had come in to confirm Quinn’s identity and that she worked at Teton State College. But then she’d left, and Quinn had been alone once more.
She had no idea why that state trooper had brought her in, and besides being read her Miranda rights, nobody else had seemed very interested in talking to her.
And then that same middle-aged detective had come in a few minutes ago and told Quinn she was free to go before she walked her out to the main lobby.
“I don’t understand what’s happening,” Quinn said before the woman turned to leave. “If no one was going to ask me any questions, why was I brought here?”
The woman shrugged. “Our computer system is having issues. There was an APB out for you, not a warrant for your arrest—no judge signed off on that. There might be some questions about what happened at Teton State College, but right now you’re free to go.”
“What happened at TSC?”
The woman shrugged. “I’m not at liberty to say. Someone will be in touch if they have questions for you.”
Before Quinn could figure out what other questions to ask, the woman had gone back down the hallway.
Quinn rubbed her forehead. It really was one disaster after another with her. She needed to call Baby so she could get a ride home, but when she pulled her phone out and put in her password, the screen froze.
“Seriously?” she muttered. This was not the time for her phone to stop working.
She walked outside and sat on the top step of the wide stairs in front of the police building. She completely powered off her phone then turned it back on, but once she put in her password, it froze again.
She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head against them. It was like she was a magnet for difficulty. No matter what she did, it seemed to follow her.
She felt the tears gather and breathed through her nose to force them back. She needed to take a minute to pull herself together—and not cry. Damn it, she was not going to sit out in front of a police station and cry.
“Excuse me, ma’am? Are you Quinn Harrison–Pritchard?”
Quinn sucked in a shaky breath, forcing herself to pull it together and looked over at the young, uniformed police officer looking at her with some concern.
“Yes. Please tell me I’m not about to be arrested again.” That would be the last straw.
“No, ma’am. They sent me out here to check if you needed a ride. Someone was concerned that you’d been brought in by mistake, on a holiday weekend no less. I’m heading toward Oak Creek, and I don’t mind giving you a lift if you’re comfortable with that.”
“Oh, well...” She was big city enough not to want to get into a car with a stranger.
The officer nodded, looking too young to be a cop. She would’ve almost said he was a teenager. “I understand. I would tell my mother to do the same thing you’re doing—call a friend or get an Uber or something, rather than take a ride from a stranger. Although, I guess an Uber’s a stranger, too. And more expensive.”
Quinn rubbed her eyes. She reminded him of his mother? This day couldn’t get any worse.
She stood. “You know what, if you’re sure it’s not out of your way, I’ll take the ride home.”
Even if he dropped her off anywhere in Oak Creek, she’d be able to get a lift from there.
He gave her a smile. “Good. We’d hate to think that after all the screw ups today with the computer that you’d be stranded here or have to wait for a ride. That’s not the Wyoming way.”
He led her around to the side parking lot to a gray sedan. He was even polite enough to open the door for her.
“I’m Trent. At least we’re not riding in a squad car, right?”
“At least I’m not in handcuffs this time.” She didn’t want to think about what everyone must be saying about her. That state trooper couldn’t have found a more conspicuous place to decide to make his arrest.
God, it was like everything was happening all over again. A movie playing on repeat that she couldn’t stop.
Officer Trent chatted about various things, most of which she wasn’t paying much attention to. Did she like the weather here in Wyoming? Was it different than Cambridge? Did she like teaching at Teton State College? Evidently, whatever that detective had confirmed about Quinn’s identity, she had passed