the office going to The Lion King and Nancy being disappointed and how he had wanted to help her out. Mullins wrote down some notes.
Grady interjected, “So you didn’t have any plans of your own and you wanted to help Nancy?”
Donald answered, “That’s pretty much how it went.”
Mullins asked, “Had you watched Mia and Emily before?”
Donald shook his head, “No, in fact that was the first time I met Mia, at the office with Nancy.”
“And what about Emily?”
Donald responded without hesitating, “I didn’t meet her until I got to Nancy’s house.”
Without having to compare notes, the two detectives could tell this guy had his story straight and that he was well within his comfort zone, which is exactly where they wanted him, comfortable. Now, also without having to coordinate, they knew it was time to start throwing this guy a couple of curve balls.
Grady started it, his tone changed a bit and his body language also shifted. He moved closer to Riche, “So you own a van?”
Riche was a bit puzzled, “Yes, yes I do.”
“What kind of van is it?”
Riche answered, “It’s a 2002 Ford.”
Grady pressed on, “What do you use the van for?”
Riche was a bit taken aback, “What do you mean what do I use it for? I use it for transportation.”
Grady smiled, “I would imagine that, but you know, when someone owns a van, they usually have things they need to transport.”
Riche now had a questioning look on his face and the veneer of control was starting to crack, “I don’t have anything to transport. I just bought the van because it made it easier to move from college and things like that.”
Mullins interjected seamlessly, taking on the ‘good cop’ role so subtly and smoothly, Riche never saw it, “I totally understand. I used to have one of those old VW buses. I went everywhere in it. It sure was convenient.”
Donald took the lifeline, “Exactly, so you know.”
Mullins nodded, “Sure I do, I brought home my clothes, my furniture, you know, all my college stuff. What do you use yours for?”
Donald continued, “Well, the same things, you know, clothes, furniture, that kind of thing.”
Grady watched the exchange with a detective’s eyes. He noticed how Riche got flustered at the question, how his pupils dilated and his palms left wet marks on the table.
He had to be careful, though. Any subject being interrogated by the police was apt to get nervous, and if this guy was a promising lead, they had to tread on eggshells.
Grady softened up a bit, “So you just use it to haul your stuff around, is that it?”
Donald nodded, “Exactly. Just whatever I need it for.”
Mullins and Grady were taking notes and, as was often the case with persons of interest, it is something they say on their own that makes them even more interesting.
It was no different with Donald Riche, “Sometimes I go up the coast and look for antiques. There really are some hidden treasures up there.”
Without looking up from their pads, Mullins and Grady paused for just a beat and glanced sideways at each other.
Without deciding which one was going to take the opening, Grady stepped up, “Do you deal in antiques, Donald, you don’t mind if I call you Donald?”
Donald thought about it and realized they probably already knew the answer to that, “No, I don’t. I go looking mostly for myself.”
Mullins and Grady then did look up from their pads and looked around the apartment. They looked at each other and then at Donald.
Now it was Mullins that asked the question, “Donald, man, I got to tell you that coming in here, I don’t know what the name of this type of decoration is, but what I do know is that I don’t see any antiques anywhere in here.”
Donald looked around. He hadn’t thought about that when he said it. He looked at the walls, at the furniture all around and at the furniture they were sitting on. And then a palpable change came over him.
Grady and Mullins saw it immediately.
Grady interjected, “So you didn’t have any plans of your own and you wanted to help Nancy?”
Donald answered, “That’s pretty much how it went.”
Mullins asked, “Had you watched Mia and Emily before?”
Donald shook his head, “No, in fact that was the first time I met Mia, at the office with Nancy.”
“And what about Emily?”
Donald responded without hesitating, “I didn’t meet her until I got to Nancy’s house.”
Without having to compare notes, the two detectives could tell this guy had his story straight and that he was well within his comfort zone, which is exactly where they wanted him, comfortable. Now, also without having to coordinate, they knew it was time to start throwing this guy a couple of curve balls.
Grady started it, his tone changed a bit and his body language also shifted. He moved closer to Riche, “So you own a van?”
Riche was a bit puzzled, “Yes, yes I do.”
“What kind of van is it?”
Riche answered, “It’s a 2002 Ford.”
Grady pressed on, “What do you use the van for?”
Riche was a bit taken aback, “What do you mean what do I use it for? I use it for transportation.”
Grady smiled, “I would imagine that, but you know, when someone owns a van, they usually have things they need to transport.”
Riche now had a questioning look on his face and the veneer of control was starting to crack, “I don’t have anything to transport. I just bought the van because it made it easier to move from college and things like that.”
Mullins interjected seamlessly, taking on the ‘good cop’ role so subtly and smoothly, Riche never saw it, “I totally understand. I used to have one of those old VW buses. I went everywhere in it. It sure was convenient.”
Donald took the lifeline, “Exactly, so you know.”
Mullins nodded, “Sure I do, I brought home my clothes, my furniture, you know, all my college stuff. What do you use yours for?”
Donald continued, “Well, the same things, you know, clothes, furniture, that kind of thing.”
Grady watched the exchange with a detective’s eyes. He noticed how Riche got flustered at the question, how his pupils dilated and his palms left wet marks on the table.
He had to be careful, though. Any subject being interrogated by the police was apt to get nervous, and if this guy was a promising lead, they had to tread on eggshells.
Grady softened up a bit, “So you just use it to haul your stuff around, is that it?”
Donald nodded, “Exactly. Just whatever I need it for.”
Mullins and Grady were taking notes and, as was often the case with persons of interest, it is something they say on their own that makes them even more interesting.
It was no different with Donald Riche, “Sometimes I go up the coast and look for antiques. There really are some hidden treasures up there.”
Without looking up from their pads, Mullins and Grady paused for just a beat and glanced sideways at each other.
Without deciding which one was going to take the opening, Grady stepped up, “Do you deal in antiques, Donald, you don’t mind if I call you Donald?”
Donald thought about it and realized they probably already knew the answer to that, “No, I don’t. I go looking mostly for myself.”
Mullins and Grady then did look up from their pads and looked around the apartment. They looked at each other and then at Donald.
Now it was Mullins that asked the question, “Donald, man, I got to tell you that coming in here, I don’t know what the name of this type of decoration is, but what I do know is that I don’t see any antiques anywhere in here.”
Donald looked around. He hadn’t thought about that when he said it. He looked at the walls, at the furniture all around and at the furniture they were sitting on. And then a palpable change came over him.
Grady and Mullins saw it immediately.
Similar Books
