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She typed the words into the search bar, then scrolled through the websites, most of them for various agencies that could help with obtaining a copy of a birth certificate.
She narrowed her search. How to verify a birth certificate in Ohio.
This led her to the Ohio Department of Health. She scoured the website for information on adoption records, which confirmed what her Twitter friends had told her. An amended birth certificate was issued when a child was adopted, with the adoptive parents’ names replacing those of the birth parents. The original birth certificate was then sealed by the court, and not available to either the adoptive parents or the adoptee.
If Scott had adopted Ella, he shouldn’t have the original birth certificate. That wasn’t the only mistake, though—there were different birth dates on each certificate. Molly continued reading. The only way to verify adoption records, she saw, was to appear in person at the office of Vital Records. She couldn’t do that. But she could request a certified copy of the new, post-adoption birth certificate.
Next to her, Hoopi snapped to attention. His ears pointed up, his eyes focused toward the open bedroom window.
“What’s wrong, Hoop?” Molly murmured, lifting her hands from the keyboard and listening. She heard nothing but the rhythmic song of the crickets and the occasional traffic noise drifting in with the breeze. “It’s okay,” she said.
But Hoopi remained rigid, watchful.
Molly had been intimidated by Hoopi at first, when she and Scott started dating. Now, with Scott out of town so much, the big German Shepherd was nice to have around. She relaxed her shoulders and turned back to the computer. She could order a copy of Ella’s birth certificate—the new one—and verify it. Without thinking, she entered the information:
Full name.
Date of birth.
City and state of birth.
She wished she’d thought to snap a picture of the birth certificates with her phone, because she wasn’t quite sure about the city. Hopefully the office could still locate Ella’s record.
After entering her payment information, she received a confirmation email saying the requested birth certificate would arrive in two weeks. But it would be even more helpful, she thought, if she could verify the original birth certificate, the one for Gabriela Jane Casillas.
She navigated back to the form, entering in the information for Gabriela, recalling her mother’s name, Kristina Casillas, and the birthday, three days earlier. This one should be sealed, so instead of a copy of the birth certificate, she’d be mailed a letter stating as much. Either way, she’d be able to verify Scott’s story. Then she could really stop worrying.
Hoopi leapt to his feet, barking as he raced to the open window. Molly froze, her heart lodging in her throat. The dog went silent, his massive paws on the windowsill as he stared into the dark backyard. From deep within his throat, a warning growl echoed. Then he was barking again, so loud and fierce Molly was terrified to go near him.
“Hoopi!” she said in a harsh whisper. “Stop it!”
But he didn’t stop, and she forced herself out of bed and over to the window. She had only heard Hoopi bark once before, when she was on a walk with Scott in the woods. A jogger had come up behind them, and Hoopi had let out a warning growl and two quick barks. Nothing like the all-out ferocity she saw now.
When she reached the dog, he settled, and she grabbed his collar and tugged him away from the window. She peered outside, heart thumping against her chest, but couldn’t see a thing. Probably a squirrel. Still, she closed the window, listening for the click that meant it was locked.
She climbed back in bed, trembling. Bitsy raised her sleepy head, just now noticing what was going on. “Well,” Molly said in a shaky voice, “thanks for paying attention, you silly dog.”
She lay down, and Bitsy curled up against her. Molly wrapped her arms around her, remembering all those lonely nights in Denver before she met Scott. This big, dopey mutt had gotten her through them.
Hoopi stayed on the floor, head resting on his paws, his eyes wide in the darkness.
twenty-four
The best thing about social media is connecting with other people and forging genuine friendships. Invincibles, we must always remember that IRL relationships take precedence over online ones.
@InvincibleMollySullivan
Liv told Oliver everything about her call with Detective Rasband. He’d gone through the same emotions she had: shock, confusion, anger at Gran for not telling them the truth, and finally, acceptance. She’d asked the Pittsburgh PD to email her a copy of the case file, and they’d gone through it together on FaceTime. Reading the details of their sister’s death, the medical examiner’s report, seeing the scanned images of her body, had been emotional for both of them. But it was also cathartic, the closure they’d never gotten.
As the detective mentioned, Kristina had been involved with a local drug ring. The leader was a man named Dale McKinley, and either he or someone who worked for him had likely been the one to hurt Kristina that night. The police had tried to find McKinley, but he covered his tracks well. Their sister’s killer was walking around free and would never be held accountable, but it seemed clear that the police had done everything they could.
After that, Oliver understood why Liv had shifted her focus, and why she no longer wanted Sam Howard to rot in prison.
But he didn’t understand what she was doing now. And he definitely didn’t approve.
Over the past week, she’d gotten together with Molly and the girls twice—first at the farmer’s market, and then a picnic near the river. Each time, Liv felt herself growing more attached to being around her niece. Gabriela. Ella, Liv had to keep reminding herself.
Liv couldn’t get enough.
