Subterfuge and bluff

[jcne]

do you think it is easy to smell alcohol on someone if they have been drinking (beer), but have taken precautions e.g chewed gum, say, in the afternoon, nowish , and then I arrive at 1730?

Why are you asking?

If they've had a beer with lunch, it might not always be detectable I wouldn't have thought.

because i live with an alcoholic who lies and has conveniently disappeared this afternoon