She couldn’t do it. She didn’t have it in her to misuse her position in that way. No matter how much she longed to glimpse what was inside, she knew she couldn’t. She was not that person. In fact, she needed to get out of this room before she was tempted to do something she’d regret for the rest of her life.
She had a busy day, and she told herself firmly that there was no point moping around the evidence room, mooning over boxes that she was not allowed to open.
She had to focus on her job, and not pilfer evidence boxes for selfish reasons, looking for the tiniest ray of hope, or at least closure, on the terrible event that had defined her life since then.
May sighed. Sometimes, being a law enforcement officer was harder than it seemed, but she’d determinedly done her best ever since joining, and she was going to do her best now.
As she stood there, still strangely conflicted, she reminded herself of the oath she’d taken when she’d first joined the police.
“I will protect and serve with every breath in my body.”
And so she would.
She was May Moore, Deputy Sheriff of Tamarack County. Even if the evidence room held secrets that could break her.
Putting the box carefully back on the shelf, she turned away.
As she left the room, locking the door behind her, she heard Sheriff Jack call her name loudly. May jumped, feeling guilty even though she’d done no more than hold that old box for a few moments. Had Jack seen? Did he know?
“Yes, Sheriff?” she asked quickly, as she hurried back into their shared office.
But he wasn’t sitting at his desk. The gray-haired, pleasant-faced sheriff was standing at the door, and his next words brought clarity—as well as a speeding up of her heart.
“May, we need to head down to Eagle Lake urgently. A body’s just been found there.”