8. Chapter 8
June 26, 2011
7:37 pm
Like the rest of the house, not much had changed in the dining room except Lauren now sat in the seat that was once Morgan’s. The paintings that decorated the navy blue walls were the same paintings Hailey adored as a child. Even the china and place settings were still a deep blue and gold print, compliments of the late Morgan Gallagher.
Hailey made a mental note to ask Lauren if she could have the set.
And, of course, her father’s glare remained unchanged with his jaw clenched tight, always in control. His seat was at the head of the table, a reminder both literally and figuratively.
His face was now beginning to wrinkle and though his hair was still the dark brown shade it had always been, it was now dusted with gray specks and thinning.
He was of average height and build, but there was something slightly intimidating about him. Most people never saw the real David, yet they innately understood he wasn’t to be trifled with.
It seemed, though, that the years hadn’t been so kind to her father. He had clearly lost weight and Hailey couldn’t help but compare him to a fragile old man, something she never thought she’d do as he had always been so agile.
Dinner was awkward with casual questions met with short answers. Lauren tried to befriend Trinity, but Trinity was reserved. Hailey couldn’t blame her. Lauren and David were strangers who claimed to be family but never once checked on her and Hailey. Though Lauren seemed sincere, Trinity probably didn’t see it that way.
David sat silently through the meal as he read a newspaper, only chiming in when Lauren spoke to him, eager to engage with his wife while he all but ignored Hailey and Trinity.
Which was fine with Hailey. She tried not to make any conversation with him. And Trinity was clearly uncomfortable, shifting in her seat or playing with her food.
Hailey didn't have much of an appetite either.
The poor girl had no idea the fights that had happened at this very table. Many times, there would be complete silence as the Gallagher women hurried to eat so they wouldn’t catch the wrath of the man who was supposed to love and protect them.
On one occasion, David grabbed Hailey’s cheeks so aggressively that she bruised. She didn’t know how many scars marked Sara’s back because of David’s lack of control or how he would get inches away from Morgan’s face daring her to defy him as she cowered in her chair.
And those were the things Hailey would never tell Trinity.
She would take those secrets to the grave because her daughter deserved to remain unscathed by the Gallagher family’s sins.
Hailey wondered if Lauren knew the real David. Was he the same violent man he once was, or had she been able to calm him? Did he ever lift a hand to her or belittle her? Did he uphold their marriage vows?
Hailey glanced at Lauren. She didn’t seem scared or nervous, as if she was walking on eggshells. She didn’t seem to be flashing a beautiful smile in hopes to mask the fear that was floating just below the surface. No, unlike Morgan, the new Mrs. Gallagher seemed content, even happy. She looked at Hailey's father with love in her eyes.
Hailey hoped that was true. Lauren had always been kind to her and Sara when they were teenagers. She may have been a bit dramatic and materialistic, but she was warm and inviting. Even now, as they all sat awkwardly, she still tried to get to know Trinity.
Hailey appreciated the sentiment.
But Hailey was glad this would be the only time Trinity would sit at this table. And she was glad her daughter wouldn’t have to be in the presence of a man who didn’t want her as a grandchild and who was nothing short of awful.
It had been a blessing when Hailey cut ties with her father.
Initially, she hadn’t planned on entirely severing her relationship with David, despite how vicious he was. After all, he was still her father. There was a part of her that had hoped Morgan’s death and Sara’s arrest would bring them closer, that he would realize life was fleeting and his daughter still desperately needed her father.
But that realization never came, and he continued to be cold toward her. His suggestion of an abortion is what ultimately sealed his fate, though. So, a month after her mother died, Hailey left town to live with her great-aunt.
And as much as she hated herself for it, she still sometimes found herself yearning for his love. Which is why she was even sitting at this table with him.
“So, Hailey, what do you do for work?” Lauren asked.
“Oh, I’m an insurance agent. Nothing fancy.”
“If it pays the bills then it’s worth being proud of.” She smiled and again, Hailey felt at ease.
Finally, her father broke his silence and proceeded to ask Hailey about Trinity as if he hadn’t been listening to the exchange between Lauren and Trinity the entire dinner. “How is she in school? Does she play any sports? Is she getting good grades?”
You haven’t called to ask about her in thirteen years, but now you want to know about her?
“She gets good grades but isn’t into sports. She likes to read a lot.”
Trinity looked at David and gave a soft smile, hoping to gain the man’s approval. He simply stared at her and she quickly looked away. Hailey’s maternal instincts heightened, wanting to protect her daughter from this man. She took Trinity’s hand under the table to ease her growing angst.
“So, she’s like her mother. You always had your nose stuck in a book, Hailey, even when it wasn’t the time nor the place.” He chuckled, attempting to soften his backhanded compliment.
She didn’t take the bait. He wanted to appeal to her, to act as if he hadn’t been a monster to their family for years. But Hailey simply wasn’t buying it. She knew better than to think he had shed his snake skin and traded it in for something better.
He continued, “Is she anything like her father? Does she know who he is?”
Caught off guard by the question, Hailey felt her body temperature rise and her lungs constricted. She was nearly transported in time as she remembered the last time she talked about Trey in this very spot.
He smirked at Hailey, knowing his questions further upset her. She wanted to curse at him but didn’t play into his emotional game. Instead, she looked directly at him and replied calmly, “We’re not talking about this.” Then, she looked at Trinity. “I need you to go with Gen.”
To Hailey’s relief, Trinity immediately left the table to join Genevieve in the kitchen. Though Hailey knew the teen’s obedience had less to do with wanting to please Hailey and more to do with how uncomfortable she was.
When Trinity left the room, David raised a brow, amused by Hailey’s boldness. He forgot she wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was no longer his pawn, nor did she care about his outbursts of anger. She would no longer allow him to bully her.
He continued the conversation, goading her, “Well, isn’t that curious since you two were so set on running away together. I’m surprised he didn’t run after you when you decided to leave the only family you had left.” He chuckled. “I mean, it’s comical how infatuated you were with him, ready to throw away your entire life for someone who could hardly afford to take care of himself. You were quick to lay on your back like some two-dollar whore and what do you have to show for it? Nothing.
“You could have done something with your life if you would have let me help you. But no. You were too proud and now look at you: a single mother selling insurance over the phone. My, how the brightest of the Gallagher daughters has fallen.”
“David,” Lauren hissed.
Ignoring his wife, he sipped from the coffee cup Genevieve had brought minutes earlier. “Honestly, Hailey, you made such a fuss about your undying love for that boy, and you didn’t even tell him you were leaving.” He shook his head. “You know, it’s probably best to keep her paternity a secret. We both know her father is a dead-beat and she’s better off without him, just like you were.” He scoffed. “I still can’t believe he’s the Chief of Police of my town.”
Lauren looked at her plate, her cheeks red with embarrassment. It was clear she didn’t know what to do.
Hailey didn’t blame her for being quiet.
When she was younger, she would have done the same thing. She would have allowed fear to paralyze her. But now, it was rage that engulfed Hailey.
David had a knack for malice and manipulation and often used them simply because he could. He enjoyed getting a rise out of people, proving he was in control. Unfortunately for David, Hailey wouldn't be easily intimidated or manipulated.
“You can either stop talking about this or I will leave the table.”
Her father laughed. “Please, Hailey. Stop being so dramatic.” Then, his smile faded quickly. “You’re a guest in this house. Act like it.” He gave her a knowing glance. “You know I won’t tolerate disrespect.”
Hailey kept her face void of emotion as not to show that his previous comments had gotten under her skin. If she engaged in his conversation, he would only feed off her outbursts. Which is exactly what he wanted.
David was an expert at exploiting emotions. He studied people to find what would make them tick, and then would patiently wait for an opportunity to strike. All while never showing his own emotions, never giving the enemy a chance to strike first or strike back.
She decided to take a page right out of his playbook. She calmly took a sip of her coffee and said, “I know you cheated on Mom.”
Lauren’s eyes rounded. She quickly glanced at Hailey and then at David, anxious to see his reaction. Hailey couldn’t tell if Lauren already knew about the affair or if Hailey had just broken the news to her as well.
A vein on David’s temple pulsed. “Who told you that?”
“I’m surprised you’re not denying it. Usually, you’d rather die than admit to doing something wrong.”
“Who told you that, Hailey?” he said sharply. He stood up and placed his hands on the table as he leaned toward her. His breathing intensified as he worked to gather control.
She remained silent, grateful to finally feel in control.
This time, he slammed his fist on the table and Hailey and Lauren jumped. “Who told you that?! I want their name right now!”
So, her hunch was correct; the tyrant had a kryptonite.
Hailey smiled at Lauren and gently touched her hand from across the table, hoping she could read the apology in Hailey’s eyes. Taking a deep breath to steady her heart rate, she tossed her napkin on the table and walked out of the room.
Hailey wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how she found out about his skeleton in the closet. She’d keep her little secret just to spite him.
Hailey was irate. She couldn’t fathom why her father felt the need to deliberately cause tension and angst. Would it kill him to have just one nice dinner?
She had been shocked when he didn’t follow her to her room like he had many times when she was a teenager. Though, she might have Lauren to thank for that. The woman seemed to have some such sorcery that calmed her father in a way Hailey had never seen before.
From what Hailey could gather from the brief moments she’d spent around the two of them at dinner, Lauren was gentle with David, and he seemed to be enthralled with her. Though he all but ignored Hailey and Trinity, he happily engaged with Lauren, eager to ask her about her day or listen to one of her stories.
Hailey found their interactions completely bizarre in comparison to how David had communicated with her mother.
Still fuming over how the conversation ended, Hailey had left to tell Sara about the diaries. Hailey wasn’t sure the affair had anything to do with Morgan’s death, but it was intriguing none-the-less. And she hoped her sister had a change of heart about the videotape after having time to cool off.
Thankfully, Trinity was spending the night with Cecilia at Genevieve’s house, so Hailey had no responsibilities for the evening. Hailey was slightly dumbfounded when Trinity requested a sleepover. The teen didn’t always take kindly to people. To see her getting close to the girl, and to Gen, was a nice change of pace.
Walking up the porch steps, Hailey saw light filtering through the blinds. She knocked and soft footsteps creaked across the floor just before Sara slowly opened it.
Sara was clearly on edge, her eyes darting around as she took in her surroundings. Was Sara always on edge or had Hailey startled her by showing up unannounced?
Sara huffed and rolled her eyes as soon as she saw her sister. “Go away, Hailey,” she said as she slammed the door closed.
How mature.
Well, Sara would be irritated to find that Hailey had no intentions of leaving until Sara at least listened to her. The problem with Hailey and Sara was they were both stubborn. And because Sara was trapped inside and Hailey wasn’t, Hailey guessed she would be the clear winner of this battle of wills.
Hailey was on a roll pissing everyone off tonight, so why stop now? She pounded on the door loudly. “I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”
“Or I can call the cops.”
Hailey laughed. “We both know you're not going to call the cops. So, you can either open the door and hear what I have to say and then I’ll leave, or I can stand here all night and annoy the hell out of you like the good ‘ole days.”
Hailey waited, eager to know if Sara would call her bluff.
Finally, Sara groaned. “It’s too late to be dealing with your bullshit.”
As if it was her very own victory song, the locks clicked, and the knob turned. Sara cracked the door and peered out. Not waiting for an invitation, Hailey shoved her way past Sara. “First of all, it’s only nine-thirty. Second, I had ‘family dinner’ with Dad and Lauren, which was awful, and I needed to get out of the house.”
Sara stood at the door, glaring at Hailey. Hailey was trying to keep the conversation light. She didn’t want a repeat of their previous spat, but Sara was in no mood for it.
Hailey sighed. “Look, I know I really messed up over the years, but I want to make it right.”
It was clear Sara wasn’t convinced by Hailey’s pleas of redemption, but Hailey was being honest. And maybe it wasn’t fair to ask Sara to forgive her after all this time, but Hailey couldn’t walk away until she at least tried. It was a measly olive branch, but Hailey hoped Sara would accept it.
Sara didn’t respond, she simply stood near the door, far from Hailey. Not knowing what else to do, Hailey sat on the couch. The two became silent, retreating into their own memories as they avoided eye contact.
Finally, Sara said, “Why are you here, Hailey?”
“I want to talk to you about the video…”
Sara rolled her eyes so Hailey quickly continued, “You didn’t kill Mom, and the world should know that. Everything you went through could have been avoided if I wasn't so focused on myself.”
“See, there you go again!”
“There I go again with what?”
“Making everything about you! I’m not interested in your pity or becoming your project so you can feel better about yourself.”
Hailey wanted to protest. She wanted to yell at her sister for not understanding. But it wouldn’t help clear the tension they both felt; it would only keep them at odds and Sara would remain distant and cold.
Taking a breath to calm herself, Hailey gently said, “I love you. You were my other half and my best friend. There was a time when we were inseparable, and now it’s like we’re strangers.”
Sara stayed silent, her face void of emotions, and Hailey couldn’t gauge what her sister was thinking, something she hated. She used to know Sara better than Sara knew herself. Now, Hailey didn’t know her at all, something she never imagined would happen.
“I want my sister back and Trinity needs her aunt. I’m not making amends and proving your innocence because I feel guilty. I want to do it for Trinity and Mom, and most importantly, for you. I may not deserve your forgiveness, but I still want you in my life. And Trinity deserves to make memories with you. Mom deserves justice. And you deserve a second chance.” Hailey looked Sara in the eyes and Sara held her gaze. “Please, trust me,” Hailey pleaded.
Sara chuckled cynically and shoved her finger at Hailey. “Why should I trust you? You haven't exactly given me a reason to.”
Hailey quietly eyed the scar on Sara’s neck she noticed the day before. Sara didn't have to confide in Hailey for her to know the scar was a daily reminder of what she’d been through. It was a symbol of her vulnerability. And Sara’s vulnerability landed her in the middle of a nightmare, her entire life torn apart.
Hailey stood and began to pace slowly, Sara intensely observing her as she did.
Hailey said, “I almost died the night Mom was killed. I found out I was pregnant that morning.” Hailey smiled. “I waited the whole day to tell Trey.” Her smile fell. “But I never got the chance to tell him because he broke up with me.”
Sara grunted, not understanding the vulnerability Hailey was about to share with her. “I ran off and my car broke down. Next thing I know, Ryan pulled over behind me. He was drunk, as always.”
Sara stilled, understanding the magnitude that Ryan’s name carried. She had seen first-hand how cruel Ryan had been to Hailey over the years. Though he had harassed Sara, he had tormented Hailey.
Hailey finally had Sara’s undivided attention.
“He nearly beat me to death, and I was black and blue for months. Initially they thought I would have to get surgery, but thankfully I didn’t have to. I was on bed rest for most of my pregnancy because the doctors weren’t sure if Trinity would make it.”
Hailey lifted her shirt and turned around to reveal a jagged scar that was on her back near her hip. “When he climbed on top of me and started punching me, a stick lodged in my back.” Hailey became quiet and then said, “I didn’t even feel it. I was fighting for my life so I couldn’t focus on the pain. Not that he would have been sorry about it.”
Sara’s jaw was set as she fought against the rage Hailey could clearly see in her gaze.
Hailey sat back down on the couch. “No one came for me, no one helped me. I’m not even sure how I survived, let alone how Trinity survived.” She paused and looked back at Sara. “Aside from Dad and my therapist, I’ve never told anyone about it. Of course, Dad did absolutely nothing when he heard what happened.”
She shrugged. “I hated feeling like a victim. I was vulnerable and someone preyed on that, and I never want to feel that way again.”
When Sara didn’t say anything, Hailey stood and walked to the door. She didn’t feel right pushing Sara to make amends if she wasn’t ready.
Her hand was on the doorknob when Sara said, “I almost died twice. The first time,” she pointed to the scar on her neck, “was two months in and some lady didn’t like how pretty I was. She was aiming for my face, but I turned my head at the last second.”
She continued, “The second time was years later and much worse. Someone tried to hurt my cellmate.” She lifted her sweatshirt to reveal six scars that sat above her hip where her liver would be. “And that’s not counting all of the fights I was in just trying to protect myself.”
Hailey couldn’t imagine the trauma her sister had been through. She wanted to cry for her but knew Sara wouldn’t appreciate it. Crying wouldn’t change what happened. So, she simply said, “I’m so sorry.”
Sara nodded slowly and the room fell quiet again.
Sara walked to the couch and sat down as Hailey followed suit. Sara said, “Look, I don’t know what I want right now. I’m just trying to survive and it’s terrifying to think about opening up the case again. No one believed me the first time, so why would they believe me now?”
“Because we’ll make them.”
Sara shook her head. “I don’t know. It seems pointless.”
“Well, take some time to think about it. I know it’s a hard decision.” Hailey quickly added, “But you have until Trey calls me back to decide because I already asked for his help.” Hailey closed her eyes, ready for Sara’s harsh reaction.
Sara stood and threw up her arms. “You what?! Have you lost your mind?”
“I don’t exactly want to talk to him either, but he kind of needs to be on our side to get the D.A. to even look at your case again.”
“Well since he hates you, my chances are slim to none.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic. And besides, there’s something else I came to tell you.” Hailey blurted out, “Dad cheated on Mom and had a kid with his mistress.”
Sara’s mouth gaped open. “Who told you that?”
“Gen gave me Mom’s diaries. Apparently, Mom suspected he’d been cheating but it didn’t come out until the mistress got pregnant. I guess Mom said he had to cut ties from them if he wanted to stay married.”
“When did this happen?” Sara asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
“A few years before we were born.”
“Who was he cheating with? Did she say who the baby was?”
Hailey shook her head. “She never said, at least not what I’ve read so far. And since we’ve never been told about a half sibling, I'm assuming Dad won’t give us any answers either.”
Sara sunk into the couch and picked at a loose thread. “I’m not surprised. He wasn’t exactly man of the year. At least not to us, anyway.”
Hailey stared at a stain on the carpet as she thought about the months leading up to her mother’s murder. Though there was always tension between her parents, it seemed to be more prominent about a month before Morgan died. They had both been acting strange. David had spent a lot of time at work and was more hostile than usual. Morgan had disappeared into herself and was distant from everyone.
Her once bubbly and confident mother seemed to have closed herself off from the world. Did David start another affair? Maybe he resumed the one that ended in a pregnancy.
“What if the affair has to do with her death?” Hailey asked
“I mean, it’s pretty far-fetched. From what you said, Mom was clear that if he kept seeing the other woman or the baby, she would divorce him. They didn’t get a divorce, so he clearly stopped.”
“What if the baby sought him out and it caused a rift? I can’t imagine the kid was happy to find out Mom made Dad abandon them. He or she would have been twenty at that point, it’s not out of the ordinary for a kid to look for their biological parents once they reach adulthood.”
“I guess…but why would that get her killed? It seems like a stretch.” Sara ran her hand through her hair. “I think you’re jumping at shadows.”
Hailey said, “I think we need to look at all the angles. Even the affair. If we’re wrong, we’ll just rule it out and move on to the next thing.”
“Who’s “we”? I haven't agreed to anything.”
“Can you seriously look me in the eye and say you don’t want to know the truth? That you don’t want justice for Mom or for people to know you’re innocent?”
Sara’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I don’t know. I just don’t want to make my life more miserable than it already is.”
“You deserve better. And if you don't do it for yourself, do it for Mom.”
Sara shot Hailey a look and then sighed. “Do you really think an affair could be the reason she was killed?”
“I could be completely wrong, but people have been killed for less. Besides,” Hailey stared at Sara intently, “don’t you want to know who our half sibling is?”
Hailey had always been too curious for her own good and it had gotten her into a lot of trouble as a kid: eavesdropping on conversations, inviting herself places she wasn’t allowed to be, snooping around room’s she had no business being in.
Sara rolled her eyes. “Who cares? We’ve gone thirty-one years without knowing we even had a sibling. How are we going to find out who it is if Dad won't admit to the affair?” Sara pulled her legs up onto the couch, trying to get comfortable. “It’s not like he would have confided in someone about it.”
Hailey thought for a moment and then perked up. “If anything was happening in that house, I bet Gen would know about it.”
It wasn’t a secret that David trusted Genevieve. The two had a long history and it was clear the woman was loyal to him, even if he was no longer the boy she had once played with all those years ago. And Hailey knew Genevieve must have heard something with as much time as she spent working at the Gallagher Estate. Genevieve likely knew more secrets than the walls of that house.
And if Genevieve didn’t know who the other woman was, Uncle Eli would.
“I don’t know,” Sara said slowly. “Do you think she’d actually tell us anything?”
Hailey shrugged. “There's only one way to find out.”
Sara didn’t answer Hailey immediately. When Hailey had come blazing in on her white horse, Sara was furious. It was yet another reminder that Sara was the failure while Hailey was the savior. Sara always got herself into trouble and Hailey would bail her out.
At first, it had been comforting and had even brought them closer. Then, as time went on, Sara began to resent Hailey for it, even though Sara refused to stop asking for help. Hailey would get doted on by their parents for doing the right thing while Sara would get scolded.
As an adult, Sara knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault but her own, just like every other situation she found herself in. But that knowledge didn’t make her hate her twin any less.
She probably shouldn’t be so hard on Hailey. After all, she had always been there for Sara because she loved her, not because she wanted their parents' approval.
If anyone had ever been loyal to her, it was Hailey.
Until she wasn’t. And that made Sara question everything.
Yet here her sister was: telling Sara what seemed to be her darkest secret.
It had taken Sara by surprise. And, if she was being honest with herself, it made Sara hate her sister a lot less. Hailey running away made sense now. Not that Sara was excusing it, but she understood it.
Though Sara didn’t completely trust Hailey, Hailey’s willingness to share that part of her meant more to Sara than Hailey would ever know. But Sara still wasn’t sold on re-opening her case, though she was considering it. Albeit for her own selfish reasons.
If they could figure out who killed Morgan, she could finally get her revenge. Right now, David was at the very top of her list, but once she uncovered this faceless killer, he’d be next.
And if she cleared her name while doing it, well, that was just icing on the cake.
Besides, it’s what she always wanted: for people to know the truth. She may be an addict, liar, and manipulator, but she wasn't a murderer. She had been framed, and no one cared enough to question it.
Innocence always felt like a far-off dream. One that tickled the edges of your mind, but you could never quite grasp once you woke from your slumber. After a while, she stopped dreaming altogether.
Sara hadn't even realized she zoned out. Hailey’s quiet voice pulled her from her thoughts. “What happened that night?”
She had shut the door on that chapter of her life and had no intentions of reopening it. But if she wanted to clear her name, she needed to prove her innocence, yell it from the rooftops. She just wasn’t sure she had the resilience to do it anymore. Now, it was Sara’s turn to be vulnerable, despite her instincts screaming at her not to be.
Sara walked to the window and looked outside, studying the moon. She took in a deep breath as she said, “That week, Chase and I got into a huge fight, and we broke up. So, I had been out drinking almost every night.
“I was at a party earlier, I think. With Thomas, Donna, and Jake. By the time I got home, I was so drunk and high I couldn't even walk. Thomas had to drop me in the yard.” She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remember. When she couldn’t, she shook her head. “It’s all a blur but I remember waking up to see Mom next to me. I didn’t even know she was dead. Then I woke up the next morning to cops pounding on our front door, dragging me out of bed, and arresting me.” She put a hand up. “That’s the short of it.”
Sara didn’t want to get into every single detail, didn't want to relive that trauma, but Hailey needed to know the basics. And she truthfully didn’t remember most of it.
“So why did you plead guilty? You’re the most stubborn person I know, you fought for anything you wanted. Why didn't you fight it?”
Sara shrugged. “I couldn’t. If I did, Dad was going to seek a longer sentence. He had already helped the prosecutors paint an ugly picture of me by bringing up my minor arrests and my addiction. Not to mention he’s pretty prestigious and a master manipulator. The jury was eating it up and I didn’t want to risk it. There’s no way they would have believed me over Dad.”
Hailey nodded slowly. “Well, now’s your chance to prove him wrong, to prove everyone wrong.”
Sara nearly laughed. No one believed in her then and she doubted much would change. She came back to Auburndale wanting revenge, but could she also prove her innocence? Could God be so good as to give her both?
She turned around and looked at Hailey. Sara had become a good judge of character, something you learned quickly in prison, or you ended up dead. Trust no one and learn how to read people…and exploit them if the situation called for it.
Manipulation was a tool. And it was something she learned from her father. Funny how he was the one who put her behind bars and yet he would be what helped her survive. Likely to his dismay, if she had to guess.
She studied her twin and saw that Hailey was genuine. As much as Sara wanted to continue hating her, it was becoming difficult. Her sister truly wanted to make amends and wanted to help her. Sara supposed it was better late than never.
And Sara figured getting revenge was enough reason for her to find whoever was responsible for turning her life upside down, along with everyone who watched her slowly fade into the darkness. She sighed. “What’s your plan anyway? You have the tape but that doesn’t equal exoneration.”
Hailey ran her hand through her hair. “I haven't gotten that far yet, honestly. I called Trey but he hasn’t returned my call.”
“Seriously?” Sara said dryly. “So, you want me to proclaim my innocence with a video tape from thirteen years ago with no plan of how to do it and hope everyone believes me? No thank you. That sounds like the worst idea ever. Plus, I don't know who to trust anyway. We both know Dad has blackmailed plenty of people.”
“Not Trey,” Hailey said. Sara saw the flash of fire in her sister’s eyes. Sara was intrigued by her reaction. Was Hailey still in love with him?
Sara wasn’t sold on the idea of Trey helping them. He may be the new Chief, but things hadn’t exactly ended well between him and Hailey. She wasn’t sure she wanted to involve a man who could very well use her as a weapon to hurt her sister, destroying Sara’s reputation even more.
She had come to accept she would forever be the girl who killed her mother, despite the lack of evidence.
Now she had the chance to change that.
But at what cost? Trey might screw her over. The media would likely catch wind of it and all her past sins would be plastered for the world to see. That in-and-of-itself would cause a stir and her father would be out for blood.
Was it worth it?
Sara said, “I don't know, Hailey…”
“I don't exactly want to talk to him either, but I’m not a detective and I don’t know anyone else we can trust without it backfiring on us. We both know Dad is going to start threatening us when he finds out, but if Trey is involved and it’s on the books, there's nothing he can do about it.”
Much to Sara’s dismay, Hailey was right. They didn’t have many options and they had even fewer leads. And it would be nice to watch her old man sweat a little while they dug into his past and put a spotlight on his secrets.
It was time for the truth to come out. Sara owed it to herself.
For most of her life, she didn’t see herself as worthy of anything good. And maybe for a long time she wasn’t. Even that little girl who had been so broken she turned to drugs and alcohol deserved justice.
And while Hailey searched for a killer, Sara would plot her revenge.
She had nothing left to lose, but the same couldn’t be said for those who hurt her. And Sara would make it her life’s mission to destroy them. There would be nothing left but a whispered ghost story about a woman named revenge, taking no prisoners as she destroyed those who had wronged her.
But her sister couldn't know the truth. Hailey would never let her do it. So, for now, she would play Hailey’s little detective game until she was able to burn down the world, watching her father go right along with it.