Page 32 of Kept in the Dark

Except now she knew it wasn’t her blood at all.

She took in a breath, forcing the nausea to leave her body.

She always wanted to vomit when she recalled touching the blood. It had drenched her sleeve, irritating her. And if she focused hard enough, she could still smell the copper scent. Even now, she hated the sight of blood.

The next morning, she had woken up to her father pounding on her bedroom door, having no memory of how she got there, the police ready to escort her to the station. A guilty verdict was tattooed on her forehead before ever being asked a single question.

Sighing, she caught her reflection in the two-way mirror and was repulsed by what she saw. At eighteen, she had been a beautiful girl, with platinum blonde hair, flawless makeup, and pristine clothes. A model in the making, a girl made for the runways of New York. Now, though, she was an ordinary woman with mousy brown hair that needed to be brushed, deep bags under her eyes, and a simple shirt and jeans.

The girl who was once convinced she could take on the world was now looking at a woman who was nearly defeated by it. She missed who she once was, but that girl no longer existed.

She sensed someone looking at her through the glass, though she knew it was all in her mind. She felt as if she was back in a jail cell, being watched like a caged animal. Instead of looking away or turning her back to the mirror, she thrusted her chin up and held her gaze, not wanting to appear weak and intimidated.

Lost in thought, Hailey startled Sara when she quietly said, “Can you sit down? You’re making me nervous.”

After having a staring contest with her own reflection, Sara took in a breath to calm herself and sat down next to Hailey.

For a moment, Sara considered fleeing. Maybe trying to reopen this case was a bad idea?

Before she could bolt, the door opened and Trey stepped in, handing Hailey her coffee. “Sorry, I got caught up in a conversation about a case. Let’s see this video.”

Trey then pressed play and the three of them watched the tape. Sara slinked down in her chair and squeezed her eyes closed, not wanting to watch her younger self.

She still couldn’t believe how drunk and irresponsible she’d been as a teen. She had spent most of her high school days hanging with a bad crowd just to get back at her father. And her father was going to ship her off to New York that fall, ready to be rid of her.

Instead, she had found herself sporting a blue jumpsuit and shackles.

Once the video ended, Trey didn’t say anything at first. He stared at the black screen for what felt like ages. Sara wanted to scream. She needed to leave this room, this building, this town.

He then turned to Sara. “Why wasn’t this admitted into evidence, and why didn’t your friends speak up when you were arrested? You didn’t tell your lawyer about this? Seems a little suspicious, don’t you think?”

Sara stood and placed her hands on the table as she leaned toward him. “Despite what you may think, I don’t have an ulterior motive here. Like you told Hailey, I’ve already done my time so why the hell would I try to get this case reopened unless I was innocent? Stop pointing fingers without having all the facts. You’re just like every other cop that’s been involved in this case.”

She crossed her arms. “I didn’t know about the video until Hailey showed it to me. I was so wasted that I don't remember anything on that tape, and I don’t know why my so-called friends didn’t come forward.” She threw her hands up. “It would have been nice if they had.”

Gently touching Sara’s arm, Hailey looked at Trey. “Angie told me that Thomas and Jake didn’t think it was their problem. Donna wanted to help Sara but didn’t want to be pulled into it either. She figured if she gave someone the video anonymously, it would get Sara off the hook. When it didn’t, no one wanted to get into trouble, so they didn’t come forward.”

Trey looked from Hailey to Sara. He tapped his finger on the table, gathering his thoughts. “I think the tape is a start, but I need more evidence to convince the D.A. you’re innocent.” He looked at Sara. “I want to talk to your friends and see if I can find the guy who worked at the corner store that night, but I doubt he’s still around.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry you weren’t given a fair trial. I promise I’ll do what I can to fix it, but I’m not sure anything will come of it.”

Shocker.

Sara didn’t think she stood a chance. She should have left well enough alone. Then again, she’d never get revenge if she kept thinking like that.

Hailey opened her mouth but closed it quickly, narrowing her eyes at him as she studied his face.

As if sensing her reservation, Trey said, “Hailey, I’m not going to manipulate whatever ‘this’ is. And I’m assuming that's why you came to me in the first place. You might not like me all that much anymore, but you do trust me. I’ll look at the facts, not everyone’s feelings; including yours.”

Sara raised a brow, amused by his straightforwardness. There had been a time when the cowboy wouldn’t dare piss off the princess intentionally. And he most certainly would have considered her feelings before anyone else’s.

Hailey was quiet for a moment and then sighed. “I do trust you, that is why I came to you.”

Trey nodded and then looked at Sara. "What do you want to do? Ultimately, it's your name on the line. Right now, you’ve paid your debt to society. Plus, whatever story that’s been running in the press will be gone when the next one pops up. In a few weeks, you’ll be invisible, and everyone will forget about your past.”

He walked to the TV and pushed the eject button. The video popped out and he grabbed it, setting it on the table in between the three of them. “Or you can fight to clear your name with no promise that you will be successful in that fight.”

Hailey seethed. “Why would you say that to her?”

Trey motioned to Sara. “She has to make this decision. It’s her life, and she has the right to make that choice knowing the possible outcomes.”

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