[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Case File 4: The Owner’s Territory
Chaos erupted at the station after a loud banging on the inspector’s door, and the sight of scratches all over the door made everyone’s hair stand on end.
Singha was at his desk, with Lieutenant Khem reviewing CCTV footage across from him, and a young man, clearly terrified, hugging his knees not far away. Ever since Thup arrived at the station, weird things had happened so often that many officers were talking.
“No one was at the door this time, Inspector.”
“How can there be no one? We all heard the noise, and looked at the scratches on the door—if it’s not a person, then what, a ghost?” Singha snapped, frustrated. He was stressed enough tracking down a killer without dealing with this nonsense.
“I’ll check again.” Even Lieutenant Khem, usually his confidant, dared not say more. Singha shot a fierce look at Thup before sighing in irritation.
“Have you checked this kid's room yet?” Singha glanced at the clock.
“Yes.”
“The search warrant comes at six in the morning.” It was now half an hour to six. “Inspector, look at the footage from when the noise happened.”
Singha watched the footage from outside his room; it showed no one entering, exiting, or even walking by. After about five minutes of stillness, scratches began to appear, but no figure was visible. The door shook slightly, but when he arrived, everything was calm.
“You can’t see her, Inspector...” The young man on the couch said, drawing the attention of the two officers.
“But I...”
Thup watched the video repeatedly. While others saw an empty frame, he saw a woman in tattered clothes, hair disheveled, scratching at the door.
“What do you see, kid?”
Thup looked up, meeting Singha’s eyes. Only he understood what Thup was seeing.
“Stand up, Thup.” Lieutenant Khem quickly asked, seeing something in his reaction.
“Where are you off to, Inspector?” his boss was unlocking the handcuffs from the young man.
“Work.” Singha replied, walking back to his desk, picking up his badge and holster, slinging them over his shoulder. “Keep an eye on this place, and if anyone asks, tell them I’m out solving a case. Also, fix that door, it’s annoying the hell out of me.”
“Solving a case? What case, Inspector? Inspector!!” Singha ignored the calls from behind as he headed towards the parking lot, with the suspicious young man trailing close behind.
Once there, Singha mounted his sleek black motorcycle, handing a helmet to the follower. Seeing the young man put it on awkwardly, Singha realized how little life experience this kid had.
“Do you realize you’re the most problematic suspect I’ve ever dealt with?”
“Sorry.” came the reply, with a voice of reproach and a face like a scolded puppy, making Singha want to slap the helmet onto his head. He yanked the helmet back, put it on properly, and secured all safety measures.
“Get on.” Singha called, “if you can’t ride a motorcycle, I’ll leave you here.”
Thup awkwardly climbed onto the bike, sitting stiffly behind Singha.
“Have you ever rode a motorbike?”
“I usually ride motorbikes, but the drivers never make me wear a helmet.”
“Give me directions.”
“To where?”
“Your condo.” Thup nodded reluctantly before starting to direct the way. At this predawn hour, Thup never imagined he’d be outside his room, especially without his protective amulet. He had to keep his head down against Singha’s back to avoid seeing anything he shouldn’t. He only looked up occasionally when Singha asked for directions.
With few cars on the road, they reached a medium-sized condo in less than half an hour.
“I’m... not under arrest anymore?”
“No way.”
“So, are you coming to the condo? Why me?”
“To check the room of someone involved in the case.”
“Isn’t it... Don’t you need a search warrant first?” Thup tilted his head in confusion.
“Oh, then I’ll just leave this here and go back to get the warrant.” Before Singha could put his black helmet back on, a white hand grabbed his shirt.
“Uh... never mind.” One thing Singha noticed after spending hours together was that this person needed someone around. Left alone, he often showed fear, sweating, and trembling eyes. Clearly, the kid was scared of something.
Thup led Singha to his own room. At the condo, it wasn’t luxurious, but it was comfortable with all amenities and security.
“We’re here.”
“Open it.” Thup nodded quickly, touched a new temporary key card from the management, and opened the door.
The young man’s room was simply decorated with warm tones, clean, with a separate bedroom. The workspace was neat, with a drawing board, screen for drawing, and a desktop computer. Everything was orderly, unlike Singha’s place.
“Where do you want to search, Inspector?”
“Everywhere.” Singha scanned the room, finding nothing unusual, then looked back at Thup.
“So, where should I sit to stay out of your way?”
“Go take a shower.”
“Huh?”
“Are you planning to walk around with blood stains all day?” Singha handed Thup an evidence bag to put his clothes in.
“Take off your clothes.”
“Yes.” As the slender hand was about to grab it, the plastic bag in front was pulled back.
“Take them off here.”
“Yes!” Thup’s voice cracked in surprise. The inspector in front of him wasn’t joking, “Is... is the inspector serious?”
“Yeah, hurry up.” Singha watched the young man slowly remove his jacket, followed by a blood-stained t-shirt. Though the young man wasn’t particularly muscular, he wasn’t skinny either. His pale skin indicated he wasn’t much of an outdoors type.
Thup hesitated for a moment before unzipping his pants. Singha looked at him with a cold demeanor. No matter how innocent the young man seemed, he wouldn’t risk letting evidence like clothes be tampered with. They’d need further examination anyway.
“Inspector, may... May I get a towel?” The young man’s fair face blushed slightly with embarrassment. Singha rolled his eyes, annoyed, before stuffing the clothes into an evidence bag.
“That’s it, go do whatever.”
“Can you inspect the room for a while, please? Don’t leave yet.”
“There are amulets and blessings everywhere; your room is practically a mobile temple. What else is there to fear?” After putting on gloves, Singha began a thorough room search, using a black light to check various spots. The room wasn’t large, with a bathroom attached to the bedroom. The living area connected to the kitchen and an external bathroom, with a balcony off the kitchen. If a murder happened here, the neighbors would have heard something.
After a detailed search and finding nothing suspicious, Singha removed his gloves, took the evidence bag, and knocked on the neighboring room’s door. It didn’t take long for the door to open, accompanied by a puff of smoke.
“Hello.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m an officer.”
“Shit, the police!!!” The hip young guy in the next room rushed back inside, stuffing his weed paraphernalia into a box, then opened the balcony door to clear the smoke. “It’s legal now, officer!”
“I hope not. I have some questions.” Singha chose to ignore the other issue as he was here only to investigate a murder.
“Wh...what?”
“The room to your left, do you know him?”
“That reclusive kid? Yeah, see him when buying stuff downstairs.”
“Did you see or hear anything from his room last night around 7 PM?”
“Hah! That kid’s like a nutjob, he was freaking out last night and then rushed out somewhere.”
“Did he leave alone?”
“I think I saw a woman leave with him just as I was about to yell at him...had a bit to drink though.” Singha sighed at the response.
“Can you describe the woman?”
“Scruffy hair, maybe in a headscarf. You’re asking a lot, officer, what’s up?”
“Thanks for the info.” Singha lost interest in the neighbor, heading downstairs to talk to the condo’s management instead. He requested the CCTV footage from last night and files from the past two weeks.
The neighbor’s words lingered in his mind because Thup had also described a ghostly woman following him. With keen eyes, he intently watched the footage, confirming what the neighbor said, but there was one discrepancy: Thup left his room and took the elevator alone, getting into a taxi at the condo’s entrance, no woman in sight. So, what did the guy see?
“Here you go, officer.”
“Thanks.” Singha returned to the floor, entering the room again to find the young man curled up on the sofa in a hoodie and gray sweatpants.
“Inspector!” Thup exclaimed joyfully, his eyes sparkling, “I thought you had already left.”
“Are you suggesting I should stick to you like glue?”
“No, that’s not what I meant...”
“Go pack your bags.”
“Pack... to go where?”
“Or do you want to stay here?”
“If I go, will I get to stay with you, Inspector...?” Thup tilted his head, looking hopeful.
“Why me?”
“Every time I’m near you... I never see ghosts.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, go pack your things.” Singha cut in, annoyed. It was better if the kid decided to come along, keeping him in sight just in case something happened again. Even with the video evidence from the condo, it wasn’t enough to clear all doubts. He still needed to keep an eye on the kid.
Thup nodded eagerly before rushing off to pack his belongings, unplugging all electrical devices except the fridge to save power and prevent future hazards. He was back in front of Singha in a few minutes, with a black satchel.
“I’m easy to live with, easy to feed, easy to take care of. I’ll cooperate with everything.”
“Let’s see if you’re as easy going as you claim.” Singha said, leading the way out of the room to the elevator. Thup glanced repeatedly at the man beside him with an admiring look, appreciating the time they spent together. He admired Singha’s competence, coolness, decisiveness, and toughness, yet there was a hint of kindness. Despite his harsh words and rigid demeanor, he wasn’t cruel. Plus, when near him, Thup never encountered ghosts.
“Are we going back to the police station?” Thup asked as they reached the car, putting on his helmet by himself, hoping for a word of praise. But Singha’s response made him feel suddenly weak.
“I’m heading to the crime scene first.”
“Uh... to the crime scene, right? Do I have to go too?”
“Or should I drive you to the station?”
“Even without you, Inspector, I’d still get haunted.” Thup muttered before hopping onto the back of the motorcycle. Whether night or day, he had seen things he shouldn’t have. Now, the only certainty was clinging to Singha until they found the pendant or another solution, because once this case was over or he was cleared, Singha would surely keep him at arm’s length.
The black motorcycle headed towards the forest outside the city. Though it was morning, the forest’s atmosphere was no less terrifying. Thup grabbed Singha’s shirt as he glimpsed the ghost of a chubby man behind a large tree, his face pale and covered in blood, his skull cracked open, revealing brain matter. Probably an accident victim. After looking down the entire way, they finally stopped at the same spot where the taxi had dropped him off the night before.
“What’s with you, looking so pale?” Singha asked after the young man took off his helmet.
“Nothing.”
“The taxi dropped you here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then what did you do next, from the moment you stepped out of the car?” Thup glanced around the eerie forest before turning back to Singha.
“I saw an old woman with a lantern over there.” Thup pointed to an empty space on the left, “So I followed her.”
“Go on then.” Singha not so gently pushed the young man forward.
They walked deeper into the forest. Despite it being daytime, the tall, dense trees blocked most of the light, creating a gloomy atmosphere, making Thup look back at Singha every two minutes.
“It was very dark then. I’m not sure if I remember correctly, but I think I fell down right here.” Thup pointed to a log knee-high. Upon closer inspection, they found a scratch on the bark which was the cause of the wound on the leg of the kid next to him.
“And then what?”
“And... I just kept walking.”
“Afraid of ghosts, yet you come out late at night, in the forest no less, following someone with a lantern, tripping and falling but not turning back, running until you reach the crime scene, doesn’t that sound odd to you?” Singha glanced at Thup from the corner of his eye. If anyone heard the whole story, they’d think this kid is suspicious without a second thought.
“Yes.” replied Thup after reflecting on his own words. It did sound suspicious. He wasn’t surprised that Singha didn’t believe him.
“Follow me.” said Singha, leading into the forest back to the crime scene. The area was now cleared, only yellow tape marked the boundary to keep people out. Last night’s light rain had made the ground soggy, making it pointless to look for more evidence. “Each victim was killed elsewhere before being brought here. It’s not easy to get a body up a tree.”
“Don’t step there!” Thup grabbed Singha’s shoulder just as the young inspector was about to step into a muddy puddle.
“Why?”
“Someone’s not happy.”
“Who?”
“This place... it’s not empty. It has an owner.”
“What are you talking about, Thup? Where’s the owner?” Thup didn’t answer, just stared ahead with trembling eyes. When Singha looked in the same direction, he saw only bushes and large trees.
“I think the killer chose this place for a reason… The murder must have a reason for choosing this place.”
Suddenly, Thup gripped Singha’s shoulder tightly, seeing spirits of both men and women staring back with displeased eyes. From one to two, from two to three, until he saw dozens of spirits glaring through the large bushes not far away.
“This place... must have been a cemetery before.”
Case File 5: Testimonies of the Living and the Dead
A chilled soda can was brought to Singha’s lips; he chugged it down in one go. Though he wished it were a strong alcohol, during work hours, all he could do was dream. His sharp eyes glanced at a white-skinned young man, who had been in a daze ever since they left the scene, two kilometers away. “Here we are, officer. Yesterday, my husband was watching the store because I was at the hospital with our child.”
“Hello.” Singha greeted a man in his forties, trailing behind his wife of the same age. He led them inside the shop for a more comfortable chat.
“Hello, what’s going on? My wife called me home urgently, just when I was about to catch a big fish.”
“I need to ask about last night, between 11 PM to midnight. Did a pink taxi, driven by a man in his forties or fifties, stop here?”
“A taxi... Oh! Yes, yes, he mentioned he dropped off a passenger by the roadside forest but was too scared to pick up anyone from there.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“Just a bit. He was unsure if he should pick up anyone because that area is risky at night.”
“Why is that?”
“There are frequent accidents there. I heard from my father it was once a mass grave for the unclaimed dead.” Singha glanced at the young man still sitting outside. “I’m still puzzled about what that passenger was thinking. When I asked if he was sure about picking up a real person, the driver just sped off.”
“Has anyone been around here or gone into that forest in the last few days?”
“Just last night, the police and an ambulance were coming and going. After 9 PM, everyone here is usually in bed. I stayed up late watching football, so I saw a bit.”
“Thank you for the information.” Singha stepped outside, sighed, and noticed the young man still in a daze, with water droplets forming a wide circle from the can on the ground. He didn’t know what the kid had seen, if anything, but the information matched what Thup had said in many ways.
Singha took out a cigarette, held it in his mouth, lit it, and inhaled the nicotine into his lungs. Now, it wasn’t just about the case; there was also the matter of ghosts. From the perspective of someone who doesn’t believe or seriously follow any religion, this kind of thing was utterly ridiculous.
“Inspector, you smoke?”
“Yeah, want one?” Singha offered a fresh cigarette to the young man sitting in front of him.
“I don’t smoke.” Thup replied, shaking his head, then pressed his lips together. “So, what’s next?”
“We’ll have to wait for the autopsy results. Right now, we don’t have any useful information.” A puff of white smoke drifted into the air after he spoke.
“And what about what I mentioned?”
“I think the perpetrator chose that place because it’s a cemetery. A kid who saw a ghost told me so. What do you think, does it sound believable?”
“...No.”
“Yeah, good to know.” A phone rang, interrupting their conversation. Singha picked it up, exhaling smoke into the air, “What is it?”
[Where are you, Inspector?]
“Near the crime scene.”
[I’ve already questioned the victims’ families. There are four more to go.]
“What did you find?”
[It seems the times the victims disappeared aren’t consistent.]
“The killer can’t just take them all at once; it would be too hard to control and suspicious.” Seven victims disappearing all at once...
[I’m heading to the fourth victim’s house now, and I’ll report back to you, Inspector.]
“Send me the list; I’ll go to the fifth victim’s house myself.”
[Understood.]
“Hey, Lieutenant, also look up the history of the crime scene for me. Find out who owns it now, who used to own it, everything.”
Or has it been used for something before?
[Understood, Inspector.] After Lieutenant Khem hung up, Singha walked over to dispose of his cigarette butt in the designated spot.
“Get up, Thup.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the victim’s house.”
“And... should I come along?”
“Are you the one who killed the victims?” Singha crossed his arms, his eyes level but probing.
“I didn’t kill them.” Thup replied, his voice firm.
“Then let’s go.”
It didn’t take long for Singha and Thup to reach the fifth victim’s house out of the total seven. They parked their motorcycle in front of a clean white townhouse, but the house was eerily silent, with no signs of life. Singha rang the bell several times, but no one answered.
“Uh... the homeowner isn’t here.” a woman from the neighboring house called out.
“Do you know who they might be with?”
“They live alone.”
“I’m a police officer. I need to ask about the owner of this house.”
“Uh, sure. But what happened to Min?”
“It’s under investigation. I can’t give details yet, but Pakpong or Min has passed away.”
“What!!! No... that can’t be true, officer. What happened?”
“Do you know anything about her family?”
“I... I only know Min left home because of family issues regarding gender transition, but I’ve never met them. She’s been renting here for six months, and works as a car salesperson.”
“When did she go missing from the house?”
“I think it was yesterday evening; I was supposed to bring some curry to her place, but she wasn’t there.”
“Had she mentioned or told you anything unusual before?”
“Well, there were some work-related things occasionally. She was kind-hearted, cheerful, always going to the temple regularly.” Singha nodded understandingly, “We were just talking about going to make merit together this week.”
“And before that, had anyone visited her house or been lurking around?”
“As far as I know, no one. I work online from home and haven’t seen any strangers.”
“And the last time you spoke before she left the house, did she say anything?”
“She complained about having bad luck before going to work.”
“What time did she leave that day?”
“Around half past six. Normally, she goes to work at seven, but she was going to the temple to make merit, so she left earlier.”
“Did she drive?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. If there’s anything more, we might need to call you to the station again for further statements.” Singha bowed politely, then glanced towards the deceased’s house.
His phone rang again; Singha answered without looking, guessing who it was.
[Inspector, we’ve interviewed the victim’s family and close friends.]
“Meet me at the station.” The young inspector replied, hanging up. He quickly mounted his motorbike, put on his helmet, and when he turned back, he cursed seeing the young lad, Thup, still standing there, “Thup, what are you spacing out for? Get on, quick!”
“There’s... someone in the house. No, not someone, something.”
Singha furrowed his brow, looking back at the house, only to see emptiness.
A young man hurriedly grabbed Singha’s shirt, the clear window showing a gap in the curtains just enough to see inside. At one moment, Thup saw eyes, stark white, staring right at him. The corner of the mouth slowly curled into a sinister grin, a smile beyond what any normal human could muster.
“Tha... I... I need to inspect it.” Thup, in fear, made the young man look back into the house again, but no matter how many times he looked, all he saw was an empty house.
“Get in, we don’t have a warrant today, can’t go in.” The young man quickly got into the car, burying his face into Singha’s shoulder, trembling.
“Who told you to—”
“Th... I won’t lean on you then.” The young man looked up, eyes closed, his hands that were on his thighs while riding the motorcycle now clutching Singha’s shirt instead.
The bodies of six victims were taken to the forensic institute, while another was brought to the lab for an autopsy.
“Damn it, I’m going to sue Singha!”
“About what?” Say replied to Darin while putting on gloves.
“About bringing the victims’ bodies here!”
“I told him, otherwise, how would we handle so many corpses?”
“Just use your staff here, why drag me into this?”
“Come on, get dressed. We’re starting the autopsy.”
“Goddamn it!” Darin, frustrated, started putting on her work clothes, dragged back into this despite trying to avoid it.
“Autopsy starts at ten twenty-four.” The sharp eyes looked at the victim on the table, “Male, forty-three, signs of strangulation and deep neck wounds.” The assistant repeated, jotting it down.
“And do we cut this red thread?” Darin asked hesitantly.
“Don’t be like that. Normally, they don’t touch it; it’s sewn and closed so you can’t see. Don’t want to talk about it, Say?”
“How are we supposed to do an autopsy if we don’t cut it? Should we ask him personally?” Say shook his head slightly before turning the body to look for more clues.
“Knife” - the sharpness of the blade slashes through, Darin raises her hand.
The tip of the surgical knife reflects the light shining down, precisely tracing from the neck to the abdomen. A prayer before helping his friend spread open the ribcage to view the internal organs.
The ribs are cut away with pliers to allow Say to remove the internal organs for examination. Every step is meticulous until they reach the stomach.
“Did the deceased have any medical history?”
“Yes, diabetes.” Darin replies after checking the file. Before Say looked into the mouth of the deceased again, he noticed dentures.
“This isn’t the first murder victim.”
“Obviously, the other two in that freezer already have maggots.”
“Have you sent the maggots to the entomologist?”
“Yes, I have.”
Say scrapes the stomach wall into a bottle and hands it to the assistant with the camera, “Take this to toxicology, and I need a list of all medications the deceased was taking.”
“Yes.”
“The food wasn’t chewed properly. Plus, being diabetic probably slowed digestion. Look, there are still chunks of chicken.” Darin remarks, shaking his head slightly.
The autopsy continues until completion, only a red thread remains uncut, which Darin requested to be left for later.
“Scissors.” Say takes the scissors from his friend, slips them under the red thread on the victim’s eyelid, and as soon as he cuts it, the lights go out.
“Shit! What the hell!”
“It’s just a power outage. Why are you freaking out?”
“This place never has power outages!!” He gropes around, “Aaaah!!!!”
Darin shrieked just before the lights went out. Darin, who had fallen to the ground, was grabbing Darin while screaming as a loud thump echoed. Moments later, all the lights in the room flickered back on. His face was a mask of shock.
“Just now... did you grab my hand, Say?”
“I was holding scissors, how could I grab you?”
“Someone grabbed my hand!” Darin glanced at the figure on the bed before backing away. “I told you not to cut the thread!”
“Get up, get up!” Say put down the scissors and helped his friend up. “You might have just touched the corpse’s hand by accident.”
“I know where the corpse’s hand is supposed to be; it was outside the bed just now!”
“Look, the hand is still in the same place, and with that chest cut open, how could it move?”
“...” I mean when it’s not alive anymore! I really felt it, Say!”
“If you can’t handle it, wait outside. I’ll continue the autopsy.” Darin slowly stood up, looking at the corpse, unchanged from before the lights went out, except the left eye where the thread had been cut. He swallowed hard and clenched his lips.
“I’ll stay.” After all, she was a doctor; abandoning her duty wasn’t in her nature.
A chill ran down Darin’s spine as she turned around, but there was nothing there. This case was strange from the start, and the deeper they dug, the stranger it got. She wasn’t sure if she was dealing with a human killer or something beyond death.
Case File 6: The Seven Victims’ Information
Singha returned to the station around eleven. While his subordinates were saluting, they frowned, wondering who the young man carrying a bag behind their boss was.
“Is Lieutenant Khem back yet?”
“Not yet, Inspector.”
“Let me know when he returns.”
“Understood.”
Singha walked up to his office. As he sat down at his desk, the young man who followed him settled onto the sofa. Thup yawned, marking what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Not only had he been sleep-deprived, dragged around, but he also had to face various eerie incidents. His body was signaling its limits.
“Inspector, may I sleep?”
“Do whatever.”
“Thank you.” Thup nodded before lying down on the sofa. He lay on his side, watching Singha work with a stressed expression, flipping papers, staring at the computer screen, and occasionally cursing. The young man watched this for nearly half an hour before his eyelids slowly closed.
Hearing steady breathing, Singha looked up to see the problematic kid sleeping peacefully. His sharp gaze returned to the documents and an email from Merk. He was comparing the patterns of cases from ten years ago, five years ago, and the current one. If he had to guess, the killer was choosing victims based on religion. He’d have to watch out for potential targets across the country.
Singha glanced at the young man on the sofa again. Thup had once mentioned seeing spirits resembling murder victims when he was a child. If that was true, had it happened ten years ago?
He picked up his black phone to call Merk again. It took a while for the other side to answer.
“What now?”
“Has this happened before?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The seven corpse murders, has it happened before?”
[Hold on.] The sound of typing and pacing filled the line before Merk returned.
[Yeah, but the perpetrator was caught back then.]
“Caught?”
[Uh-huh, it happened fifteen years ago too.]
“Where did it occur, and who was the perpetrator?”
[Phuket, the criminal is a fisherman, his DNA is under the fingernails of one of the victims. Plus, it matches the DNA on the rope used in the murder. Five years later, investigators concluded it was a copycat murder, but the culprit hasn’t been caught.]
Singha furrowed his brows so tightly they almost tied into a bow, finding the whole situation bizarre.
“Send me all the details.”
Send everything related to this case.
[Yeah, but be careful, Singha. Both cases have seen multiple responsible officers changed.]
“Why?”
[Because several officers died in unexpected accidents, that’s why the case hasn’t been closed; no one dares to handle it.]
“Hmm, don’t forget to send the data, and also the name of the prison where the criminal from fifteen years ago was detained.”
[Yeah, yeah, let me know if anything comes up; I’ll inform the police-commander.]
“Thanks.” Singha hung up and looked at Thup again, “Copycat murder...”
The young inspector muttered to himself. He reviewed all the information available and sighed; nothing connected.
The murder fifteen years ago was concluded by the police, but this kid claims he saw the same ghost since he was little.
Murders occur every five years.
The crime scene changes every five years.
Singha immediately woke the young man sleeping on the couch.
“Thup, wake up!” His heavy hand slapped on the young man’s arm, startling Thup awake.
“Y...Yes?”
“The ghost of a woman you’ve seen since you were little, how little?”
“Yes? Uh, since I can remember, maybe four or five years old. Why do you ask, inspector?”
“Four or five years old... four or five years old...” Singha repeated, making Thup listen intently, “And where were you at that time?”
“Srisaket.” Singha replied before heading back to his desk. He pulled out all the papers from the files and the printer, then pinned them onto the investigation board.
Thup watched as the young inspector meticulously arranged everything on the board. His eyes sparkled with admiration because at that moment, Singha looked cooler than anyone he had ever met.
“Recent events in the central region, five years ago in the north, fifteen years ago in the south, probably earlier incidents in the northeast. The culprits are still in prison. Previously, he grew up in Phuket, but never moved. No travel history by plane or train.” Singha paused abruptly, mumbling to himself, “So he might not be the original perpetrator.”
The young inspector grabbed his coat, ready to leave the room, but a young man quickly grabbed his arm.
“Um... Inspector, where are you going? Can I come too?”
“Stay here.”
“But...” Thup glanced at the door. The previous incident had just occurred; the door hadn’t even been changed yet. Something was bound to happen again.
Singha also looked at the door, noticing a shadowy figure through the frosted glass, becoming clearer. Thup’s grip on his arm tightened involuntarily.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Inspector, I’m back.” came Lieutenant Khem’s voice from the other side of the door, which made both of them sigh in relief.
Singha shook his arm free from the young man’s grasp, then opened the door with an annoyed look.
“I’ve got all the victim’s data now, shall we go over it?”
“Hmm.” Singha walked out of the room without looking back. Thup watched his broad back with a lingering gaze.
“Shall we go together, young man?”
“Can I go too?”
“Just in case you have any additional information, come on.” Lieutenant Khem waved his hand, calling Thup to join him.
At exactly noon, the task force began their investigative planning meeting. On the front investigation board were photos of the deceased and various pieces of information. Lieutenant Khem handed over hurriedly summarized documents to the inspector before starting his explanation.
“Shall we begin, inspector?”
“Let’s begin.”
“The first person we visited at home was a male victim, eighteen years old. His name is Jirayu, or James, living with his family of four - father, mother, and an older sister. He’s the youngest, and the house doubles as a store. He went missing last week. The last time the family saw him, he said he was going to a friend’s birthday party and never returned. A missing person report has been filed.” LiutenantKhem started with the victim’s background.
“The second case is a fifteen-year-old boy named Jomphon, or Jom, living with his grandmother. He does odd jobs to support his education. Usually, Jom does dishwashing or other odd jobs after school. The last time he was seen was six days ago; he told his grandmother he was going to sell flower garlands at a shop.” Lieutenant Prom briefed.
“The third victim is Phakphong, inspector.” Singha nodded before sharing the gathered information.
“Thirty years old, named Phakphong or Min, transgender, works as a car sales rep, lives alone having moved here six months ago. Neighbors reported seeing him one last day before, saying he was going to the temple before work but never returned home.” Singha concluded, gesturing for the next person to continue.
“The female victim, fifteen years old, named Orawan or Orn, is an only child. Her parents said she frequently runs away because she’s always with friends, so they weren’t alarmed. The last time they saw her was five days ago.”
“My turn, inspector. The male victim, nineteen years old, named Chonlathorn or Nui. When we informed and questioned his parents, they described him as a delinquent who often stays at friends’ houses for weeks at a time, so they weren’t concerned as they themselves are often away driving trucks. Neighbors, however, mentioned seeing him last when he packed his bags and left four days ago.”
“I’ll continue. The male victim, forty-three years old, named Thanakorn or Thee, currently lives alone in a garden house. His two children are studying abroad, and we’ve informed them. His wife passed away last month. Neighbors say the deceased went to the temple to make merit for his wife daily and would return around noon or afternoon. They haven’t seen him in three days.”
“The last one, a female victim, fourteen years old, named Kachakorn, or Kaew. She lived with her parents who run a store selling alms for monks. Her family reported her missing two days ago.”
“Seven days.” Singha said without taking his eyes off the investigation board.
“Sir?” Lieutenant Khem looked around in confusion, unsure what his superior was talking about.
“The killer has been active for a total of seven days.”
“Huh?!” The detective flipped through his documents anxiously, while Singha stood up and walked to the front of the board.
“James went missing seven days ago, Jom six days, Or five days, Nai four days, Theer three days, Kaew two days, and Min just went missing yesterday. It’s possible the killer might act daily, before hanging all the bodies at the crime scene yesterday. So, the whole crime spree took eight days.” Singha explained, his frustration evident as he slapped both hands on the table, making a loud noise. “Eight days of no leads, eight days where the police could do nothing!”
Everyone fell silent, not from being scolded but because they realized the same thing - the killer was acting day by day without anyone noticing.
“Get search warrants for the birthday party venue, the flower shop, each victim’s home, and the friend’s house they frequented. Hurry!”
“Understood, Inspector.”
“Have the autopsy results come in yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Khun Say said because there are seven victims, it might take all day.”
“If they come in, let me know.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, everyone, get to work.”
Singha leaned against the table, gazing at the whiteboard in front. “Another thing common to the murders from five, ten, and fifteen years ago is the timing of the crimes. Each victim was killed over seven days, with one day for disposal. It’s always the same.”
“Uh... Inspector.” Thup, who had been quietly listening from the corner, stood up beside Singha, despite feeling extremely nervous. “What about the temples?”
“Why?” Singha asked without looking back.
“The flower shop where Jom sold garlands is likely near a temple. The temple I used to live at with Luang Phu also had such a shop. Min visited a temple before work, Thirakorn went to make merit for his wife, and Kachokorn or Kaew’s family runs a religious goods shop near a temple.” The young man pointed to each victim’s photo, explaining, making Singha follow his gaze. “I think checking the temples wouldn’t hurt, right?”
Singha reviewed the investigation file again, then wrote down the locations on the whiteboard. His sharp eyebrows furrowed as he walked to the computer, typing in the coordinates. While the system processed, he looked at Thup with a steady gaze. Earlier, he had checked CCTV footage from the condo where the young man lived. Last week, Thup left his condo once, on Wednesday at 1 PM and returned by taxi at 3 PM. Aside from that, he only went out to throw trash or receive deliveries. From the evidence, it seemed highly unlikely he committed the crime. Singha turned back to the computer screen, then got up, pulling Thup by his collar to leave together.
The young man, trying to keep up, asked, “Where are we going, Inspector?”
“Home.”
“Home?”
“Changing cars. Are you coming or waiting?” Singha replied, still dragging Thup by his collar.
“I... I’ll come.”
“Then shut up and keep up.” Thup nodded vigorously, even though Singha couldn’t see it.
Both Thup and Singha walked back to the same motorcycle, this time Thup swiftly getting everything ready to avoid another scolding. Singha put on a jet-black helmet, never taking his eyes off Thup’s sheepish demeanor. Although the kid in front of him seemed timid, asthmatic, and occasionally annoying, he was quick to learn and observant. If you overlooked his ghost-seeing antics, he might be somewhat useful until the forensic fingerprint results came in, then they could part ways.
The large motorcycle drove up to a big village, where Singha parked in front of a large, white standalone house before pressing the remote to open the door.
“Wait here.” As soon as they entered the house, Thup cautiously observed the home of the intimidating inspector. Just as he suspected...
No ghosts indeed.
The front yard had two cars parked, no trees, no bushes, just plain concrete. It was clear the young inspector had no time to maintain it, hence the concrete. Thup peeked inside the house and found it decorated like a model home, with plastic still covering the floor lamps.
“Do you have to stare that much just to come inside?” Singha came out with car keys in hand. “Let’s get in the car.”
“Which one?”
“The black one.”
A completely black BMW 14 was Singha’s choice of vehicle today instead of his usual motorcycle, because the kid sitting with him kept jumping, making the bike swerve.
After leaving the house, Singha drove straight to their intended destination. Thup tried to strike up a conversation, knowing well he might get a stern look or a sarcastic remark.
“Do you know where we’re headed, Inspector?”
“Hmm.”
“Where to? Can I ask?”
“Temple.”
“Ah... which temple? Because we just passed one.”
Singha glanced at Thup from the corner of his eye, but seeing the innocent look from the kid next to him, he swallowed all his curses.
“All the locations where the seven victims disappeared were not far apart, and there was only one temple in that area.”
“Once we get there... Can I wait in the car?”
“Why?”
“Well, in the temple... it’s not just holy things there.”
Case File 7: The Temple
The atmosphere inside the car was so quiet that only the breathing of the two people could be heard. Thup looked ahead before quickly lowering his gaze to the floor. The temple entrance was adorned with beautiful paintings and inscribed with the words “Santi Thammaram Temple.” But what Thup saw was not just beauty; spirits and ghosts, both in good and deathly states, were crawling and floating around the front of the car. As the car drove in, these spirits slowly retreated. The car stopped in front of the main hall with its golden roof reflecting a dazzling light, beautiful befitting a major temple in the area.
“Are you going to wait in the car?” Singha asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
The young man sitting with him slowly looked up and reached out to grab the young inspector’s shirt. Though the car’s air conditioning was cool, sweat was beading on Thup’s forehead, temples, and brow.
“Inspector... Can I ask for something?” Thup’s trembling hand and fearful demeanor puzzled Singha.
“What?”
“Please don’t leave me behind.”
The young man looked up at Singha with pleading eyes.
“Keep up if you don’t want to be left behind for real.” said Singha as he got out of the car, leaving the young man to take a deep breath before hurriedly following. The young inspector walked, gripping Thup’s shirt all the way.
The temple grounds in the afternoon weren’t crowded, maintaining a serene atmosphere typical of religious sites. The wind blew, rustling leaves, some whistling as they brushed against each other, making it a peaceful place for those seeking solace and a final resting place for the dead. Throughout their walk in the temple, Thup kept his eyes on Singha’s shoes, because looking up would mean seeing the spirits that wouldn’t move on, crawling and floating around the temple grounds. Some crawled on the ground, while others floated aimlessly. The abbot once said that spirits still lingering are those who haven’t found peace, perhaps due to unfinished business or unresolved desires. These spirits could still find a way to cut those attachments, but some lingered out of vengeance, unwilling to be reborn. It’s best to avoid these.
Suddenly, Singha stopped walking abruptly, causing Thup, who was daydreaming, to crash into his broad back with full force. The young man rubbed his chin, which had been pointing down, causing his face to collide with the older man.
“Sorry!”
“You walk so closely, you might as well be me.”
“Please, Inspector, don’t say that! If they hear you...”
“Rubbish, Thup. It’s just me. If this world has ghosts like you say, then I’ve got one too, still in this body. No other ghost is coming in. It’s ridiculous.”
Thup could only blink, having never heard anyone curse ghosts before. Maybe this was why spirits scattered whenever Singha passed by. He truly believed.
“Hey, what are you two doing here?” A monk, around forty or fifty years old, stepped out from his dwelling to greet them.
“Greetings, Venerable Sir. I have something to ask.”
“Ask? What about?”
“Have there been any new monks or temple boys recently?”
“New monks? No, we haven’t reached the summer ordination season yet, and no one’s come for ordination.”
The monk led them away from the dwelling towards the main hall.
“As for new temple boys, I’m not sure. You’d have to ask the temple committee.”
“Where can I find them?”
“Right now? If not discussing with the abbot, they should be at the charity kitchen.”
The monk gave them directions to the charity kitchen before entering the main hall for his duties.
“Thank you.” Singha bowed politely before leaving.
“They have a charity kitchen here, nice.” Thup mumbled, not catching Singha’s attention, but suddenly, a hand gripping his shirt pulled him back, forcing Singha to stop abruptly again.
“What’s with you, Thup?”
“Hold on a second.” Singha turned back, frowning, but upon seeing Thup sweating, his eyes low and trembling slightly, looking scared as if seeing something, Singha sighed.
“You’re really annoying.” he brushed Thup’s hand off his shirt, startling the young man nearly to scream. If Singha left him here, it wouldn’t be good. The figure before them wasn’t a ghost like in the dramas, pale and lanky with long hair covering its face. One side of his skull was caved in, an eye bulging out, lips torn to the ear, teeth missing showing the bloody mouth, the body contorted, wearing what seemed like a tattered uniform, likely from some accident. The remaining eye stared unwaveringly at Thup.
‘You see this, don’t you?’
The icy tone made Thup’s hair stand on end, his legs barely moving. Singha brushed his hand away, leaving him wondering what to do.
As Thup stood trembling, Singha grabbed his wrist and led him forward confidently. Thup focused only on Singha’s hand holding his until they reached a large communal kitchen, with nothing following them.
“Oh, young man, you’re late. There’s another round in the evening, but there’s still some green curry left, want some?” a middle-aged woman greeted them warmly.
“Want to eat?” Singha asked the younger man behind him.
“No, thank you.” Despite being very hungry, Thup had to decline, not wanting to waste the young inspector’s time.
“It’s okay. I’m just here to see the temple’s monk. Do you know where he is?”
“Oh, looking for Abbott? He’s over there eating bananas.” The lady pointed to a man in a clean white shirt sitting by the door.
“Thank you. And could you also look after this kid while he eats?”
“Huh?” Thup tilted his head at the speaker immediately.
“Hungry? Eat up. I’m just hanging here.” Singha said, releasing Thup’s wrist and heading straight for his target.
“Hey there, young man, sit down. Auntie will fetch you some green curry noodles.”
“Thanks, Auntie.”
Singha sat opposite an old man engrossed with bananas in coconut milk. The old man smiled warmly as Singha sat down.
“Here for lunch, young man? It’s probably all gone by now.”
“No, I’ve got some questions.” Singha said, showing his police badge. The old man, after a glance, introduced himself, “I’m a temple official, my name’s Khuean, fifty-four years old.”
“I want to ask if there have been any new temple boys or staff in the past one or two months, or if anything unusual has happened?”
“Hmm, no new temple boys, officer. But for staff, well, the same old caretaker. No changes recently.” Singha nodded understandingly. “As for strange things, let me think... Ah, yes, on Wednesday, someone came to the temple and suddenly freaked out about ghosts, even knocked over the green curry pot, making a big mess. Luckily it wasn’t too crowded that day; we could manage with other dishes.”
“Do you recognize these people?” Singha laid out photos of seven victims.
“Oh, I know this one, Thee, comes regularly since his wife passed. This little girl, Kaew, plays here often; her house is across from the temple. This one, Jom, used to be a temple boy during school breaks and often took food from the temple. Wait, this is the guy who knocked over the curry pot!” Singha looked, seeing the old man pointing at a photo of a young man, nineteen years old. “So, what’s this case about, officer?”
I can’t say much yet.
“We’re still investigating. I’ll come back if I need more info.” Singha said, standing up and nodding respectfully. But when he looked around, the kid who had been shadowing him was gone...
Thup is holding a green curry bowl, his eyes scanning for a place to wash it. He spots a sink and a dish rack not far from the makeshift kitchen. He noticed earlier that Singha wasn’t around, and disrupting him just to wash dishes would surely earn him a scolding, so he ventures out alone.
Thup dumps chicken bones in the trash before turning on the tap to rinse a plate. Suddenly, the water turns red and thick, far from normal. He drops the bowl in shock, water splashing his face. Turning around, he encounters a spirit of a man with a caved-in skull, standing just inches away. Despite the close proximity, he feels no breath, only his grip tightens on his trousers. Though trembling, he tries to act normal.
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
Thup bites his lip, gathers courage, and walks away, but the ghost follows slowly due to its twisted legs.
‘Motorbike’
‘Money’
The voice, as if speaking through water flooding his mouth, repeats the same phrases. After a few steps, Thup feels multiple eyes on him. He tries to run but trips over something, falling and scraping his hands on rocks. Turning back, he sees various spirits, each with different death marks. He didn’t trip over a branch or rock but over the upper half of a human body. As Thup tries to crawl away, the lower half of another spirit inches closer.
‘You see, right?’
‘You see?’
“Help me!”
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see?’
‘You see, right?!!!!’
A hand grabs Thup’s ankle forcefully, but suddenly all the ghosts and spirits vanish, replaced by a grip on his shoulder, making Thup jump in fright, tears streaming down his face.
“Roaming around, huh, you kid?”
“Inse...hic, inspector.” Thup rushes into a hug, forgetting himself. Now, he just wants the warmth of a living person’s embrace, not the cold body of the dead.
“What’s wrong with you? You’ve got me all wet, you troublemaker.”
“Please, hic, let me stay like this for a moment.” He feels his heart racing as he rests his head on Singha’s chest. Just this. He just wants this.
After several minutes, Singha peels the ghost-seeing kid off him and, grabbing his shirt collar, drags him back to the car. Singha can’t help but roll his eyes at Thup’s sluggish demeanor and red, teary eyes.
“Give me your hand.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Did you cry so much that your ears went deaf? I told you to open your hand.” Thup complied easily by holding both hands out in front of the young inspector. The first aid kit was pulled from the back seat, and Singha started cleaning the wounds on his beautiful palms. Though not gentle, it was better than leaving it untreated.
“It hurts.” Thup mumbled softly.
“You claim to be scared of ghosts, yet you wander around alone. Do ghosts have trouble finding you or something?”
“I was just going out to wash the dishes for Auntie.”
“Are you waiting for the dishes to dissolve into thin air?”
“Sorry, Inspector.”
“And stop calling me by my title. Are you worried people won’t know who you’re with?” Singha pressed harder on the wound as he spoke.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Oh? What’s my name?”
“Inspector Singha.”
“Is Inspector my name?” His sharp eyebrows furrowed as the kid in front of him started to get on his nerves.
“...Singha.”
“Yeah.”
“Can I just call you by your name?”
Singha didn’t reply, just gave a fierce look.
“Um... can I call you Phii Singha?”
A phone rang, interrupting before Singha could respond. He handed the plaster to the young man and answered the call.
“What?”
[Hey Singha, the police commander knows about your case now because someone reported the file was accessed. He asked me, so I had to tell him.]
“Eh, never mind.”
[The police commander has already sent an investigation team.]
“Damn.”
[There’s more trouble, the commander sent King.]
“That bastard!!!”
[Are you swearing at the police commander?]
“Whatever. Just that!” Singha hung up before driving off from the temple at an excessive speed, causing the young man beside him to hurriedly secure all the equipment and fasten his seatbelt. It was clear that Singha was just as scary as any ghost.