Luckey was impressed with Mr. Guan. He replied to the email to thank him for his invaluable help. Then he sent messages to both men, explaining the situation so they’d understand this was a matter of life and death. Thirty minutes went by before Mr. Wang responded by email.
Mr. Davis, we’ve analyzed the fabric sample photograph. The particular pink silk you’ve inquired about is a relatively new product manufactured eighteen months ago here in Chengdu. Our company has sixty outlets throughout China. Seven are in Chengdu. It would be most helpful if you could supply a date for the time you believe the pink and-gold embroidered silk would have been purchased and in what city and province.
Where and when? At this point Luckey was really stretching the boundaries of his imagination to think Yu Tan’s mother had been in possession of that fabric. But Beatrice Duncan had traveled to Chengdu with Soo-Lin’s parents. Was it possible she’d made a purchase for the Tan family? There was only one way to find out. If nothing jived, he could forget that route to discovering the name of the girl in the morgue.
He phoned Ally, steeling himself not to react when she answered. To his surprise, he got her voice mail. He left a message that he was coming over, but on a Sunday she could be anywhere. Without hesitation he reached for the silk sample and left the house for the Duncan ranch. Maybe she was at home, maybe not. But no matter. He needed to talk to her parents and would make this an official visit.
Beatrice answered the door. “Oh—Luckey—I don’t believe Ally knew you were coming. She’s out riding.”
So she was home. “It’s all right. I’m here on official business, but I did leave a message with her. Is your husband home?”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes if that’s possible.”
“Of course. Come in.”
She led him to the living room and went to look for him. In a minute they’d joined Luckey and sat down. He explained why he’d come. “My contact has traced the fabric found on the girl’s body to Chengdu, where it was manufactured.
“Ally tells me you’ve been home from China since the end of August. Is there any chance you visited Chengdu anytime in the last eighteen months?” Before they had a chance to respond, Luckey frowned. “Wait, now that I think about it, Ally said you always went to see the pandas in the fall, which would put you there prior to eighteen months ago. That discounts my theory.”
“No,” Larry interrupted. “Our very last visit to Chengdu was in June.”
Beatrice nodded. “That’s right!”
“I had to attend a US-China bilateral meeting on commerce and trade, and took the family with me. We invited Soo-Lin?
??s family to go with us. Soo-Lin came with her husband.”
Luckey’s heart began to pound. “Where did you stay?”
“The Saint Regis Hotel.”
He leaned forward. “Beatrice, this is very important. Did you go shopping while you were there?”
She nodded. “We shopped our heads off for the whole two days.”
“Do you remember visiting a fabric shop with Soo-Lin’s mother?”
“I know we went in and out of several stores. Their silks are beautiful beyond belief.”
Luckey pulled the fabric sample out of his pocket. “I’d like you to take a good look at this.” He handed it to her.
She took it from him and examined it. “Larry? Turn on the lamp.” He did her bidding so she could get a better look at it. “That gold thread with the pink silk... I do remember it. Soo-Lin’s mother bought it and two other fabrics from that shop to take home as gifts for the extended family.”
Beatrice turned to him. “Oh, Luckey—I can’t believe it, but I’m sure you’ve found Yu Tan! You don’t know what this will mean to their family. Thank you! Thank you!” She threw her arms around his neck and wept.
Elated to realize his wild hunch had paid off, he was slow to realize Ally had just walked into the living room. “What’s happened?” she cried, looking agonized, but so beautiful, even wearing jeans and a pullover, that he could hardly breathe.
Her dad put his arm around her. “Luckey has just learned that Yu Tan is the girl in the morgue.”
“What?” Her face had gone white.
Luckey nodded. “Your mom took one look at this sample and remembered the day last June when she and Soo-Lin’s mother bought fabric at one of the shops in Chengdu. Soo-Lin’s mother wanted to give them as gifts to her extended family.”
“That means Mr. Guan contacted you.” Ally sounded as if she was in shock.
“He’s already performed one miracle for us and he’s also put me in touch with a silk merchant in Jakarta. If that lead pans out, we might be able to identify the Indonesian girl in the morgue, too. I believe taking you with me to Houston to act as interpreter was the charm. I’m indebted to you for that, Ally.”