It's been five years since the sudden disappearance of Cora Cadigan's mother. Five years since the case was closed before it even began.
In the final summer before the end of high school, Cora knows it's her last opportunity to find the answers she...
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"I don't understand."
I see no resemblance with my biological father. Where I have dark brown, almost black hair, he has ashy blonde tendrils that he's gelled back. He mirrors an older version of Lucas, their eyes the same honeyed colour of golden syrup. Whereas, my blue eyes stand out against the darker tone of my skin, which I've inherited from my mother.
I can tell that they are father and son. But I would have never been able to guess, under any circumstances, that Kevin Winter would be my father.
All my well-wishes about wanting a sibling suddenly vanished. I'm not quite sure that I will ever be able to process the fact that Lucas is my brother. That we share a biological parent.
"Sit down, Lucas," Kevin says, softly.
I'm finding it increasingly harder to breathe. There is not enough ventilation in this humid room, and one look over at Lucas in my periphery, tells me that he is feeling much the same.
Lucas perches back on the end of his seat, his arms jerking out to find the armrests. He's visibly shaken, despite his best attempts at remaining collected.
I almost feel bad for him. At least for me, it wasn't a total surprise. I'd known someone in this town was likely to be my biological father. Lucas had no idea that it was even possible that he had a sibling in New River.
To think we are related, after going to school with each other for years. After all the glaring and sly remarks.
"I don't understand," Lucas repeats, his mouth pressed into a thin line. His eyes are wide in shock as he grips the armrest tightly, his knuckles turning a pasty white.
Kevin pinches the bridge of his nose, his eyes drawing closed as he sighs deeply. His chest rattles with a shudder and I notice that he can't meet my eyes.
"I met Zeila at a high school party," Kevin clears his throat. He focuses on a spot on his desk, suddenly mesmerised by the hard wooden surface.
"Of course I knew about her. It's New River, after all. But she was still in high school and I'd graduated three years before. So socially, we never really interacted.
