75 Alternate Questioning (2/2)
I blinked. ”So, it's literally the pleasure of catching someone in a lie. Sounds like fun,” I snickered finally.
The alibi went on and the suspect stated that he was in a different city, suffering from stomach flu. The detective asked more specific questions, asking for specific times and events that he would remember.
”Not sure. Uh…” The suspect started. He gave tentative timings, trying to evade commitment to anything. He tried to act nonchalant but I could see the thoughts rolling in his head. He was trying to think of a way to disassociate himself from the crime.
Richard stared at the door with a thoughtful expression throughout his explanation, nodding his head sagely, almost showing signs of feeling triumphant that he could come up with an alibi so instantly.
He didn't look at the detective for prolonged periods of time, almost scared that he would reveal something he doesn't want to. This was another sign of guilt that the detective must have picked up on.
”If you didn't have the stomach flu, what were you planning on doing?”
Sebastian paused the video immediately. ”Alternate questioning is a method of seeing what the suspect will come up with as a separate alibi in an alternate situation. It brings out what their thought process is like. Usually, they will avoid any mention of the situation and try to act like it is of no importance to them. Like, if the detective asked, how would you make someone disappear, he would have a hard time answering that question because he has made someone disappear. He would probably give an answer after much hesitation, but he would purposefully avoid the method he used to make the girl disappear. It is a choice he makes.”
”A person who is not guilty will not feel like the question is very important and answer immediately, listing off things others can do to make someone disappear. Another thing to note is that someone guilty will keep saying how horrible the methods are and how he was just stating the methods and that it had nothing to do with him. He might say something like 'I am not saying that is what happened. You understand, right?' He would constantly look for reassurance.”
He played the video again.
”It was a standard schedule in the office. So, I don't remember the specifics, but there would have been a brief with a couple of officers in the morning and then a couple of meetings.” There were a lot of 'uh's and 'um's as he said those words.