something more interesting than this."

  ,,What can be more important than…," DooSan mumbled while approaching her. But when he was behind her and staring at the laptop screen, he shouted: ,,Beshrew me! That is…?"

  ,,Yep, your lifelong lover," continued SolHi to tease him, but she has been surprised to notice DooSan watching her with interest. ,,What now?" she asked.

  ,,How did you know? About me and Min SinJu. About the fact that we hate each other. Don't tell me: stalker?"

  ,,Yeah, it was everything I had to do all these years: to be your stalker. Don't exaggerate, ok?! I know because of your… ,,boxing match," in front of the cameras?! It was obvious that you don't love each other. Or, wait, is this that kind of tough love? Between you two?"

  ,,Just shut your mouth and follow me! Here it's cleaner than in Sanatorium! We need to look for evidence somewhere else," and DooSan was first to leave the apartment.

  SolHi grinned, staring behind him, and, taking the laptop with her, she also exited the apartment.

***

  ,,Are you from the police?" a weak voice asked when SolHi finally locked the door of Ha Ni's apartment.

  Watching toward the next door, SolHi saw a woman's face, half hid behind the door and it was definitely something weird in that woman because she was sitting on the floor, with a curled hand at her back and the legs in a strange position for sitting. Also, the voice was somehow forced to come out of the mouth.

  ,,Yes! I'm detective Ian SolHi, for Seoul PD," and she showed her Id to the woman. Then, SolHi approached the door, straining the ID through the half-opened door. She had to wait for a while till the woman dared to stretch her shaking hand and to take the ID. But after a few seconds of looking at the Id, she finally opened the door and both SolHi and DooSan, who approached them later, saw a woman about 35, with visible traces of paralysis.

  ,,And, who are you, miss?" SolHi asked, still squatting in front of the woman. But instead of an answer, she heard another question: ,,Something happened yesterday? In that apartment?"

  SolHi and DooSan exchanged glances.

  ,,Something like what?" DooSan asked, this time.

  ,,I don't know any details, but something weird was heard coming out of that apartment last night."

  ,,Weird? In what way?" SolHi asked and she sat down on the floor, trying to be as friendly as possible and to have the confidence of the woman because she was definitely a witness and SolHi's instinct never failed in such cases.

  ,,I mean that box. A big gift box was left next to Ha Ni's door last night. First, I thought that's a gift for her. But soon somebody took that box… somewhere," and the witness started to stutter, and it was a sign that she was somewhat afraid of something.

  ,,Did you see who took the box?" DooSan asked while he squatted a step behind SolHi.

  ,,I know only that it was a delivery man, but I don't know what company it was. I couldn't see the name. But maybe the young man that lives with Ha Ni could tell you because I saw him exiting the apartment last night."

  ,,Had Ha Ni someone living with her?" SolHi asked while she noted something on her mobile phone.

  ,,Yes. They… don't live together all the time. He comes… to visit her… from time to time, but he only comes when it is the night."

  ,,A client," DooSan whispered, and, taking his phone out of his pocket, he showed Ri Jun's photo to the woman. ,,Is he?"

  The woman approached her face to the phone, but she right away nodded. ,,No. The other one is taller and he has a tattoo on his left hand. And I think that he is part of a band or something because he always wears a leather jacket when he comes. Yesterday, he wore a black one and also gloves."

  ,,He was careful, motherfucker," SolHi mumbled, looking at the floor.

  ,,What? What do you mean?" the woman asked while staring at SolHi.

  ,,Nothing. It was just a remark," SolHi quickly answered and she gave the woman a business card. ,,Call me if you remember something else, ok? And, can I know your name? It's because we need to send a detective to take your statement."

  ,,Ok. And my name is YUN SI YOON".

  ,,Ok, Si Yoon, thank you for telling us about this. We will find out what happened there, ok? For sure we will find out," and SolHi stood up and walked away, followed by DooSan, who whispered to her: ,,With such neighbors, you don't need cameras. By the way, you are one of them," and he walked away first.

  SolHi stopped for a few seconds, grinning at him. ,,Now is it my fault?! Damn turkey. I bet, if a storm comes, you'll be well protected. The tail will keep you afloat," and she imitated the bird.

***

  Exiting the building, SolHi saw DooSan talking by phone with somebody. It was definitely something on him that made her hate him.

  ,,If you look carefully, he definitely looks like a turkey," SolHi growled, imitating a punch. But she froze when DooSan watched her: the last thing she needed was to argue with him again.

  ,,What the hell are you waiting for? Don't tell me: are you waiting for me to open the door for you?"

  ,,Yeah, it's the dream of my life: such a gentleman to open the car door for me. Yeah, right. I'll live without it. Anyway, I don't think you will figure it out by yourself, so I'll be honest with you: never bring a kid to this world, please. I don't want this world face another turkey like you," and, saying this, while DooSan was staring at her with an open mouth, SolHi entered the car, mumbling: ,,Thank God it isn't genetic. Otherwise, we would have seen other such turkeys walking all around the city."

  A slammed door made DooSan finally react. ,,Turkey? Now am I a turkey? Ya, who the hell do you think you are?" and DooSan was about to open the door when SolHi opened the window and said in mockery: ,,Need some help, prosecutor? I mean, with getting in the car. Not for nothing, but I can't understand: the turkey tail bothers you?"

  ,,Just listen to me…," DooSan whistled through his teeth, but SolHi just grinned at him, whispering ,,get the hell inside of the car at once, ok?!" and she closed the window. Nervous, DooSan kicked the door. Then he went to the other side of the car, mumbling: ,,Damn psychopath. Only problems with you, but… wait… soon, I'll show you what this turkey is capable of."