The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 187 Work
BAU briefing room.

The whiteboard was covered with photos of the scene, map markings, and preliminary reports.

The team members sat around the front seats, while Supervisor Alan stood next to the whiteboard, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Tifa in front of the whiteboard.

“Okay, Tifa, you mentioned there’s been new progress?” Aaron’s voice was steady and encouraging.

He was well aware of the pressure Tifa was under in succeeding Jason, and he also appreciated the potential she had shown. As Jason said, Tifa had indeed demonstrated remarkable talent.

Like everyone else he invited, he was a genius in some sense.

Tifa nodded, not in a hurry to speak, her gaze sweeping over the shocking photos again for a final confirmation.

“Everyone,” Tifa’s voice was not loud, but exceptionally clear, instantly silencing the subtle noises in the room, including the unconscious twirling of a pen by Derek, who was in charge of operational support and role-playing.

“I went through all the case files, forensic reports, and crime scene investigation records last night.” Tifa paused for a moment.

"Based on the victim's background, the shape of the wounds, the details of the scene setup, and the pattern of the perpetrator's selection of victims, I believe that we are not dealing with a criminal of passion, nor a novice copycat."

She picked up a marker and quickly wrote down a few keywords below the victim's photo on the whiteboard:

Highly organized: This refers to the way a perpetrator operates like a sophisticated instrument. These criminals are often highly intelligent, have counter-surveillance awareness, and will deliberately clean up traces at the scene.

Ritualistic: This refers not to a simple murder pattern, but to a projection of the killer's twisted inner needs.

For example, in this case, the perpetrator tied his main target to the basement to commit the assault.

Specific victim profile: This refers to the fact that the perpetrator does not randomly select victims, but rather chooses targets based on certain criteria or characteristics.

For example, the murderer might choose a family with a minor girl.

"Derek!"

After finishing her writing, Tifa turned to her colleague who was in charge of operational support and role-playing.

"You mentioned yesterday that there were no signs of forced entry at the scene, and the victim appeared to have been subdued without any warning?"

Derek nodded, leaning forward slightly as he looked at Tifa, his eyes revealing more emotion: "Yes, the door lock is intact, and there are no signs of damage to the windows."

The perpetrator may have gained the victim's initial trust in some way.

After Derek finished speaking, a thin young man sitting next to him, data analyst Spyther, casually flipped open a file and said:
"The rope used by the murderer was made of polyester fiber, which has strong tensile strength, can withstand the pressure of being tied with heavy objects, and is wear-resistant and not easily broken."

Tifa naturally recalled the analysis from last night; Spyser's words undoubtedly deepened her and Eric's judgment about the killer's profession.

"So the rope used by the murderer should be the mainstream and most recommended type of rope used in the logistics and express delivery industry?"

Spyther nodded: "That's not wrong."

In addition to this, another team member put forward his own idea: "The two crime scenes are within a radius of about 6 square meters, which means that the murderer is very likely to have a means of transportation."

Under these conditions, Tifa, as the most important link in the chain, began to organize all the information and finally began to profile the murderer.

The profile was largely unchanged from what Eric and I analyzed last night.

It only preliminarily determined the killer's professional background and temporarily ruled out the possibility that the killer might be a member of the victim's network.

At the same time, it does not forget to offer an analysis of the fisherman's knot.

After finally organizing the information, under the watchful eyes of all the BAU members, Tifa wrote down all the details about the murderer with a marker.

White, between twenty-five and thirty-five years old.

Single and living alone.

He is physically strong and about 1.8 meters tall.

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder pay close attention to personal hygiene, and their clothing is always neat, clean, and tidy.

A profession that can make homeowners lower their guard and miss the best opportunity to resist is one that can be a good fit for the job, such as the logistics and courier industry.

Insufficient sexual performance may have been due to seeking treatment at a hospital for urology or sexual dysfunction.

He enjoys fishing and holds both a Massachusetts saltwater recreational fishing license and a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license.

They may live in or near Boston Harbor.

This rather detailed information caused all the group members to first look at each other, and then look at Tifa, their faces showing a mixture of emotion and appreciation.

Because Tifa's profile was practically like putting the killer right in front of the police.

-

With the profiling complete, the next step is to decide whether or not to go to Boston.

Tiffa's original goal was not to go, but to provide assistance via video. She preferred to stay with Eric, who had taken leave for her, rather than go to Boston to handle the case.

But Manager Aaron possesses all the qualities of an excellent manager, meaning he strives to handle the case in the best possible way.

In other words, he was going to lead a team to Boston to demonstrate the BAU's presence, try to get more cases, solve more cases, and thus obtain more budget and rewards.

“Okay, but I probably won’t go with the team.” Tifa looked at Aaron and met his surprised gaze.

"Don't worry, I won't be late, it's just some personal business."

Aaron raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised but not refusing. BAU's working methods were flexible; as long as the work was done properly, everything was negotiable. He respected his team members' wishes.

"Okay, although your work is finished, I still hope that you, as the profiler, will be there on time."

Tifa nodded: "Yes, I will."

He glanced at the muscular Derek walking towards him. As the head of the entire department, Aaron knew perfectly well that Derek seemed to have a thing for Tifa.

After all, Tifa is not only beautiful, but also possesses remarkable talent.
He intended to give his old colleague some space and was about to leave, but Tifa seemed to sense something and suddenly spoke.

"Because my boyfriend took time off work to come to Quantico for me, I have to spend some time with him. He's currently taking my parents out for a walk."

Upon hearing this, Aaron paused for a moment, his gaze instinctively falling on Derek, who was frozen in place, and he thought to himself, "Poor Derek."

According to the information revealed by Tifa, a boyfriend who can take her parents on a trip to relax is naturally just one step away from taking the final step.

The thought flashed through his mind, but Aaron smiled without changing his expression.

"Okay, I respect your wishes. I hope your family has a great time here."

————————————————————————

Quantico, Virginia, is small and known for its FBI Academy and Marine Corps base, but it and its surrounding area do have some places worth exploring.

For example, the so-called FBI Experience Center is Quantico's most unique and popular attraction.

Since it's an experience center, it naturally focuses on the experience aspect.

It will feature multimedia presentations, historical artifacts, and real case records, such as famous bank robbers, serial killers, and espionage cases.

It uses realistic scenarios to recreate events such as shooting range simulations and hostage rescue drills, allowing people to gain a deeper understanding of the FBI's history, mission, investigative techniques, and agent training. Therefore, you can solve cases through various clues and experience some of the FBI's work.

The only downside is that visits must be booked online in advance.

But thanks to Tifa's connections, Eric didn't need to go through the appointment process at all and could directly bring Tifa's parents on a visit.

"This is probably one of the employee benefits," Eric thought to himself, looking at the ordinary yet solemn scene around him, and then looking up at the person in front of him.

This is the technology exhibition area.

Natie and Joe were drawn to the sophisticated forensic analysis equipment, the ballistic comparison system, and the interactive screens simulating network tracking.

The two, both highly educated individuals, suddenly became like two students with a strong thirst for knowledge, carefully reading the instructions and even trying out a fingerprint extraction simulator.

"You know how to use all these things?" Geor asked Eric, a rare occurrence for him.

As parents, we naturally know where Tifa works, but we don't know the details behind it.

“Tifa works in the BAU Behavioral Analysis Department, which requires an understanding of the principles and applications of these technologies, but there are specialized laboratory technicians to support the actual operation,” Eric patiently replied.

"She focuses more on behavioral analysis, which is to infer the psychological profile and possible behavioral patterns of the perpetrator by analyzing the patterns of the crime scene and the characteristics of the victim."

Just like how you infer geological age from rock layers in the park, she infers human nature from traces.

The contrast was obvious. Joe nodded, looking at Eric with satisfaction in his eyes. He realized that although his future son-in-law was just a low-ranking patrolman, he knew quite a lot, far exceeding the limits of his position.

“If you want to understand Tifa’s work, then you have to go over there,” Eric said, pointing to an area deeper inside.

Nadi and Joe exchanged a glance and nodded: "Let's go take a look."

-

Eric was referring to the behavioral analysis exhibition area.

A simulated serial killer crime scene had already been set up on the interactive screen over there.

Natie and Joe were thoroughly enjoying the experience, as they needed to use information provided on the screen, such as crime scene photos, victim background reports, and preliminary forensic findings.

Try to construct a suspect profile on the interactive screen.

Of course, this is also why the two of them are so dedicated to their daughter's work in order to better understand it.

But clearly, these things are too far removed from ordinary people.

As a doctor, Natie was completely clueless and confused. Only Joe, a lawyer who had some experience with cases, carefully examined the information on the screen and took action.

However, the results were quite different, and they mostly ended in failure.

Eric, seeing the stubborn Jeo and Nadi who always gave wrong advice, was happy to slack off behind them.

However, the security check here is quite strict, prohibiting the carrying of mobile phones and all other electronic devices, so my phone was left outside.

Suddenly seeing Nadia waving at him, Eric slowly walked over.

"Is this all Tifa's job is?" Natie's voice carried a hint of heartache.

"Is this all I face every day? These lunatics?"

“Yes, that’s the core of Tifa’s daily work,” Eric nodded softly, glancing at the serious-looking Jeo.

"She and her team are the wall that stands between those monsters and ordinary people."

Use wisdom, courage, and sometimes even great sacrifice to keep the darkness out.

Tifa's choice to become part of that wall is itself an extraordinary act of courage and dedication. Her concealment of why she brought you here may have been clumsy, but her reason for fighting is worthy of respect.

I believe she must have had her reasons for tricking you into coming here.

Eric paused, his voice softening further: "And today, you've stepped into her world, seen what lies behind that wall. That's more powerful than any explanation, isn't it?"

After he finished speaking, Eric could clearly see the changes in Natie and Geo's expressions and eyes, and the corners of his mouth subtly turned up.

His bringing Tifa's parents here was part of the scheme.

At least now, the two of them are no longer angry, but feel heartache and pity for Tifa.

But the silent George looked at Eric and suddenly said, "Isn't the work of the detectives in the police station similar to this?"

Eric nodded: "Yes, they're essentially the same."

"Why don't you give it a try?" Jay said.

Upon hearing this, Eric stepped forward and looked at the photos of the simulated crime scenes that had been processed and were not at all cruel, showing the types of victims, the methods of the crimes, and the characteristics of the scene setup.

At just one glance, he began trying to input several characteristics of the murderer: male, 30-45 years old, possibly with a blue-collar work background, living alone.
Everything displayed on the interactive screens was far too simple for Eric, since it was designed for visitors, and the information and details were naturally much richer, with hints provided almost everywhere.

The final results came out quickly: Eric's profile was completely accurate.

This made Natie and Joe exchange a glance, their faces showing helplessness. They suddenly realized that their daughter and future son-in-law's jobs seemed to be essentially the same.

This thought made them tense; as parents, they preferred their children to live well under the safety wall rather than become part of that wall.

Looking at the results on the interactive screen, Jay sighed inwardly and said, "Let's go, Eric."

Eric calmly replied, "Okay."

--------

The group came out and retrieved the electronic devices that had been kept by the staff.

Eric then began to see unread messages and missed calls.

The missing call was from Tifa, which made Eric realize that his work at the local office was over.

He glanced at the building not far away; the FBI Experience Center and the BAU's office area were both located within the FBI Academy compound.

With that in mind, Eric gestured to Natie and Geo with his phone and then dialed back.

The next second, the phone was answered, and Tifa's voice came through: "Honey, I've finished my work. Where are you now?"

Eric listened to Tifa's relaxed voice and smiled, "Right beside you."

Tifa asked in surprise, "You took them to the experience center?"

Eric said, "Yes."

Tifa said, "Wait for me."

Eric said, "OK!"

After the call ended, Eric said to Natie and Geo, who were waiting on the other end, "Shall we wait a little longer? Tifa is nearby, she'll be here soon."

(End of this chapter)