In the back of her mind, she was hoping that it had been an accidental death. Terrible as any death was, at least a drowning or an unlucky fall would not mean that someone had deliberately taken someone else's life.
"The initial call only just came through and I'm still on my way to the scene, so I don't know more. Accounts were confused, but from the report, it seems a woman has turned up dead in the woods behind the pavilion. It didn't seem accidental, from the call-out, but we won't know until we get there."
"A murder?" May asked, alarmed. Her heart was thudding faster, her pulse pounded in her wrists and temples.
"One of the students, I believe." Jack's tone was heavy with worry.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," May promised.
She felt scared at what might be waiting there, and anxious about all the unknown factors.
She cut the call, and quickly put on her jacket, finishing off with her gun belt and her hat.
Fortunately, being so close to home, May knew where the Hazelwood Pavilion was, and didn't need to look at her map as she hurried out of the cottage and jumped into her car.
Minutes later, she was driving in the predawn light to the community center.
Whatever had played out there, it had left a student dead and a family bereaved. If it had not been accidental, someone had to answer for this crime.
And if it had been murder, May knew it would be up to her to find out who had committed this crime, and hunt the killer down.
She felt pressured to get there as fast as she could and start piecing together what had happened.
CHAPTER TWO
By the time May reached the lake, it was fully light on what promised to be a cloudless summer day. She was barely aware of the scenic surroundings as she powered into the Hazelwood Pavilion parking lot, stopping in between Sheriff Jack's cruiser and the car of her investigation partner, Deputy Owen Lovell.
She jumped out, hurrying over the neatly mown grass, following the narrow, paved pathway that wound its way down to the scenic pavilion, with its green roof and white-painted walls, and lavender and rose bushes in planters nearby.
Anxiety flared inside her as she heard the crackle of police radios. It was a terrible thing to see the aftermath of a party that was supposed to be a happy, festive occasion but which had imploded into disaster.
Parents were arriving, looking red-eyed and anxious-faced. “What happened?” she heard them asking each other. “Was this an accident? Was there a fight?”
Knots of people stood around, glancing in the direction of the woods. Girls were sobbing. Boys were standing with their heads bowed, pale and shocked.
The pavilion was decorated with colorful bunting, flapping in the early morning breeze, but to May, the litter of bottles and cans told a different story. Things seemed to have gotten a little out of hand at this post-prom celebration.
She knew with a lurch of her stomach that this would make it harder to probe for the truth.
At that moment, another car pulled up behind May. It was one of the sergeants from the Fairfield police department.
"Hi, Kevin," May greeted him. She glanced around, taking the opportunity to manage the scene before heading to where the body was.
"Could you please wait here, by the parking lot entrance? I don't think anyone should be allowed to leave until we've established more. We may need some on-the-spot witness reports. You can start taking down names and contact details."
"I'll do that," he promised, heading to the open gate and stationing himself there.
May walked the other way, heading to the path leading down to the woods, following the crackles of the radio. Now she could make out the voices of officers and detectives, calling out to each other.
May hurried along the main trail, and then veered off it along a side path toward where the others were, her feet crunching on twigs and grass, stepping over tree roots and around bushes. It was difficult to see the narrow path through the undergrowth, and she had to watch her step carefully to avoid tripping.
As she approached, a tall, dark-haired man turned around and saw her.
"Morning, Owen," she greeted her investigation partner. He looked serious and worried. He was wearing foot covers and gloves.
"Morning, May. I got here a few minutes ago. I can't believe this has happened. At a post-prom party, too."
Owen looked horrified. May saw that he, like her, was deeply troubled by this disaster. Owen had been her partner for a year and had joined the police because he wanted to make a difference in the community.