A Victim's Diary

10

Alistair found it difficult to get an impression of what kind of person Marc Sullivan was. When he had called him to ask him to the police station for an interview, he had seemed incredibly glib and self-assured which was something that always raised Alistair's suspicion, but for no particular reason. After all, if Marc Sullivan was innocent, he would act glib and self-satisfied – first of all, because he was an investment banker and probably rolling in money, and secondly, because he had just gotten his fiancé back.

Alistair was watching him closely when he arrived at the police station. Marc Sullivan was the image of the modern, successful man. His hair was orderly, and his beard was trimmed neatly. He was wearing a designer suit, tailored of course, as well as designer dress shoes. The way he held himself showed everyone that he had made it and that he knew that. He lived for his work like so many others, but other than most people, he was actually getting paid handsomely for it. He was affording himself many luxuries, but he was subtle about it, avoiding tacky and showy displays of his wealth and privilege.

As he watched Marc Sullivan register at the station and being led into the interrogation room Alistair wondered whether he actually liked Cora Greene or if she was little more than a trophy wife (or a soon-to-be trophy wife). After all, she was from a good family and she did make quite the name for herself in the art scene with her work at the gallery. She was beautiful and had a certain artistic charm that seemed to be a good complement to Sullivan's business-like character. Almost a little too perfect.

Alistair wouldn't have been surprised if this was a marriage of convenience more than anything. Especially after he had seen how detached Cora looked, when she had been talking about Marc. The way she talked about their relationship felt more like she was talking about a business transaction than anything involving feelings or passion. Under those circumstances... maybe there was an argument to be made for Marc Sullivan having an affair. Maybe even an affair with Ruby, although Alistair still didn't really believe that. Either way, he was soon to find out, or so he hoped, at the very least.

He did let Marc Sullivan wait for a little while. He seemed to be an impatient man, whose time was very precious. Making him wait was a tactical decision – if he was impatient and annoyed, he might easily make a mistake and slip up, volunteering some information that he maybe hadn't meant to volunteer. It was a slightly risky strategy, because it could also lead to him being so annoyed that he just wouldn't say anything at all, but he seemed too sure of himself for that. He was confident, he was used to telling people what he wanted and to them listening to him and tending to every little whim of his.

Alistair was sure that he was going to break at some point. He was very sure of that. But finding the right moment to come in and begin the interview was always challenging. It meant that Alistair had to watch him very closely, see how often he was looking at his watch, whether he was checking his phone a lot, whether he was tapping his feet and at some point, after he had started pacing a few times, that would be the right moment to release him from this boredom and get right to the interrogation.

That moment had just come and Alistair quickly made his way into the interrogation room with a file in his hand and a big smile on his face. He was holding a coffee cup in his other hand, almost certain that this was going to set Marc Sullivan off even more. It would look like he had made him wait just to get a coffee and he had probably gotten caught up in a chat on the way here. To someone as busy as Sullivan that had to be absolutely infuriating. That's what Alistair was banking on. He just hoped he was right.

"Good morning, Mr. Sullivan. How are you today?" Alistair asked, putting his coffee cup down, before sitting down in the chair opposite him.

"I'm fine, just this is taking a little longer than I expected..." he replied. Alistair smiled widely at him, nodding solemnly.