Desert Secrets

by Lisa Harris

  “How are you doing?” Colton’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

  He was walking beside her on the sand, keeping up with the steady gait of the camels.

  A wave of emotion shot through her. The man she’d struggled to get out of her dreams had become her hero today. “I’m thinking you were the smart one, deciding to walk instead of ride one of these animals.”

  He grinned up at her in the moonlight. “I learned from experience. Tried it once and was sore for days afterward. I decided then if I was given the choice between walking and riding a camel, I’d been happy to walk.”

  Surrounded by endless sands drenched in moonlight and stardust, she couldn’t help but smile. But as much as she might want to get to know the man who’d unexpectedly been thrust back into her life, this wasn’t exactly the romantic scenario she’d dreamed about. The stakes were far too high.

  She glanced back down at Colton, hesitating before voicing the question she’d been asking herself ever since the plane went down. Because she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. “Do you think they’re still out there looking for us?”

  “Honestly? I don’t think we can ignore the possibility or assume they cannot reach this far. But I trust Issa. If anyone can get us to safety, he can.”

  She hoped he was right. Prayed he was right. Prayed even more that they wouldn’t have to find out.

  “What about Bret?”

  Colton let out a sharp sigh. “The second dose of adrenaline seems to be helping, but not much. He’s still struggling to breathe.”

  “I don’t know what else to do except pray.”

  “I just finished speaking with Issa. He told me we’re less than an hour from the Kasbah.”

  She just hoped that an hour wouldn’t be too long for Bret to hold on.

  “Colton?”

  Lexi glanced down the long row of camels that were merely shadows beneath the night sky. Issa was running toward them.

  “I need the three of you to come with me now. Quickly. My scouts have discovered men up ahead coming toward us. Until we can identify who they are, we need to hide you. There’s a ridge just south of here. Between that and the cover of darkness you should be safe.”

  Lexi’s heart pounded. The men who had kidnapped her had weapons that could knock a plane out of the sky and would be no match for the rifles Issa and his team carried. If they found them here…

  “Hurry. We’ll get your brother, but we don’t have much time.”

  She used the saddle handles to push herself up, then swung her leg over the hump to one side. Colton took her hands to keep her steady while she found her balance. Then without hesitating, he laced their fingers together and ushered her toward the ridge into the darkness.

  *

  Colton could see the armed men from where he lay on the crest of the sand between Lexi and Bret. He wasn’t sure that the description of the small rogue band of work-for-hire fighters the Malian army had given him was accurate either. They had to have a network reaching across the desert and across borders.

  He needed to get both Bret and Lexi to a place where they could catch flights back to the States. But for the moment, that wasn’t an option. They were miles away from any transport—other than camels—and just as far away from the medical help they needed.

  He squeezed Lexi’s hand as they watched the men who’d just arrived slowly walk down the long, tethered line of camels. Each one carried a weapon across his shoulder, and there was no doubt in his mind what they were looking for. Some of their men had been killed by the army; they’d just lost out on two million dollars, and that didn’t include the money they wanted from Lexi’s brother.

  Knowing how scared she must be, Colton rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, hoping to reassure her. But she wasn’t the only one whose nerves were on edge. He’d calculated the risks when he’d agreed on the army’s plan. Knew that his decision could cost him everything, including the life of his brother-in-law. And he’d decided it was a risk he couldn’t afford not to take.

  But Lexi’s involvement in this situation had been far from voluntary. She’d come to Mali to make a difference in people’s lives. And instead, she’d been taken hostage by a band of rogue militants. Not that life was always fair or just. He hadn’t been kidding about being in a worse situation when he mentioned the ambush by the insurgents in Iraq. He’d been prepared to die that day.

  He glanced down at her in the darkness, just able to see the outline of her profile, unable to shake the strong desire to protect her and keep her safe. They needed to get out of here without getting caught.

  Five minutes later, the men disappeared into the darkness. Issa made his way up the ridge to where they were.

  “They found the crash site,” Issa said.

  Colton glanced at Lexi. “Then they know we’re alive.”

  “Yes, but they are gone for now. I told them we heard of three Americans who were heading east.”

  “Which is the wrong direction.” Colton glanced out into the darkness, then helped Lexi up. “Do you think they believed you?”

  “I think so, but we need to hurry to the Kasbah. And make sure one of them does not follow us in the meantime.”

  “Do you want to ride again?” Colton asked, turning to Lexi.

  “I’m fine. I’ll walk for now.”

  The men settled Bret back into the makeshift stretcher, and the long line of camels were on their way again. This time, though, Colton’s senses were on full alert. Every movement, every shadow in the distance could potentially be one of the men who’d come after them.

  “I don’t think you have told me the entire story, my friend,” Issa said, stepping up beside them. “You said some men might be after your brother, and that he was kidnapped, but what exactly happened?”

  “I was hoping you wouldn’t have to get involved in this,” Colton said.

  “I already am involved. And as I said before, I want to help. You saved the life of my son, which means I owe you mine.”

  “Tell him, Colton,” Lexi said, keeping up beside them. “We can’t do this on our own.”

  Colton frowned. He hadn’t expected this unsanctioned mission to be easy. In fact, quite the opposite. He’d played out the scenario of rescuing Bret from every possible angle. And yet today had thrown two more potentially deadly scenarios at him. A plane crash. A scorpion bite. Neither had he imagined there would be more than one hostage to free. And now he had involved Issa and his men in the escape from a band of ruthless men.

  “She’s right, Colton,” Issa said. “I cannot help stop what I do not understand.”

  Colton nodded. They were both right. This wasn’t something he was going to be able to finish on his own. “Almost two months ago, my brother-in-law was visiting me on a mission trip. He’s owns a construction business and was involved in building a hospital in Mali. A week after he arrived, he was taken for ransom. Those behind the kidnapping demanded two million dollars.”

  “I heard about the kidnapping, but didn’t know he was your relative.”

  “Bret’s business does well, but to come up with two million dollars wasn’t possible. Instead, I struck a deal with the Malian army. I was to go in with two suitcases filled with counterfeit money for the exchange. The army was supposed to take care of the rest.”

  “But they didn’t?”

  “No. They were there as promised, but apparently the network is far more extensive than they thought. We got away, but they managed to shoot down our plane, and now they are still searching for us. Even here across the border.”

  “They are not happy that their payment got away,” Issa said. “Two million dollars would go a long way to fund their organization.”

  “And you?” he said, turning to Lexi. “How do you fit into this?”

  “My brother owes some man a large sum of money. Trent can’t be located, so I was taken in order to get to him.”

  “Do you know where your brother is?”

  She sho
ok her head. “He was in Mali for a while, then left without telling me where he was going. I haven’t heard from him since.”

  “All three of you need to leave the country as soon as possible,” Issa said. “And the safest place I believe is on to Morocco. Because I think I know who might have taken your brother-in-law. His name is Salif.”

  “Who is he?” Colton asked. “A terrorist?”

  Issa shook his head. “Salif is no terrorist. More of an opportunist. He makes his money doing work-for-hire for extremist organizations and kidnapping tourists, among other dishonorable things.”

  “Do you think he survived the army’s attack?”

  “He has men working under him. I doubt he was even there. Which means all we know for sure is that there is a large amount of money at stake and someone is willing to do anything to get it back.”

  “So what do you think we should do in the meantime?” Colton asked.

  “I will warn my men to keep quiet about your presence. We might be out in the middle of nowhere, but you’d be surprised how fast news travels. And don’t worry about your brother-in-law. We are close now. In fact, you can see the outline of the Kasbah just ahead.”

  Colton felt relief shoot through him at the sight of the Kasbah. The structure was built on high ground, then loomed toward the sky like a majestic stronghold. Arriving here meant they were that much closer to safety. By tomorrow afternoon they’d be in Morocco and out of reach of the men who wanted them. And his brother would be that much closer to being reunited with his family.

  “It’s beautiful,” Lexi said.

  “I agree,” Issa said. “While I am used to a life of moving around in tents, I’m always happy to come home to a permanent structure like this.”

  “How old is it?” Colton asked.

  “It was built over four centuries ago,” Issa said. “There are rooms designed to get sun in the winter and not in the summer. Walls circle the small city. They were built originally for defensive purposes, but I promise you will appreciate the view in the daytime.”

  “And you’re sure we’ll be safe here?” Lexi asked.

  Colton caught the fear in her eyes and wished he could guarantee her safety.

  So many things are out of my control, God.

  “I will do everything in my power to ensure just that,” Issa said, breaking into his thoughts. “But the first thing we must do is look for Sara. She is the one who will help your brother-in-law.”

  A knot of dread grew in Colton’s stomach. Issa was right. They needed to needed to leave the country as soon as possible. But in the meantime, all he could do was pray that the other men hadn’t managed to follow them, and that Bret survived the night.

  SIX

  Lexi sat on one of the cushioned wooden benches and watched Colton while he paced the small courtyard near the room where Sara treated Bret. On any other night, the swaying potted palm trees, sand-colored walls and colorful rugs lit by a row of lanterns would have been inviting. Even the cool breeze blowing in from the desert across the open space was the perfect temperature. But not tonight. Instead the tangible tension hanging in the air had become an unrelenting reminder that they might have escaped Salif’s men but their ordeal was not over.

  Colton combed his fingers through his hair. “I keep thinking about how ironic it would be for Bret to survive being taken hostage in the middle of the Sahara by a group of insurgents only to die from a scorpion bite.”

  Lexi shifted her seat, wishing she could reassure him that everything would be okay. “Don’t even go there, Colton—”

  “I just wish I knew that he was going to survive this.” He stopped in front of her and caught her gaze in the yellow glow of the lanterns. “Becca—his wife—didn’t want him to come here. She was afraid something was going to happen to him. I just kept telling her to stop worrying. And then all of this happened.”

  “And you somehow feel that it’s your fault,” she said, stating the obvious.

  “Yes—”

  “But it’s not.” She stood up in front of him and brushed her fingers against his forearm. “You didn’t cause any of this. If anything, you’re the hero. If you hadn’t risked your life to save Bret today, there’s no telling what those men would have done to him. To both of us.”

  She could see the lingering reflection of guilt in his eyes. But it was more than that. The stress of the past few weeks were evident from the deep, furrowed lines across his forehead and the slight tinge of gray showing at his temple. Whether it was his fault or not, he clearly felt responsible.

  He shoved his hands into his front pockets and shrugged. “Maybe you’re right, but I was the one who convinced him to come. My sister hates to travel, but Bret had always wanted to come to Africa. And for me…I wanted someone in my family to see where I was working and get a feeling of what it was like here on a day-to-day basis. I just never expected things to turn out like this.”

  “That’s the thing. None of us ever expects tragedy. But even knowing that things do go wrong sometimes doesn’t mean we hide from life. Look at your own life. You haven’t exactly done that by coming here. And as for Bret, he could have been in a car wreck back home, or injured in a construction accident…”

  His jaw tensed and he started pacing again. “Maybe, but I also know how hard this ordeal has been for Becca and Noah. If I don’t end up bringing him home now after everything he’s gone through…”

  The wooden door behind them creaked open, pausing their conversation. A woman wearing a loose traditional dress in bright oranges and reds opened the door and motioned for them to come inside.

  Lexi stepped inside behind Colton, then glanced around the room at the yellow painted walls. There were large windows, to catch the breeze she imagined, and large, colorful rugs on the tiled floor. The ceilings—built with several wooden beams—were at least seven feet tall. Bret lay sleeping on a bed in the middle of the room beneath a mosquito net that had been tied back. The only light came from two lanterns hanging beside the bed that left dark shadows in the corners of the room.

  “How is he?” Colton asked, stepping beside the bed.

  “Very weak, but his breathing is more regular, and I believe the pain has lessened. He finally fell asleep a few minutes ago.”

  “So he’s going to be all right?”

  She nodded. “He will need to rest and eat to gain his strength, but yes, there is no reason to believe he won’t recover completely.”

  “What did you give him?” Colton asked.

  Sara picked up a gourd the size of a small melon from a worn basket on the floor next to the bed. “It’s milky sap is often used by my people to treat scorpion bites.”

  “What’s it called?” Lexi took the offered gourd from the woman and held it up to the light in front of her.

  “We call it Alkhad. It is a desert plant. You can’t eat it, but it is good for healing and cleansing of the body.”

  Lexi ran her fingers across the rough surface of the gourd, then handed it back to the older woman, curious to know more. But it wasn’t as if she could Google the name. Somehow the thought made her chuckle. Here they were in the middle of the Sahara, miles from any major town. The whole situation just seemed so unreal. Which was why laughing seemed better than crying.

  Sara dropped the gourd back into the basket, then turned to Colton. “Issa told me he was taken by one of Salif’s men.”

  “That’s who Issa believes is responsible. They kept him captive for almost two months.”

  “That explains in part why he reacted more severely to the sting. His body is weaker than most. It is also why he needs rest. He will need to stay here for a few days in order for him to gain his strength back.”

  Colton glanced at Lexi. “I’m not sure we can do that. We need to leave the country as soon as possible. Salif’s men are out there looking for us.”

  Sara didn’t look convinced. “It would not be safe for him to travel. I’ve also given him something to help with the pain and
to ensure he sleeps, but his body needs rest.”

  “What can we do to help Bret in the meantime?” Lexi asked. They would have to discuss their options, but no one was going anywhere tonight.

  “Get some rest yourselves,” she said. “I will stay with him tonight, though it is unlikely he will wake up. In the morning, I will have some rice and meat sauce prepared for when he wakes up. He should eat a small amount at first, slowly increasing. And he needs to drink, as well. In a few days, once his strength has begun to return, he should be ready to leave.”

  In a few days?

  She caught the shadow that crossed Colton’s face. What if they didn’t have a few days? What if Salif’s men managed to track them down here at the Kasbah or on the way to meet the plane?

  Lexi turned around as Issa slipped into the room behind them. “How is he?”

  “Still weak,” Colton said, “but Sara believes he will be fine after a few days of rest.”

  “I knew Sara could help. Her traditional healing practices are known throughout the region.” Issa turned to Lexi. “And how are you feeling?”

  “Tired, yet relieved to be here.”

  Relieved to finally be safe.

  She wondered how much time had passed since they’d snatched her. Thirty, forty hours? It seemed more like a blur of days instead. And as far as she knew, her family had no idea she’d been taken by Salif’s men. Her best friend Micah had to be wondering why she wasn’t answering her emails. With Micah’s wedding in less than a week, she knew her friend was probably wondering why she hadn’t heard from her. And then there was Trent. She had no idea where her brother was or if he had any intention of coming forward to the men who’d taken her.

  “I have explained to them that he is too weak to travel,” Sara said.