The Half Sister(100)

Jess scoffs. ‘Funny how you’re all so interested now, isn’t it? Now you’ve got something to lose.’

‘Let us help you,’ says Kate.

‘Help me?’ Jess snorts. ‘You’ve done nothing but hinder me since the day I arrived.’

Kate knows she can’t argue with that. She’s going to have to try a different tack. ‘I understand that,’ she says, edging slowly forwards again, hoping Jess won’t notice. ‘But we now have unequivocal proof that you’re our father’s child and I will do everything I can to help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.’

‘I gave you that opportunity three months ago,’ sneers Jess.

Kate shakes her head, unable to make sense of what she means. It had only been a month since Jess had turned up at her parents’ front door.

‘I came to your offices and spoke to you about a story I had,’ said Jess, smiling wryly.

Kate’s head feels as if it’s about to explode.

‘Don’t you remember?’ Jess goes on. ‘I told you that my mother had been murdered and I’d been abandoned.’

Kate delves into the depths of her mind, desperately searching for something of any relevance.

‘So, you’ve known all along who your mother is?’ asks Lauren incredulously.

‘Was,’ sneers Jess correcting her. ‘I know who my mother was, because she’s dead now isn’t she?’ A flash of pain crosses Jess’s features, but she quickly pulls herself together.

‘Wh-when did you find out?’ Kate stutters, unable to think straight.

‘When I was eighteen and able to get a copy of my birth certificate,’ says Jess. ‘I only needed to do some basic research to find out what had happened to her.’

Lauren looks at her, open-mouthed.

Jess turns to Kate. ‘I asked you to help me find my mother’s murderer – that there was a good news angle to it – but you dismissed me out of hand. You said you had people turning up every day of the week, claiming to have the next front page up their sleeve.’

Kate can hear herself saying it.

‘I gave you the chance to narrate your own story, but you weren’t interested, so I had to find a way of doing it myself.’

‘So you lied your way onto Matt’s paper?’ says Kate, unable to keep the contempt from her voice. ‘To get back at me?’

‘Partly,’ says Jess. ‘But it wasn’t only about you. I needed to find a way to get my story out there.’

‘Why didn’t you just go to the police?’ asks Matt.

‘I did,’ says Jess. ‘As soon as I found out who my mother was, but they weren’t interested. It was a cold case, they said. They had reduced resources . . . they didn’t have the manpower . . . it wasn’t in the public’s interest . . .’ She laughs. ‘Well it looks like it is now.’

Kate feels Matt shift beside her as they both realize that they’ve fallen head first into Jess’s trap.

‘So have you even spoken to the police today?’ asks Kate. ‘Since the article came out?’

‘They’ve called me and asked me to go in.’ She looks at Matt. ‘I assume you’ve spoken to them too?’

‘They’ve bought us up to speed,’ he says, and Kate prays that he leaves it there. This is Jess’s stage – let her do the performing.

‘If only you’d listened,’ says Jess threateningly. ‘None of this would have happened.’

‘I’m sorry,’ says Kate. ‘We’re sorry. But we’re listening now.’

‘But it’s not my turn to talk,’ says Jess, ‘is it, Rose?’

Rose holds Noah and Emmy closer to her. ‘I don’t know what you want me to say,’ she says shakily.

‘Well, you must have something to offer,’ says Jess. ‘You knew your husband was having an affair, knew he’d had a baby . . .’

‘No,’ says Rose, shaking her head manically. ‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Sure you did,’ says Jess, gripping Jude tighter and making him cry. His distress makes Kate’s chest feel as if it’s being ripped open.

‘Lauren told you she’d seen Harry with me and my mum, didn’t you, Lauren?’

Kate looks at her sister wide-eyed, not knowing what answer she wants her to give.

‘Y-yes,’ stutters Lauren, her voice sounding as if she’s gargling blood.

‘Okay, I had my suspicions that he was having an affair,’ Rose blurts out, ‘but I swear I didn’t know about you.’

‘You sure about that?’ questions Jess, making Jude cry even louder.

‘Tell her!’ barks Kate, unable to listen to her nephew’s pitiful sobs any longer. ‘Tell her about the hospital tag.’

Rose looks at her, dumbstruck. ‘I don’t know what . . .’ she starts.

‘I saw it!’ exclaims Kate, wanting to scream, but mindful of not frightening the children any more than they already are. ‘It has Jess’s date of birth on it. Just tell her what you know.’

Rose’s head drops and her chest heaves. ‘I’m sorry,’ she cries.

‘You knew Jess’s mum wasn’t Helen Wilmington, didn’t you?’ says Kate tightly, as the truth begins to dawn on her.