He seemed to believe he had caught someone dangerous, someone who belonged behind bars.
Then, like a punch to the gut, Jenny remembered a local news report from just a few days earlier. A break-in at the town museum. Priceless ancient artifacts stolen in the dead of night. Could he… could he be confusing her replica teaching tools with the real stolen pieces?
No—it’s too ridiculous, she told herself. But deep down, she wasn’t so sure anymore. This officer had already shown how far from reason he could go.
The thought festered in her chest like a growing fire. Her replicas—simple classroom props—could look authentic under poor lighting or to someone untrained. But she had paperwork. Documentation. Proof. Yet none of it had mattered so far.
She tried not to cry. Her fingers clenched the edge of her purse, holding onto her phone like a lifeline. The officer’s words echoed in her head again—You’re going to regret this. Jenny shivered, unsure if the fear in her stomach was more from the threat, or the chilling certainty in his voice.
The longer they drove down the empty, twisting road, the more suffocated she felt. The dashboard lights glowed faintly.
The static-laced police radio occasionally crackled with codes and broken transmissions. Somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed and then faded away.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back. Stay strong, she told herself. Stay calm. Record everything.
She had to believe that somehow, the truth would come out. That someone—anyone—would see the footage and understand what really happened tonight.
When they reached the station, the officer’s demeanor changed. He stood taller, shoulders squared with arrogance, his expression smug as he led her inside. It was as if he’d caught a high-profile criminal, not a tired schoolteacher with replica props in her trunk.
“Look what we’ve got,” he said loudly, holding up the bag of teaching materials like it was a trophy. Officers gathered, drawn by the spectacle.
One of them clapped him on the back. “Nice work. Bagged one of the artifact thieves, huh?”
Jenny’s stomach turned. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. They really think I did this.
Her cheeks flushed with humiliation. She opened her mouth to speak, to scream the truth, but the words tangled in her throat. Eyes watched her from every direction, judging her, deciding her guilt without asking a single question.