Page 52 of Kept in the Dark

“Okay, then what’s your name?”

“Hailey.”

“I’m Trey.” He had stuck out his hand and she had stared at it.

She had lifted a brow. “I didn’t ask for your name.”

He couldn’t help but notice the playful twinkle in her eye.

“Hailey!” Someone had yelled from across the street. Trey had turned and saw a boy waving at her. Later he would learn that the boy was Gavin O’Dell and the two of them would grow to nearly hate each other as they pined for Hailey.

She had smiled and waved back at Gavin, then had turned to Trey. “That’s my boyfriend and I’m late for our date.”

Trey had a hard time containing his disappointment, but he couldn’t deny the fire he felt after first meeting her. And even though he knew she’d never admit it, she had felt the same surge.

Trey had nodded. “I’ll see you around, Princess.”

Again, she had rolled her eyes and started to walk away before turning back around. “Maybe, maybe not.”

She had smiled at him, and he had known right then he needed to make her his. Over the following weeks, he had flirted some more and had gotten her number. Eventually, her fling with Gavin had ended and then the two of them had fallen in love.

And apparently had a daughter together.

Life was full of surprises.

Now he was in the middle of two murder investigations while trying to juggle being a father and fanning an old flame that had come barreling in, taking his breath away like she had the first time he saw her.

He wished life were as simple as it was back then.

Daniel finally hung up the phone and smiled at Trey. “What’s going on today, Cowboy? I heard about the missing woman. Did you find something?”

Trey sat down across from the man’s desk. “Unfortunately, no. I’m actually here about an old case.”

Daniel lifted a brow. “Do tell…”

“Do you remember the case involving Mayor Gallagher’s wife and daughter?”

He rubbed his clean-shaven face as he leaned back in his chair. “The daughter killed the mother, right? That was a tough case, to say the least. The girl ended up getting thirteen years. I believe she got out recently.”

Trey nodded. “Yeah, she was released two weeks ago.”

“What about it?” Daniel’s eyes widened. “Did she kill someone else?”

“No, nothing like that.” Trey took a moment to gather his thoughts. This case needed to be reopened but in doing so, a lot of people would have to admit they botched the investigation either accidentally or purposefully, including Daniel’s office. “Listen, Daniel, I’m not trying to step on toes, but we have evidence suggesting the daughter is innocent.”

“What evidence? And why am I just now hearing about it?”

“It’s a video tape plus an eyewitness. The tape was in storage until a few days ago.”

Daniel nodded. “Do you have it?”

“I left it with your secretary.”

“I’ll look at it, but I make no promises, Trey. This case is already closed, and there's been a conviction. I don’t foresee that changing without compelling evidence. And aside from that, you’ll basically be claiming the investigating officers got it wrong. Do you really want to start a war within your police force? Not to mention how it might affect me and my office.”

Trey rubbed his face and shook his head. He didn’t know what to do about the Morgan Gallagher case. He knew the right thing to do was to reopen the investigation, but was it still the right thing when so many people would be affected?

If he reopened this case, Washington, Whitaker, and potentially a few police officers would be investigated. Not to mention how it would affect the Gallagher family as a whole. Then, of course, the entire town would be up in arms as news outlets ran with asinine theories and half-truths.

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