David and Samantha

By Bertram Ellis

Samantha, a college student falls in love with a handsome, young, visiting, Mexican, baseball team player. She runs away from home to be with him dreaming of romance and marriage.. He takes her to Cozumel where he drugs her, and he and his friend rape and abuse her. She escapes and meets David, an expat american who lives in Cozumel. She trusts that he will protect her.
The police are investigating the gruesome murder of two young women. The only evidence they have are the women's decomposed heads.
Is David the murderer? Has Samantha fallen into even more serious trouble?
During a violent tropical storm the murderer intends to add Samantha to his list of victims.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bertram Ellis
• Release date: Mar 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311895356

Bertram Ellis

Bertram Ellis had a successful career with the de Havilland aircraft company of Canada. He was a pilot until he lost his licence due to deteriorating vision. He has traveled the world, Europe, Africa, the Middle East the far East and South America.Among his adventures he has been blown up, shot at and imprisoned briefly in Saudi Arabia. Lost in the Sudanese desert south of Omdurman,fished the Mighty Zambezi. During all his adventures he has kept his belief in the essential goodness of ordinary people. He is a published author of short stories. A handbook on how to write your memoirs. Since retirement he has presented seminars on how to write your memoirs, at no charge, for many years. He lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada with his artist wife Karen. He has three children and ten hgrandchildren

Book preview

DAVID AND SAMANTHA.

By

Bertram Ellis.

Copyright Bertram Ellis 2015 Smashwords Edition.

Chapter One.

It was going to be another hot steamy late October day in Cozumel. David, a tall American expat, walked down the street ready for breakfast. The tourist season had just started, yesterday’s cruise ships, the first of the season, had left. The streets were empty, waiting for another crowd of tourists to arrive in the cruise ships that would arrive in the next hour or so.

He stepped into the restaurant where he always had breakfast. The blast of air conditioned cold air at the entrance did nothing to dispel the pleasant, steamy, strong coffee aroma of the noisy restaurant. It was, as usual, crowded with salesmen and women, merchants, old and young men and women talking in loud, musical Spanish, preparing for today’s onslaught of eager tourists from the cruise ships.

Damn, A young woman was seated at his usual table and all the others were crowded. Her long blonde hair was tangled, the lines of her face and black rings under her eyes gave her an expression of exhaustion. David guessed had been at an all-night party.

Mind if I sit here, he asked gently.

Don’t care. Help yourself. Her eyes were downcast, looking at her coffee cup, he could see she was trying to avoid his eyes.

David studied her over the top of the menu. She was a stranger, he wondered who she was and didn’t want her to see he was looking at her.

Jose, the waiter, arrived at his side. The usual, Mr. David?

David held up his thumb. Morning, Jose, and smiled.

Si, Mr. David. Jose slid away between the crowded tables.

So did you go to a good party last night? David asked.

None of your business, she said, glaring at him and shaking her head defiantly. Grains of sand fell on the table.

His breakfast arrived, poached eggs, toast and coffee.

David caught her looking at it with hunger in her eyes.

Where you from?

America.

I guessed that. As a fellow American, may I buy you breakfast?

I’m not a prostitute so don’t waste your money.

David shook his head, God, I never even thought it. No, I’d just like to see you smile after your rough night. Breakfast, eggs, toast and coffee?

No. The hell with it, A pause as she looked anxiously around the restaurant as if fearing someone would enter. Yes, all right, but I’m not going anywhere with you. So don’t waste your money.

David held up his hand. Jose appeared at the table. Take this, ladies breakfast order, please, Jose.

Si, Jose smiled and flipped open the menu, What you like American pancakes, good today, eggs, sausage, toast coffee?.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, she growled.

Give her in the works, Jose. The lady is hungry.

The waiter frowned at the girl, gave David a raised eyebrows shrug and departed.

A couple of minutes later a steaming plate was placed in front of her. She started to eat slowly, then she gave in to her hunger and devoured the food and gulped down the coffee.

Thank you, she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand..

You’re welcome.

Now I expect the generous American expects me to take off my knickers. Her voice was loud and conversation died in a second of silence as people glanced over at the two Americans.

David gave an embarrassed laugh, You have sex on the mind. Just relax. I’m not after your body.

Huh! Well, that will be a change.

Where are you from?

Atlanta, if you must know.

Here on holiday?

You want my life history in exchange for breakfast?

My name is David, he held out his hand. She brushed her hand against his reluctantly and mumbled, Samantha. She sat back holding her coffee cup in both hands her elbows on the table.

Where are you staying?

She stared at him, and a large tear rolled down her cheek. She brushed it away impatiently. I slept on the beach, she said. More tears rolled down her face, washing away grime, making clean furrows. I have nowhere to go, she blushed, staring at the table.

You could go to the consulate, they’ll get you home.

I can’t go home, she wailed and started to cry.

That’s tough. David wondered if she was pregnant. It’s none of my business why you slept on the beach and why you have nowhere to stay, but if you wish, you can spend the day in my apartment, it’s just down the street.

Sure and spend a day being used by you and your friends, she said in a small voice.

David shook his head, Forget it. He was getting impatient with her tears. Here’s my key, the only one. You can go in and lock the door, have a shower, wash your clothes go to bed. I will not disturb you.

Do you mean it? Really? she said.

He took a key off his key ring and handed it to her. This is the address. There’s nobody there, he said.

She put her head down on her arms and sobbed.

Oh, God, You poor kid, you must really be in trouble? he said.

Jose came over, Problem, Mr. David?

No. She is tired. She has had a bad night. Probably missed her ship and is scared and has no friends. I will look after her. He paid the bill and gave Jose his customary tip.

Come along, miss, he led her out of the Café to the silent stares of the patrons.

An explosive buzz of loud conversation started as they stepped through the door.

They walked down the street. David led her to the door of his apartment between two stores that sold sparkling souvenirs to tourists He opened the door that led to a stairwell.

Here we are.

She looked up at the stairs, then turned and looked at David, her shoulders slumped and she slowly trudged up the stairs like a prisoner meeting the hangman.

At the top of the stairs he said, There’s the bathroom, it’s quite small. Washing machines here and kitchen is this wall.

She looked at him for a moment, then with an expression of resigned acceptance she stumbled into the room, then turned to him with frightened eyes. What are you going to do now?

Nothing, Sleep well. I’ll be back about six. He ran down the stairs and closed the door.

David walked down the street towards the sea front. A Carnival Cruise ship was moving into the dock. The front would soon be crowded with carefree people exploring the shops and eagerly buying souvenirs. David stared at the scene without seeing it. Maybe Samantha had missed the ship she arrived on. It was not that uncommon. Maybe she had been raped on the beach and left there. The poor kid was in trouble. Damn, why did I get involved? He knew why. She reminded him of Kathy. He’d broken his promise to look after her. He knew he couldn’t have prevented it. Iit wasn’t his fault, but dammit she died and he’d promised her she would be safe as long as he was around. He’d come to Cozumel to escape the despair, the guilt that refused to go away. Okay he admitted to himself, so she reminds me of Kathy. I don’t want to think about that again, but the memory returned and tears dimmed his eyes as they had so many times since he left Afghanistan . . .

She had been excited