Chapter 8 — Unclosed Profile

The legal surveillance order was approved quickly thanks to the solid evidence the investigation team had collected. In the following days, Minh Duc closely monitored every move of Ms. Cao Thi Yen and Pham Anh Tuan to the extent allowed by law, while Thao Vy and Bao Nam continued to consolidate the case file.

"There's something unusual," Minh Duc announced during the morning briefing, his eyes focused on the screen. "For the past three days, Mr. Tuan continuously went to a location that I could not find public information about - an old warehouse in the suburbs, registered under the name of a shell company with no actual business activities."

"That warehouse could be where he prepares and stores what is necessary for cases," Bao Nam commented, his voice serious. "We need to apply for a search warrant, but we must ensure full legal basis to avoid rejection."

"I will prepare the file immediately," Thao Vy said, "based on all available evidence — the connection between Mr. Tuan and the victims, pharmaceutical chemistry expertise consistent with the crime method, along with this suspicious location."

While waiting for the search warrant to be approved, Thao Vy spent her rare free time with Bao Nam having lunch at a small restaurant near the headquarters, one of the rare moments of relaxation amid a busy work schedule.

"Do you think, when this case ends, you will feel relieved?" Bao Nam asked, his voice mixed with curiosity and concern.

Thao Vy thought for a moment before answering. "I think, I will feel relieved to finally find out the truth, but I'm also afraid, after the goal I've been pursuing for the past twelve years is completed, I won't know what I should do next with my life."

"You'll find out," Bao Nam said, his eyes looking warmly at her. "You are a person with a very clear life purpose. I believe you will always find new meaning to pursue, no matter how this case ends."

"What about you?" Thao Vy asked again, curious about his personal story that she had never had a chance to ask in detail. "What made you choose to become an investigator?"

Bao Nam pondered for a moment before sharing. "Five years ago, I lost a close teammate in a failed case - we chased a dangerous suspect, but because of shortcomings in the process, revealing loopholes, he died right before my eyes. Since then, I have always put pressure on myself to work carefully and with absolute precision, not allowing any mistakes that could cause similar consequences."

“I'm sorry you had to go through that,” Thao Vy said, her voice filled with sincere sympathy.

"It's okay," Bao Nam replied, smiling slightly sadly. "That's part of the reason why I understand, and appreciate what you're going through more than anyone else. We both carry a pain, an unfinished responsibility, and perhaps, that's also the reason why we cooperate so well together."

Thao Vy looked at him, feeling a deeper connection than ever, not only based on work, but also on the similar experiences and losses that had molded both of them. “Thank you for sharing,” she said, her voice gentle. "I think, we really understand each other better than anyone else in this situation."

Bao Nam's phone vibrated, interrupting that intimate moment. He watched the news message, his eyes immediately returned to a serious official look. "The search warrant has been approved. We need to get to the warehouse now, before Mr. Tuan has time to destroy any evidence."

The whole team quickly gathered and moved to the suburban warehouse area in a hurry but still fully complied with the legal process. When the official convoy arrived, the surrounding area was deserted, only an old truck parked near the warehouse door, with no sign of Mr. Tuan.

"Let's enter according to the correct procedures," Bao Nam ordered, his team deployed a careful formation before breaking the lock on the warehouse door in accordance with the law.

Inside the warehouse, the space is dark, damp, filled with old dusty boxes. But in the innermost corner, the investigation team discovered an unusually tidy area — a small table with a few simple laboratory tools, and a sturdy metal locker.

"Be careful," Thao Vy said as she approached this area as a forensic expert, carrying full protective equipment. "If this is really a place where chemicals are mixed, we need to handle it with extreme caution to avoid danger."

After breaking the lock of the metal cabinet according to the correct procedure, the technical team discovered that inside there were several small bottles of chemicals, labeled with unique symbols, and a notebook with handwritten recipes.

"This is the key evidence," Bao Nam said, his voice unable to hide his professional excitement when he saw the results of the search. "With these evidences, along with DNA analysis and fingerprints collected, we have absolutely enough grounds to accuse Mr. Tuan."

At that moment, Minh Duc, who was standing guard outside, called out. "There's a car approaching!"

The whole team was alert and quickly stabilized their positions. The car stopped not far from the warehouse, and Pham Anh Tuan got out, his face stunned when he saw the convoy of official vehicles parked in front of his warehouse.

He stood still for a moment, his eyes showing panic before trying to regain his composure. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly even though he tried to sound calm.

"We have a legal search warrant, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan," Bao Nam said, stepping forward, his voice firm but still following the correct procedure. "We need your cooperation and come to headquarters to clarify some issues related to the evidence just found here."

Pham Anh Tuan looked around, realized there was no way to deny or escape, finally bowed his head, his shoulders slumped in a heavy surrender. "Okay," he said, his voice now filled with only exhaustion. "I will cooperate."

On the way to escort Mr. Tuan to headquarters, Thao Vy observed him through the rearview mirror, noticing a complex tension in this man's eyes - not the ferocity and stubbornness of a cold murderer, but the fatigue and torment of a person who has been caught up in a cycle of crime for too long and no longer knows how to escape.

In the interrogation room, Bao Nam began the official meeting, fully complying with the legal process, witnessed by the lawyer assigned to Mr. Tuan. "Mr. Tuan, we have enough evidence to show that you are directly related to the deaths of three recent victims. Would you like to declare truthfully now, this will considered extenuating circumstances, or do you want to wait for the full investigation to take place?"

Pham Anh Tuan sat quietly for a long time, his hands clasped together on the table, his eyes looking down, avoiding direct communication with anyone in the room. Finally, he looked up, his voice trembling but already filled with the relief of someone preparing to let go of a burden that had been suppressed for so long.

“I will report,” he said, “but I want you to understand, I am not the mastermind. I'm just the one following orders, because I have no other choice."

"We're listening," Bao Nam said, his voice still professional but softened somewhat by this unexpected cooperative attitude.

Thao Vy, sitting behind the one-way glass with Minh Duc, felt her heart beat faster. This was the moment she had been waiting for twelve years—the chance to finally hear the truth directly from one of the people responsible for a decade-long string of tragedies. She clenched her fists, trying to stay calm, even though a wave of intense emotions was rising in her heart that was difficult to describe in words.

"You said you had no other choice," Bao Nam continued, his voice patiently guiding the testimony. "Can you explain more clearly?"

Pham Anh Tuan took a deep breath, as if mentally preparing to cross the final boundary of the silence that had lasted too long. “It all started fifteen years ago,” he said, his voice low and full of remembrance, “when I made a serious mistake at my old job, and Mrs. Yen helped me escape the consequences. From then on, I considered her a benefactor, ready to do anything she asked in return." His voice was choked, his eyes looked down at his hands that were trembling slightly on the table, as if he was facing his true self for the first time after many years of hiding.