Her Texas Ranger Hero (16 page)

“Please forgive me, but I need to get back to work, so we'll talk again later.” He reached for the sample lying on the coffee table and strode from the room without looking at Ally. He couldn't. It hurt too much.

Chapter Ten

Ally watched Luckey disappear, taking her heart with him.

“There goes an exceptional man,” her father murmured. His remark brought her head around. “Why don't you tell your mom and me what's going on? We don't know you like this.”

She couldn't hold it in any longer. “A few days ago Luckey asked me to marry him, but he knew it was too soon and I needed time to think about it. The next morning I heard the news that Ranger Landrey had died in a shoot-out. It's all I've been able to think about, to the point that it has torn me apart.”

“In other words, you didn't give Luckey an answer.”

“No.”

Her father eyed her kindly. “Ally? I'm going to tell you something I haven't even told your mother, because it sounds cold and final. You two are my angels and I would never want to hurt you, but this has to be said because it's a bald fact.”

She and her mom shared a glance.

“We're
all
going to die, honey.”

Ally was listening. “I know.”

“You don't think I haven't worried that your mother might go before me? The fear of losing a loved one plagues every human being born on this earth. A few people allow that fear to prevent them from reaching out for happiness.”

“Luckey's ex-wife divorced him rather than end up a widow.”

“And look what she missed.” Beatrice smiled.

Her husband nodded. “Frankly, I was afraid your mother wouldn't accept my proposal because she knew I had another interest besides ranching, one that had the potential to be dangerous. It took a strong woman to take me on.”

Beatrice kissed his jaw. “It took a woman in love. After thinking about it, I decided to go wherever you went for as long as I could have you, even if it turned out to be for a short time. I didn't want to miss the experience.”

They were so right. Ally was in awe of her parents' wisdom.

“Honey, we're not going to worry if you turn Luckey down. Another man will come along who will have a safer occupation and you'll—”

“No, Dad,” she blurted. “You've made your point.
No one's safe.
”

A look of satisfaction broke out on his face. “It's a hard lesson to digest, but a necessary one to help you make the right choice for you.”

“Truthfully, after Luckey and I ran into each other at my office, my heart already knew what it wanted. I've got to go and tell him.”

“You don't want our approval?” Larry teased.

“I saw it tonight when Mom threw her arms around him. I also heard it the night Luckey ate dinner with us and you said, ‘Your Ranger is the reason why they're still legendary.'”

Ally dashed out of the room and up the stairs to get her purse. There was no time to primp. She worried he'd gone to headquarters, but since it was Sunday, he might have gone home. She hurried out to her car and headed to his house, taking the chance that he might be there.

On the way she debated phoning him. But he might not pick up when he saw the caller ID. Ally decided it would be better if she didn't. Maybe the element of surprise would work in her favor. If he
did
answer the phone, he'd probably tell her this wasn't a good time. She'd never forget the foreboding look on his face after their discussion at his father's party.

There was only one thing she could do to take that look away and that meant showing him in person how in love she was with him, how she couldn't live without him.

His car wasn't visible when she pulled into his driveway. Had he parked in the garage? She drove around to the barn. His truck and trailer were there. She got out and walked inside the lofty structure. Persey nickered, drawing her over to his stall.

“Hey there, Persey. Did you have fun yesterday?” She rubbed his forelock and he nickered again. “Silver loved the party and didn't want to go home. Neither did I.” Ally pressed her head against him. “I wish you could tell me if Luckey's home.”

“He's home,” said a deep, familiar male voice.

She spun around, glimpsing his tall silhouette in the semidarkness. She whispered his name.

“Why didn't you ring the bell?”

Her breath caught. “I didn't know if your car was in the garage, so I—I thought I'd look here first,” she stammered.

He didn't make a move toward her. “Have you come on official business?”

“Official?” Her voice practically squeaked.

“Something to do with the case? Something your folks thought I needed to know?”

“Yes,” Ally answered in a burst of inspiration. “In a way this
is
official.”

“You should have saved yourself the trouble and phoned me instead.”

She stuffed her hands in her back pockets. “What I have to say should be said face-to-face.”

“Go ahead,” he replied, after shifting his weight. “I'm listening.”

He wasn't making this easy. “I came to tell you I'm in love with you, Luckey Davis with an
e
, and I don't want to live without you.”

Luckey stood there like a block of petrified wood. “In other words you're telling me you'll marry a man who already has a target on his back.”

“A very wise man told me we're
all
living targets, but you have to get on with life and embrace it to the fullest for the time you're given. So, yes!” she cried in a tremulous voice. “I want to be your wife no matter when your time is up.”

His eyes narrowed on her features. “That's quite a change of heart within the last twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, I jumped the gun by bringing up marriage. Now
I'm
the one having second thoughts.” His words stabbed her like a dagger.

“Because I didn't say yes immediately?”

“No.” He sounded as if he meant it. “Though your silence hurt in ways you'll never know, I got a taste of what you were feeling when you entered the orphanage to bring Shan out. Anything could have happened to you during that sting, something I hadn't anticipated that could have ended your life prematurely.”

“But nothing went wrong, Luckey, and—”

“And nothing!” he interrupted. “Until I saw you drive up to your parents' home with Shan, I couldn't breathe. During that time while I waited for you, I imagined all the horrific things that could have happened to you. I suffered the way I'm sure my ex-wife suffered when I walked out the door every day. I never understood it until I realized you might not make it home.

“Since that moment I've had time to think. I should never have let you talk me into allowing you to go inside the orphanage to talk to Shan. I've regretted it ever since. The only reason my boss was willing to let me use you to help her escape was because you translated the writing on the cheongsam and were deeply involved in the case. But from now on you're out of the whole thing.”

Ally started to tremble. “So what are you saying? That you don't want to see me ever again?”

“Want has nothing to do with it.” His wintry voice had a debilitating effect on her. “I can't do my work when I'm worried about you.”

“I understand.” But she wasn't about to let him get away with it. “As long as I'm here, can I be of any help on the case before I drive home?”

“It's best you leave, Ally. I'll walk you to your car.”

Crushed by the way he was treating her, she turned to his horse. “I'll see you later, Persey.” She patted his rump before walking ahead of Luckey. But when she reached the car, she didn't get in. On impulse she turned to him.

“I'm free tonight. You said you had to get back to work. Give me a job and I'll do it. No one wants Robert Martin put away forever more than I do. Two people doing research together will make things go faster.”

His well-defined chest rose and fell. “I can't let you do that.”

“Well, I'm going to do it anyway, whether you like it or not!” she retorted. “In the beginning you came to me for help. I went to Houston with you. Now that you've gotten me involved, I'm committed all the way. Let's agree to keep emotions out of it. Give me any assignment. Mom and I tried to do our little part over the years, but at this stage I can really help to make a difference.

“Though you're already a whiz kid at Chinese, you know you could use an expert, if only to make a phone call here or there or to provide backup for translation. Use me, Luckey, because I'm not leaving here. In fact, I'm going to text my teaching assistant and ask him to cover for me tomorrow, too. That way I can work through the night with you if necessary.”

“No, Ally!” Luckey snapped, but she ignored him.

After sending the message, she lifted her head. “Why?” She continued the argument, sensing that he was starting to cave. “Last week you said, and I quote, ‘I need to solve this case ASAP so I can have a normal life with you.' Remember?”

His lips thinned in an uncompromising line.

“I have a photographic memory, too, Ranger Davis.” Ally walked to the front of his house and stood at the door to wait for him. “While we're here together working like crazy, neither of us is in danger, so there's no problem.”

“The hell there isn't.”

She bit the inside of her bottom lip so she wouldn't smile. “We'll make a new rule. Three feet away from each other at all times, and if you have to leave on an emergency, I'll stay put and take care of Persey until you get back.”

His sharp intake of breath didn't escape her. “This isn't funny, Ally.”

“It kind of is,” she answered, then challenged him. “Shall we see how long we last before we realize how ridiculous it is to fight something we know we're going to lose,
Kemo Sabe
?”

She'd purposely called him Tonto's nickname for the Lone Ranger in order to trigger a reaction, and she got one. His body started to shake with laughter before it pealed out of him.

“That's more like it.” Ally smiled at him. She loved this man with a passion. “Come on and show me what you were working on when I interrupted you by showing up in your driveway. Chop chop!” She slapped her hands together several times in succession.

“Don't tell me that's a Chinese expression,” he drawled.

“No. It's one of mine, because I'm hoping to get this show on the road. Are you always going to be this difficult?”

A glimmer of amusement lingered in his eyes. He opened the door. “It's evident there are many sides to you not immediately apparent. Won't you come in, Dr. Duncan.”

Ally was so happy to have won this skirmish she practically floated into his house without her feet touching the ground.

* * *

L
UCKEY
USHERED
HER
into his den. “I'll make a place for you at the end of the desk so you can see the screen, too.” He pulled up another chair for her. “I'll bring us some coffee.” He had no intention of letting her stay long.

A few minutes later he joined her with mugs of hot brew and snacks. Luckey hadn't been able to say no to her. When she'd driven over to his place, determined to tell him she would marry him, he'd been afraid to believe it. He wanted her for his wife more than anything he'd wanted in his whole life.

But everything he'd told her about his fear for her safety was true. Until she'd arrived at her parents' home with Shan, he'd been frightened out of his mind. Her life was so precious to him, it had caused him to question if he could handle marrying this woman. If he lost her...

“Where do you want to start?”

“I'll check any new emails, then we'll dig in.” One of the messages in his in-box had come from a Chinese Olympic official, who had sent a telephone number. “I'm making progress, Ally,” Luckey stated. “This person should be able to give me information about gymnastics training in China.”

Her eyes met his. “Do you think he'll be willing to tell you everything you want to know? Does he realize you're a Texas Ranger?”

“Not yet. I asked someone official to supply me with a name of someone dealing with the Junior Olympic team, but I didn't give a reason for my inquiry.”

“Then why don't you let me talk to him. I'll think up a story that won't make him suspicious.”

“What kind of excuse will you use?”

“I'll pretend to be a Chinese mother returning to Changsha. I'm trying to find the best trainer for my fourteen-year-old gymnast daughter, who wants to make the team. Could he put me in touch with the right people?”

Ally was one of those people who thought out of the box. She was an original with a wonderful mind. If anyone could pull it off, she could. The man on the other end wouldn't have a clue she was an American.

Luckey nodded. “I'm replying to his message as we speak. I've told him a Chinese woman will be contacting him by phone. You take it from there and we'll see how much information you can get out of him.”

“Thank you for letting me do this.” Her eyes shone with a heavenly blue luster. A man could lose his soul in them.

“Call him when you're ready.” Luckey gave her a pen and pad to make notes if she needed to.

Five minutes later he was listening to a lengthy conversation she'd put on speaker so he could hear both ends. He doubted many foreigners ever mastered Chinese the way she had. Luckey marveled at her expertise. Their talk went on for quite a while. She asked dozens of questions the man on the other end willingly answered. Ally made a number of notes. He did recognize the words
xiexie ni
before she hung up. They meant thank you.

Her gaze collided with his. “He was a gold mine, Luckey. We now have the names, numbers and addresses of the best trainers in China.”

The three-feet-apart boundary Ally had set for them went out the window the moment he reached over to cover her hand and squeeze it. “You are a master of deception. If I'd been on the phone with him, our conversation probably wouldn't have lasted more than a couple of minutes and I'd have had little to show for it.”