When questioning a subject, you should not only pay attention to what he/she says, but also how they say it. The subject may be unwittingly sending you subtle messages.
For example:
You: “If I search your vehicle, am I going to find anything illegal?”
Subject: “Um…well…you shouldn’t.”
[You “shouldn’t?” Meaning what? He hid it well enough that you should miss it?]
Or
Subject: “I don’t think so.”
[He doesn’t “think” so? Is he hedging his bet and distancing himself from any real awareness of the car and its contents so he can claim that he had no idea those drugs were stashed in the trunk?]
Or
Subject: “Um, you mean search MY car? Search it? Will you find anything? I mean, I have no idea. Well, no. You won’t find anything.”
[It’s not a difficult question. Why would he need to repeat it? Buying time perhaps? He also switches from giving a non-committal “I have no idea” response to a definitive “No.” Why the wavering? If he’s completely confident there’s nothing hinky in that vehicle, a quick, decisive “No” would be appropriate.]
