Page 34 of Kept in the Dark

Though she was inwardly shaking, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of intimidating her. She was no longer the little girl he had spent years towering over as he beat her repeatedly while yelling obscenities.

Funny, she’d faced scarier monsters in prison and yet he somehow managed to unnerve her more than anyone else. And he would move heaven and hell to make sure he continued being her worst nightmare.

“I see you’re still just as crazy as you were before prison. Maybe I should have pushed to have you committed instead of incarcerated. You killed your mother. I don’t know if this is guilt talking or if you’re just losing what little grip on reality you have left, but you did kill her.”

“No. I didn’t.”

David raised a brow. “That’s not what you said at your trial. Who’s the liar now?”

Sara tilted her head. “It takes one to know one.”

He smirked. And for a split second she wondered if she’d be able to prove her innocence. Like he said, she had lied: she pleaded guilty. Why would anyone believe her now?

Except now she had proof. And she had help. She wasn’t fighting off monsters alone anymore. And David Gallagher would soon be enraged to find he couldn’t stalk her nightmares anymore.

“You know, what's interesting about being a liar is that secrets come with a price.” She shrugged. “The difference between me and you is that I've already paid mine. You on the other hand…” She clucked her tongue. “Well, you’re going to pay a high price for what you’ve done.”

“You’re not getting a cent from me.”

Sara scoffed. “You think this is about money? Figures. No, this is about retribution. You ruined my life and now I'm going to ruin yours.”

David shifted slightly but didn’t break eye contact with Sara. “No one will believe you. You killed your mother, and I’ll make sure everyone remembers it. I’ll dig up every transgression, every offense. Prison will look like child's play when I’m done with you.”

Sara walked to the desk and glared down at him. For years, he had stood over her, threatening and hurting her. As a little girl, she was terrified of him. Even when she was a teenager, deliberately defying him, there was always a voice in the back of her head that warned she may not make it out of that house alive.

But in this moment, she wasn’t scared anymore. She was no longer a little girl cowering away from her angry father. She had been to hell and back in spite of the man who put her there. If David wanted compliance, this time he’d have to kill her. Because she wouldn’t stop until she made him pay.

Sara smiled. “Oh, David, you’re forgetting that I've already lost everything. So unfortunately for you, I’ll willingly go up in flames if it means I get to burn you to the ground.”

He clenched his jaw. “I suggest you watch yourself, Sara. You might end up like your mother.”

She’d rattled him a bit. Good.

She just couldn’t let him know he’d rattled her too.

Sara sighed and rolled her eyes. “Promises, promises.”

She turned to walk away when he said, “And I’ll make sure your sister isn’t exempt from my fury.”

Sara stopped in her tracks for a brief moment. He always knew how to get under her skin, something she detested. But this time, she wasn’t going to be intimidated. Hailey could take care of herself, and Sara wouldn’t let her sister stand in her way. If Hailey had to burn alongside David, so be it.

June 27, 2011

12:46 am

Much to Hailey’s irritation, Sara refused to tell her where she’d disappeared to after they watched the video in the interrogation room, only to reappear nearly forty minutes later. Hailey was selfishly curious as to the whereabouts of her twin’s mysterious disappearance, but Sara was a vault.

Figures.

Of course, lunch was awkward as Hailey, Trey, and Sara tried and failed at making conversation. Trinity would be annoyed to find out Hailey went to lunch without her, but maybe tonight’s sleepover with Cecilia would make the sting of betrayal less painful.

Hailey was thankful Genevieve brought her granddaughter around. It kept Trinity occupied while Hailey did…whatever it was she was doing. Even though her daughter was busy spending time with her friend, Trinity was becoming suspicious of Hailey’s whereabouts and had tried to convince Hailey to let her tag along.

No surprise there.

Trinity thought she was a private investigator and didn’t know the meaning of ‘mind your own business’...not that Hailey did either. The poor girl was just too curious for her own good. Hailey prayed it didn’t get Trinity into too much trouble, much like it did Hailey and Trey.

Another knot found its way to the pit of her stomach.

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