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asset to have someone here who can pass as a native.”
    “Actually, I’ve never tried. I just play the mixed-race card. There are a lot of people here who fit that profile. Not really fitting into one culture or the other.” She shrugged. “I’ve felt that way most of my life. Both when I was living with my parents and when I was living here with my grandmother. After a while it starts to define you.”
    “I certainly can understand that. I think that’s where my mother was coming from all those years ago when she was fighting my career with the Marines. She wanted more than anything for me to be respected. And at least from her perspective, that wasn’t going to happen there.”
    “Well, if my intel on you and your unit is even half right, then I’d say you’ve more than proved her wrong.”
    “Don’t believe everything you hear.” It was his turn to smile.
    “No chance of that. Cynicism is programmed into my DNA. On both sides.” She turned the wheel to avoid a swell. “Anyway, the thing our mothers don’t understand is that it’s different now from when they were growing up.”
    “In some ways, definitely. But in others…” He trailed off, surprised at the serious turn of their conversation.
    “It is what it is, I guess.” She shrugged. “Anyway, add to all of that the fact that I’m a spook, and it isn’t really all that surprising that my mother disapproves of my choices. She’s all about the marriage-and-kids thing. Women in their proper places.”
    “And your father?” Avery asked.
    “I don’t know that he really cares what I do. I mean, he cares about me. And he wants me to be happy and safe and all that. But he’s really too involved with his own life to give too much thought to mine.”
    “Is he still teaching?”
    Sydney was silent for a moment, watching the river and the rain as she chewed on her bottom lip. “No. He works for the government. He’s in the diplomatic core.”
    “I see.” Avery frowned. “That must have been difficult for your mother.”
    “She’s just happy to be with him. One of the benefits of true love, I guess.”
    “You say that like you don’t buy it.”
    “I don’t think anyone should subjugate themselves to someone else. No matter what emotion is involved.”
    “You weren’t kidding about the cynicism.” He studied her profile for a minute, noting the stubborn jut of her chin. “It’s possible that what you see as subjugation is just commitment. Putting another person first isn’t always a bad thing.”
    “Have you ever been in love like that?”
    “Yes,” he said. “Once.” The word hung between them for a moment. It was the first time he’d felt uncomfortable around her, and he immediately regretted it, but he wasn’t ready to talk about Evangeline. “So where’s your father stationed?” he asked.
    “At the moment, Vienna.” Again she paused, and he was afraid she was going to ask him about his wife, but instead she sighed. “He’s the ambassador there.”
    Avery frowned. “I thought Marshall Walker was the Austrian ambassador?”
    “He is,” Syd acknowledged, with a wry twist of her lips. “And he’s also my father.”
    “But your name is Price.”
    “It’s actually my paternal grandmother’s name. I started using it just after college, when I was first looking for a job. I didn’t want people to think I was trading on my father’s status. If you’ve heard of him, then you know he’s had a rather successful career.”
    An understatement. Marshall Walker was a mover and shaker. The top of the list when it came to D.C. headliners. There had even been talk of his running for president.
    “It’s just easier to divorce myself from all of that,” she continued. “Especially since I’ve been working with the CIA. There’s potential for real danger if the wrong people were to make the connection.”
    “I’m surprised actually that they let you do fieldwork—even with the name change.”
    “Well, I’ve always