Her Texas Ranger Hero (Lone Star Lawmen 4)

“I could stay like this forever, too, but I want to get married. The sooner we can make an arrest, the sooner we can do that.”

Ally was a living, breathing miracle. He devoured her one more time, then eased himself off her and got to his feet. He reached for her hands to pull her up. “Come on, slave driver. You’ve motivated me to stay on track until this is finished, so I’m depending on you to keep me focused.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “I’d do anything for you.”

“My feelings exactly.”

They kissed with growing passion before he found the strength to let her go. Once they sat down at the desk again, she looked at her notepad and tapped Wang’s name. “Why do you know he’s the one?”

“That day I went to Freeport, I learned that Sima Wang was the name of Martin’s Chinese adoptive father.”

“You’re kidding!”

Luckey went on to explain everything he’d learned about the man. “It appears Martin has taken over in Sima’s stead. No doubt the adoptive father is dead.”

“You think he killed him?”

“Maybe. His adoptive mother could be dead, too.”

Luckey could hear Ally’s mind working. “Are his birth parents still alive?” she asked.

“No. I found a record of their deaths in Freeport.”

“What was her name? Maybe he operates there when he’s in the States.”

Luckey shook his head. “I’ve already done a thorough search. Nothing showed up. To answer your question, her name was Sybil Martin Mott. I looked for any Martins or Motts living in Freeport or the surrounding areas, but came up with nothing.”

Ally wrote the woman’s name on her pad. Her delicately arched brows formed a frown. “Let’s do a statewide search of all Martins and Motts.”

“I love your energy, sweetheart, but we won’t be able to get into that database before morning.”

“Then let’s keep going through the last few names on the carriers’ list of deliveries. Martin’s hands were on Yu Tan’s body before she was brought into the morgue. I keep thinking about Soo-Lin’s letter. She talked about Yu Tan’s friend who said she’d gotten involved with a man at a disco club. Maybe Martin threatened her friend, who saw the abduction. He could have forced her to make up that story, threatening to kill her and her family.”

“I have no doubt of it.”

“He has to be hiding out here someplace close when he’s in Texas.” Luckey felt Ally shudder. “He’s evil.”

“After stealing eight million dollars, he has the money to go where he wants and live the way he likes. His job looking over new gymnast prospects gives him the perfect opportunity to handpick the girls he wants for his operation. We know he was in Jakarta because of the testimony from the Indonesian girl rescued from the spa. With China and Indonesia as his oysters, he’s set up a widespread ring using various aliases, an operation that could go on for years if he isn’t stopped.”

“You’ll catch him and I’m going to help you.”

With Ally at his side, Luckey could believe it.

“Can I see all his aliases?”

He handed her the sheet in the file folder. “So,” she said, studying them, “we’re looking for either Dino Morten, Bobo Marten, Sid Marteen, Momo Demott, Angelo Martin or Sima Wang.”

“Or even another alias that hasn’t shown up on the rap sheet,” Luckey murmured.

“They’re such bizarre names.”

“He puts on kung fu shows and probably uses them like a stage name.”

“Of course.” Ally reached for Luckey’s hand. “No matter how much money you get paid for doing your job, it couldn’t possibly be enough. But I know you’re not in it for the money, so I’m sorry I brought it up. I admire you so much, Luckey.”

Her voice broke, causing him to lean close and kiss her for a long time before they got back to work.

“Let’s start by tracking down the last of these deliveries.