Chapter 4
Fortunately for Katara, she didn't need to be on campus for the next few days. Unfortunately, she was supposed to spend her time only in places that were easily patrolled. This fact was stated in no uncertain terms by Zuko who had stopped by the next morning while Katara was out for her run.
He was standing on the stoop when she rounded the corner, arms crossed over his chest and a dark glare on his face. Katara had an uncomfortable flashback to the times her father had caught her sneaking in well after curfew. Her steps faltered, but she squared her shoulders and met Zuko's eyes.
"Detective Kaji," she greeted him. 'What are you doing here so early?"
"What am I doing here?" Zuko's hands went to his hips, and Katara bit back a sigh. This looked like a lecture. "Where were you?" Katara motioned to her leggings, bright fuchsia tank, and running shoes.
"I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count," she told him drily.
"So, you just decided to get up at dawn and go running alone," Zuko demanded. "You didn't see a need to let anyone know? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"It's not like I was on some dark secluded path," Katara defended herself. She pushed past him and let them both in the house. "I went to the running trail at the park. There were people everywhere! And I never get up at dawn." Zuko stood firm.
"Not the point," he said. "No one knew where you were. No one saw you leave. Anything could have happened to you." Katara made a face at him and raised her wrist to check her fitness tracker. She had run three miles, she saw with a distant sense of pride. That was a new record for her. She hit a button to send the information to her phone.
"It's not my fault that the cops you sent aren't paying enough attention to notice when I leave," she grumbled.
"Again," Zuko said with an annoyed scowl. "Not. The. Point. We're trying to keep you safe, Ms. Imiq. It's hard to do when you up and disappear without a word."
"Alright!" Katara threw her hands up in submission. "I get it. I promise I will flag down an officer next time I go running or make trip to the supermarket."
"It would actually be better if you stayed home unless someone can take you." Katara started to protest, but Zuko held his hand up. "You don't have a car right now. It's not safe for you to walk around alone." Katara rolled her eyes so hard, Zuko was worried she would hurt herself.
"Fine," she relented. "Then you have to give me someone's number or something." Zuko shook his head.
"Just call me. I'll send someone for you." Katara huffed irritably.
"I feel like a child," she complained. "I hate this guy. Didn't you get anything from him last night?" Zuko blanched, suddenly understanding why Katara had felt secure enough to leave that morning.
"Ms. Imiq," he said slowly. "Jet's not our guy." Katara waved him off.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. There's no way that moron is a serial killer. But maybe Koh's not actually after me at all. Maybe it was just some idiot with a crush. What?" Zuko had started shaking his head. Katara crossed her arms and scowled.
"Jet didn't take those pictures," he explained. "He couldn't have. He just got to town yesterday. His alibi checked out. Whoever sent you that note and those pictures is still out there." Katara stared at him for a moment. She sank back against the wall and then dropped her gaze to floor beneath his feet.
"And you're absolutely sure it's Koh?" The question was quiet, but it hung heavy in the air. Zuko shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, Katara's eyes were fixed on him. He nearly flinched at the ice cold focus. He felt frozen to the spot. Finally, he nodded.
"The MO fits," he told her, looking away from her frigid blue eyes. "Mostly. Usually, he's been in contact again by now, but with the increased patrols, he probably hasn't had a chance." Katara snorted and mouthed the word probably to herself.
"How close are you to catching him?" The ice was melting, and Katara looked far too vulnerable. Zuko shifted uneasily. This was really not his area of expertise.
"Not close enough," he admitted. "But he can't get close enough to you either." Katara bit her bottom lip and nodded.
"Right," she mumbled. She tried to feel grateful for all that the police were doing for her, but she didn't know how long she could live this way. And, of course, the police would eventually have to move on, whether they caught the guy or not. Would Koh still be there waiting for her when they decided she was safe alone?
"Hey, look," Zuko started hesitantly, running a hand through his hair. "I go running a few times a week. I know you'd probably rather go alone, but until we be catch Koh, maybe...maybe I can be your running partner?"
Katara furrowed her brows and she scrutinized Zuko. He shifted beneath her gaze, but his offer was sincere. If she was looking for a sign it wasn't, she wouldn't find it.
"You think you can keep up, Detective Kaji?" she asked at last, a weak hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth. Zuko met her with a smirk.
"Can you?" Katara's eyes widened slightly, and she suddenly pushed off the wall and went to the kitchen. She cleared her throat.
"My brother called," she said. Zuko took that as a sign that she expected him to follow. "He can't get a flight until tomorrow evening, but he'll be here the next morning."
"Did you want him to run with you instead?" Zuko asked. He was reeling a bit from the abrupt change of subject. Katara smiled wryly.
"Sokka hates running. You aren't getting off the hook that easy." She got herself a glass of water and sat on a stool. "What time do you have to be to work?"
"I'm technically already at work," he said. "Uncle-er the Chief, that is- said your case is my priority."
"Oh…" Katara flinched. She pulled the end of her long braid over her shoulder and fiddled with the end. "You can call me Katara, you know."
"Excuse me?" Zuko had never known anyone who changed subjects so abruptly. Katara shrugged, rapping her fingers erratically on the counter.
"You keep calling me Ms. Imiq. You don't have to."
"Right…." Zuko nodded. "You can call me Zuko, then." Katara smiled hesitantly.
"Alright...Zuko." Then she jumped off of the stool. Zuko blinked in surprise.
"Are you…" Katara spun towards him.
"I need coffee," she said. "You want any?" Zuko shook his head.
"I'd love some," he said. "But I do need to leave soon. I just came by to check on you."
"I have travel mugs." Katara reached into the cabinet above the coffee machine and pulled out a tall purple floral mug with a top.
"Then sure," Zuko relented. Katara prepared their coffee. She looked in the refrigerator for the creamer and sighed. The creamer and a half-carton of eggs were almost all she had left
"I need to go shopping," she said mostly to herself.
"When do you want to go?" Zuko was standing behind her. Katara stood up quickly, hitting her head on the edge of the freezer door.
"Ow!"
"Sorry!" Zuko stepped back and let Katara shut the door. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Katara's face burned hotly. "Um…"
"You need to go shopping?" Zuko prompted.
"Right!" Katara flinched at her overly bright voice. "Yes. Um...can you send someone for me around two?" Zuko nodded.
"No problem. I'll send an officer for you." Katara shot Zuko a wavering smirk.
"Will this one be on time?" Zuko favored her with a deadpan gaze.
"Are you ever going to let that go?" he asked.
"I'll consider it," Katara replied, folding her arms across her chest. Her smile had turned sardonic. "You know, once I can leave this house on my own." Zuko stood up straight and placed his hand over his heart.
"I solemnly promise the officer will be on time," he said sarcastically. Katara let out a snort of laughter.
"Alright. Cool." She leaned against the island and studied Zuko for a moment. He sat down on the other side and busied himself with his phone. "Do you live around here, Zuko?"
"Pardon?" Zuko looked up from his screen. His good brow furrowed in confusion. Katara shrugged. She tucked a hand beneath her chin, rapping her fingers against the smooth granite.
"I'm just curious," she explained. "And I need a distraction. Plus, it's weird for me to sit at a table with someone and not chat, you know?" Zuko shook his head.
"No," he said. "I'm not a big talker." Katara frowned and dropped her eyes. Sokka had often told her she talked too much, but she couldn't help it. She liked knowing about people, especially people in her home. Especially handsome men who were in her home to protect her.
"I live in town," Zuko said suddenly, starting Katara out of her thoughts.
"Eh…?" She blinked in surprise.
"I live in town," Zuko repeated. "I have an apartment downtown. It's pretty small though. I don't have company often."
"Not married then?" Katara asked. Zuko snorted.
"Definitely not." Katara shot him a knowing smile.
"Right. You're still young. Play the field and all."
"Wrong, again." Zuko smirked. "Not exactly a ton of women lining up for a date."
"I get it," Katara said sympathetically. "Long hours, right? I've got the same issue. Between school and work, the last hot date I had was a vending machine lunch with my ex like a year ago." Zuko leaned back, genuine surprise mingled with suspicion on his face.
"That's not the problem," he replied slowly. Then he gestured towards the scar taking up a quarter of his face. Now Katara looked surprise.
"Get out!" she gasped. "You think you have a problem getting dates because of your scar?"
"Well...I don't think it helps." Katara shook her head.
"Okay, I just met you yesterday," she said, tugging at her braid, "so please don't think I'm getting weird or anything, but...you're pretty hot. The scar doesn't hurt you in the looks department at all." Katara felt her face bloom in what she was sure was a spectacular blush, but she managed not to turn away from the man across from her.
Zuko balked. He was sure she was just being kind, or maybe- and he considered it a reach- she had developed a crush on him because he was protecting her. She didn't seem to be that flighty, though. He cleared his throat and tried to fight the rising heat in his face.
"If you say so," he mumbled. Katara chuckled in spite of the nervous stutter her heart was making.
"I'm serious," she insisted. "You probably have so many women hanging around you hoping you'll notice them." Zuko's blush deepened, and he pulled his chin in towards his chest. Katara had to duck her head to hide a grin. Under different circumstances, she thought, if they knew each other better, Zuko would have been fun to tease.
The coffee machine let out a keening wail. Katara leapt from her seat and poured their coffee. She held the travel mug out to Zuko, and tried very hard not to smile at how uncomfortable he still looked.
"This is my favorite mug," Katara warned him when he reached for it. "You have to give it back."
"Thanks." Zuko accepted the cup. Then Katara walked him to the door. Zuko paused halfway out and turned to Katara. "Make sure you lock up behind me. And call me if you need to leave for anything before two." Katara rolled her eyes and waved him on.
"Yes, Papa," she said sarcastically. "Don't worry. I'm working on my dissertation this morning, anyway. I've got all the books I need." Zuko regarded her sternly and left. He heard the door shut and the lock click. Only then did he allow himself an amused smirk.
He was well on his way to the station before he began to turn over what Katara had said. She said she thought he was attractive. Not only that, she thought there were somewhere there were hordes of women who also found him attractive. Although he was alone, embarrassment made Zuko draw his shoulders up to his ears. She was just being nice, he was certain. She had to be. Even his last girlfriend never said he was good looking. The only person who had called him handsome since getting the disfiguring scar was his uncle, and well, Iroh wasn't exactly representative of who Zuko wanted to attract. Katara was, though…
Zuko shook his head wildly. That was dangerous territory. She was a victim in need of protection. To come anywhere close to crossing that line would be unethical and dishonorable, if it wasn't completely illegal. Still, if Zuko wasn't the detective assigned to protect her….
"You would never have had the guts speak to her," he told his reflection in the rearview. "At least be honest with yourself, Zuko."
He was still carrying Katara's travel mug when he got to the precinct. A few officers eyed the floral pattern curiously, but said nothing.
"I love that mug!" Except Officer Nakamura.
"Good morning, Nakamura," Zuko greeted her.
"I told you that you can call me Jin!" She leaned against his desk and eyed the pattern of the mug.
"It's a bit more feminine than I thought you'd pick out."
"It's not mine," Zuko told her. "I'm just borrowing it." That caught Jin's attention.
"O~oh?" Her hazel eyes turned to him sharply as she regarded him archly. "From who? You didn't run out and get a girlfriend, did you?" Jin's tone was light, but Zuko noticed a bit of an edge to it. Her smile had frozen and tightened at the corners, like a perp with something to hide.
"No," Zuko replied, trying to keep the tinge of suspicion out of his voice. "I stopped by Katara's on my way in. She was making coffee and gave me some to go." Everyone in the precinct knew who Katara was. Zuko didn't need to explain.
"Well," Jin said breezily. "Wasn't that... sweet of her."
"... she's pretty cool," Zuko shrugged awkwardly. "I mean, she thought it was a good idea to go running alone while a serial killer is after her, but aside from that…" Jin frowned at that.
"Who goes out alone when they have a serial killer after them? She isn't too bright, huh?"
"I wouldn't say that. She's in grad school," Zuko pointed out. "She has to be pretty smart. Besides, she didn't realize that Jet wasn't the one following her. That's sort of my fault. I should have called her." Jin cleared her throat and looked down at the pile of papers on Zuko's desk.
"Oh, she gave you her number?" Zuko blinked in surprise.
"Of course she did. I'm her contact."
"Right…," Jin reached out picked up the travel mug, tracing her fingers over the tiny white flowers. "What does she study?"
"Um…" Zuko stared up at Jin blankly.
"You don't know?" Jin laughed. "Didn't you just spend the whole day with her yesterday?"
"I didn't get around to asking," he admitted a bit shamefaced. "Most of our conversations have been about Koh. I mean she asked me about myself this morning, but I didn't have time to ask about her." Zuko quietly scolded himself for that. She had band she had fed him and given him coffee. Basic courtesy should have made him ask her something- anything- about herself. All he knew about her were things that were pertinent to her protection.
"I know her brother is an engineer," Zuko offered Jin lamely. "He's in Ba Sing Se working on the new space station."
"Well... that's pretty cool, I guess." Jin shrugged and set the mug back on Zuko's desk.
"Yeah, well…" Zuko cleared his throat. Jin didn't say anything else, but to Zuko's surprise, she didn't leave. Zuko watched her curiously. Jin had stuck her hands in her pockets and was chewing on her bottom lip. "You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah," Jin assured him. "I just...um…The next detective exam is coming up soon. I want to sign up to take it." Zuko leaned forward. He was a bit surprised to hear that. Once an officer's probationary period was over, they had the right to sign up for the exam, but most stayed in uniform for five or so years before they did. Jin was only a year out of probation.
"It's a lot of work," Zuko warned her. "But I think you'd make a great detective." Jin's cheeks turned pink.
"Yeah, well…" she ran her hands over her shirt, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles. She was nervous, Zuko realized, but he wasn't sure why. "I was thinking since you took the exam yourself so recently, maybe you could give me some pointers? Or help me study?"
"Sure," Zuko said. Jin's face lit up with a bright, infectious smile. Zuko found himself smiling back.
"Thanks!" Jin said. Zuko was about to dismiss her so he could get to work, when a thought occurred to him.
"Hey, Jin? Could you do something for me?" Jin stood up straight.
"Anything." Zuko fought back a smirk. Jin had been on the force for a while, but she was still as eager as a new recruit.
"Katara needs to go shopping today at two," he told her. "Can you take her?" To his surprise, Jin's face contorted in annoyance.
"You want me to babysit a grown woman? Am I being punished for something? Or is it because I'm not a senior officer?"
"What? No! Her car broke down, and it's not safe for her to take public transit." Zuko pressed his thumb into the space between his eye and nose. "I know it's not the most exciting assignment, but it's important." He sighed in disappointment. "I have a lot to do today, or I'd do it. But I can someone else if you can't." Jin's back stiffened and she crossed her arms, but she relented.
"Alright, I'll do it."
"Thanks, Jin." Zuko smiled at her.
"Right…" Jin looked down at her feet, and Zuko thought he saw the faintest hint of a blush.
Wait…
"Hey, if you're free sometime," Jin fiddled with the end of her hair. "Would you like to grab a coffee? With me?" Zuko was poleaxed.
Oh…
"Um…" Zuko replied intelligently. A thousand things ran through his head. Did Jin really ask him out? Coffee was pretty innocuous. After all, he had just had coffee with Katara. Although he didn't have it with her as much as she shared hers with him. What if he was just making assumptions because what Katara said had gone to his head? What if Jin was just being nice? They were friends, after all. Sort of. They didn't really hang out a but they ran into each other all the time in the break room. What if it was a date? Wasn't there a policy about dating within the department? Did he have time to ask Iroh before he answered?...
"I'll...um...you don't have to answer right now," Jin said, bringing Zuko's train of thought to a screeching halt.
"Wait…" Zuko fumbled, "Do...you…did...?" Jin held a hand up.
"I've got to get back to work," she told him. She grinned at him. "Just let me know later, okay?" Zuko nodded dumbly and watched her leave. Then he scowled to himself. He was twenty-six years old. By this point in his life, he figured he should have a grasp on talking to women.
But, he reflected after a moment, at least Jin had walked away smiling.
Zuko a breath, and turned his attention to the work on his desk. The file for the most recent murder was on his desk, but on the floor beside it was the box of the files from the original murders. The sight of the archive box stirred his memories. Zuko wasn't supposed to read the files back when Iroh had worked the case. Zuko had snuck into his uncle's office a few times to follow the case. He had intended to tell his friends at school about it, but even at eleven, Zuko knew the details were too horrible to make public. What he read had given him nightmares for weeks. He picked up the new file from his desk and skimmed it's contents. He wasn't looking forward to going to sleep that night.
The newest victim of Koh had been identified by his dental records as Hoon Gyeon. He had been a middle school science teacher the next town over. He was in his mid-fourties; divorced with two kids, the youngest just about to start the same middle school where his father worked. As it was the begging of the summer break, and he lived alone, he hadn't even been reported missing yet. Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Thankfully, the task of delivering the bad news would not fall to him. Chief Kaji had a designated team of officers trained in grief counseling for that. But inevitably, he would have to speak to the man's family.
At least Hoon had his name back.
The coroner's report was in the file now that the autopsy had been completed. The cause of death had officially been determined to be malignant hyperthermia leading to metabolic acidosis as a result of being dosed with succinylcholine- which Zuko would later learn meant that Hoon had died of a high fever resulting in his blood becoming acidic caused by the drug Koh had injected in him. Hoon had also been strangled, which told Zuko that it was a part of Koh's ritual that he wasn't able to let go of even when strangling itself wasn't going to kill his victims. A note the medical examiner had left in the comments section caught Zuko's attention.
** Noted: abrasions on esophagus not consistent with manual strangulation. Wounds are consistent with foreign object being forced down victim's throat.
-Dr. Bumi Yi
Zuko frowned and re-read the lines. He went through the older files, scanning the coroner's reports attached to them. His suspicions were confirmed. There was no note about injuries inside the throat in any of them. Zuko picked up his desk phone and called the ME.
"Hello, Detective," he greeted.
"How did you know it was-"
"Bah! I know I'm a wizened ancient rotting away with the rest of the corpses, but I do know about caller ID." For good measure, Bumi added, "Whippersnapper."
"Right,"Zuko drawled. "Listen, Bumi. I need to ask you some follow up questions about Hoon Geyon's-"
"Yes, yes, of course," Bumi cut in. "Come on down." Zuko forced down a groan.
"That's not necessary, Bumi," he said. "I'm sure we can do this over the-"
"Nonsense," Bumi cut in again. "I haven't seen you in ages. It'll do an old man good to see a friendly face. Turn me down and I'll just have Iroh have me up for lunch."
Zuko ran a hand over his face. The last time Bumi had come up for lunch, he had taken over the briefing room for an arm wrestling tournament. One very green new recruit had lost nearly a whole paycheck to the freakishly strong M.E. and was out for a week with a badly sprained wrist. No, better just to give the old man what he wanted.
"Alright,"Zuko agreed at last. "I'll be down soon."
"Take your time," Bumi said. "And if you don't mind, bring me one of those delightful grilled meat sandwiches from the van outside. I'm awful hungry. Thank you!" Bumi hung up before Zuko had a chance reply or protest.
"Bumi…" Zuko growled. The old man had tricked him into buying him lunch once again.
The morgue was conveniently only a few blocks away. Zuko stopped by the food truck for Bumi's sandwich, and a falafel for himself and made it to the M.E.'s office in less than fifteen minutes.
The office looked remarkably similar to the precinct on first arrival, though Zuko blamed that mostly on the non-descript grey walls and the depressing lack of natural light. He signed in at the receptionist's desk and made his way down to the basement where Bumi's office was, just down the hall from the morgue. Zuko poked his head in the office, but to his surprise, Bumi wasn't there.
"Bumi?" Zuko called.
"In here!" Bumi's reply echoed down the hallway from the morgue.
He covered the corpse in the examination table with a cloth, but Zuko had seen the Y incision Bumi had just made in the cadaver's chest.
"If you're busy, I can come back," he offered. Bumi wave his gore cover hand, just missing hitting Zuko with a global of coagulated blood.
"Nevermind that," he said. "I can already tell the old man died of arsenic poisoning. One of his money grubbing children I suspect. The findings will keep until after lunch." Bumi removed the spatter guard from his face and grinned at Zuko. His normally wild shock of white hair was even wilder than usual. He took off the gore spattered smock and gloves and disposed of them in the hazardous wastes bin. Then he scrubbed up in the sink.
Bumi was one of Iroh's oldest friends. Zuko had known the man almost his entire life, but there were things about Bumi that Zuko would never get used to. Like Bumi's mad looking eyes. His unnervingly sharp light green eyes for one thing. One eye didn't open as wide as the other, so he permanently looked as though he were mid-twitch. He was also surprisingly built for a man approaching his sixties. Zuko had seen him lift bagged bodies alone with little effort.
He had been an M.E. in Omashu for decades, but out of the blue about five years earlier, he had decided it was time for a change. He called Iroh and began the process of transferring his license to Republic City. The commissioner hadn't minded. Bumi was well known among the law enforcement community as a scarily thorough examiner. Zuko hoped that his skills could help bring down Koh.
"It's always nice to see you, my boy," Bumi said. He dried his hands and went over to the coolers and rolled out an empty tray. "You can put the bags there."
"You want to have lunch here?" Zuko asked incredulously. Bumi shrugged and dragged his chair over to the empty body tray.
"It's been thoroughly disinfected. Besides, my assistant just helped me organize my desk. It's not comfortable in there anymore." Bumi gleefully ripped the paper bag his sandwich was in open and spread it across the metal surface like a placemat. "Oh! I do love shawarma... Aren't you going to eat?"
"It feels a little strange with..." Zuko glanced distastefully at the body in the middle of the room.
"Oh! He doesn't mind," Bumi insisted. He looked over his shoulder. "You don't mind, do ya, friendo?" Zuko was unconvinced.
"I think I'll wait." Bumi sniffed the air.
"Are you sure? Falafel doesn't re-heat well." Zuko shrugged and put the bag in his lap, out of Bumi's sight. He suddenly wasn't hungry anyway.
"I'm sure," he said. "I don't really have long to stay, actually." Bumi nodded and took a bite of his meal.
"Sure, sure. Serial killer on the loose and all. How can I help you?" Zuko laid Bumi's report between them.
"You said it looked like something had been shoved down Hoon Gyeon's throat," he said. "Koh has never done that before. Is there anyway of knowing what he used?" Bumi licked his fingers thoughtfully and raised an eyebrow at Zuko.
"What makes you think he's never done it before?"
"What…?" Zuko's face scrunched in confusion. "Did you read the earlier reports? There's no mention of cuts inside the throat."
"Yes," Bumi said, tugging at his beard thoughtfully. "Funny that." Zuko watched him expectantly.
"It's something new," he said. "It could mean his MO is changing."
"Could be," Bumi shrugged. "Or it could be no one else ever checked." Zuko started to reply, but then he paused. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What do you mean?" he asked Bumi. The old man sank back into his seat, picking a bit of meat from his teeth with his pinky nail.
"Just what I said, Detective Kaji. You know what makes me so good at my job?"
"Um... you're really thorough?" Zuko guessed. He wasn't sure where Bumi was going. It seemed to be the right answer, though. Bumi grinned.
"I have always been a curious man," he told Zuko. His tone was light and conversational, and frankly jarring. It crossed Zuko's mind that the chemical fumes in the morgue may have gone to Bumi's head. The air was thick with disinfectant, formaldehyde, and the strong undercurrent of death. It made Zuko's head swim. Bumi had been exposed to it for years and must have finally cracked.
"That's important for any career,"Zuko replied slowly. But I don't see what that-"
"I'm coming to that, boy!" Bumi fixed Zuko with an irritated glare for a moment. Then he took his pinky- the same one he had picked his teeth with- and began cleaning his ear. "I look for what may not be immediately obvious. There was no obvious reason to check down Mr. Gyeon's throat, but I did anyway because I was curious why none of Koh's victims died of suffocation. That happens you know." Bumi stopped digging in his ear and met Zuko's eyes with unnerving sharpness.
"What?" Zuko blinked and dropped his gaze from Bumi's pale green eyes.
"When a person is administered succinylcholine, every muscle becomes paralyzed. Including the ones necessary for breathing. It wouldn't take long to die that way. A few minutes at most. Much less time than it would take Koh to remove his victim's face. Unless they're on a respirator." Disappointment welled in the pit of Zuko's stomach.
"We already think Koh works in healthcare," he said. "He has to be in order to have access to the drug." Bumi stared hard at Zuko. "... Right?"
"There are ways to get anything you need if you know who to ask." Bumi grinned at Zuko again. "You know what I think."
"Can you please just tell me, Bumi?" Zuko rolled his eyes. "I do have other things to do today. You know there's an actual human life riding on is catching him, right?" Bumi sniffed haughtily.
"I'm aware of the young woman," Bumi said. "I'm also aware that there is an impressive detail in charge of her safety. You can spare half an hour on an old friend. But if you insist on rushing me-"
"I am begging you to get to the point."
"Alright, then." Bumi rolled his shoulders. "I suspect that Koh inserted some sort of intubation tube down Mr. Gyeon's, and most likely all of his victims throats. It's just not in the other reports because none of them were curious enough to check." Zuko shoved down an impatient groan.
"Bumi, like I said, we already think-"
"Please let me finish!" Bumi was starting to sound irritated. His grin had turned into a scowl. "Honestly, you rush me and then don't let me get a word in edgewise. Pick a lane, Detective!" Zuko took a deep breath and held it- along with the smell of the morgue- for a moment and let it out.
"I'm sorry, Bumi," he said with an even tone. "Please finish."
"That's better." Bumi smirked triumphantly. "As I was saying, the abrasions on our victim's throat are what caught my attention. Of course anytime you force a breathing tube down someone's throat, you expect some trauma. But not this much, and especially if the victim isn't fighting. The damage I saw was caused by someone who doesn't know what they're doing." Zuko had no idea what Bumi was getting at. It must have shown on his face, because Bumi then explained,
"It's possible he doesn't have any medical training." Zuko threw his hands out to the sides.
"Well, how else would he have access to succinylcholine?" he demanded.
"Oh, lots of ways." Bumi rolled his neck back so he was staring at the florescent lights, and he rubbed his chin. "There's an underground market for just about anything these days. Besides, I didn't say he didn't work in a hospital. Just not as a nurse or doctor." Zuko didn't find that helpful at all.
"Well, thanks, Bumi," he said. He gathered his things and headed towards the door, bringing with him more questions than answers.