Page 108 of The Half Sister

The headline on the double-page spread in theEchoreads:

I Found My Sister, But Who’s My Mother?

‘It looks good,’ says Matt as he stands against the kitchen counter, spooning cornflakes into his mouth.

Seeing Jess’s picture staring out at her from Matt’s laptop unnerves Kate, and she swallows the doubt that she’s done the right thing by letting him run it.

‘Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?’ he’d asked late last night.

Kate had thought about it for a few seconds longer, knowing that once she gave him the go ahead, he’d push the button to go to press. But they’d both decided that if they couldn’t prevent the fire, they could at least try to control the flames.

‘For better or worse, we now know Jess is my father’s daughter,’ she’d said resignedly. ‘She deserves to know who her mother is and hopefully this will find her.’

Kate’s phone rings now and she watches as it vibrates away from her on the worktop.

‘It’s your sister,’ says Matt.

‘Uh-oh,’ says Kate, taking a deep breath. ‘Here we go.’

She’d thought about ringing Lauren last night to pre-warn her that Jess’s story was running, but it was late, and besides, she didn’t think she’d have a problem with it. In fact, Kate imagined that Lauren would be thrilled that steps were being made to help find Jess’s mother. After all, hadn’t that been her intention all along?

‘Kate! Kate!’ Lauren is screaming down the phone. ‘He’s taken the kids. I don’t know what to do!’

Kate looks at Matt, wide-eyed.

‘What do you mean?’ she says, feeling as if the breath is being sucked out of her.

‘Simon! He’s taken the kids and I don’t know where he is.’

‘Are you at home?’ asks Kate, running into the bedroom and reaching for the first pair of sweatpants she can find.

‘Yes,’ sobs Lauren. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

Kate slings a T-shirt on. ‘Okay, stay where you are. I’m on my way.’

Matt wordlessly falls into line with her as she grabs her car keys and makes her way out of the flat.

Not surprisingly, Lauren’s a wreck when they reach her ten minutes later, collapsing into Kate’s arms as soon as she walks through the door.

‘What’s happened?’ she asks. ‘What’s going on?’

‘He’s gone, and taken the children with him,’ cries Lauren.

Kate steers Lauren onto the very sofa they were sitting on last night. How can so much change in such a short space of time?

‘But why?’ asks Kate. ‘When did he leave?’

Lauren passes her sister her phone and sobs even harder.

‘Do you want me to call the police?’ asks Matt.

Kate shakes her head as she reads the texts on Lauren’s phone.

Lauren:Happy I could help out last night

Sheila:Help out? I’m not sure that’s what I’d call it! I can’t stop thinking about you. Hope everything was okay at home?

Lauren:I need to see you again

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