“The approach shows escalation in both planning and boldness,” Erin continued, clicking to a slide comparing burn patterns. “Each fire demonstrates an understanding of how combustion spreads through enclosed spaces.”
A hand raised in the back. She recognized the woman as Detective Rivera from the crime scene unit. “How certain are you about the expertise level? Couldn’t this just be someone who got lucky?”
“The accelerant placement alone rules out luck.” Erin clicked to a detailed diagram of the cliff fire. “Look at these ventilationpoints. The arsonist positioned ignition sources to exploit the natural convection currents from ocean thermals.”
She looked around the room, seeing detectives nodding.
"We're not looking for someone acting on impulse," Erin said, moving to her final slides. "This person has some kind of technical background."
“Wait." Lena's voice cut across the room, and Erin's pulse jumped despite her professional composure. "You're drawing broad conclusions from burn patterns. How do we know you're not seeing complexity where there might be simpler explanations?"
The room went quieter as the tension thickened. Erin felt the challenge in her body like a physical thing, but she kept her voice level. “Because evidence doesn’t lie, Detective. Fire follows physics, not opinions.”
She clicked back to the cliff fire diagram. “Your crime scene team photographed these burn patterns but didn’t interpret them. The accelerant residue here”—she used a laser pointer to highlight specific areas—”isn’t random. It’s positioned to take advantage of the building’s HVAC intake, creating a chimney effect that would pull the flames in predetermined directions.”
Lena leaned forward slightly. “But that doesn’t narrow down our suspect pool. Half the city has some kind of technical training.”
“It narrows it down to people who understand ventilation systems and that morning ocean thermals create updrafts. That’s not random knowledge.” Erin’s voice carried more edge now, passion bleeding through her professional veneer.
“It’s still not hard evidence linking to one specific person.”
Erin clicked to another slide of thermal imaging of the accelerant patterns. “This is hard evidence. Proof of calculated placement to compound with environmental conditions tospread the fire efficiently. The question isn’t whether this person has training. It’s what kind and where they got it from.”
Around the room, others were following the heated exchange like a tennis match. Chief McKenna Adams’ expression suggested she was about to intervene, but Erin wasn’t finished.
“The difference between random arson and what we’re seeing is the difference between lighting a match and conducting a symphony,” she said, holding Lena’s gaze. “This person goes beyond just starting fires and choreographs destruction.”
For a moment, the room was completely silent. Then Lena nodded slowly, something shifting in her expression. “The choreography angle…that’s actually useful. If they’re following patterns, we can predict their next move.”
It wasn’t a full agreement, but it was validation from someone who’d questioned every conclusion she’d drawn.
“Exactly.” Erin felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. “If this pattern continues, we might be able to anticipate potential target types.”
Captain Julia Scott spoke up from the middle of the room. “What kind of interagency coordination would this require?”
Fire Chief Adams stepped forward. “Standard protocol for serial arson: joint investigation, shared resources, and coordinated response planning.”
“Fire Marshal Vance’s analysis changes our approach,” Julia continued, glancing toward Lena. “We’ll need her ongoing technical consultation throughout the investigation.”
Erin saw Lena’s jaw tighten slightly, but the detective nodded. “Agreed. The fire science perspective is valuable.”
The word “valuable” carried weight, especially from someone who’d been skeptical of Erin just days ago. Around the room, other officers were making notes, asking technical questions, and treating Erin’s analysis as credible intelligence.
“Any other questions,” Chief McKenna Adams asked.
Detective Rivera raised her hand again. “What’s the timeline for the next potential attack?”
“Based on the escalation patterns, within the next week,” Erin replied. “But that assumes the arsonist continues the same way. If they feel pressured or change tactics…”
“Then we adapt,” Lena said from the back of the room. “We stay ahead of the pattern instead of chasing it.”
Their eyes met again, and this time, Erin saw something like respect in Lena’s gaze.
Chief Adams looked around the room. “Anything else? Good. Detective Scott, Fire Marshal Vance, please coordinate on immediate protective measures for possible targets. We’ll reconvene tomorrow to discuss resource allocation.”
As people began filing out, Erin started packing up her equipment and headed for the door. The presentation had gone well, and not just because her analysis had been accepted but because she’d proven herself capable of defending her conclusions under pressure.
Erin was loading her laptop into her truck when she heard footsteps on the asphalt behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was Lena; something about the controlled cadence and purposeful stride spoke of someone who moved through the world with intention.
