Page 18 of Can You Take It?

I’m deep into connecting the dots when Colton, another member of my team, walks in. He’s got a look on his face like he’s just struck gold, and it piques my interest.

“What do you got, Colton?” I ask, leaning forward in my chair.

Colton is known for his expertise in public relations within our team. He hands me a file. “Rick, we found something big. Liam, the guy Izel was with, he’s the brother of Angie Swayer, the first victim of Ghostface Striker.”

“Bring Liam in for questioning.”

The interrogation room is cold, and Liam sits there, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His eyes dart around as if he’s expecting someone to magically come to his rescue. I’m not here to save him, and he knows it.

I shed off my jacket, revealing the rolled-up sleeves of my shirt. I take a deep breath and walk into the room. On the other side of the one-way mirror, Luna and Colton are watching.

“Liam, care to tell me why you were with Izel last night?”

Liam stammers for a moment, clearly uneasy. “We were just talking.”

“Just talking? At the scene of a gruesome murder?”

It’s clear that Liam is not going to talk so I decide to employ the Reid Technique, a classic method used in interrogations. I start by asking open-ended questions, giving Liam the chance to explain himself, hoping he’ll dig himself into a hole.

“Why were you there, Liam?”

He fidgets in his chair, his eyes shifting from side to side, avoiding direct eye contact. It’s a classic sign of deception. I press on, narrowing my focus.

“Izel claims you were not with her before she had a run-in with the killer. Can you explain why she’d change her story?”

Of course, she hadn’t, but there’s no harm in letting him believe it. If he sees her as his savior, maybe he'll feel compelled enough to crack.

Liam swallows hard. “I don’t know why she’d say that. Maybe she was scared, and I was just trying to comfort her.”

I’m not buying it, and I let him know it. I switch to the theme development technique, creating a narrative that makes it more difficult for him to maintain his innocence.

“Izel’s roommate is dead, and she’s a person of interest in this case. You show up at the crime scene with her, and all you did was ‘comfort’ her? That’s not adding up, man.”

Liam’s starting to crack under the pressure, and his eyes dart around the room. It’s time to take things a step further.

I employ the maximization technique, making it clear that the consequences for lying are far worse than the truth. “If you were involved in any way with this murder and you’re not coming clean, you’re going to be in a world of trouble. I suggest you start telling me the truth.”

Liam’s face pales, and his fingers start tapping nervously on the table. The fear in his eyes is hard to miss. But he’s still not talking.

“Look man, I understand people can make mistakes. Maybe you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you cooperate, we can work on finding a way to minimize your involvement in this.”

It’s a risky move, but it often works. People want a way to save face, to believe they’re not as guilty as they might appear. Liam finally breaks, his voice quivering.

“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you everything.”

Liam finally breaks his silence, “I tried forcing myself on her.”

“What the fuck? You’re telling me you sexually assaulted her?”

“I was in a terrible place after my sister’s death. I was drinking, and I just... I lost control. Izel kicked me in the balls and ran, and I chased after her to apologize.”

Izel had been the victim here, but she lied, saying it was consensual. My hands clench into fists as I try to process the enormity of it all.

Liam continues, his voice strained. “I was messed up, but Izel didn’t want this to blow up. She was protecting me, I guess.”

I stand up, and before I know it, my fist connects with Liam’s face. He topples from his chair, crashing to the ground, dazed and bleeding.

I stand over him, shocked at what I’ve just done. Knowing Luna and Colton, they’re probably exchanging uneasy glances behind the one-way glass. I’ve never lost control like this before, never let my emotions take over during an interrogation. But something about this case, about the secrets, has triggered a raw, protective instinct I can’t seem to control.

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