“I am serious,” Lauren interrupted, knowing if she didn’t finish this conversation now she’d lose her nerve. They’d go upstairs, watch a movie, make some food and pretty soon they’d be past the point of no return. It would be like that time she called the new girl at school Patty for several weeks before another friend corrected her, telling her the girl’s name was Addie. By then, she felt like she was in too deep, and proceeded to call her Patty for the rest of the year.

Amelia looked up from her shoes. “It’s just a birthmark, Lauren,” she practically whispered.

“No, it’s not.” She explained it all then. About the baby with the matching birthmark, and how the baby who died didn’t have one. And then she told her about finding Whitney on social media and discovering Amelia. With each measured word, Amelia created more distance between them. By the time she finished, Amelia was several feet away, her eyes wide with disbelief. Or maybe it was terror.

Either way, her reaction was nothing like the clips Lauren had watched.

Where were the tears? The hugs? The squeals of delight?

“No.” Amelia shook her head. “There’s no way. You’ve got it all wrong.”

“I don’t,” Lauren said firmly. “I know I’m right. You’re my sister.”

“Stop saying that.” Amelia reached for the latch on the gate behind her. “Just leave me alone.” She swung the gate open so hard, it crashed against the side. Amelia took off running.

“Dammit.” Lauren shoved her feet into her sandals, stabbing her big toe into the straps in the process. “Amelia, wait!” she hollered, running after her. There was no way she could leave it like this. If she did, Amelia might tell Whitney.

And Lauren couldn’t let that happen.

So, she chased her down, forced her to listen. Amelia still didn’t believe Lauren that day, but she at least agreed to a DNA test. And more than that, she agreed to keep all of it between the two of them for the time being.

But one thing had been very clear to Lauren: Amelia loved Whitney, no matter what. Even if she could prove that Amelia was her sister—prove that Whitney had kidnapped her—she wasn’t sure that Amelia would ever be comfortable turning her in to the police. And Lauren already loved Amelia too much to make her do it.

The road trip idea was one the girls had brainstormed together. Lauren could never let Amelia know how she’d funded the trip, though. She’d be so upset.

Lauren pulled into the apartment complex and drove around the lot. When she passed Whitney’s space, she found it empty, just like she thought she would. Amelia had mentioned her mom would be on a date tonight. But Lauren needed to be sure.