Abigale looked down at her hands, which both shook. But from what? Jitters? Shock? Fright? Pain? She
wasn’t able to decide.
wasn’t able to decide.
She refocused on the door that both detectives had disappeared behind. What did that cop have to tell
Collins that she couldn’t be in the room for? Could it be something about her mom? Maybe her dad? Her
stomach churned at the thought.
Collins that she couldn’t be in the room for? Could it be something about her mom? Maybe her dad? Her
stomach churned at the thought.
The analogue clock that hung on one of the bland walls was beginning to drive her insane. The constant
ticking noise that counted every second she was in the room rattled around her brain. Abigale fought the
urge to rip it from the nail it was suspended from and smash it on the floor. She pictured the glass face
shattering on the tile, the small gears and parts sliding across the floor in a desperate attempt to flee her
anger. Abigale would have already done it if she knew Collins wouldn’t make her pay for a new one.
ticking noise that counted every second she was in the room rattled around her brain. Abigale fought the
urge to rip it from the nail it was suspended from and smash it on the floor. She pictured the glass face
shattering on the tile, the small gears and parts sliding across the floor in a desperate attempt to flee her
anger. Abigale would have already done it if she knew Collins wouldn’t make her pay for a new one.
After enduring a few minutes of excruciating silence with only her tortured thoughts and the ticking noise
of the analog clock, Collins re-entered, his face ashen.
of the analog clock, Collins re-entered, his face ashen.
“What’s wrong?” Abigale asked, her heart climbing into her throat. The tears that had been streaming down
her cheeks were long dried.
her cheeks were long dried.
The detective shook his head, taking a seat at the table. “It’s nothing. I’ll tell you when I have more
information. No sense in worrying you yet.”
information. No sense in worrying you yet.”
“Yet?” Abigale said. She reached for his arm, her fingers wrapping around his wrist. “No, I want to know
now.”
now.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Please.”
Collins sighed, glancing down where she squeezed his arm. He removed her pale, shaky hand from his
wrist and placed it back on her side of the table. “I’ll make you a deal. You tell me what I want to know,
and I’ll inform you of what’s going on.”
wrist and placed it back on her side of the table. “I’ll make you a deal. You tell me what I want to know,
and I’ll inform you of what’s going on.”
Abigale’s hands curled into fists as the memories flooded back again. “No, I can’t,” she said in a small
voice. “Please don’t make me do this.”
voice. “Please don’t make me do this.”
Delusions
by
Amy Crandall
Genre:
YA Psychological Thriller
As
she waits to give her statement in one of the interrogation rooms of
Arcata Police Department, Abigale recites the same line over and over
inside her head.
I
did not kill anyone.
I
did not kill anyone.
But
there’s a trail of bodies, and it leads straight to her. The events
that brought her to this very moment all point to one thing…her
guilt.
She
must convince Detective Collins of her innocence, but how can she
explain her ties to the victims, and the evidence that has her name
written all over it?
Then
there’s the mysterious Facebook profile. DarkHeart434.
Who
is DarkHeart434? And why does it seem like this person has all the
answers, including the identity of the real murderer?
As
pieces of the puzzle start to come together, everything about
Abigale’s life begins to unravel—her past, her present…and even
her self-proclaimed innocence.
He chuckled, leaning back in the chair. “No. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of this.” His gaze turned
serious. “I don’t think you killed her, but I do think you know more than you’re telling us, which is
unfortunate. Her killer is still out there, and you’re sitting here defending him. It appalls me that you would
defend the person who stalked, kidnapped, and attempted to murder you.”
serious. “I don’t think you killed her, but I do think you know more than you’re telling us, which is
unfortunate. Her killer is still out there, and you’re sitting here defending him. It appalls me that you would
defend the person who stalked, kidnapped, and attempted to murder you.”
Abigale inhaled sharply. Flashes from that night bombarded her thoughts, but she pushed them away with a
hard blink. “I’m—I’m not defending him.”
hard blink. “I’m—I’m not defending him.”
“Yes, you are. By not giving us a name, you’re withholding information—which is a criminal offence by
the way—and you’re protecting him by doing so.”
the way—and you’re protecting him by doing so.”
“I’m not meaning to do anything, Detective,” she muttered. “I have no desire to protect him.”
Detective Collins leaned back in his chair. “Then why aren’t you telling me what I want to know? Wouldn’t
it be so much easier for you if you just told me?”
it be so much easier for you if you just told me?”
“Yes, it would be easier,” replied Abigale. “But I’m not going to tell you. I’m done talking. I want my
lawyer.”
lawyer.”
Collins shook his head. “You aren’t a suspect, Ms. Fern. Therefore, you don’t require a lawyer.”
Abigale laughed coldly. “Really? That FBI agent seemed to think I was a suspect. He was about to arrest
me an hour ago. I’m not that stupid, Detective.”
me an hour ago. I’m not that stupid, Detective.”
He was silent for a moment. Abigale stared into his eyes, her arms crossed over her chest. “I didn’t kill
Julia Holland,” she told him firmly, her voice steely calm. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
Julia Holland,” she told him firmly, her voice steely calm. “I didn’t kill anyone.”
Detective Collins said, “You seem very certain about that.”
Amy
Crandall is an avid reader and novelist born and raised in British
Columbia, Canada. She began writing in elementary school, publishing
her first story on Wattpad.com at the age of thirteen. With the
support of her loved ones and newfound friends on the site, Amy
continued to share her thoughts and interests in the form of
storytelling.
Before
her Wattpad.com days, she was published in A Celebration of Poets -
Summer 2012 (Creative Communication, 2012) for her poem My Garden.
That experience only drove her desire to further pursue writing. Her
first full-length novel, "Delusions", was a featured story
on Wattpad.com, reaching #7 in the mystery/thriller genre, and
surpassing 115,000 reads, before its publishing.
When
she isn't envisioning a new story plot, Amy can be found camping with
loved ones, getting lost in a great read, jamming to her favourite
tunes, or giving in to her craving of Timmies' iced lemonades.
Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
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