Chapter 15 — Fire Behind the Line

Three days after the incident at the abandoned demolition factory, Uncle Cao Van Thien called Thien Ly and made an urgent appointment at a new location - a small cafe in the central park, a place with many people passing by, so ironically it was safer than deserted places, because no one would pay attention to the two people sitting and chatting in the crowd.

"I got a copy of the original file." Mr. Thien said as soon as Thien Ly and Trong Khiem sat down, pushing a thick envelope across the table. "I'm sorry it took me so long, but I need to make sure no one is watching before I bring it out."

Trong Khiem opened the envelope, took out a document that had yellowed over time, and skimmed through each page with great concentration. Thien Ly sat next to her, her heart pounding when she saw the document that Uncle Thien mentioned - the description of unusual fire traces in the office area, suspected of using a catalyst, was completely deleted in the official version.

"This." Trong Khiem pointed to another passage, his voice became tense. "There is a note about an insurance contract signed just two weeks before the fire, with a claim value three times the actual value of the inventory according to the previous books."

"Who is the representative who signed that insurance contract?" Thien Ly asked, her voice shaking.

Trong Khiem searched and finally found the name of the insurance adjuster who assessed and approved the compensation. "Bui Xuan Thanh. I'll look up where he's currently working."

Mr. Thien, who sat silently listening from the beginning, now spoke up, his voice low and full of hesitation. "I have one more thing to say, but I'm not sure if it means anything."

"Just say it, Uncle Thien." Thien Ly urged.

"A few months before your father passed away, I remember that he once mentioned meeting a man named Bui Xuan Thanh at a bar, just by chance, not because of work. He said that this person seemed very worried, hinting about 'being forced to sign papers that his conscience did not allow', but did not elaborate. Your father did not pay much attention at that time, just thinking it was a normal business of a distant acquaintance."

Thien Ly and Trong Khiem looked at each other and realized the meaning of this information. If Bui Xuan Thanh ever felt guilty about what he had done, perhaps he would be an exploitable link, someone who could be willing to cooperate if approached properly.

"We need to find Mr. Bui Xuan Thanh as soon as possible." Trong Khiem said, folding the file carefully. "If he truly feels remorse, this could be an opportunity to get a direct statement."

That afternoon, after searching, Trong Khiem found out that Bui Xuan Thanh was currently working as an appraiser for another insurance company, no longer directly related to the company that appraised the Vinh Thinh warehouse contract in the past. They decided to meet him at the end of business hours, in his private office.

Bui Xuan Thanh, a man about forty-five years old, with a thin face and the tired look of a person who has lived for many years with a psychological burden, turned pale when he saw Trong Khiem present his industry card and introduce the reason for his visit.

"I... I don't know anything about that." He spoke immediately, his voice trembling, a typical defensive reflex of someone trying to hide something.

"Mr. Thanh, we are not here to accuse you." Trong Khiem said, his voice was calm but firm. "We know you signed off on an unusual insurance policy for the Vinh Thinh warehouse eight years ago, right before it burned down. We also know you once confided to a friend that you felt forced to do so."

Bui Xuan Thanh sat down in his chair, his hands holding his head, his whole body trembling. "You guys know all about that... I haven't had a good night's sleep in the past eight years."

"Then tell us the truth." Thien Ly said, her voice was gentle but full of determination. "My father died in that fire. He deserves to know the truth, and so does his family."

Bui Xuan Thanh looked up at her, his eyes red. "Are you Captain Binh's daughter?"

"Yes." Thien Ly nodded.

Mr. Thanh closed his eyes, a tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm really sorry. I knew there was something wrong with that contract from the beginning, but I had a big debt at the time, and someone offered to pay it off for me, as long as I signed for the compensation amount according to the exact amount they offered, no need for a thorough appraisal."

"Who suggested it to you?" Trong Khiem asked, his voice serious but not threatening.

"A man introduced himself as a representative of the company that owns the warehouse. He never left a business card, only contacted through a phone number I had long lost." Mr. Thanh shook his head, his voice full of regret. "But I did hear him mention the name of the company's head once, in a call that I overheard when he didn't turn off the speaker in time. That name was Tang Huu Phat."

Hearing this, Thien Ly felt like all the disparate pieces of the puzzle over the past eight years had finally completely fit into a clear picture, leaving no room for doubt. Tang Huu Phat — the man who headed the company that owned the Vinh Thinh warehouse eight years ago, is now the chairman of Thinh Vuong Land Group, is implementing exactly the same tactic to clear the site of Dong Kieu ancient town.

"Are you willing to officially testify about what you just said?" Trong Khiem asked, his voice serious.

Bui Xuan Thanh sat silently for a long time, his inner struggle clearly visible on his face. "If I testify, I will have to face my own charges. I could lose my job, or even go to jail."

"But he can also be considered for leniency if he actively cooperates with the investigation agency, especially if he proactively provides information before being discovered." Trong Khiem said, his voice sincere. "And more importantly, he will help bring to light a truth that has been buried for eight years, helping to exonerate a man who sacrificed his life for justice."

Bui Xuan Thanh looked at Thien Ly, his eyes full of torment and a faint glimmer of hope for redemption. "Okay. I will testify. I owe it to Captain Binh, and to my own conscience for the past eight years."

Before the two left, Bui Xuan Thanh lingered and called them at the door, his voice still shaking. "There's one more thing I think you guys should know. The representative who contacted me at that time, although he never gave his real name, once accidentally mentioned that 'the fire department has already taken care of the documents', as if that had been arranged before the fire even happened."

Thien Ly felt a chill run down her spine. "You mean they knew there would be a fire, and had prepared someone to handle the investigation?"

"I can't say for sure, but that's the impression I got at the time." Mr. Thanh nodded, his eyes filled with worry. "At the time I simply thought they had a good relationship with the authorities, but looking back now, I think it had a much scarier meaning."

Trong Khiem recorded this detail in his notebook, his face became more serious. "Thank you for sharing. This detail is very important, it shows the level of preparation and organized collusion of the whole line, not simply a spontaneous act."

They thanked Bui Xuan Thanh again, promised to arrange an official testimony in the next few days, and then left the office building when the afternoon sunlight began to turn dark orange.

When leaving Bui Xuan Thanh's office, Thien Ly felt an intense emotion welling up in her heart, a mixture of joy of victory and pain that had never subsided. The truth has finally been clearly confirmed, no longer speculations or hunches, but direct testimony from a witness willing to face legal consequences to tell the truth.

"We did it." Trong Khiem said, holding her hand as they both walked out of the building, the late afternoon sunlight dyed the whole street yellow. "We have found the truth, Thien Ly."

But even in that moment of victory, Thien Ly still couldn't dispel a feeling of insecurity growing in her heart. They were too close to the truth, had too much evidence against a powerful and cruel man like Tang Huu Phat. And she knew, sooner or later, he would realize he was being hunted, and when he did, he certainly wouldn't sit still and wait for his fate to be decided.

"Dad," she whispered in her heart, looking up at the afternoon sky that was gradually turning a brilliant red-orange, "I'm so close to finding out the whole truth. Please continue to watch over me, because I feel like the coming days will be more challenging than ever."