“Whatever happened,” Del Valle said quietly, “it didn’t happen onboard. Someone intercepted them. There was a transfer.”
Dark possibilities unfurled in María’s mind. The story was far from finished. And for the first time in twelve years, she had something real to pursue.
The days that followed were a whirlwind of revelations. With the folder tucked under her arm and a sense of determination she hadn’t felt in years, María began reconstructing Julián’s final months. Her first visit was to Gabriel Fajardo—Julián’s colleague, close friend, and a marine biologist still working in the area.
When he opened his office door, Gabriel seemed to already know why she had come.
“I always thought this day would arrive,” he said, ushering her inside. “I knew that folder would eventually resurface.”
A knot tightened in María’s stomach.
“You knew what was in it?”
“I knew there were things they didn’t tell you… and things Julián didn’t want to tell you, to keep you from worrying.”
Gabriel placed a USB drive and a worn black notebook on the desk.