"You needed the rest more than I did," he replied simply, though his body ached with fatigue.
She folded her father's letter and tucked it into her pocket. "I had a dream about my father. He always told me to look for the details." She moved to the table where the documents were spread out. "We need to look more closely at these shipment records."
Walker joined her, impressed despite himself at how quickly she'd focused.
Together they began meticulously reviewing each document until Sabrina noticed a pattern in the shipping codes.
"These aren't standard customs codes," she said, pointing them out. "Dad created this system himself."
"A cipher?" Walker suggested, leaning closer.
"More like a tag. He was marking specific shipments." Sabrina's fingers traced over the numbers. "I bet it's the ones that were being used to smuggle."
Walker watched her work, seeing the intelligence her father had praised. She wasn't just a civilian caught in the crossfire; she was becoming a partner in this investigation.
"Walker," she said suddenly, putting her hand to her head. "I just realized that the marina wasn't just a marina. Dad chose it for a reason. It's where we used to keep our boat, where we'd meet your family before heading to the lake house."
Their eyes met, and Walker felt that unwelcome connection again. "A place with meaning for both of us."
"And easy for me to remember." Sabrina stood, a new determination filling her. "We need to go there now."
As they prepared to leave, Walker caught her looking at her reflection in a window—something vulnerable crossing her face before it was replaced with resolve.
In just three days, he'd watched her transform from the corporate woman to someone harder, more focused; someone like him.
And that, more than anything, filled Walker with regret.
Chapter 9
Walker
Walker paused in gathering supplies, watching Sabrina's reflection in the window. The woman before him bore little resemblance to the carefree girl from his memories, yet glimpses of that younger Sabrina occasionally shone through—in her determined stride, in the graceful way she pushed her hair back from her face, in the flashes of dry humor that emerged despite their circumstances.
He moved closer, close enough that he could sense the warmth from her. "We need to talk before we go," he said quietly.
She turned, surprise flickering across her features. "About what?"
"About why we're doing this." He kept his voice steady. "About what happened to us."
Sabrina's eyes searched his, wariness and curiosity battling. "Walker, we're in the middle of an investigation. People are trying to kill me."
"That's exactly why we need to clear the air." He took a deep breath. "No distractions, no misunderstandings. I need to know we're on the same page."
She hesitated, then nodded, moving to sit on the sofa.
Walker followed, maintaining enough distance to think clearly, but close enough to speak privately.
"When you said your father interfered with us..." he began.
"He told me not to accept your proposal," she confirmed, her voice quiet but steady. "He said we were too young, that I needed to focus on Harvard, that you needed to pursue your SEAL career. That if it was meant to be, we'd find each other again someday."
Walker absorbed this. "My father said the same thing to me. Pulled me aside after you said no. Told me to give you space, that someday when the time was right..."
Their eyes met, understanding dawning.
"They were trying to protect us," Sabrina said softly. "From whatever they were involved in."
Walker nodded, the pieces falling into place. "They knew it was dangerous. They wanted us far away from it."
