Chapter 5 — Unclosed Profile

Early the next morning, Thao Vy and Bao Nam departed for the neighboring province, where Mr. Do Quang Hai currently lives, according to information Minh Duc found. The two-hour long road passed in an atmosphere of serious work discussion, mixed with rare comfortable silences between the two people.

"Do you think Mr. Hai will cooperate?" Bao Nam asked, his eyes still focused on the road ahead.

"I'm not sure," Thao Vy replied, looking out the window at the countryside scenery passing by. "But if he really left the company because he discovered something unusual, perhaps, deep down, he still hopes that one day the truth will be exposed."

Upon arriving, they found a small house nestled in a green orchard, away from the noise of the city. Mr. Do Quang Hai, now in his sixties, with almost white hair but still sharp eyes, opened the door with a wary expression when he saw two strange guests wearing official clothes.

"What are you looking for me for?" he asked, his voice cautious, unable to hide his tension.

"We are police investigators and would like to ask you a few things related to the Song Xanh project that you participated in twelve years ago," Bao Nam said, his voice remaining professional but without pressure.

Mr. Hai's face turned pale, his hand tightened on the door. "I... I no longer have anything to do with that company a long time ago."

"We understand," Thao Vy said, her voice gentle, trying to ease his wariness. "We just want to ask for some information, purely for reference, with no intention of causing you any trouble."

After a moment of hesitation, Mr. Hai finally invited them into the house, pouring water for the guests with slightly shaking hands. "What do you want to know?" he asked, his voice still reserved.

"Can you tell us the real reason why you left Yen Phat Group right after the Song Xanh project was completed?" Bao Nam asked directly, but his voice still maintained the necessary respect.

Mr. Hai was silent for a long time, his eyes looking far away at the garden outside, as if he was having a fierce internal struggle before deciding to speak up. "I discovered that the project's land compensation documents had a huge difference compared to reality," he said, his voice trembling. "When I reported to my superiors, I was threatened, warned that if I did not stay silent, there would be 'unforeseen consequences' for both me and my family. I... I was scared, and chose to leave silently, not daring to denounce anything."

Thao Vy and Bao Nam exchanged meaningful looks. This is the first direct confirmation from a living witness, further reinforcing the entire hypothesis they have built.

"Do you know who made that threat?" Thao Vy asked, her voice trying to stay calm even though her heart was filled with excitement.

"I didn't see him in person, I just received a call from an unknown number," Mr. Hai replied, "but I'm sure that order must have come from Ms. Cao Thi Yen herself, because only she has enough power and motive to hide such a large compensation gap."

"Do you know investigator Dang Van Hung, who investigated the first murder case related to this project?" Bao Nam continued asking.

Mr. Hai nodded, his eyes slightly sad. "I remember him. A very dedicated person, I once contacted him to ask I have a few questions before... before he had an accident. At that time, I was also scared and didn't dare to give him full information, so I just kept quiet and let it go. I'm always tormented by that, perhaps, if I had the courage to declare everything then, things could have been different."

Thao Vy felt her throat choke with emotion. “You don't have to blame yourself,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I am the daughter of investigator Hung. We are here to complete what he left unfinished, and I hope you can help us, this time, have the courage to tell the whole truth."

Mr. Hai was stunned, looking at Thao Vy with eyes that were both surprised and deeply moved. "Investigator Hung's daughter? Oh my god... I'm really sorry for not having the courage to help him when I still could." He took a deep breath, his eyes more determined than before. "Okay, this time, I will tell everything I know, no matter what the cost. This is what I owe him, and you too."

Mr. Hai stood up, went into the inner room, and took out an old tin box that had been hidden in the closet for more than a decade. “I kept some copies of documents before I left the company, just in case I needed them,” he said, opening the box to show them—several faded photocopies of compensation records, along with his own notebook.

"This is priceless evidence," Bao Nam said, carefully examining each document, his voice unable to hide his professional excitement. "Are you willing to officially provide these documents to the investigation agency, and officially testify when necessary?"

"I'm willing," Mr. Hai replied, his voice now much steadier than before. "I just hope that you guys can keep me and my family safe, because I know that once I speak up, I may be in danger."

"We will arrange full witness protection for you," Bao Nam promised, his voice firm. "You were very courageous in deciding to cooperate. We will ensure your safety."

In his private notebook, Mr. Hai also recorded details of his last meeting with investigator Hung, just a few days before his death. "He told me he had found enough evidence to prosecute, just waiting for approval from superiors to officially proceed," Mr. Hai recounted, his voice low and full of regret. "But just two days later, I heard that he had an accident."

Thao Vy clenched her hands, feeling a surge of intense emotions - both the pain of hearing the last details about her father, and the iron determination that, this time, she would not let the truth be buried again.

On the way back to the city, the two were silent for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts about what they had just heard. "Are you okay?" Bao Nam asked, glancing at her worriedly when he saw that she still had a thoughtful expression.

"I'm fine," Thao Vy replied, smiling slightly even though her eyes were still watery. "It's just that, after twelve years, I heard the details of my father's last days for the first time, from someone outside the family. It feels both heartbreaking and strangely comforting."

"He was close to the truth," Bao Nam said, his voice low and filled with sympathy. "It's just a shame, you don't have enough time to finish that job."

"But now, We will complete it for you," Thao Vy said, her voice steady again, her eyes looking steadily forward. "I believe, this is exactly what my father wanted most."

Bao Nam nodded, one hand leaving the steering wheel for a moment to gently hold her hand, a simple gesture of comfort but warm enough to convey all the sympathy and support he had for her in this moment. “We will do it,” he said, “together.”

In the evening, when returning to headquarters, the whole group gathered to summarize everything they had collected from the trip. Minh Duc carefully reviewed the documents provided by Mr. Hai and compared them with existing data. "These documents match exactly what we found in Mr. Son's file," he said, his voice full of excitement. "We now have two independent sources confirming the same truth — the Song Xanh project's land compensation records were systematically falsified."

"What's the next step?" Thao Vy asked, her eyes filled with determination.

"We need to collect more evidence about the direct connection between Ms. Cao Thi Yen and the murders," Bao Nam said, his voice seriously analyzing the situation. "The current testimony and documents are enough to prove the motive, but not enough to prove that she directly ordered the murders. We need to find the person who directly called to threaten Mr. Hai, and possibly, is also the person who caused the death of Mr. Son and the first victim twelve years ago."

The group nodded in agreement, well aware that the investigation was entering a new phase, much more dangerous and complicated than what they had experienced so far. Thao Vy looked around the office, where her new teammates had become a solid support for her in her journey to find justice. Her heart was filled with a new determination, ready to face any challenges that lay ahead.