Page 20 of Kept in the Dark

Hailey considered her daughter for a moment and sighed. “No, it doesn’t have to do with your father.”

Trinity threw up her arms. “Then why are you being so secretive? I’m not going to leave it alone. I swear I’ll start climbing out windows and hiding in your car if I have to.”

Hailey stared at Trinity. It both amazed and aggravated Hailey how much her daughter mirrored her…how much she mirrored Trey.

“Mom, please. You can trust me,” Trinity pleaded. Hailey’s heart softened to the hurt in her daughter’s eyes. She was no longer simply curious but was now feeling like Hailey was lying and being secretive, something Hailey tried not to do since she had kept her paternity a secret.

Weighing her options, Hailey reluctantly said, “It has nothing to do with your father. I think your Aunt Sara was wrongly convicted.” She paused and then said, “Listen, that’s all I’m going to say until I get this mess sorted out so don't keep asking.”

“Are you serious right now? My whole life you said she murdered my grandmother and treated you like crap. Now all of a sudden you think she’s innocent? What’s with you? This place makes you freaking weird.”

“Whoa, lose the attitude. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was wrong?”

Trinity shook her head in disbelief. “Well, that sucks. If she didn’t do it, she just spent thirteen years locked up for no reason.” Trinity asked, “So what are you going to do, go to the police?”

Hailey hadn’t even considered it. Was it possible Trey could help her? Did she even want his help? Her daughter had unknowingly given her an idea that may or may not have dire repercussions.

“I have an old…friend who is the Chief now. I’m going to see what he thinks. If he doesn’t think it’s a good idea, we’re going home. There won’t be much more we can do anyway.”

“And what if he does?” Trinity raised a brow, eager to play detective.

Then Hailey would soon find herself in the exact situation she wanted to avoid. She didn’t even want to see Trey, let alone talk to him. Funny how he may be the one person who can help her clear Sara’s name. She just hoped he didn’t hate her as much as she hated him. If he did, she’d be wasting her time trying to hunt down an elusive killer.

Hailey shook her head. “I’m going to take it one step at a time. But I do know you won't be helping.”

Trinity crossed her arms and pouted. “That’s not fair. What are you gonna do, ship me back home? I can help.”

“If you don’t reel in the sass, I might. Go hang out with Cecilia while I make some phone calls,” Hailey said, signaling the conversation was over.

Trinity huffed back inside, and Hailey fetched her phone. She gripped it, steeling herself for the ripple effect this one call could have for her. If Trey didn’t want to help, she wasn’t sure she had the capability to prove Sara’s innocence on her own. Her sister would be forever branded a murderer.

But if he agreed, she would have to put her own feelings aside and trust him. She would have to tuck the past away like he didn’t single handedly rip her heart into a million pieces. If he agreed, she would have to prepare herself for the inevitable conversation they would have about Trinity.

But she would have a better chance at finding out who killed her mother. Sara would finally be free from the past Hailey knew haunted her. And that was enough to convince Hailey to punch in the number for the police station.

“Auburndale PD, this is Belinda. How can I direct your call?”

“Hi, Belinda,” Hailey said. “I need to speak to Chief Harbor, please.”

“I’m so sorry, but he’s out of the office today for training. Can I leave a message?”

Hailey hesitated. “Yes, just tell him Hailey Gallagher called.” She rattled off her cell phone number.

She hung up the phone and let out a deep breath then instinctively placed her hand over her chest to steady her heartbeat. She wasn’t sure how she’d be able to get through a face-to-face conversation if she was this anxious about a phone call. Grow up and stop being dramatic.

Hailey hoped he’d call back before dinner so she could have an excuse to miss it.

When she left Auburndale, she was glad to never dine with her father again. The last time they had a family dinner was a few weeks before Morgan died, when Hailey had told her parents she loved Trey and wanted to marry him.

An argument had ensued as David told Hailey she couldn’t see Trey anymore. And, for the first time, she had defied him outright, saying she didn’t care what he said. It had escalated the more Hailey refused to back down and eventually her father had smacked her so hard she fell off her chair. David had then slammed Hailey into the wall, knocking family photos to the ground.

Hailey touched her palms, vividly recalling the sting as shards of glass penetrated her skin when he had thrown her to the floor.

David had loomed over her. “Don’t you ever defy me! I am God in this house, and you will do whatever I say.”

At that point, Sara had jumped up to defend Hailey, only to be shoved away. The drink glasses had crashed to the floor as she collided with the table. Though Morgan rarely defended the twins from David's blows, she had that night and paid for it with a split lip and black eye.

Hailey had continued getting punished as he beat her with his belt. Through tears and screams, she had refused to stop seeing Trey. Eventually, David had grown tired and stopped tormenting his daughter and retreated to his study, leaving Hailey, Sara, and Morgan to clean up the aftermath of his violence.

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