This week’s words:
befuddle v. to make confused, as by swift speech; to render unable to think clearly
fatuous adj. silly, pointless; foolish
taradiddle n. a petty lie
consternation n. anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected
meretricious adj. apparently attractive but having no value or integrity in reality
The sentences:
Isaac felt an increasing sense of consternation as the interrogation proceeded. He’d told a few taradiddles to the first officer that interviewed him– innocuous answers to seemingly fatuous questions. Then a second officer had entered the interrogation room, relieving the first, and now, as the questions poured swiftly at him out of order and circling back around in ambush, he felt guilty, even though he wasn’t. He could see this second officer was attempting to befuddle him and catch him in a lie– trying to find out who he was protecting. It wouldn’t work.
Now the second officer tried a new tactic. “Doughnut?” she said suddenly, smiling as she offered him a meretricious fruit-filled pastry.
Julie Israel 
What’s the word?