The whole family was permanently on the run with the preparations for the upcoming nuptials, when Kerry would marry a high-caliber lawyer who was as nice as he was successful.
May had no doubt that Kerry’s wedding, which would be held at a venue in the local area, would be the event of the year. The decade, even.
But even though wedding messages were currently interrupting her work at least three times a day, May was determined that she was not going to allow this to derail her focus on her own job.
Unfortunately, so far, all the focus in the world had not helped with finding Emily Hobbs.
As she headed for the locker room where she kept her jacket and purse, her phone rang. It was her boss, Sheriff Jack, on the line.
Quickly, she picked up the call.
“Sheriff Jack?” she said.
“May.” His tone was heavy and she knew at once, with a twist of her stomach, that this was bad news even before he spoke the words.
“What is it?” she asked, worried.
“There’s been a body found. Down by the lake. Near the old boathouse. You need to get here as soon as you can.”
May felt coldness suffuse her. This was complicated. She could hear it in Jack’s voice, in that abrupt plea for her to get to the scene as soon as she could.
She feared this meant that it was murder. Jack hadn’t said it was Emily Hobbs. Perhaps that still had to be confirmed. Her boss was not one for jumping the gun, and preferred to be cautious when giving out information.
But what had happened? What could have played out? Had Emily’s body washed up? Was this going to be confirmed as an accidental death, tragic, but at least giving her family closure?
Scenarios flitted through her mind, but none of them matched that heavy tone she’d heard in Jack’s voice that told her this was more than serious.
“I’m going to be there in ten minutes,” she promised.
May felt a desperate sense of urgency. She needed to get to the scene as quickly as she could. This was her territory, her area of responsibility, and she knew she needed to be there, to take charge, to get to the bottom of what was happening.
She grabbed her jacket out of the locker, shivering as if a sudden chill had gripped her, even though she knew it was her own nerves that were making her feel cold.
Picking up her purse, she took her car keys from the side pocket and sprinted out, anxiety filling her at what she was going to find.
CHAPTER TWO
May sped down the quiet road that led out of Fairshore and toward Eagle Lake. Dread curdled her stomach, and worries filled her mind about what she might find at the scene.
Someone had died. She knew this without a doubt, from Jack’s tone. And she feared that it was murder.
All she could do now was get to the scene to find out more. And while on the way, she could call for further backup.
Quickly, May got onto the phone to Deputy Owen Lovell, her investigation partner.
“Hello, May?” He sounded surprised that she was calling him, and instantly, in his voice, she heard a note of the same worry that had been in hers.
“There’s been a body found at the lake. Near the old boathouse,” she said.
She heard his gasp.
“I’m on my way,” he said, and cut the call.
That was what she liked about Owen. Actually, there was much to like about her tall, good-looking deputy who had made a career move to join the police a couple of years ago, wanting to make a difference. But one of the things May most appreciated about him was his ability to pick up on her thinking and do what needed to be done.
He knew this was not the time for questions, since May was clearly in her car and driving at top speed, but rather time to rush to the scene.
As she drove, she tried to calm her nerves, but she felt jumpy and agitated.