Page 133 of Kept in the Dark

Hailey smiled. Home.

She laughed at the sentiment. He had always been home to her, even when they thought they hated each other.

They hadn’t talked much about the future. The last few days had been far too crazy to even think about it. But she wore the ring Trey had bought her, a promise she intended to keep this time. She couldn’t help but stare at it. As a teenager, she had dreamed of becoming Mrs. Trey Harbor. She wanted nothing more than to be his wife, to love him forever. And now, after thirteen years, it was becoming reality.

That night all those years ago, as they lay entangled together under the moonlight and the glow of the stars, she had meant what she’d said when she claimed to love him forever. And even through the worst of the worst, their love somehow lasted.

And now, they would raise their beautiful daughter together.

She sighed inwardly. Hailey’s heart broke for Trinity. Her daughter had been in shock the night they’d been held hostage, needing to be sedated once they had gotten to the hospital. She had screamed and sobbed hysterically as the doctors attempted to assess her. Hailey and Trey had slept at the hospital while they waited for her to calm down, neither one actually sleeping as they kept a watchful eye over her.

Finally, she had calmed down enough for them to take her home, though she was still timid and jumped at the slightest noise, worried that Lauren managed to escape and was coming after her. Of course, the nightmares had her waking up screaming and crying at all hours of the night. The three of them had been sleeping in the living room together because that seemed to be the only place Trinity felt safe.

Thankfully, Trey was taking a leave of absence until he felt he could leave Hailey and Trinity alone. Hailey knew he blamed himself for what happened, despite never voicing as much. She innately knew as much by the way he looked at Hailey and Trinity, or by the way he would hover or reach for his service weapon during the night.

“She’ll be okay,” Trey said quietly, pulling her from her thoughts.

Hailey turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I know. I just hate that she’s so scared.”

“Me too.” He kissed her forehead. “But she’s a survivor, just like her mother.”

He was right. Ryan had nearly killed her twice, and both times she had defied his attempts. Trinity was a force to be reckoned with and Hailey knew she would take the world by storm one day.

Much like Hailey once thought Sara would.

Seeing her sister hooked up to a ventilator had been difficult and Hailey hadn’t left her side until she was stable. Thankfully, Sara had pulled through and seemed to be healing quickly. Though, in pure Sara fashion, she had discharged herself against medical advice, making everyone upset. Hailey couldn’t blame her though. Sara had felt confined to the hospital room, and she needed her freedom…something she hoped Lauren would never know again.

Of course, the police were still piecing together Lauren’s crimes, but the FBI was now involved and would be taking over her case. One of the agents who interviewed Trinity had gone above and beyond to help her feel safe. He promised to be there every step of the way and when it came time to testify, he wouldn’t leave her side. He’d given Trinity his card and the teenager had clung to it like a lifeline.

Hailey didn’t blame her daughter for being so scared. Upon hearing some of the FBI’s findings, Hailey was realizing that Lauren shouldn’t be underestimated.

Apparently, she had killed her parents and eluded police for decades. Plus, she had been arrested for killing Nicole, Ryan, Hannah, Bobby, Loretta, Eli, and, of course, Morgan. Not to mention conspiracy and fraud and her attempt on Trey’s life. And there were whispers that she may have been involved in the disappearances of other people, but nothing had come of those rumors yet.

And, unsurprisingly, all of the investigating agencies were having a hard time sorting through the truth and her lies.

Even Trey managed to find holes in her statements. When he finally viewed the footage from Nicole’s restaurant, he was shocked to find that it was actually Lauren whom Nicole had been fighting with. From what he gathered, Hannah had seen the two women fighting and confronted Lauren about it. Ryan was supposed to be the fall-guy, but when Hannah started poking around, she became a liability and Lauren had killed her.

And Hailey hadn't been prepared to learn it was actually Lauren who had killed Eli. The hospital surveillance showed she had been the only person to enter his room in the two-hour window of when he died. She could be seen walking into the room, holding a vase of flowers. She was inside for nearly ten minutes before walking back out, turning back toward the door and opening it where she proceeded to scream and drop the vase, acting as if she’d seen Ryan kill Eli.

She had even used Hannah’s car to drive herself to the hospital, knowing the police likely wouldn’t notice it for days, possibly even weeks. She knew they would escort her, the weeping witness, to the station for a statement and no one would bat an eye at the inconsistency.

Unfortunately for her, Ryan used Lauren’s plan to his advantage when he kidnapped Trinity and demanded that Hailey come for her. Hailey vomited when she found out Hannah’s body had been in the trunk the whole time.

Despite Ryan being absolutely heinous, Lauren was likely the most cunning person Hailey had ever met. Even David paled in comparison to his wife in that regard.

That thought sent chills slithering down Hailey’s spine. But Hailey took solace in the fact that the secrets Lauren kept in the dark for so long were now coming to light.

She studied Trey’s face, memories flashing through her mind. Funny, she had hated this place so much when she first came back to town. But now, it felt like home. And maybe that’s because it was always home, even for all the bad memories it held.

“What are you thinking about, Princess?”

Hailey smiled. “Everything. Our past, our future. Me and you.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“I’m sure you do,” she giggled.

“I love you, Hailey,” he said

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