"Personal belongings."
"Open it."
"I don't consent to a search."
Marcus spoke carefully.
"Sir, if there's no probable cause—"
Rourke turned.
"Did I ask you?"
Marcus stopped.
Evelyn noticed the exchange.
She noticed everything.
The younger deputy's hesitation.
The older deputy's irritation.
The way Marcus kept looking at the ground whenever Rourke raised his voice.
It told her more about Bellhaven than any report could have.
Rourke walked around the sedan.
He shined his flashlight through the windows.
"Step out."
Evelyn opened the door.
She stepped onto the wet pavement.
"Am I free to leave?"
"No."
"Why am I being detained?"
"Because I said so."
Evelyn slowly nodded.
"That's not a legal reason."
Rourke stepped closer.
"You want to tell me how to do my job?"
"No."
"Sounds like it."
"I want to understand why I'm being detained."
"You'll understand when I'm finished."
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
"Deputy Rourke, maybe we should call a supervisor."
Rourke turned toward him.
"You don't need a supervisor."
"Sir—"
"Go sit in your car."
Marcus hesitated.
Then he obeyed.
Evelyn watched him walk away.
She wasn't surprised.
Fear could make good people quiet.
That didn't mean they were bad people.
It meant they were human.
Rourke stood beside her.
"Last chance."
"For what?"
"Search."
"No."
His eyes hardened.
Then he walked toward the sedan.
Evelyn's voice remained steady.
"Deputy."
He stopped.
"You should consider what you're putting in your report."
Rourke laughed.
"You worried about my report?"
"No."
She looked directly at him.
"I'm worried about what the report will reveal."
For the first time that night, Rourke looked uncertain.
Only for a second.
Then the uncertainty disappeared.
He opened the rear door.
And began searching.
Rourke searched the back seat first.
A suitcase.
A folded coat.
Two books.
A laptop bag.
He opened everything.
Nothing.
He moved to the trunk.
Evelyn stood several feet away.
"You're conducting a search without my consent."
"I know."
"Under what authority?"
Rourke ignored her.
Inside the trunk were three cardboard boxes.
One contained old photographs.
Another contained documents.
The third contained books.
Rourke opened the document box.
He found several folders.
One had a state government seal.
He pulled it out.
Evelyn's expression changed slightly.
"Please don't remove those."
Rourke smiled.
"Why?"
"They are confidential."
"That makes me want to read them more."
Evelyn took one step forward.
"Do not open that folder."
Rourke held it higher.
"You giving me an order?"
"No."
"Sure sounds like it."
He opened the folder.
Inside were pages containing legal analysis, personnel charts, and county reports.
Rourke scanned the first page.
His eyes stopped.
The header read:
BELLHAVEN COUNTY LAW-ENFORCEMENT TRANSITION REVIEW
He frowned.
"What's this?"
Evelyn didn't answer.
Rourke turned another page.
There were names.
Deputy assignments.
Internal complaints.
Budget records.
Recommendations.
At the bottom of the first page was a signature.
He read it twice.
Evelyn Carter
He looked at the woman standing beside the car.
"What is this?"
"My work."
"Where do you work?"
"State government."
"Doing what?"
"Administrative oversight."
Rourke laughed.
"Administrative oversight."
He tossed the folder back into the box.
"You're not some government inspector."
Evelyn said nothing.
"Who are you?"
She looked at her watch.
11:58 p.m.
"Someone who has an appointment tomorrow morning."
"With who?"
"That's not relevant."
"Everything is relevant right now."
Evelyn looked toward Marcus's cruiser.
The younger deputy was watching.
She wondered what he would do when the truth came out.
Then her phone vibrated.
One message.
Everything is ready. See you at 8:00. — County Manager
Evelyn put the phone away.
Rourke noticed.
"Who was that?"
"Someone expecting me."
"Where?"
"Bellhaven."
"You're already here."
"Yes."
"Then why don't you tell me who you are?"
Evelyn looked at him.
"Because you haven't asked me the right question."
Rourke frowned.
"What question?"
She answered quietly.
"Who am I here to become?"
The clock on her dashboard changed.
12:00 a.m.
The date changed with it.
And so did everything else.
At midnight, Evelyn Carter officially became the incoming sheriff of Bellhaven County.
The appointment had been approved weeks earlier.
The official announcement had been scheduled for eight in the morning.
Nobody in the department knew.
Nobody except the county manager, the state oversight board, and a handful of county commissioners.
Evelyn had insisted on keeping her identity confidential until she arrived.
She wanted to see the department without the performance that came with a new boss.