Luckey pulled a business card from his breast pocket and handed it to the man. Mr. Guan did a double take. “You are a Texas Ranger?”
“That’s right. I’m working on an important case. If it’s possible, I’d like your contact to supply me with the name of every shop selling this embroidered silk.”
“I don’t know, but I will try.”
“That’s all I can ask. Before we leave your shop, is there anything you can tell me about this?” He reached into his pocket once more and drew out the other fabric sample.
Mr. Guan looked at it. “This lace brocade comes from Indonesia. Very expensive.” Ally exchanged a glance with Luckey. This man was very good at what he did. “So many villages do their own kind of embroidery. You would need an expert.”
“Could you put me in touch with one? I could send that person a colored photograph of the swatch for identification.”
“Again, I make no promises, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Luckey put the samples back in his pocket. “I appreciate your expertise more than you know. If you find out anything, call me day or night and reverse the charges.”
Ally thanked him in Mandarin and they left the shop. Her mind was reeling with what she’d learned as they made their way to the car. When they stopped at a light on their way out of Houston, Luckey turned to her and searched her face. “What’s going on in your mind that’s made you so serious?”
“I thought I was on the right track when I assumed the pink fabric had been made in the Hunan Province, but I was wrong. It means...”
“It means you’re thinking that the girl in the morgue isn’t Yu Tan?” he said.
“Yes. I was a fool to imagine that a case like this could be solved so quickly.”
The light changed and they turned to enter the freeway leading back to Austin. “I’m as disappointed as you are, Ally,” he admitted, “but we’ve only gotten started. You’ve been to Chengdu to see the pandas, right?” She nodded. “Is it a long way from Changsha?”
“An hour and a half flight.”
“You mentioned that your family went there with your friend’s family every year. You did mean Soo-Lin’s immediate family...”
“Yes.”
“Did the women go shopping?”
“I’m sure they did. Soo-Lin and I went off on our own and met up with our families at the hotel at the end of the day.” Ally stared out the window without seeing the landscape. “Don’t you think it would be too big a stretch to suppose Soo-Lin’s mother might have bought fabric there for Yu Ta
n’s mother?”
“The day I became a Ranger, the captain told us that when you’re hunting down a killer, nothing should be out of bounds in your imagination.”
She smiled to herself. “When I told Dad you wanted to see the orphanage books, he said it appeared you were leaving no stone unturned in this investigation.”
“My unorthodox methods continue to catch up with me.”
“Unorthodox or not, he thought it was commendable.”
“You made that up, but I’ll take it.”
Oh, Luckey... “I hope Mr. Guan will be able to get you the information you need.”
“He seemed like a good man you can depend on.”
You’re the good man, Luckey. So good I can’t believe I’m here with you right now.
“How come you and your wife didn’t make it?” The question flew out of Ally’s mouth before she could stop it. “I know what you told me, but there has to be more to it than the fact that you wanted to be a Ranger and she didn’t like it.”
Luckey took his time answering. “You’re right. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. Truthfully, Linda needed me to plan my life around her even when we weren’t together. Though she was the most important thing in my life—or I wouldn’t have married her—I enjoyed my career. She resented those times when I had to be away, knowing she wasn’t on my mind. I’m sure that sounds very harsh and selfish of me.”
“Not at all. My father loved his career, too. Mom knew it and would have gone crazy if she didn’t have her own life. Did Linda have a career when she married you?”