Money Loving CEO's Detective Lover

When Jina returned home that night, she was surprised that her parents were not home. Junho did not leave her alone because Minho had called him to tell that he and Gayoon went to the police station to deal with some work. He did not elaborate but asked Junho to look after Jina.     

They were in the living room where Junho was watching TV while Jina had changed into her pajamas and was drawing.     

"This isn't right," Jina muttered, erasing her drawing and redoing it. Just then, Yumi and Casper apparated next to her. They had been waiting outside Ahn Jaewan's home for the past few days but he was on some kind of trip abroad. Finally, they caught a glimpse of him.     

"Yumi!" Jina exclaimed. "Casper! Did you guys find out anything?"     

"The ghosts are here?" Junho asked. "Where were they all this time?"     

"They've been trying to find Casper's killer," Jina revealed. "Apparently, Casper's killer was wearing a watch with a dragon in it. I remember that Ahn Jaewan wore a watch like that and he claimed it was a limited edition. Maybe he'll be able to tell us where he found it!"     

"Oh?" Junho frowned. Jina turned to the ghosts and began to question them.     

"Did he return to the country?" she asked.     

"He did," Yumi confirmed while Casper nodded. "He's in his house right now. We didn't want to scare the guy but maybe you can talk to him."     

"What are they saying?" Junho asked. Jina relayed their message to him. After hearing it all, Junho was pondering hard on what to do next.     

"Where did he die?" he asked. "Did anyone ever go to the construction site? If he was murdered, then they must have found the body. Were there any news articles on it?"     

"Er…"     

The trio looked at each other. With all the technology at their disposal, they completely forgot that they could look up the articles related to that construction site where Casper was found.     

"It didn't occur to us," Jina admitted sheepishly. "And we didn't tell mom and dad that we're trying to find Casper's killers."     

Junho sighed and shook his head. He took out his phone and began to search.      

"Dead body at construction site," he wrote on the search bar and several articles popped up.     

"Where was his body found?" he asked.     

"Not far from here," Jina stated. "I think it was the site next to the market on street H."     

Junho scrolled through the articles and found one article. It was a tiny piece but the article stated about a dead body which was found in a building's construction site. The victim's head had been bashed to the point that he was barely recognizable but the identity had been established after the DNA test was conducted using the man's grandson.     

"Lin Cheng," he read. "It's saying that his name is Lin Cheng. According to the article, he was mute. And there's a picture of the body too."     

He showed the picture to Jina who recognized Casper. "That's him!" she exclaimed. "That's Casper."     

"Yo, they didn't even take a good picture!" Yumi frowned, feeling outraged. "Just look at the angle. His head isn't that bashed!"     

But Casper was frozen. He read the article with a strange mix of happiness and grief. He had a grandson?     

"See, Cas?" Yumi said with a smile. "You have a family! A grandson who's probably sad that you're no longer around. Maybe he knows what your last wish is!"     

"Is his name mentioned?" Jina asked.     

"Nope," Junho replied. "His name isn't stated here but if Casper is Lin Cheng, then we're very close."     

He turned to Jina and said, "Call up Ahn Jaewan and tell him that we need to meet with him. Tell him that it's urgent. Yumi, follow her."     

"Yes!" Jina exclaimed, scrambling off towards her room to fetch her phone. Junho and Casper were left alone in the living room. The latter was still processing the fact that he had a family. He did not want Jina to see his silent tears. Even though he should be happy, why did he feel a hollowness in his heart?      

"Are you really sure you want to find out the truth?"     

Junho's voice echoed in his ears. No, he thought. I don't want to. And I don't even know why.     

There was a sense of shame and guilt working in Casper which was hard to explain. Yes, he had a family. But did they love him? Was he good to them? What happened to his sons and daughters? Why did only his grandson step up to give his DNA sample? Were they a happy family? Did they love each other like the Hwang's? Or were they cold and distant?     

Junho might not be able to see the ghost but he understood the dilemma Casper felt. No old man wanted to face their biggest fears especially when it came to their families. As someone who was forced to stay away from his own family, Junho knew the pain and anguish he had to endure to see even one glimpse of their smiling faces.     

But the moment he read Casper's real name, he knew that this case was not as simple as it seemed.     

"Lin Cheng," he began. "Was the most notorious mafia leader of the country. His name etched terror in everyone's hearts and hundreds of people died under his orders. Ruthless, cruel and ambitious, there wasn't a single person who would have dared to stand up against him. He established the Lin family, creating havoc in the country through his organized crimes."     

Casper's fists clenched but not in anger. He was scared. Was he really a bad person in life? Did he kill all those people?     

He stared at his pale hands. Are my hands stained with the blood of innocents? He wondered.     

"His family died in a shootout," Junho went on. He was not ruthless nor was there a hint of disdain in his tone. Junho knew very well that out of all the ghosts, Jina was the closest to Casper because she sensed a goodness in him which no one else could. Perhaps it was hidden when Casper was alive but in death, he no longer hid his true self. She reminded him of his own grandchild and by protecting her, Casper was compensating for the lives he had taken.     

"The grandson was the only one living," Junho stated. "And currently, he's heading the Lin clan. That's all I know. There are no pictures or names mentioned. The only reason I know so much about the Lin family is because my best friend, Jang Jason, is the head of the Jang clan. Both of them are rivals and deadly ones too. They say when a member of the Lin family and Jang family meet, blood will spill."     

Junho stood up and left the room to give Casper some space to think. The ghost remained there, unsure of what to do or believe. Silent tears fell from his eyes as he grasped with the reality in front of him.     

He was a murderer.