Classified ☑

[ chapter 15 ]

Joseph leafed through a pile of envelopes before setting them back down on the coffee table. "This place is a mess," he said, glancing around the living room.

My nose scrunched up in affirmation as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Yeah, I was going to clean it tonight since Thomas is out with Gracie."

A deceitful look took over Joseph's face as he glanced at Cole who was absently looking through some envelopes as well. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what the two of you were doing until I got here."

Heat seeped into my cheeks as my hands formed into fists, making my back go rigid. I couldn't help it, it was my defense mechanism. "No," I said too quickly.

Cole's own face showed embarrassment as he avoided eye contact with Joseph.

Joseph chuckled as he rolled his eyes. "You two are ridiculous. Now, how can we help square up this joint?"

I explained to them my plan and we got to work quickly, sorting the mail, papers, books, and whatever else we found into piles. It was nice to have people there helping me, making the work less of a hassle. Soon enough, the room was starting to look somewhat clean.

After an hour or so, Joseph called me over. "Nina, can you come take a look at this?"

I set down the book I was holding and walked over to him, glancing over his shoulder at the envelope in his hand. It was addressed to Thomas but had my dad's name written on it in the left hand corner.

Clint Evans.

A name I hadn't seen since my dad was murdered. A name I had been avoiding.

With shaky hands, I took the envelope from Joseph like it was made of glass. It had my dad's handwriting on it. Something about seeing it was like a punch to the gut.

My knees felt weak at that instant and I dropped onto the arm rest of the couch beside me, staring at the paper in my hands.

Cole, seeming to see what was happening, kept his distance but watched on with sad eyes.

Joseph sat on the arm rest next to me. Sorrow clouded his eyes as he looked at the envelope too. "Do you think that was the last letter he ever wrote?"

I nodded my head slowly, letting my hands feel around the envelope, like it would tell me something about my father or give me some type of answer for why he was killed "It has to be. Thomas stopped looking at his mail after my dad died. This had to have arrived after."

"Do you want to open it?" Cole asked gently.

Joseph glanced up, meeting Cole's eyes before looking at me again. "You don't have to if you don't want to, kid."

I knew they were both trying to help me deal with the note in my hands. Truth was, I didn't want to open it but I did all the same. I wanted to leave it as it was because it was something my dad had held. But I also needed answers and whatever was in the envelope might hold them.

"I need a knife."

Joseph stood up, squeezing my shoulder before walking off into the kitchen.

Cole sat next to me now, looking at the letter too. His eyes squinted as he read over it. "Why does it say Evans is your dad's last name?"

My breath hitched in my throat. I wanted to tell him I'd once been known as Nina Evans, but that life was over. I was no longer her. Nina Evans died along with my dad that night.

Now, I was Nina Jones. Someone I didn't recognize most of the time.

"I kept my mom's last name," I lied. I hated lying to Cole, but this was something I wasn't ready to talk about. Not yet.