Okay, non-child amateur psychologist.
Assume Sheridan was Cooper. What's the best way to interact with him now?
Your claim is that you're superior psychology skills and understanding of people, to get to "the truth" whatever that may be?
I don't see that. You're in a hole, with nowhere to dig more, so you want to claim the hole is all you needed.
Why do you have such a need to proclaim you have the best hole?