“Did you tamper with any evidence at the crime scene the night of your husband’s death?”
“No.”
“Did you secretly wish for your husband’s death?”
“No. What kind of question is that?”
“Did you conspire with anyone else to kill your husband?”
“No.”
I asked all the pertinent questions again in several ways to the point of annoyance. She always responded with some variation of the same answer.
Never once did the machine indicate deception.
"Do you know who killed Brock Madison?"
"No. I do not."
Again, the waveforms indicated a truthful response.
"Take me through that evening once again,” I said. “Be as detailed as possible. Don't leave anything out.”
Tiffany took a deep breath, recalled the event, then recounted the details to me just as she had done a few times before.
Nothing about her story changed.
Her vital statistics remained calm and steady.
More and more, I was coming to the belief that she didn't kill her husband. The fact that the financial incentive had been removed from the equation dropped Tiffany to the bottom of my suspect list.
“Do you stand to profit in any way from the death of Brock Madison?”
“Not in any meaningful way, as far as I’m aware.”
I kept trying to elicit something from her. After about an hour in the interrogation room, I was done, and so was she.
I told her we'd be back before stepping out for a moment. The technician unhooked the device as we joined Sheriff Daniels in the hallway.
"You know, when this whole thing began, I would have put good money on her as the killer,” the sheriff said.
"I think I would have been right with you," I said.
He exhaled a deep breath. "Find out who killed Coach Madison. And do it quickly,” he said before ambling down the hallway.
I pulled open the door to the interrogation room. With the equipment disconnected, Tiffany was ready to go. She smiled at me. "What's the verdict? Am I a free woman?”
"The machine did not indicate deception. I think you’re in the clear."
A relieved smile curled her lips. "It's just what I’ve been telling you all along.”
"We just try to do our jobs. You understand.”
"I do, and I'm grateful for your effort. I know you will pursue this with all available resources.”
"Indeed.”
I held the door for her as she stepped into the hallway. She fanned herself. "Is it just me, or is it hot in there?"
