✯ ✯ ✯

✯ ✯ ✯

Vienna pushed open the glass doors of the precinct, immediately welcomed by the familiar cacophony of ringing phones, clacking keyboards, and murmured conversations. The scent of stale coffee and printer ink hit her like a slap to the face. She inhaled deeply, savoring the nostalgic stench.

"Morning, Song!" called Officer Wilson from behind the front desk, practically buried in a mountain of paperwork.

"Morning, Wilson," Vienna replied, eyes scanning the room. She spotted Detective Asra Baek deep in conversation with a civilian, probably another hapless victim of a petty crime. Near the back, Officer Park Jimin was locked in mortal combat with a photocopier.

"Hey, Jimin, you still fighting that thing?" Vienna called out, smirking.

Jimin looked up and laughed. "You know it! One day, it'll learn who's boss."

Vienna made her way to her desk, exchanging brief greetings with her colleagues. Their tired smiles and occasional nods offered as much comfort as a pair of well-worn shoes.

Before she could sit down, a young officer approached her, looking serious enough to scare a ghost. "Detective Song, Captain wants to see you immediately."

Vienna arched an eyebrow. "Immediately, huh? Did he look mad, Lopez?"

The officer shook his head, his face earnest. "No, but he did say it was urgent."

"Alright, thanks," she said, patting him on the shoulder. She straightened her jacket and headed to the captain's office.

Let's see what this is about.

Vienna knocked on the slightly ajar door to Captain Kim Namjoon's office, hearing a muffled "Come in" from within. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, taking in the familiar sight.

Namjoon sat behind his neatly organized desk, his sharp eyes locking onto hers. He looked authoritative yet approachable, an interesting mix of a drill sergeant and a guidance counselor. His impeccable dark suit, styled hair, and thin-rimmed glasses screamed "professional." Underneath it all, a flicker of concern danced in his eyes.

"Detective Song," he greeted warmly, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"Morning, Captain," Vienna replied, settling into the chair across from him.

Namjoon leaned back slightly, his hands clasped together on the desk. "How's the scene at Grove Park?"

"Grim," she reported evenly. "Yoongi's at the morgue now with Michele Park's husband for body identification."

Namjoon nodded, his expression tightening like a noose. "Good. We need to move fast on this. Michele Park's case is now a top priority."

"Understood, sir," Vienna replied, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility settle on her shoulders.

Namjoon leaned forward, eyes sharp and intense. "I'm appointing you as the lead detective on this case. Mitch Doyle has been handling the missing persons reports, but given the circumstances, we need someone with a fresh perspective and a more thorough approach. You're meticulous, you think outside the box, and you don't jump to conclusions."

She gave a tight nod. "I appreciate the trust, Captain. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," Namjoon said, offering a rare, small smile. "We need to connect the dots between the other disappearances and this new development in Michele Park's case. I need you to dig into every lead, no matter how small."

"Got it. I'll start by going through Doyle's files, see what he might have missed," Vienna assured him, feeling the familiar adrenaline kicking in.

"Good," Namjoon said, standing and extending his hand. "Keep me updated on your progress. And Vienna, make sure you take care of yourself too. This is going to be a tough case."

"Will do, Captain," she replied, shaking his hand firmly.

As Vienna walked away from Namjoon's office, she headed straight for Doyle's desk.

Michele, I'll find the bastard who did this to you. And I'll make him pay.

Doyle, nearing sixty and clearly on the homestretch to retirement, greeted her with a weary glance. His thinning hair and worn-out jacket painted a pretty disheveled picture. His desk, a chaotic scene of files, half-empty coffee cups, and old takeout boxes, emitted a stale aroma and made Vienna wrinkle her nose as she settled into the chair opposite him.

"Morning, Detective," Vienna greeted him.

Doyle adjusted his glasses with a sigh that could blow over a small tree. "Morning, Song. Captain Kim mentioned that you're taking over the Park case."

"That's right. How are things looking?" she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Doyle leaned forward, his expression serious. "Not good. I've been through the files a hundred times. My gut says it's the husband. It's always the husband."

Vienna fought the urge to roll her eyes.

It certainly isn't always the husband!

Instead, she listened as Doyle recounted his findings.

"Michele Park was a student at Ravenport University, studying Political Science. She worked part-time as a barista on 5th and volunteered for some political campaign," Doyle droned on.

Vienna's interest piqued at the last part. "Whose campaign and how involved was she?"

The old detective seemed taken aback by the question. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Suppressing a sigh, Vienna redirected. "And her personal life?"

"Not much there. Married to David Park, her high school sweetheart. He said they had their issues, like any couple, but nothing major."

"Tell me about the night Michele disappeared," Vienna steered the conversation.

"David and Michele had an argument over the phone. He stayed at work. She went out for drinks with her friend. What was her name?.. Ah, that's right, Lisa Choi."

Vienna looked through Michele's file. "I see in Lisa's statement here that she left early. Did Michele say anything significant before Lisa departed?"

"Not that Miss Choi mentioned," Doyle shrugged. "Just usual chatter."

"And after Lisa left?" Vienna pressed on.

"We checked the footage from the bar. Michele finished her drink, payed and left. That's when she vanished," he replied. "David couldn't reach her in the morning, so he reported her missing."

"Why do you suspect David, considering he has an alibi?" Vienna asked, raising a critical eyebrow.

Doyle reclined in his creaky chair, his tone firm. "Look, Song, I've seen his type. Quiet, but controlling. His alibi? Working late? Flimsy excuse, if you ask me."

"And the other missing persons?" Vienna inquired.

Doyle waved a dismissive hand. "Unrelated. Don't waste time chasing shadows."

"Thank you," Vienna said diplomatically, rising from her seat. "I'll take it from here."

Doyle had years on her, no doubt about that. But sometimes, years just meant more time to grow blind spots.

Vienna turned towards the break room, mulling over the old detective's words. His certainty grated on her nerves—it felt narrow-minded, if not outright foolish.

I have to approach this case with an open mind. Connect the dots he's too stubborn to see.

In the break room, Vienna poured herself a cup of coffee and took a sip. It tasted like regret.

Disgusting. I really need to get my coffee machine fixed, so I don't have to drink this sludge.

Shaking off the taste, she pulled out her phone and dialed her partner's number. He picked up immediately.

"Yoongi," she greeted.

"Hey, Vie," his voice crackled through, sounding as beat as she felt.

"How did it go at the morgue?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"He ID'd the body," Yoongi replied after a brief pause. "It was rough. He seemed genuinely torn up about it."

"That contradicts what Doyle thinks," Vienna's brow furrowed. "Bring him to the precinct for an interview. Let's see what he has to say for himself."

"You got it," Yoongi acknowledged and hung up.

Still with her phone in hand, Vienna opened a texting app. No new messages from her brother since her last attempt to reach him.

Dammit, Kang. How difficult is it to send a quick "I'm not dead" message?

Concern wrapped around her chest like a boa constrictor; it had been days since she'd heard from him. She resisted the urge to call again, her protective instincts flaring up like a faulty car alarm. Being a detective exposed her to the darker sides of life, and being a big sister added another layer of stress.

He's not a child anymore. Let him be.

She shoved her phone back into her pocket and returned to her desk.

Barely twenty minutes later, Yoongi ushered David Park into the interview room. Michele's husband looked like he'd been through a meat grinder, his eyes shadowed with grief as he collapsed into the chair.

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Park," Vienna began, her tone professional but with a hint of warmth. "I'm Vienna Song - the detective on your wife's case. Would you like some water or coffee before we start?"

David shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "No, thank you. Let's just begin."

She started with the basics. "Tell us about your work. What do you do?"

David ran a hand through his hair, trying to gather his thoughts. "I work in marketing at Brightside Advertising. I had a late meeting that night, so I stayed at the office to catch up."

Vienna noted his fidgeting hands and the slight tremor in his voice. "And your relationship with Michele? Any recent changes or issues?"

David's eyes filled with tears. "We had our arguments, like any couple. But we loved each other. She was everything to me."

"We understand this is difficult," Yoongi said softly, giving a supportive nod. "Take your time."

David sighed, his shoulders slumping like a marionette with cut strings. "We've been together since high school. Lately, things were strained. Michele was always busy—studying, working, volunteering. It wasn't easy on our marriage."

Vienna let the silence stretch before continuing. "Can you tell us more about Michele's involvement in the political campaign?"

David rubbed his temples, looking as if he'd wished to wake up from this nightmare. "She was passionate about politics, always wanted to make a difference. She volunteered for Senator Kim Seokjin's campaign. It meant a lot to her."

Vienna pressed gently. "Did she ever mention any concerns or conflicts related to her work or the campaign?"

David shook his head, the weariness etched deeper into his features. "Not really. She was dedicated, sometimes a bit stressed, but nothing out of the ordinary."

"And the night she disappeared?" Vienna asked, leaning forward. "Walk us through what happened."

David's eyes filled with sorrow, the kind that can't be faked. "We had an argument over the phone. She went out with Lisa, and I stayed at the office. When I got home, she wasn't there. I tried calling her, but she didn't answer. That's when I knew something was wrong."

"Can anyone verify your alibi?" Vienna asked, flipping through her notes.

"My boss and a few colleagues saw me at the office," David replied, his gaze steady. "But I wish I had been with her instead."

"What about last night between 1 and 3 am?"

"I was at my parents' all night. They can confirm that I never left the house."

Yoongi, always the eagle-eyed observer, chimed in, "Was there anything unusual about Michele's behavior leading up to the night of her disappearance?"

David hesitated, then spoke slowly, as if weighing each word on a scale. "She seemed a bit more tense than usual, but she said it was just the campaign stress. I didn't think much of it."

Vienna studied his body language, noting the genuine grief and frustration etched all over his face. He seemed forthcoming, but there was still a whiff of something off, like last week's takeout on Doyle's desk.

"We appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Park," she concluded, her voice professional. "We'll do everything we can to find out what happened to Michele."

David nodded, his voice breaking. "Thank you. Please, find who did this."

After David left, Vienna and Yoongi regrouped in the office, the tension hanging in the air like smoke in a dive bar.

"What's your take?" Yoongi asked, leaning against her desk with the kind of casualness that comes from too many years of working together.

"He's grieving, sure. And he seems cooperative," Vienna replied, tapping her pen against her notepad in a rhythm that betrayed her skepticism. "But there's something missing. His answers were... I don't know... too clean?"

Yoongi nodded his agreement. "Let's dig into his alibi. Check his phone records, work logs, and see if anyone can corroborate his story."

"Agreed," Vienna said, jotting down notes. "And we need to look into Michele's involvement with the campaign. There could be something there."

"Shall we get started?" Yoongi smiled.

"Yup, but let's get some food first. I'm starving."

They ordered lunch from the local deli, and soon enough, the smell of sandwiches and good coffee filled the air. Settling in with their meals, they spread out the files and evidence across the desk like a particularly grim picnic.

Vienna's mind juggled the possibilities, each one darker than the last. The political campaign angle felt promising, a potential motive wrapped in the kind of intrigue that only politics can offer.

"I'll go over her bank statements," Yoongi said, pulling out his laptop. "See if there's anything out of the ordinary."

"Good idea. I'll check her phone records," Vienna replied, flipping open the file containing Michele's call logs and messages.

"Let's hope something jumps out at us," Yoongi muttered, his mouth full of pastrami.

"Yeah," Vienna mused, taking a sip of her piping hot coffee. "Otherwise, we're back to square one, and I'm getting really tired of this particular square."

She glanced at her phone, considering whether to call her brother again, but thought better of it. The worry gnawed at her, distracting her even as they pored over the details of Michele's life and recent activities.

Vienna returned her gaze back to the call log, a sudden finding striking her like a bolt of lightning. "Yoongi, check this out!"

✯ ✯ ✯

A/n
Who here thinks
it was the husband?
And if not,
what are your theories?

✯ ✯ ✯