Sister, Missing Read Free Page B

voice shook as I spoke and I realised how much I’d been hoping Annie would somehow know what to do.
    But Annie collapsed into a chair and started rocking backwards and forwards, moaning softly to herself. Like me, her eyes were tearless. This was too big, too terrifying for tears.
    I sat down opposite her, feeling numb. I had a sudden urge to call Jam – or Mum – but that would have involved movement and action. And I didn’t feel capable of either.
    I tried to concentrate. We had two options. Call the police – and risk Mo’s life. Or wait for a phone call, as the kidnappers had ordered.
    Footsteps sounded upstairs, padding across the landing.
    ‘That’ll be Shelby,’ Annie said in a dull, flat voice. ‘Will you tell her what’s going on?’
    I stood up, resentment swirling through my numb fear for Madison. Shelby was likely to have hysterics when she heard Madison was missing – and Annie knew it. Why did I have to be the one
to deal with her?
    ‘Please, Lauren.’ Her voice cracked. ‘I can’t handle this.’
    My shaking legs somehow carried me into the hallway of the holiday house. Shelby was padding down the stairs. She was dressed in sweatpants and a shapeless camisole, her dyed hair all tousled
and her eyes sleepy. It was just past 11.30 am which, for Shelby, was an early start to the day. Annie always gave her a hard time for getting up late. Personally I was delighted at any opportunity
not to have to deal with her. Shelby was only a year younger than me, but we had never got on. I’d tried to be friendly when we’d first met, but Shelby had thrown all my attempts to be
nice back in my face. She reached the bottom of the stairs and scowled at me.
    ‘What?’ she said.
    Behind me I could hear Annie tapping into her phone.
    ‘Someone’s taken Madison from the beach,’ I said. ‘They’ve sent a text saying not to contact the police. They’ll call us later.’
    Shelby’s mouth dropped open, much as Annie’s had done earlier. They looked a lot alike, actually, though Shelby had longer hair and spots.
    ‘No way,’ she said, running her hand over her forehead. ‘You’re yanking my chain.’
    ‘I wouldn’t joke about this,’ I snapped, turning and stalking back into the kitchen.
    Shelby followed me in. Annie was bent over her phone, talking in a low voice, but Shelby paid no attention.
    ‘What’s going on, Mom?’ she said.
    Annie put down her phone with a sigh and repeated what I’d already said.
    Shelby’s mouth trembled as the reality of the news hit home. ‘No!’ she shrieked. ‘No way .’
    Annie opened her arms. ‘I know, sweetie, come—’
    ‘This is your fault.’ Shelby turned on me, her finger jabbing at my face.
    ‘ What? ’ I stared at her.
    ‘It’s a copycat of your kidnapping. Off a freakin’ beach and everything,’ Shelby yelled.
    My mouth fell open. I hadn’t made the connection myself but it was true. Fourteen years ago I had gone missing on a beach not that different from the one Madison and I had been on
earlier. I’d been playing hide-and-seek with Annie and I’d been taken by Sonia Holtwood. She kept me for a while, then sold me through an agency to my adoptive parents, pretending to be
a poverty-stricken single mother.
    Holtwood had tried to kill me and Madison two years ago, when I found out what she’d done and tracked Annie and Sam down. She was in jail now, serving a long term for kidnap and attempted
murder.
    ‘Shelby, don’t be silly . . .’ Annie started.
    ‘Have you called the police?’ Shelby demanded, wild-eyed.
    ‘We told you, the text said not to,’ I said sharply.
    ‘And we’re just going to do what we’re told?’ Shelby’s voice rose in another shriek.
    ‘Calm down,’ I said.
    ‘Shut up!’ she shouted.
    ‘Please, girls,’ Annie said, sobbing.
    Shelby stormed off and the kitchen fell silent as her footsteps faded up the stairs.
    Annie sighed and put her head in her hands. ‘I’ve called Rick,’ she said.