I couldn’t speak.
She explained that Daniel had never known Mia existed. Laura had never told him. Six months earlier, Sophie had discovered Laura’s name among Daniel’s belongings and tracked Mia down. The two young women had eventually taken a DNA test and confirmed that they were half-sisters.
Sophie had secretly taken the resort job because she wanted to find Mia.
But there was more.
Mia had recently given birth.
And Laura had been pressuring her to give up control of the situation because, in Laura’s view, Mia was too young and financially unstable to raise a child.
That explained everything.
Sophie hadn’t taken the baby from Mia.
She had been helping her hide the baby temporarily.
I called Sophie.
“I know who Mia is,” I said. “Give me her address.”
An hour later, I was standing outside a cheap motel.
Mia opened the door.
She looked exhausted and frightened.
“Laura is going to take my baby,” she told me. “I won’t let her.”
Mia explained that she had been working double shifts and would receive her paycheck at the end of the week. Once she had enough money for a deposit, she planned to take her daughter back.
Sophie had agreed to care for the baby temporarily.
I offered Mia our home.
