Midnight Games(20)

Part Three





18

I’ve had some hard times lately, with my mom dying and my dad deciding he didn’t want me to live with him. And some other painful stuff.

But the next three days were a total nightmare, the worst days of my life.

The Shadyside police showed up about ten minutes after we saw Ada’s body. You can imagine the screams of horror and crying and wailing that went on when the other kids all came skating out to take a look at her. And the cold, accusing stares I got.

Every kid there thought I was a murderer.

Including Nate and Jamie, I’m sure.

At least, Jamie stood by me. I don’t remember seeing Nate. He simply disappeared.

Anyway, the police took me to their precinct station in the Old Village. They called Jamie’s parents. Her dad is a lawyer, thank goodness.

We all sat around a beat-up, metal table in a tiny, gray room. Everyone grim and yellow-faced under harsh fluorescent ceiling lights.

Jamie’s mother kept her eyes down. She wouldn’t look at me. Mr. Richards squeezed my hand and whispered that I didn’t have to answer any questions I didn’t want to.

“I-I’ll answer what I can,” I stammered.

Two police officers—a man and a woman—questioned me for hours. I told them everything I could.

The last thing I remembered was Ada leaping on me and choking me. I told them I remembered the feeling of her wool gloves, scratchy on my neck. How she tightened her fingers around my throat. How she cut off my windpipe.

I couldn’t breathe.

I pleaded with her to let go.

That’s all. Nothing more to tell.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting up on the ice, feeling dazed. My head felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds, and my eyes wouldn’t focus.

I must have blacked out because Ada cut off my air. She tried to choke me to death. I tried to get away. I tried to free myself.

But I didn’t fight back. And I didn’t kill her.

We went over and over the whole thing. I think the two officers wanted to trick me into changing my story. Or they thought maybe I’d break down and confess.

They checked my neck. And yes, there were red bruises at my throat, just as I’d said.

I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I kept drinking cup after cup of water. My hands shook. I clasped them tightly in my lap and stared across the table at the two cops.

I looked straight into their eyes. I wanted to convince them I was telling the truth.

And finally, I raised my trembling hands. “Look at my hands,” I said. “Look at my arms. I don’t work out or anything. Look how skinny I am. I’m not strong enough to shove a skate blade through someone’s skull. No way.”

I held my arms up, and they stared at them. Studied them. I think maybe it helped convince them.

“I was being choked to death,” I told them. “I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t fight her off. How could I unlace her skate and drive it through her head?”

“I think we’re going to end this now,” Jamie’s dad said. “Are you going to charge Dana?”

The two officers whispered to each other. Then they left the room.

I turned to Jamie’s mom. Mrs. Richards had a handkerchief pressed to her face. I couldn’t see her expression.

Mr. Richards patted my hand. “I think they believe you,” he murmured. “Did you see anyone else around? Do you know of someone else who had a grudge against Ada or might want to see her dead?”

I stared at him. I’d already answered those questions for the police officers. “No. I don’t remember anyone,” I said again.

He nodded. “Dana, have you had blackouts before?” he asked.

“No one ever tried to strangle me before,” I answered.

But I suddenly remembered that strange, woozy feeling I’d had at the top of the stairs at Jamie’s party. I felt so weird that night, as if I was blacking out. And the next thing I knew, I was staring down the stairs at Ada, sprawled on the landing on top of all that broken glass.

I didn’t mention it to Jamie’s dad. But for the first time all night, the question popped quietly into my mind: Did I kill Ada?

Did I go into some kind of weird blackout and murder her without even knowing it?

No.

No way.

No. No. No.

The two officers returned to the room, solemn expressions on their faces. I sucked in a deep breath of air. I thought they were going to arrest me.

But instead, they said they were letting me go. For now. They were continuing their investigation. Blah blah.

I didn’t hear the rest.

I was so happy they were letting me go home.

Mrs. Richards started to sob. Jamie’s dad put his arm around her, trying to comfort her.

Jamie’s dad helped me to their car. I felt like a limp noodle. I could barely walk. He was really nice to me, very gentle and soothing. Mrs. Richards sat in the front seat of the car and didn’t say a word the whole way home.