I Can Hear a Serial Killer's Voice in My Head

Chapter 88: The Ninth Case (2)

As the team buzzes with activity following the Thursday revelation, I find myself diving deeper into the case files, searching for any additional connections. Something nags at the back of my mind, urging me to look closer.

I pull up weather reports for each date, a hunch driving my search. My eyes widen as I spot the pattern.

"Everyone," I call out, my voice cutting through the chatter. The room falls silent, all eyes turning to me. "I've found something else. On all three days of the murders, it rained."

Detective Pyo furrows his brow. "Rain? Are you sure?"

I nod, showing them the weather data on my screen. "February 9th, April 20th, and May 7th. All rainy days."

The room erupts into murmurs of disbelief and speculation. Seo approaches, his expression thoughtful. "A killer who only strikes on rainy Thursdays? It sounds like..."

"Like that movie," Detective Eum finishes, snapping his fingers. "'Downpour Killer', wasn't it? The one where the antagonist murdered people every rainy Wednesday."

A chill runs through the room as we consider the implications. Could our killer be copying a movie? It seems far-fetched, but we've seen stranger things in our line of work.

"It's a possibility we can't ignore," Seo says firmly. "Pyo, I want you to look into any connections between our victims and that movie. Fan clubs, online forums, anything."

As the team springs into action, I turn to my computer, quickly pulling up the website for the Korea Meteorological Administration. After a few tense moments of searching, I find what I'm looking for.

"I've got some potentially good news," I announce. "According to the KMA, there's no rain forecasted for at least the next month."

A collective sigh of relief ripples through the room. It's not much, but it gives us some breathing room. A month without rain means a month without murders if our theory holds true.

Seo nods grimly. "That's something, at least. But let's not get complacent. We use this time to work every angle, follow every lead. We need to catch this bastard before the next rainy Thursday."

I lean back in my chair, rubbing my temples. The rain and Thursday connection is intriguing, but it doesn't get us any closer to identifying our killer. So far, he's been meticulous, leaving no trace evidence, no witnesses, nothing concrete for us to grasp onto. It's as if we're chasing a ghost.

And then, unbidden, a memory surfaces. Bundy's voice, smooth and confident, echoes in my mind: "Even the most perfect killer has their first. Their mistakes. Their learning curve before they become 'perfect'."

I sit up straight, a new energy coursing through me. Of course. If our killer truly has this compulsion to murder on rainy Thursdays, it's unlikely that Shon Eunhee was his first attempt. There might be earlier incidents, perhaps not as severe, but still significant.

"Seo," I call out, my voice urgent. "I think we need to expand our search. We should look for any suspicious incidents, assaults, or even failed attempts on rainy Thursdays before Shon Eunhee's murder."

Seo raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "You think our killer might have had some practice runs?"

I nod, explaining my reasoning. "If this compulsion is real, there might be earlier cases where he was still refining his method. They might not have resulted in deaths, but there could be reports of assaults, stalking, or other related incidents."

Seo considers this for a moment, then nods decisively. "Good thinking. Eum, Pyo, I want you to go through police reports from the past year. Focus on rainy Thursdays, look for any incidents involving lone women, particularly at night or early morning."

The office buzzes with focused energy as we delve into past police reports, searching for any incidents that match our criteria. Hours pass, eyes strain against computer screens, and coffee cups pile up. Finally, a breakthrough comes.

"I've got something!" Detective Pyo calls out, waving us over to his desk. "Two cases of stabbings, both victims survived. And both happened on rainy Thursdays before Shon's murder."

We crowd around his computer, eagerly absorbing the information. Detective Eum nods, adding, "I've confirmed it. The first occurred in October, the second in November. Both women were attacked at night, multiple stab wounds, but they managed to survive."

"Where did these attacks take place?" I ask, sensing we're onto something significant.

Pyo pulls up a map. "That's the thing - they're in different districts. One in Nowon, the other in Gangnam. Different police departments handled the cases, which is probably why they weren't connected before."

We gather our findings and head to Seo's office, presenting him with this new information. As we discuss the cases, a question arises.

"If these are indeed our killer's early attempts," Seo muses, "why is there such a long gap between November and February?"

The room falls silent as we ponder this. Then it hits me. "The weather," I say. "It doesn't rain much in Seoul during winter. It snows."

Understanding dawns on everyone's faces. Eum nods, "So our killer only goes out to hunt when it rains, not when it snows. That could explain the gap."

Seo leans back in his chair, processing this information. "Alright, this is good work. Now we need to talk to these victims. They might have crucial information about our killer."

"One of them is still hospitalized," Pyo informs us. "The other has recovered but is undergoing therapy."

Seo nods decisively. "Visit both victims. Be gentle, but thorough. If these were indeed our killer's first attempts, the victims might remember details he's since learned to conceal."

***

I rub my eyes, bleary from hours of staring at case files. Our visits to the victims hadn't yielded much - their memories were hazy, and the trauma had left them reluctant to talk. The frustration of their families, lashing out at us for our perceived incompetence, still echoes in my mind.

Needing a break, I head to the pantry for coffee. As I approach, I hear voices - other detectives working late, just like me. I recognize them as I enter: Detective Kang from the Violent Crimes Unit and Detective Jeon from Homicide.

They look up as I enter, and Kang's face brightens. "Hey, perfect timing! We could use a fresh perspective on this case."

I hesitate, not wanting to get pulled into another complex investigation, but their earnest expressions make me reconsider. "Alright, what've you got?"

Jeon leans forward, his voice low. "We're working on a series of murders targeting women living alone. Four victims so far, all killed inside their homes. The killer seems to favor blunt force trauma - we think he's using something like a hammer to smash their heads in."

I feel a chill run down my spine. Another serial killer in Seoul? As if one wasn't enough.

"The frustrating part," Kang adds, "is that we can't find any solid connections between the victims or the crime scenes. The only pattern we've noticed is that all the murders occurred on Tuesdays."

Wait, what? Tuesdays. Our killer strikes on Thursdays. Could there be a connection?

"When did these murders start?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.

Jeon consults his notes. "The first one was in early March, then one each month after that."

I nod, processing this information. Our rainy Thursday killer's first confirmed murder was in February. Could these cases be related somehow? Or is it just a coincidence that Seoul seems to be plagued by day-specific serial killers?

As I process the information about the Tuesday killer, a familiar, unwelcome voice echoes in my mind.

"Isn't this interesting?" Manson drawls.

I try to focus on the case files, ignoring the intrusion, but Manson persists.

"You know, if you want me to go away, you're going to have to let me help. That's how this works, isn't it?"

I pause, considering his words. Bundy and Aileen did disappear after I allowed them to assist me. Maybe there's some twisted logic to it - a certain amount of collaborative work required to purge these spectral advisors from my psyche.

Turning to Kang and Jeon, I force a smile. "I'll let you know if anything comes to mind. I need some air."

I make my way to the rooftop, the cool night air a welcome relief from the stuffy office. Taking a deep breath, I steel myself for what I'm about to do.

"Alright, Manson. What are your thoughts?"

I can almost feel his gleeful smile as he responds. "I'm so glad you asked. You see, I think these cases are connected. Your rainy Thursday killer and their Tuesday basher? Same person."

My brow furrows. "That doesn't make sense. The MO is completely different."

"He's creating an illusion," Manson explains, his voice dripping with admiration. "By establishing two distinct patterns, he's making the police believe they're chasing two different killers. It's brilliant, really."

I grip the railing tighter, the cold metal grounding me as I process this disturbing theory.

Manson continues, clearly reveling in the explanation. "While you're all running around, trying to profile two separate suspects, comparing notes on rainy Thursday stabbings and Tuesday bludgeonings, he's laughing. He's always ten steps ahead because you're chasing shadows he's deliberately cast."

The pieces start to fit together in my mind, as much as I hate to admit it. "So he's intentionally sowing confusion, making us waste resources on what we think are separate investigations."

"And the more time you spend trying to connect dots that don't exist, the more freedom he has to continue his real pattern - whatever that might be," Manson adds.

I stare out at the city. If Manson is right, we've been playing into the killer's hands this whole time. Every theory, every profile we've developed could be based on deliberately misleading information.

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "This is all speculation, Manson. There's no hard evidence linking these cases."

Manson's voice takes on a nonchalant tone. "You might be right, detective. I'm just sharing what my gut is telling me. After all, isn't that what you detectives pride yourselves on? Your instincts?"

I grip the railing tighter, conflicted. Manson continues, "In the end, it's up to you whether to accept this theory or not. I'm just here to... illuminate possibilities."

His presence fades, leaving me alone with my thoughts on the rooftop. I stare out at the city lights, weighing the implications of Manson's theory. As much as I hate to admit it, there's a certain logic to it that I can't shake.

After a few more moments of internal debate, I make up my mind. Evidence or not, we can't afford to ignore any possibilities in a case this serious.

I turn and head back into the building, my steps purposeful as I make my way to the office. I spot Kang still at his desk, poring over files.