Free Twisted Dreams by Marissa Farrar

stomach in knots. Most of these people probably didn’t know what the police wanted with me, but I doubted it would stay that way for long. I understood how the gossip mill worked. Even if people didn’t know what was going on, they’d probably make something up until they did.
    I followed the officers out to the parking lot where my own rental car was parked. The cop car stood out like a beacon. The only thing getting more attention than the car was me. Officer Logsdon opened the back door of the patrol vehicle and I slipped into the back seat. Both officers climbed in the front and twisted back around to speak to me.
    “I’m guessing you already know why we need to talk to you,” the female officer, Russo, said.
    I hazarded a guess. “The accident at the carnival last night?”
    She nodded. “That’s right. We had a number of people report that you predicted the accident about to happen and were actually trying to move people away from the ride only moments before the car spun off.” She picked up her notes, “A Riley Draiodh said—”
    I cut her off. “Who?”
    “The young man working the ride. He says you seemed absolutely certain of what was about to happen. You told him the car was going to spin off into the crowd of people, something which happened only moments later.”
    I shrugged, while storing away the knowledge of his name for turning over later. Riley Draiodh …
    “It was a lucky guess,” I told her. “I saw a screw come loose and the car looked like it was lifting off the platform. Anyone else who noticed it would have assumed the same thing.”
    “But no one else did notice, did they? And there must have been fifty people standing around that ride.”
    “Are you trying to say I had something to do with it, and suddenly changed my mind and so warned everyone to get out of the way?” Despite my fear of authority, I couldn’t help the sarcastic tone that entered my voice.
    “Is that what happened?” Officer Logsdon said, not a trace of humor on his face.
    “No, of course not! I only got here yesterday.”
    Officer Russo continued, “This is very serious, Miss Bandores. Several people were hurt in the incident, and the carnival has been shut down. If you know anything, I suggest you tell us now. It’ll only look bad on you if we find out at a later date that you withheld information.”
    “I don’t know anything else!”
    My heart had fallen at the mention of the carnival closing. Did that mean the boy, Riley, would leave now? It seemed strange to think I might not see him again. I wasn’t sure if it was one of my predictions, but I’d felt sure our paths would cross again.
    The female officer checked her notes again, though I was certain she’d already planned exactly what she was going to ask me. “We also had an incident on Route Forty-Six yesterday afternoon in which you seem to have been involved.”
    I’d had to report the accident in order to claim on my insurance for damage to my car.
    “Well, yes, but that had nothing to do with me. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
    She studied my face and I shrank. “That happen to you often?”
    I bristled. “Not normally. Must be something about this town.”
    She responded only with a “hmm,” and scribbled something on her notepad.
    “Anyway,” I said. “Is it okay if I go now? My next class will start soon, and I don’t want to be late quite so early in the term.”
    They exchanged a glance.
    “All right,” Officer Logsdon said. “If we need to ask you any more questions, I assume we can find you on campus.”
    “Yes, I’m staying in Caraway dorm.”
    Officer Russo leaned across the back of the seats and handed me a card. “If you hear anything or think of anything else, please give us a call.”
    My fingers closed around the card which contained her name and number. “Sure. No problem.”
    That seemed to be good enough for the moment. I climbed out of the car and tried to ignore all of