“I’ll write the addresses and names on my pad for quick reference.”
“Tomorrow we’ll call each number to find out what information we can.”
She watched the screen with him. “It’s amazing how many people buy this cream online.”
“We’ve become an online society,” he murmured. “Health remedies gross in the millions of dollars. If we can find Martin going this route, I’m going to be more thankful than ever for the internet.”
They worked until three in the morning. Ally’s eyelids were drooping when Luckey closed the file they’d been working on and sat back in his chair. “Time for bed. My guest bedroom is yours for the night. You know where it is. Sleep as long as you want. Tomorrow we’ll make a big breakfast and get started again. Don’t ask me to kiss you good-night.”
“I know better than to do that.” She got up, kissed the top of his head and disappeared out of the den with her purse in hand. Her touch was pure torture and she left a trail of fragrance he couldn’t get enough of.
Before he called it a night, he opened an email that had come from the silk merchant in Jakarta.
Re yo
ur request: The silk sample is called karawo from Gorontalo. It has become the people’s pride, but not so many have it, since karawo is a cultural heritage. Below is the name of my shop in Jakarta that carries it. I am pleased to be of service.
Luckey immediately responded and thanked him. After telling him he was investigating a police matter, he hoped the man could give him the names and addresses of anyone who’d purchased that specific material in the last two years. His request would probably be denied. If so, he’d ask TJ to notify the authorities in Jakarta and issue a warrant in order to obtain the information. But it was worth a try to ask the man first.
With that accomplished, Luckey went to bed. Knowing Ally was safely under his roof, he fell asleep the minute his head touched the pillow.
Chapter Eleven
Ally woke up at nine, excited to have awakened in Luckey’s home. She had texted her teaching assistant before going to sleep and told him she would need the week off. He sent back a message saying he had it covered. She slipped across the hall to the guest bathroom to freshen up. When she’d dressed, she headed to the den and realized Luckey must still be in bed. Taking advantage of the time, she hurried to the kitchen and fixed breakfast for the two of them, bacon, eggs and pancakes.
Once she had the coffee brewing, Luckey appeared in the doorway showered and shaved, wearing a golf shirt and jeans. Ally melted to see him walk in the kitchen, and gravitated to him. He kissed her long and hard.
“This is what it’s going to be like after we’re married,” he whispered into her hair. “I don’t think I can wait.”
“That’s why we’re going to keep working all day.”
He cupped her cheeks. “Have I told you how beautiful you look in the morning?”
“I hope that’s always the case,” she said. “Where you’re concerned, you take my breath away no matter what the hour. Sit down and I’ll serve you.”
She’d been counting on him having a big appetite and he didn’t disappoint her. They ate until he’d finished off the last pancake. After the dishes were done they went to the barn to feed Persey and lead him out to the corral, where he could enjoy the day.
“We’ll go riding later.” Luckey patted his horse, and then reached for Ally’s hand. They headed back inside to the den and he told her about the silk merchant from Jakarta. “I’m hoping he’ll give me the information without going through the authorities.”
“I wish I spoke Indonesian. Do you know if he speaks Mandarin, too?”
“I didn’t think to ask.”
“Why don’t you call him back? If the answer is yes, I’ll talk to him and tell him how crucial it is we learn everything we can. He might be willing to help us.”
“If anyone can get him to talk, you can.” Luckey reached for his phone and put through the call. “It’s gone to his voice mail. I’ll leave a message for him to call me back. We’ll see what happens. For now, let’s get started making phone calls to all those numbers you jotted down last night.”
Ally loved working with Luckey. Together they pored over this last list of numbers, discussing each one to see if it was worth investigating. So far Luckey didn’t feel any of them set off alarm bells.
At two o’clock he received a phone call from headquarters. He darted her a glance. “One of the guys needs backup. I have to go.”
The news disappointed her, but this was Luckey’s life. She didn’t dare think about what he might be walking into.
“I’ll go home and see you later.”
He gave her a hard kiss that made her knees buckle. “When I’m through, I’ll come by for you and we’ll go out to dinner. I owe you after all the work you’ve done.”
“All I want is to be with you.” I love you, love you, love you, Luckey. That mantra was still on her lips as she put the notebook in her purse and they left the house together. She walked around the side of his home to her car. When she called out to Persey, he neighed. It put a smile on her face during the drive home.