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

Chapter 300 Pig teammates

On the soft, comfortable bed, Eric opened his eyes without warning and looked down at Tifa, who was curled up in his arms with her back to him.

Judging from her even and deep breathing, she was sleeping soundly.

"Looks like she's really tired," Eric thought to himself. Without moving or pulling his arm away from Tifa's waist, he simply used his excellent core strength and flexibility to silently pick up the vibrating phone from the bedside table with his other hand.

The light from the screen illuminated half of Eric's face, revealing his slightly furrowed brows.

It was a message from Bill, and it contained more information than expected.

Kimmy and Amanda's exact flight information, arrival time at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and the address where they were staying in Paris, including the location of Amanda's cousin Caroline's apartment.

This was all expected.

But the accompanying PDF document summaries caught Eric's eye.

U2's European tour schedule (partial), European music festival itinerary (unofficial), etc.

"What the hell? U2's European tour schedule? Traveling around Europe with a rock band?" Eric flipped through the document, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

It turns out that Jinmi's real purpose wasn't some so-called art tour, but rather a star-chasing trip.

No wonder she cried.

He had heard of those crazy fans in his homeland in his previous life.

And because of this, her wealthy stepfather generously covered everything they needed to follow the tour in Europe, including transportation, hotel accommodations at some stops, and even a few backstage passes.

"Never mind, it's just a matter of keeping an eye out for me anyway. Since Bill agreed, it seems that Amanda's cousin is okay."

Eric thought for a moment, then quickly tapped his fingers on the screen to reply to Bill.

"Message received. I have noted down the address. I will pick you up in person. Let's keep in touch."

After sending the message, Eric looked at the red dot on the Jinmi number above, thought for a moment, and clicked on it.

"Eric! Dad said you've been in Paris these past few days? What a coincidence! (smiley face)"

"Amanda and I were on flight UA974, which arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport at 8:20 a.m.

If you happen to be free, uh, I mean, if you happen to be nearby, could you come pick us up?

The message was filled with cautious anticipation, and Eric could even imagine the mixture of excitement and nervousness on Kim's face as he edited it.

Eric looked down at Tifa, who was still fast asleep in his arms, and casually replied.

"After you arrive at the airport, wait for me at the entrance of the arrival hall in Terminal 2. Don't wander around, don't talk to strangers, and don't reveal your real information to strangers."

After all, he had promised Bill, so he had to at least pick him up. After that, he wouldn't have anything else to do.

The notification that the message had been successfully sent lit up again. Eric casually put his phone back on silent, then flipped it face down on the bedside table to block out any possible further disturbances.

Then she hugged Tifa again and slowly closed her eyes.

-

The room was quiet, with only the distant hum of the city as background noise.

Tifa stirred slightly in Eric's arms, her consciousness slowly surfacing from a deep sleep.

She opened her sleepy eyes, adjusting to the dim light, and felt the steady weight around her waist. A sense of security and satisfaction welled up inside her. She turned around and bumped into Eric's clear-headed gaze.

Eric seemed to have been looking at her like that for a while.

"Honey, did I wake you?" Tifa rubbed her eyes, blinked, and focused her gaze on Eric's face as she spoke softly.

“No,” Eric said gently, his arm still around her waist.

"I was already awake."

Using the moonlight streaming in from the window, Tifa glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table.

[03: 32]
Tifa sighed helplessly, resting her forehead on Eric's shoulder, and said in a muffled voice.

"It's only 3:30. This terrible time difference makes me feel like I slept all night. I'm so energetic that I could go listen to another report now."

Eric couldn't help but chuckle. Tifa had only arrived a day earlier than him, so naturally she hadn't adjusted to the time difference as quickly.

"Then don't force yourself to sleep, it will only make you feel worse."

“That’s right.” Tifa looked up, her fingers unconsciously twirling the collar of Eric’s pajamas, her eyes showing a hint of languor and dependence from just waking up, a stark contrast to the decisive profiler she was during the day.

"Since I can't sleep anyway, why not do something to burn off some energy? I can't just sit here staring at each other until dawn."

Eric reached out and tucked a stray lock of her long, tousled hair behind her ear, a natural and affectionate gesture.

"Whatever you like, a movie? Or just a chat is fine too. Your materials today are quite thick; the topic of this seminar seems very challenging?"

Tifa shifted to a more comfortable position, her fingers unconsciously circling Eric's chest: "It's about the application of trust-building mechanisms in crime."

Eric raised an eyebrow and said, "Trust-building mechanisms? That's a very interesting topic. We often face all sorts of pretense and deception."

Tifa smiled; she enjoyed these moments of sharing and being understood by those around her, especially when that person could completely follow her train of thought.

"I analyzed several recent typical cases, and the perpetrators often start with the smallest requests for help, such as asking for directions, borrowing a phone, or asking for help taking photos, etc."

These seemingly harmless, even well-intentioned interactions are essentially probing the target's boundaries, like a meticulously planned social infiltration.

Upon hearing this, Eric seemed to be deep in thought, but for some reason, Kimmy suddenly came to mind.

Eric was slightly taken aback, not understanding why he suddenly thought of her.

“The real danger often comes after the target rejects the offer,” Tifa continued, oblivious to Eric’s momentary lapse in concentration.

"Because normal people would politely back away, but manipulators would not. They would continue to apply pressure, or pretend to be hurt or wronged, or even become aggressive, all with the aim of breaking through your psychological defenses."

Unfortunately, many people don't realize it.

At this point, Tifa sighed softly: "There are hundreds of disappearances in Paris every year, all of which begin with seemingly accidental street encounters, which is why I chose this topic."

Eric remained calm: "Just ignore the strangers, don't make it so complicated."

Tifa was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh: "Darling, your suggestion sounds simple and crude, comparable to the idea that you won't get poisoned as long as you don't breathe."

As she spoke, Tifa gently poked Eric's chest with her finger: "But the reality is, humans are social animals, and completely isolating ourselves from strangers is unrealistic, especially when traveling or asking for directions."

"So you're planning to propose new identification criteria at the meeting?" Eric asked.

Tifa said earnestly, "It's not just about identification, but also about prevention. I want to build a behavioral early warning system to help ordinary people detect abnormalities before danger occurs."

"No wonder you're so tired!" Eric said helplessly, tightening his grip on her arm.

"This is a huge undertaking."

Tifa nodded, then covered her mouth and yawned slightly before burying her head back into Eric's arms.

The in-depth discussion had exhausted her excess energy, and a slight drowsiness crept back in.

Eric noticed her change: "Tired?"

Tifa said, "It seems like I can fall asleep again. Shall we give it a try?"

"Then keep sleeping, it's still a long time until dawn," Eric said.
"If I can sleep until I wake up in the morning, I should be able to recover from jet lag."

Tifa didn't respond, but simply found the most comfortable position in his arms, snuggled up, and made a comfortable humming sound.

Eric chuckled, maintaining the embrace, listening to the steady breathing of the person in his arms, and slowly closed his eyes.

— 8:30 a.m.

A flight from the United States landed smoothly at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Kimmy and Amanda followed the flow of people toward the baggage claim area, their faces beaming with excitement and anticipation that hadn't faded even after more than ten hours of flying.

Kimmy grabbed her friend's hand and walked briskly: "Hurry up, Amanda! Eric said to wait for us at the entrance of the arrival hall in Terminal 2."

"Okay, okay!" Amanda laughed and followed, leaning closer to Kimmy and lowering her voice, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Hey, I'm going to have a good look later and see what kind of man he is that Jinmi has been thinking about for so long."

Jinmi blushed slightly and gently pushed her away: "Don't talk nonsense! He's my dad's friend."

“Oh? Dad’s friend?” Amanda deliberately dragged out her words, clearly not believing it.

“My dear Kimmy, your expression doesn’t lie.”

The two girls laughed and joked as they retrieved their luggage and pushed the luggage cart toward the agreed-upon exit.

Outside the huge glass doors, the Parisian morning sun was dazzling, and there were more people than they had expected.

Kimmy looked slightly wary, glancing around from time to time, while Amanda was completely absorbed in her excitement, curiously observing everything.

“Wow! We’re really in Paris! Kimmy, do you see that billboard over there? It’s U2! We’re really going to see them!” Amanda exclaimed excitedly, linking arms with Kimmy.

Kimmy was also a little excited, but she didn't forget Bill's words: "Yeah, Amanda, remember what my dad said, don't be too high-profile."

"Don't worry, it's safe here. I've been here several times already!" Amanda said nonchalantly, pulling Kimmy along as they ran towards the billboard.

Jinmi had no choice but to cooperate.

The two took a few selfies next to the billboard, and then walked toward the designated exit of the T2 terminal arrival hall while looking at their phones.

Finally, I stood in a relatively conspicuous spot near the entrance to the arrival hall, where there were fewer people.

Kimmy instinctively straightened her back, her eyes searching for that familiar tall figure among the crowd of people waiting to pick her up, but she didn't find Eric.

"Huh? Hasn't he arrived yet?" Amanda stood on tiptoe, looking around.

"Jinmi, are you sure this is the place? The entrance to the arrival hall of Terminal 2?"

Jinmi frowned slightly and checked the information on her phone again.

"This is the place. The traffic in Paris must be really bad; he's stuck in traffic. Shall I give him a call?"

“No rush, we’re just waiting anyway.” Amanda’s attention was quickly drawn to the new environment of Paris. She took out her phone, adjusted the angle with great interest, and put her arm around Kimmy’s shoulder to take a selfie.

"Let's take a few more photos to remember this moment! Paris, here we come!"

Seeing this, Jinmi could only manage a weak smile at the camera.

After Amanda finished taking the photos and was looking at them, Kimmy finally had a moment to take out her phone to call Eric.

But just as she was about to make the call, a voice sounded beside her.

"Do you need any help? It looks like you need to take a group photo."

The two turned their heads and saw a young man standing a few steps away.

She was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing a stylish denim jacket and a white T-shirt, with her hair neatly styled and a sunny yet slightly shy smile on her face. She looked refreshing and friendly.

This is a fairly good-looking guy.

But Kim suddenly remembered the cases her father had shown her, the safety rules he had made her memorize, and the warnings in Eric's text messages, and a hint of vigilance flashed in her eyes.

"I do not need it, thank you."

Amanda was instantly won over by the man's appearance and friendly attitude, and without thinking, she handed him her phone, which surprised Kimmy.

"Thank you, it would be even better if you could include the airport sign in the background!"

"Amanda!" Kimmy whispered, trying to pull her friend back, but Amanda was too quick and had already shoved the phone into the man's hand.

The man took the phone, glanced at Jin Mi, and maintained his harmless smile.

“No problem, leave it to me. Did you just get off the plane? Are you from the United States?” The man asked naturally in English with a slight American accent while skillfully adjusting the angle of the photo.

“Yes! We’re from Boston!” Amanda answered innocently, pulling the somewhat reluctant Kimmy into a pose.

“Boston? Nice place.” The man pressed the shutter and praised as he looked at the screen.

"The photos are fantastic! You all look like you were born for Paris."

The man then handed the phone back to Amanda, his movements natural, but he showed no intention of leaving.

"Are you here for tourism? Is this your first time here? Have you booked your accommodation yet? Would you like me to recommend a few safe hotels? My cousin works at the tourism bureau and knows a lot of good places that tourists don't know about."

"No need!" Amanda took the bait and waved her hand with a hint of smugness.

“We are staying at my cousin’s house. She has been married and moved to Paris for several years and lives in the Marais district.”

For some reason, Jinmi's heart suddenly tightened, because the safety rules included not giving your address to strangers.

Kimmy tugged at Amanda, her voice becoming somewhat shrill with nervousness.

Amanda!

Amanda paused for a moment, not understanding why Kimmy was so nervous.

“Hey, relax, girl, I’m not a bad guy!” The man looked at the nervous Kimmy, his voice still gentle, then turned his gaze to Amanda.

"What a coincidence, I also live in the Marais district. It's really great there, with a strong artistic vibe."

The man chuckled. "We're going the same way anyway, how about we share a ride? After all, taxi fares here aren't cheap."

Amanda was about to say something, but Kimmy interrupted her, stepping forward to stand between Amanda and the man, her tone clearly distant.

"Thank you for your kindness, we are waiting for someone."

The man ignored Kim's wariness and continued to look at the helpless Amanda.

"Waiting for someone? No problem. If you need help, like finding a reliable car, or want to know which cafe has the best breakfast."

As he spoke, he casually took a business card from his pocket and handed it to Amanda.

"This is my number. My name is Alexander. I'm a local and know everything about this place. You can contact me if you need anything."

Then, the man helplessly shrugged, because Kim Milley ignored him and directly pulled Amanda away from where they were.

"Okay, have fun."

Amanda was a little reluctant, but Kimmy held her wrist tightly and dragged her quickly to another pillar a dozen meters away.

"Jinmi! You hurt me!" Amanda shook off his hand, rubbing her reddened wrist, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.

"What's wrong with you? We only chatted for a few minutes. He seemed like a nice guy, handsome and polite, and even wished us a good time."
They're even neighbors in the Marais district; who knows, we might run into each other again!

Kim opened his mouth, looking at Amanda, unsure of what to say.

She seemed to suddenly understand why her father had refused before, and why he had given her a crash course on safety before reluctantly agreeing to the trip.

If it were the old her and Amanda, they would have already revealed all the crucial information.

(End of this chapter)