Under the Spotlight

Chapter Ten

There are several basic principles they go over when training new profilers. Almost all fall under four basic categories: Interview Strategy, Investigative Strategy, Criminal Investigative Analysis, and Threat Assessment. These are the four basic principles that Jeremiah lives by and follows in every investigation. This investigation is going to be no different.

Obviously, Interview Strategy only works once the suspect is apprehended. At the moment, Jeremiah cannot use this strategy. Investigative Strategy is the strategy that they provide with everyone working within an investigation. It's not something that Jeremiah needs at the current moment since he has effectively been benched.

With Criminal Investigative Analysis and Threat Assessment, however, Jeremiah is not completely useless. Although he is not allowed to run a background check on Cassandra Sanchez, he can still learn things about her. If she tells him things of her own volition, then he's not going against a direct order.

He's in her house and he drives her places. There has to be at least a little bit of trust between them. With just a little bit more, he's certain that she will tell him things about her past.

Trust is natural to humans. Though they are weary creatures at heart, effort can create a bond between different groups of people. Something as simple as being someone willing to lend an ear can create a trusting relationship. Even if that trust is only one sided.

Cassie has to be careful with whom she trusts. Being a starlet creates complications with individuals that do not have fame or money of their own. People will try to exploit her for her money or for her power.

To gain the woman's trust, Jeremiah has to make sure that he acts disinterested in her money. Not so much to cause suspicions, however. He has to make sure that he acts like a diligent bodyguard.

"Did you want me to order takeout for tonight?" Jeremiah asks.

Cassie looks up from her TV show. She furrows her eyebrows at him while casting her gaze over him. Then, she lifts her phone so that she can check the time. "I didn't even realize that it was this late."

From his position on the couch, Jeremiah can just barely read Seth's name. So she has finally messaged him back. He had been wondering how long the actress would ignore the man. She has been keeping off her phone for the better part of the last two weeks. Cassie had been incredibly bored during that time, throwing herself into hobbies that kept her away from the device. Every so often, she would reach for her phone and her hand would stop just inches away from it.

If she is doing all that to avoid answering her ex-boyfriend, she must not have very good impulse control.

"I figured," Jeremiah answers. He scrolls zooms in on the map on his phone, searching for something that sounds good. "I could go pick up something." When she gives him a puzzled look, Jeremiah shrugs. "I'm assuming you don't want a random delivery kid to know where you live."

She nods her head. "Right. Thanks."

For a split second, she hesitates. She still has a tight grip on her phone in her hands, unable to get herself to put it back onto the table. "Can I— can I ask you something?" Cassie asks.

Pressing his thumb to a local pizza place, Jeremiah looks at their assortment of pizzas. This is the opening that he has been looking for. The first step to solve the mystery that is Cassandra Sanchez. He just has to make sure that he doesn't mess this up. "Go ahead."

The woman takes a sharp breath and shakes her head. "Nevermind. It's silly."

Jeremiah can see the opportunity starting to disappear. He has to repair it before it's gone. "Is this about your ex?"