The Psychopath: A True Story(41)

Mischele: ‘I’m trying to be patient, but I feel like I’ve been patient for a very long time. And I know it’s coming – it’s coming.’

Will: ‘No no, not even about it coming. At some point in time, even fearing psychologically . . . you have to have your little [draws line on desk] line in the sand. And you’ve got to – hmmm . . . I don’t know what it is, I don’t need to know. Point is, as far as you know between doing this and this, I’ll be honest with you about how I can do it and when I can do it. And I’m not pulling punches. It’s a different kind of conversation. It’s a different kind of reveal. [noise] I haven’t been pulling punches, I haven’t flinched away, or broken eye contact and changed the subject. I’ve tried to be as solid as I can about some of the more difficult subjects [chopping table].’

Mischele: ‘And like I’ve said, I appreciated your candour.’

Will: ‘At the end of the day, if you’ve reached that point where OK, it’s not fast enough or it’s not worth it, then OK, and it’s not worth it. It is what it is. At least it won’t be because the effort wasn’t made to actually do something, it’ll be because of any other number of things that you, just being that kind of person that you are – would’ve had to carry forward – doubts and self-doubts or any kind of . . .’

Mischele: ‘I have a lot of that.’

Will: ‘You don’t deserve that. And in all this time, if it’s served no other purpose than to put those in perspective, then it’s worth it. Because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life not talking to anybody . . . having life in divorce. And if you tried to leave, I’d try to leave that . . .

‘I’ve got enough of that crud I carry; I’m not trying to make any more of it. I think it could be something – but I’m perfectly prepared to – if that’s the case – at least you’re in a place . . . So that’s how . . . I justify those to myself. And that makes it work.’

Mischele: ‘Just waiting for some more clarity.’

Will: ‘It’s coming. Hopefully it’s a little more clear now than it was at 11 . . . and then we’ll just [chops across table].’

Mischele: ‘It is. And like I said, I do . . .’

Will: ‘Should we do this in your car? I’ve got some meetings.’

They picked up their stuff and got into the car to drive away. In the car, Will asked Mischele to drop him somewhere she had not been before. They talked about general stuff again, and then Mischele said:

‘I don’t know, sometimes I just wonder, why me? I have the shittiest luck in life. That’s why you coming along was so amazing because it was going to be different. It was going to be a fresh start. It was going to be amazing.’

Will: ‘It still is amazing. It was amazing and you’re amazing.’

Mischele: ‘But you have to make it a fresh start.’

Will: ‘Mmm mmm [yes].’

Mischele: ‘I know you are trying and I’m . . . seriously trying to be patient, I really am.’

Will: ‘We do the very best we can with what we have to work with. Hopefully that coincides with you doing the same. That’s all I can ask. I can’t do any better than that.’

Mischele: ‘I’m trying.’

Will: ‘And me. Grand expectations and all – something that never happens.’

Mischele: ‘I make no guarantees but I am trying to be fair and open and honest.’

Will: ‘That’s all I can ask of you. That is all you are asking of me.’

Mischele: ‘Exactly. Especially like that HONESTY part. It’s killing me.’

Will: ‘Just here – drop me just here.’

They said their goodbyes and Will got out the car and walked away. As Mischele drove off, she spoke to herself and the people who would watch the video.

Mischele: ‘It’s all bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, bullshit – that’s all it is. Just bullshit and lies. Plaza 14/15, route 70. That’s where we dropped him off. Does he live here? Does he work here? What does he do? Fuck knows!

‘Jesus, God help me,’ she said, with a deep sigh.

‘If I can get this in tomorrow, if I can get the other footage with the confession with everything, you blow it. We’ll see.

‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

‘I’m not even Catholic!’



I found transcribing the video utterly fascinating and, equally, extremely unnerving. It allowed me to analyse Will’s body language and word structure in detail, and really very little of it makes sense written down. It truly is the body language that matters so much.

Will Jordan explained away his dealings one by one in a completely reasonable tone of voice, as if he was actually the injured party but still being magnanimous about it all. He left gaps in his explanations and used gestures which made Mischele finish the sentence.

The utterly strange thing about listening to him talk on the video is that I had to keep slapping myself mentally, because I started to think ‘Does he really think this?’ and had to remind myself that he really doesn’t. He knows exactly what he is doing and his tactics are very clear.

He uses projection and reframing – making it seem like his crimes against others, conning them out of money and manipulating them, were actually committed against him. He uses word salad and nonsensical conversation when Mischele asks a question, giving long and unintelligible answers which distract her whilst yet not answering the questions. And he tries to play on her emotions by stating how much he loved me, and how that was the ‘biggest regret from that time’ – I assume to try and make her jealous (and/or desire to be loved by him like that as well). That is all that is.