15. Chapter 15
June 28, 2011
11:05 am
Trey hated when he had to wear a button down and tie. But despite his hatred of the politics of his job, he was good at it. He knew how to make others feel at ease, how to get them to open up to him, how to make them feel seen and heard. Part of that was dressing the part. And today he was dressed as a distinguished Police Chief instead of a rugged cowboy who couldn’t submit to authority and refused to wear anything but jeans and a t-shirt to work even though he should be wearing his uniform.
He still donned his jeans, but they were his good jeans…or so he told himself.
Not that Daniel Whitaker would care. He had seen Trey in tattered, oil-stained t-shirts and didn’t think much of it. But, since he was visiting D.A. Whitaker at the office, today’s attire called for a nice shirt and tie.
Though Daniel was an older man, he and Trey had a respectable friendship. Daniel hadn’t liked Trey all that much when Trey became Chief. But when Daniel’s wife, Lyn, found out Trey didn’t have family around, she cooed over him as if he was one of their own children. It drove Daniel crazy, and Trey initially obliged just to irritate the man. But, over time, the two found they quite enjoyed each other’s company.
Trey walked into the office as Daniel was finishing a phone call with someone Trey couldn’t name. While he waited for the conversation to end, Trey walked across the room to the window that overlooked the city. He watched as people hustled the streets trying to get to where they needed to go on their lunch hour. A couple stopped to kiss and then walk their separate ways. A car honked at the man as he didn’t pay attention to oncoming traffic, still euphoric from the woman’s touch.
It reminded him of the day he met Hailey.
He smiled to himself. She had been in a hurry as she walked downtown, accidently dropping her keys. He happened to be exiting a store when he had first noticed her; her beauty breathtaking, even at sixteen. He had smiled at her and she ignored him, which intrigued him even more.
Hailey had been so focused on looking at her watch, that she hadn’t noticed the car that sped around the corner. She had taken a step into the road and, without thinking, he had grabbed her arm and pulled her to safety. She had spun around, her face in a scowl.
She had ripped her arm from his grip. “Let go of me. I saw the car.”
He had smirked. “Clearly you didn’t. I just saved your life, Princess. You should be thanking me.”
Hailey had rolled her eyes but couldn’t quite hide the smile that had tugged at her lips. “ Don’t call me that. ”
“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.
It would be a shit-show, no doubt.
He could potentially lose his job if anything went sideways.
Right now, Sara was the only one who was significantly affected by the outcome of the case. But sometimes life just isn’t fair and you get the short end of the shit stick. That's life.
Right?
Trey wasn’t so sure.
Because at the end of the day, someone got away with murder and Sara had paid the price for it. And no matter how you spun that, it wasn’t right.
Sighing, Trey said, “Daniel, I know reopening this case will make waves, but it’s the right thing to do. You and I both know that. An innocent woman spent thirteen years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, and a killer has been walking free. Sara Gallagher deserves for her conviction to be overturned, and for her name to be cleared.”
Daniel rubbed his jaw, contemplating Trey’s words. After a few moments, the man finally said, “For now, I’ll watch the video. But again, I make no promises. If it’s not enough to reopen the case, you’ll have to work to bring me more.”
Trey looked at him. “Thanks, Daniel. I-”
He put his hand up. “I’m only giving you two weeks to bring me something substantial or it stays closed. Especially with that missing woman. We can’t devote all of your resources to an old case that already has a conviction.”
Not wanting to try his luck, Trey nodded and extended his hand. “I’ll be in touch.”
Daniel shook Trey’s hand. “I’m actually glad you dropped in; I was going to call you. Lyn wants to have dinner next Thursday.”
“Will she let me bring a date?”
Daniel raised a row. “A date? You’ve never mentioned a girlfriend. Who’s the lucky lady you’d bring out for everyone to meet?”
Trey chuckled. “It’s actually my daughter and her mother.”
Daniel’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. “Daughter? I didn’t know you had a daughter.”
“I didn’t either until yesterday.”
“Now there’s a story I want to hear. Well, Lyn will love to have all of you there.”
Trey smiled and stood. But before he walked out the door, Daniel quietly said, “You better be sure about this Trey. It could end both of our careers.”
Trey turned back to Daniel. “Trust me, I know.”
Then Trey made his way back to the station to see what he could uncover about Morgan Gallagher’s murder.
Hailey was on her way to meet Trey and Sara for lunch when she decided to make a detour to Elijah Washington's house. She knew Eli would have a better chance at opening up about her mother’s case if it was just the two of them.
Though Elijah had been Chief at the time of her mother’s death, he was also a close family friend. He and David had grown up together and had been friends for most of their lives. Eli was like an uncle to the twins and had been a confidant for both her father and mother. From what she saw, Eli took Morgan’s death just as hard as the rest of them did, as did his wife.
Hailey found it hard to believe he would miss evidence when Sara’s life hung in the balance. But she knew accidents happened and many innocent men and women went to jail for crimes they didn’t commit. Sara might just be another statistic.
Still, the evidence was weak and Hailey found it unlikely that a seasoned police officer, let alone the Chief of Police, would arrest their first suspect without looking at other possible suspects.
It didn’t make sense.
Hailey hoped Eli could shed some light on what happened that night. Maybe after thirteen years, something would jog his memory.
Eli opened the door a minute after Hailey knocked. He was in a pale blue striped shirt and navy slacks. It reminded Hailey of something her dad’s golf buddies would wear.
His hair was thinning and gray, and his dark skin was beginning to wrinkle. She was reminded of how much time had passed since she’d last seen him.
The man smiled ear to ear, lines fanning his eyes. “Well, I’ll be. What do I owe the pleasure, Hailey?”
He wrapped her in a hug, and she accepted the gesture. “Hi, Uncle Eli. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to drop by. Is Aunt Loretta here?”
“She’s napping right now, but come in.” He led her through the living room and into the dining room. “Would you like some coffee?”
Hailey declined, “No, that’s okay.”
He sat across from her at the table. “I gotta admit, I thought you’d be outta town already.”
She smiled softly, used to the comment. “Something came up to keep me here longer, which is actually another reason why I stopped by.”
“Are you moving back?” The sparkle in his eye fed her guilt.
She chuckled and shook her head. “Uncle Eli, I have a whole life in Alabama.”
“And you can pick this one back up, Hailey girl.” He held up a hand before Hailey could protest. “All I’m sayin’ is that you ought to think about it.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she said, winking at him. “I actually need to ask you about my mother…about the night she died.”
He shifted slightly and looked down at the floor. “What about it?”
Hailey looked down at the table for a moment and then looked back at Eli. “Do you honestly think Sara did it? I know the evidence was circumstantial at best and I just…” She sighed. “I don't know. As an eighteen year old, it was easy to believe she did it. But now, I just don’t think the evidence was there and I want to know what you saw when you investigated.”
Washington visibly tensed and the happiness in his eyes turned to anger…or was it guilt?
He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re right, the evidence wasn’t much, but it was enough to get a plea deal. Why are you bringing this up now? She served her time and now she’s free.”
“We found evidence that has the potential to prove she’s innocent.”
He stood abruptly, startling Hailey. “You think I didn't do my job? That I put away an innocent woman?”
His agitation wasn’t something Hailey had been expecting. Regaining her composure, Hailey placed her hand on his. “Uncle Eli, I don’t think that at all. I just want to hear your side before we start looking into my mother’s case again.”
“Who’s ‘we?’ What do you mean you’re looking into her case?”
“Like I said, I found something that could prove Sara is innocent, so Trey is working on getting the case reopened.”
A beat.
He clenched his jaw and removed his hand from hers. “Everything is in my report for Trey to read. I need to wake up Loretta for our afternoon walk. You can see yourself out.”
With that, he walked away from the table and up the stairs.
“Hello?” David coughed out as he clutched the phone. He hadn’t expected the bourbon to burn so much. He dabbed his mouth with a handkerchief and ignored the blood that stained the fabric.
Fuck .
He really should listen to his doctor and stop drinking, but he didn’t want to give up this one pleasure.
“Hailey came by my house. She’s asking questions.”
“What did she say?” David poured himself another drink, welcoming the burn as it slithered down his throat. It reminded him he was still alive.
He hadn’t planned on spending the day drinking, but after his talk with Trey and Sara’s little visit, he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He was on edge, and he hoped the liquor might help, despite his doctor’s protests against it.
Eli’s voice went up an octave. “She said she’s got evidence that Sara is innocent, and now Trey is snooping around.”
“I’m aware. What else did she say?”
“You already knew? Why didn’t you warn me?” he demanded.
“Because they will never get this case reopened. And if you give them a reason to snoop, they will.” David said.
Trey didn’t need any more of a reason. The fact that he hated David was enough force to drive the cowboy to ruin all he built. It was hardly shocking to find that his own flesh and blood were the ones pulling the strings.
Eli was panicking. “What am I supposed to do, David? You promised no one would find out.”
David rubbed his face. “Just shut up and stay away from them. It’s really not that difficult.”
David hung up, no longer wanting to deal with Eli.
Truth was, David was antsy. He worked decades trying to keep his affair a secret and now even Trey Harbor knew about it.
He figured once Hailey was back in town the two would somehow manage to find one another, he just hadn’t anticipated the trouble that may cause for him. Though, he shouldn’t be surprised. It’s all they had ever done together.
When the girls were teenagers, it was always Sara who he needed to keep an eye on. She was constantly getting into trouble with drugs and boys. It was a damned miracle she hadn’t died from an overdose or gotten pregnant before she was eighteen.
Hailey had always been his golden child. When she wasn’t helping Sara, that is. And then Trey weaseled his way into her heart and head, and eventually her bed. Hailey was worse than Sara when it came to Trey.
He had so much hope for Hailey. She was bright and beautiful. She had wanted nothing more than to please him and Morgan, though he had to beat her a few times before she understood that he wasn’t to be disrespected nor disobeyed.
Like he had to do to Morgan when they were first married.
He would never admit it, but he had gotten off on Morgan’s screams and cries as he smacked her and pulled her hair. She had begged him to stop, promising to do whatever he wished. Unfortunately for her, that wasn’t good enough. He needed to make sure she knew never to cross him.
He had shoved her to the ground and told her to never disrespect him again.
And she hadn’t. Until Nicole.
Then she had the audacity to threaten him like he couldn’t take the very breath from her lungs. She’d forgotten about his lesson; forgotten she shouldn’t cross him.
But he was Mayor by that time and didn't want his reputation ruined. He tried to leave Nicole but couldn’t. She was his other half, his heart and soul. Though they could never be together, they were content with secrecy.
And now that secret seemed to be out. Or at least was soon to be out.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Much like thirteen years ago.
He hurled his glass across his office. It smashed against the wall, shards raining down over the floor, a glimpse of what his life would soon look like if he wasn’t careful.
There was one person who could undo the kingdom he built by pulling a single thread.
Which meant he would have to get to them before they began pulling.