My suggestion works for me. I am right handed.
Everyone hand dimensions are slightly different.
Each must experiment with the sweet spot combination.
Here is mine.
Establish stable base or hold.

Wrist. Be sure to get a consistent and steady hold cuch that the wrist never breaks during the trigger pull cycle.

Hand. Use your hand to finess the pressure on the front strap and backstrap so the pistol stays in line on target during the trigger press cycle. Really concentrate gripping force inline with barrel. Also no death grip or variation.
Trigger postion
Get terms straight . Some saty too much meaning closer to the hand farther from the tip.
Others mean too much as being closer to the tip. I will not use that term.
Next fo not assume everyone must use the pad of their finger.
Now in dryfire try trigger finger placement at different position until you establish the break point that result in the muzzle remaining on target. Press trigger straight back not off axis.

For me the pistol is level and inline with wrist and elbow. Not off axis and in middle of the web.
Yrigger finger is usually on the middle segment not near the tip.
As you described having short fingers smaller hand. I would work in first getting ge grio stable and in line, then try different trigger finger placement likely closer to the tip pad.

Note I use this method with any size gun. But tge combination is different.

I can get very good and consustent hits with pocket .380s, j l n x frame S&W revolvers. Glocks M&Ps 1911s.
There is no one size fits all .
Trend small guns pocket 380 j frame trigger finger position is far away from the tip. Larger handguns trigger position is closer to the tip.

Also just plain jane stock guns, grips, triggers etc.

Hope this helps.