Ink Between Us

Now what?

Sierra's father's office felt even more oppressive now, heavy with the weight of stories he never told. 

Sleepless nights were taking their toll, but she knew she couldn't stop. The letters had been just the beginning—and the metal box she found seemed like the next step in uncovering what her father had hidden for so long.

Sierra sat on the floor of her father's office, the late afternoon sun casting an orange glow over the scattered papers. The envelope with her birthday written in cursive letters still felt heavy in her hands, even though it was now empty. The name "Sophia" echoed in her mind, but the email's words offered few answers. Only more questions.

Next to her, Serena clicked her tongue, drumming her fingers impatiently on the floor. "So... what did you find? A secret love letter? Or, I don't know, a debt confession?"

There was genuine curiosity hidden beneath her sister's sarcasm.

Sam, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, chuckled softly. "My money's on the debt. Classic David. Genius, sure, but no one's that good with finances."

Sierra glared up at them, her frustration evident. "Can you two take this seriously for a second? This isn't a joke. And Sam, let's not rewrite who Dad was—he wasn't some scam artist or careless with money. You know as well as I do how meticulous he was, not just with his finances, but with everything he did."

Serena rolled her eyes but scooted closer. "Fine, serious face on. Tell me—who's Sophia?"

"Sophia was... a friend of Dad's. It seems like they knew each other from way back. And from what I've found, they lost touch, but she tried to reconnect with him right after I was born."

"Like, an ex-girlfriend?" Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe. I don't know." Sierra hesitated, clutching one of the letters tightly. "But this isn't just about her. There's something bigger here. It's not just her name. There's... strange stuff." She gestured toward a pile of newspaper clippings.

"Like what?" Sam asked, crouching down to pick up one of the papers. He read it aloud: "I-95, New York to Miami. Route commonly used for human trafficking. What the hell, Sierra?"

Sierra looked at him and snapped. "I don't know! I don't even know why this is here. But Dad kept these things like they were important. And there's more—letters, old emails, even addresses scribbled down... everything points to something he was looking into."

Sam raised an eyebrow, using her own words against her. "Wait a second, you're the one who said he wasn't a scammer, right? So, what's the problem now? He wasn't a trafficker, that much we know. But that doesn't mean he couldn't have been mixed up in something dangerous, something he was trying to figure out."

The air grew thick with tension, and Serena, sensing the shift, shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe he wasn't as 'perfect' as we think. Everyone has secrets, Sierra. You, me, Sam—why not a guy who lived nearly half a century?"

"But it doesn't make sense." Sierra got to her feet, pacing. "He was obsessed with details, always so meticulous. If he kept all this, it's because he was trying to figure something out."

Serena murmured, "Obsessed with this, like you are now." And, for her luck, her sister didn't hear.

Sam raised a hand like he was in school. "Can I throw out a crazy theory?"

Sierra stopped pacing. "Go ahead."

"What if... Dad uncovered something big? Something dangerous? Maybe someone he knew—like Sophia—was involved. And he spent his life trying to solve it."

Serena snorted. "Oh, sure. Dad, the justice-seeking hero, fighting corruption from the shadows, solving global conspiracies before breakfast. Yeah, that sounds totally like him. But, no, that wasn't his style. He was more into spreadsheets and pretending he didn't notice when the world was falling apart."

"But what if it was?" Sierra shot back. "What if what he knew was too dangerous to share? Of course, nothing major, but deep down I believe he had feelings for Sophia."

Serena paused, giving the idea a moment's thought before she scoffed. "Oh, right. He was secretly a heartbroken spy with a passion for saving the world and a soft spot for long-lost loves..." She hesitated, the edge in her voice softening just a bit. "But, I mean... potentially there's more to it than we think. Doesn't mean I'll buy it, though."

Silence fell over the three of them. The distant sound of cars passing outside was the only noise filling the room.

Sierra took a deep breath. "I need to know the truth. Whatever it is."

Serena gave her a light smack on the shoulder. "Alright, Sherlock. But you'll need more than these letters. Where do you start?"

Sierra glanced at the clipping in Sam's hand. "New York. He left a list of addresses."

"This is going to cost a fortune," Serena pointed out. "Flights, hotels, food..."

"That's why I'm going alone. Less expensive. Besides, I can afford it, that's why I work for."

"No way," Sam interjected, raising his hand again. "If this involves places like Manhattan and Miami, I'm not letting you end up as one of Dad's newspaper clippings."

Sierra offered him a faint but grateful smile. "Thanks, Sam. But this is something I have to do. For him. For her. And maybe... for me."

Serena, sensing the tension in the air, smirked. "You know, if you two are so determined to make this a family affair, why don't we make it a proper trip? We could all go together. A little brothers and sisters adventure. We could hit some good spots, catch a show in New York, relax on the beaches of Miami. What do you think, Sam? You're up for a little road trip?"

Sam looked at Serena, then back at Sierra, his serious expression finally cracking into a grin. "You're impossible. But... a little getaway wouldn't be the worst thing. Keeps you out of trouble, at least."

Sierra raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't count on that."

Serena shrugged, clearly enjoying the idea. "At least you'd have backup. You never know what kind of trouble you might get into with all that 'dangerous' investigation stuff."