The tension in the room was stifling as Agent Thorne stood across from me, that infuriatingly smug look plastered on his face as if he knew something I didn’t. We were supposed to be going over the case notes, comparing details, finding patterns. But every time I pointed out the discrepancies in the profile he’d put together, he dismissed me with a roll of his eyes or a patronizing smile. My boss was out today, so there was no one here to mediate, no one to step in if things got out of hand.
“You’re missing the point, Agent Thorne,” I said, the edge in my voice barely controlled. “These two killers aren’t the same. The patterns don’t match up, and you know it.”
He scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the table, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You think you know better than m
