Page 98 of Kept in the Dark

Finally, Sara stopped and vomited into the grass of a nearby neighbor. Sara wiped at her mouth and stood, putting the palm of her hands over her eyes. “Shit! Shit! Shit!” Tears fell from her eyes. “I really screwed up, Hailey. I can’t fix this.”

For the first time, Hailey saw the fear in her sister’s eyes and that had alarm racing through Hailey. Which was exactly David's intent. Since he could no longer manipulate Sara, he would intimidate her.

And it was working.

Sara began pacing frantically. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t think anyone would get killed!”

“What are you talking about? What did you do?”

Sara threw her arms in the air. “I stole the diaries out of your car and showed them to a reporter. Dad read the article, which was the point, but now he’s out for blood.”

Hailey’s mouth gaped open. “Why did you do that?”

“Because, Hailey, he ruined my life, and I want to ruin his.”

Hailey rubbed her face. “That’s why we're trying to clear your name!”

“No. Clearing my name is the justice the world owes me. But revenge…that’s what I deserve. I meant what I said. I'm going to bury him and if I have to go down with him, so be it.” She closed her eyes. “I just didn't think he’d kill people to get back at me for it.”

Hailey shook her head, panic sweeping over her. “Who did he kill? What happened?”

How was everything spiraling so out of control?

Sara crossed her arms and looked away. She was shutting down and Hailey hated that Sara still didn't fully trust her. Hailey trusted Sara with her life, she wanted the same in return.

Hailey said, “We’re going to get through this, but you have to start trusting me. I know it goes against every instinct you have, but I swear, this is only going to get worse if we don’t start trusting each other.”

Sara sat on the curb and roughly ran her hands through her hair. “I know, I know. I just…” She began crying. “Ryan was at Angie’s because I went to the reporter.”

Hailey’s heart dropped. Guilt clouded her sister’s eyes, as if it was Sara’s fault their father was so evil. Sara didn’t need to carry his demons; she clearly had her own.

Hailey sat next to her and took her hand. “His death is not your fault. You were trying to do the right thing-”

Sara ripped her hand away. “No, I wasn’t! I was trying to get revenge, and I didn’t care what it cost me. I just didn’t think someone else would pay the price.” She hung her head to hide her tears, but Hailey saw them hit the pavement below.

Hailey didn’t say anything for a moment. She let the sounds of the early summer morning talk for her. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air even though the fireworks had long since passed.

Hailey tilted her head back and looked at the stars. She wondered how they could shine so bright despite all the horror they’d seen.

Sara looked over at her. “What are you doing?”

“Looking at the stars.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Carter is freaking dead, Hailey! How can you look at the stars after all this?!”

Hailey looked back at her sister and furrowed her brows. “I don’t know what else to do right now. I’m devastated about Carter, I’m worried about you, I’m terrified for Trinity and Trey…None of this was supposed to happen.”

Sara looked away, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to calm herself. Hailey didn’t blame her. She was angry too.

After a few moments, Sara softly said, “Ryan was supposed to kill you. Dad wanted you dead. He was going to make you pay for what I did.”

Rage burned through Hailey, but it was sorrow that splintered her heart. Though David was her father, she’d always known deep down she was expendable to him. He didn’t love his family, he used them. And when they no longer served his purpose, he got rid of them.

How could a father hate his children so much?

All she and Sara ever wanted was his love, but he never had any to give. That was saved for Nicole…and Lauren. For some reason, only those two women were worthy enough of the emotion that seemed to evade their father.

Hailey hadn’t realized she’d never earn his love until that fateful summer. Sara, however, had quickly figured it out and lived her life in retribution. He demanded control, no matter the cost. Hailey thought she had long since dusted herself of his manipulation. Yet, here he was, still controlling them and he wasn’t even near them.

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