After Anna(85)
‘Yes.’
‘And weren’t you also aware that Dr Alderman had told the 911 dispatcher that he had discovered the body?’
‘Yes.’
‘And finally, weren’t you aware that Dr Alderman was the subject of the PFA Petition?’
‘Yes.’
‘Detective Hickok, you testified that you investigated through the night, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘And what time of the night did you reach your conclusion that Dr Alderman committed the murder?’
‘By about four in the morning.’
‘So you and your partner had decided, only seven hours after the crime, that Dr Alderman was guilty, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘You didn’t interview any other suspects that night, did you?’
‘No.’
‘You didn’t seek any other suspects, did you?’
‘No.’
‘Didn’t look for a single other suspect, did you?’
‘We had a prime suspect.’
Thomas stood taller. ‘Detective Hickok, I’ll repeat the question. You didn’t look for a single other suspect, did you?’
‘No.’ Detective Hickok tilted his chin up, in the slightest defiance.
‘Do you know the term “confirmation bias,” as applied to law enforcement?’
‘Yes.’
‘Please define the term for the jury.’
Detective Hickok turned to the jury. ‘Confirmation bias means that once you reach a conclusion about a perpetrator, you seek facts that support the conclusion and ignore facts that do not.’
‘Detective Hickok, did you consider the possibility that the killer could have come from a neighboring house?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘It seemed less likely.’
‘Less likely than Dr Alderman, that is?’
‘Yes.’
‘But wasn’t Dr Alderman’s carriage house in view of the main house, where his landlord lived?’
‘Yes.’
‘Wasn’t the landlord home on the night of the murder?’
‘Yes.’
‘The landlord’s name is Scott Ropsare, is it not?’
‘Yes.’
‘But didn’t Mr Ropsare have a view of Dr Alderman’s carriage house?’
‘Yes.’
‘So isn’t it true that Mr Ropsare could have seen Anna Desroches pull up in her car, get out, and wait on Dr Alderman’s porch?’
‘Yes.’ Detective Hickok blinked.
‘Nevertheless, you didn’t take Mr Ropsare in for questioning, did you?’
‘No, but I did knock on his door and speak to him. I asked him if he had seen anything unusual or suspicious, and he said he had not.’
Thomas frowned. ‘My question was, you didn’t take him in for questioning, did you?’
‘No.’
‘Were you aware that Mr Ropsare had a 2015 conviction for aggravated assault against his former wife?’
Detective Hickok’s lips flattened. ‘Yes, I learned that the next day.’
‘But you still didn’t go back to pick Mr Ropsare up and take him in for questioning?’
‘No.’
‘Because you had already charged Dr Alderman with the crime, isn’t that correct?’
‘Yes.’
Noah thought it was a masterful demonstration of confirmation bias and he wondered if Thomas would risk another question. The jurors were listening, and Noah sensed that they were getting the point.
Thomas paused. ‘Were you aware that Mr Ropsare committed suicide six months ago, only one month after the murder of Anna Desroches?’
Detective Hickok blinked, twice. ‘No, I was not.’
Noah’s mouth dropped open. He hadn’t known that either. He had only met Ropsare once, and Thomas hadn’t told him that the landlord had committed suicide. The jury reacted with surprise, and VFW Guy shifted forward, newly intrigued.
‘I have no other questions, Your Honor.’ Thomas turned and headed back to counsel table, his expression solemn. He sat down next to Noah, picked up his pen, and wrote on his legal pad:
Boom! I didn’t tell you because I wanted your reaction.
I got it. You’re not as good a liar as you think.
Linda shot to her feet and hurried forward to the stand. ‘Your Honor, I have redirect, if I may.’
Judge Gardner nodded. ‘Proceed, counsel.’
‘Detective Hickok, are you confident that the defendant committed the murder of Anna Desroches?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you believe that confirmation bias played any role at all in your investigation?’
‘No, not in the least.’
‘I have no further questions, Your Honor.’
Chapter Fifty-eight
Maggie, Before
Maggie barely slept Saturday night, but rose early on Sunday as usual, fed Ralph, and made batter for pancakes before the kids got up. She couldn’t bring herself to believe that Noah had molested Anna. She’d gone back and forth about it in her mind, all night. She remembered what he’d said, that he hadn’t done anything to Anna and whatever had happened with Jordan was unrelated. She supposed it was correct in the abstract, but it still didn’t sit right with her. Still, she couldn’t turn off her feelings for him so fast. She loved Noah, even though she didn’t know if their marriage could survive. They’d been so happy, before.