Desert Lilies

By Keith E. Smith

Desert Lilies is part two in the trilogy of Kelvin Ray Elliott adventure series books. In book one, The Rainbow Scorpion, readers saw Kelvin come to the aid of Antonio Vargas, a once notorious cartel leader from Juarez, Mexico. Antonio’s desire to leave the cartel had put the lives of his daughter and his grandson in danger. He had to find a way to hide them in the United States. Kelvin came to believe that accomplishing this, was the right thing to do, and agreed to help. A unique friendship was formed between Kelvin and Antonio, even though the only thing they seemed to have in common, was a special love of their families, and incredible bravery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543916126

Book preview

Prologue

Kelvin Ray Elliott had taught mathematics most of his adult life and was skilled at calculating the probability of some of the most obscure events presented in his textbooks. He always contended that it was a matter of counting all the desirable outcomes and dividing that amount by the number of total possible outcomes. It always sounded simple enough, but it was rarely just that easy.

On that fateful day the probability that three particular inmates at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville would be chosen to be part of the same work detail was a staggering one in forty million. There were approximately seventeen hundred inmates that could have been randomly selected to work that roof repair crew, but it was these three that met that day. Their chance encounter set in motion events that would alter the life of Kelvin Elliott in harsh ways that he could hardly have imagined. Prison had taught the heartless leader of these three cruel men to be patient, but if things happened the way he had meticulously planned, over the next few years Kelvin Ray Elliott and everyone he ever cared about would be dead.

The day before the first of the three was to be released, they convened one last time and mulled over their good fortune. Independently, all three had reached the same conclusion. Their opportune gathering on that hot summer day must have been Providence or simply fated to happen. After all, what were the chances? What were the odds?

Chapter 1

As soon as she woke, Dani felt the heat. It was not overbearingly hot, and though she could tell she was not exposed to direct sunlight, the beads of sweat on her lower back and under her armpits told her she was outside. The air was stagnant and heavy, more like that found in a suffocating attic on a summer day. It confused her senses. The silence seemed to indicate that she was alone, but she audibly asked anyway, Where am I?

Her body felt sluggish and lethargic, and she had a headache similar to the ones she had experienced when she was hungover, but the pain behind her eyes was less intense, and it was not accompanied with the usual queasiness in her stomach. Her lips were exceptionally dry and stuck together. She spent a few seconds trying to moisten them but had trouble generating saliva from her swollen tongue. Dani was certain she was dehydrated.

She slowly opened her eyes, but her vision was impeded, shaded and darkened. As she gradually became more awake and alert, her focus improved, and she comprehended the problem. Her head was covered. There was some kind of abrasive sack that shrouded her entire face, and that explained the sensation that she was being smothered. Dani panicked and momentarily found it impossible to breathe. She raised her arms to rip the offensive cover away from her nose and mouth but discovered the rough bag was tightly tied around her neck by some kind of metallic collar.

Her inability to remove the cover produced a brief anxiety attack. This caused her to suck in a deep breath with both her nose and her mouth. She smelled the pungent, earthy odor of the burlap and slowly grasped that she could at least breathe. She soon realized that her head was covered with an old potato sack, and it was porous enough to allow the rank air and diffused light to penetrate.

Dani closed her eyes, lowered her arms to her sides, and tried to relax her body and mind. She didn’t know where she was or why she was there. She was lying prone on her back and realized, by only feeling, that she was positioned on top of a sleeping bag. As an uneasy calm slowly enveloped her, she felt the additional tightness of some kind of belt around her waist. With her fingers, she discovered there was a heavy metal chain looped very tightly around her. Before she could fathom how or why, a new horror struck her heart and froze her thoughts.

Tears welled in her eyes as she touched her bare skin. She slowly moved her hands along her hips and upper thighs. Her panties were missing. Using only her mind and her body’s sense of touch, she examined herself from head to toe. She was completely naked. She felt the chains around her waist and around her neck, but the rest of her was devoid of clothing. She was both scared and angry, and questions began to invade her thoughts. Where was she? Why was she there? What had happened to her?

Dani closed her eyes and moved her right hand from her side to her genitals. She carefully pressed the skin around her vagina. Without the ability to see, she was testing her flesh for sensitivity from bruising or from tearing. Momentary relief flooded her mind. There was no tenderness or unusual chafing. She had not been raped.

Her fingers found the coarse stubble of pubic hair. Only a month before she had experimented with completely shaving her dark, thick triangular patch. Her new friend Amanda had claimed a smoothly shaved vulva made a girl seem more appealing and more sensual.

Though she had found it difficult to manipulate the razor over her labia, she had done it anyway. Afterward at a slumber party she and her two closest girlfriends, Amanda and Carly, had all giggled and laughed as they doffed their panties and displayed their newly bald pubic mounds. Dani had overwhelmingly received her friends’ approval, which she had thought was ironic since until then they were the only ones who had ever actually seen her nude.

Dani had thought she wanted all of her friends to think she was a sexual veteran, but, in truth, she was still a virgin. Though she had bragged many times about being versatile and enthusiastic in bed, no boy had ever seen her wearing anything less than a bikini, and, more importantly, no male had ever touched her below the waist.

As she slowly sat upright, not only did she feel the weight of the restraints that bound her, but she also heard the dull clinking of the chains’ links. Her hands found her smallish breasts. The rest of her body had rapidly developed, making her seem older and more mature, but her smooth, coppery-tanned skin timidly displayed her small, white, funnel-shaped breasts with their hardly noticeable nipples. Using her palms, she completely covered each delicate mound and sobbed until she tasted the saltiness of her tears.

Dani raised her hands to her neck to feel the tight metallic collar. She discovered that the rough burlap bag was only snugly tucked under the links. She grasped the sack, and after several seconds of violently tugging, she was able to wrench the disagreeable hood from her face.

Her mouth and nose appreciated the cleaner air as she breathed deeply, keeping her eyes tightly closed. She feared what her newly-earned, albeit limited, freedom might bring next. She slowly opened her brown eyes and observed the stark contrast between her deeply tanned legs, arms, and midriff to the slim strips of alabaster skin normally covered by her tiny bikini. She also saw the heavy silver links that were looped tightly around her waist. It seemed perverse, but she judged that this metallic belt nicely accessorized her sterling belly button piercing.

The silvery links seemed similar to those used in prisons to control the hardcore dangerous prisoners. There were only two chains that she could see or feel, the one around her waist that was so tight that it had already bruised and chafed her skin and the one around her neck which was loose enough to allow her to breathe but was constricted enough that she felt a choking sensation every time she took a deep breath. These restraints around her waist and neck were not connected, but as she sat upright, she could feel some extra weight behind her.

She slowly turned her head and shoulders and discovered to her dismay that the chain around her waist was actually an extension of a metallic leash that was connected to the wall, and it wasn’t just anchored to the wall; it was part of it. From a tiny hole about three feet above the floor, the iron-like links emerged like some horrible hybrid plant. Someone had clearly meant to confine her movements, and, as she had suspected, a few futile tugs revealed how solidly the silvery shackle had been cemented. She would never be able to free it.

Though she was clearly in a shadowed enclosure, the opening to her right was filled with bright sunshine that hurt her unadjusted eyes. Dani used her hands as a shield and blinked her water-filled eyes until she was able to comfortably focus her vision. Sitting directly next to her within easy reach were three plastic jugs. Each appeared to be filled with one gallon of clean water. Her thirst compelled her to grab one of the containers. Her hands seemed weakened, and she struggled for several seconds but was eventually able to get some of the warm refreshing water into her mouth. She carelessly spilled some over her chin, neck, and breasts, but she felt so relieved that she briefly considered pouring more of the soothing liquid over her head. Instead, Dani remembered the stern lessons her father had taught her about staying hydrated in the desert and prudently decided not to waste any more of the clear life-giving fluid.

There was also an old, metallic ice chest whose light green paint was chipped, rusted, and faded. The lid was closed and had a padlock to ensure it was tightly sealed, but after close examination, she noticed the hasp was not inserted into the lock itself but was only used to prevent the top from being easily pried open, a trick many campers used to prevent animals from getting inside coolers but allowed humans easy access.

Dani struggled with her balance, but she carefully rolled onto her knees. She was able to pop off the lock and jiggled the lid until the seal was broken. There was no ice to chill the items inside, but they were still cool. The chest had done its job of insulating the food from the warmer air of the cave. She found at least a half-dozen packages of granola bars in a variety of flavors. There were also two packs of peanut-butter-filled crackers and four canned items that required no opener. She found chocolate and vanilla pudding, which she liked, and two cans of Vienna sausages, which disgusted her. Lastly, she spied a hero sandwich sealed in a Ziploc bag with a yellow sticky note attached that said, Eat First. She ignored the message and took out a package of the crackers.

Next to the rusty cooler was a short, stubby, grey concrete block about seven inches by eight inches and around four inches thick. It seemed out of place, and its crude shape appeared to serve no purpose until Dani noticed the chain securely bolted to the center of the hunk of cement. She concluded that the cooler must have been attached to the heavy block, the owner’s way of securing it. There were no other objects in the cave save for the burlap sack and the sleeping bag.

Her hands were gradually recovering their strength, and she was able to drink water without spilling the liquid all over herself, but after washing down the last of her crackers, she realized that one of the plastic bottles was already mostly empty. She stared at her two remaining water jugs and reluctantly decided it was crucial to conserve her remaining resources.

Dani felt physically stronger and decided to test the limits of the chain that bound her waist to the wall. Since the ceiling was not high enough for her to stand, she crawled toward the entrance, a distance of only two or three feet. The ground inside the cave was hard-packed smooth dirt, but outside, the terrain was rockier. She remembered she was barefoot and would have to step carefully to prevent bruising or slashing her tender feet. When she reached the entrance, a check of her leash showed that there was still plenty of slack. She estimated there was fifty feet of silver links, and she had used about eight.

Dani poked her head into the sunlight while keeping her body in the protective shade. She paused to let her eyes adjust to the brightness as she investigated her location. Large boulders prevented her from seeing any distance, but she was able gauge the sun’s position. She couldn’t explain how she knew, but it was clear to her that it was late in the day, around four o’clock. Her friends had always been amazed at how she was able to accurately tell the time of day without looking at a watch or her phone. Seeing nothing but boulders and rock walls instead of the vast desert vista, Dani surmised she must be in a canyon.

She was finally ready to try standing. She eased more of her body into the sunlight but only had her upper torso exposed when she felt the tug. She had temporarily forgotten about the tight, choking feeling of the links around her neck. Feeling the pressure, she looked toward the source. Keeping the metal tether from her neck stretched tautly, she saw it. The vise-like necklace was attached to the concrete block that she had assumed was connected to the ice chest. Dani was horrified. The owner of the cooler was trying to secure his property all right. But she must be the property!

She remained frustratingly still, but instead of returning to the comfort of her cave, she used her legs to gain her balance and steadily, but firmly, pulled at the chunk of concrete. To her surprise the small slab moved a little. She had expected it to be anchored, but she discovered the block slid forward on the smooth packed dirt if she added to her effort the strength of her legs and her arms.

As Dani continued her attempt to stand, the stubborn lump reluctantly followed her closely, and the metallic leash remained strained, never displaying any slack. She guessed that the grey mass weighed at least twenty pounds. When her body was finally completely outside the cave, she turned and squatted on her haunches to relieve the tension on her neck. With her arms and hands, she dragged the block to a position next to her toes.

After a deep breath she tried once again to stand. She rose slowly, but to her dismay just before she reached her full height of five feet four inches, the silvery towline was stretched stiffly and as tightly as it would go. In order to rise completely upright, she would have to lift the heavy restraint completely off the ground. Dani put her hands on her hips and tried the maneuver but was barely able to raise her head. She had the strength to power the twenty-pound block off the ground, but the strain on her neck was excruciating. When she was standing, the grey cement slab cleared the ground at her feet by only six inches.

Distraught and exhausted, she carelessly lowered the block too fast, and a sharp edge landed on the pinky toe of her left foot. She screamed in pain and coiled her body into a tight ball with her knees under her chin as she held her bleeding toe with her fingers. Though her eyes were closed, tears poured down her cheeks. When she dared open them, she could see that blood had trickled under her unpolished, damaged nail.

After a few more minutes the pain lessened to a dull ache, but she looked about her and screamed out of infuriation. MY NAME IS DANI GARCIA! CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?

After a few seconds of silence, she stubbornly yelled, WHY? …WHY?… WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?

Dani listened, but as far as she could tell, her cries went unheard. She didn’t even hear an echo. She was alone.

Chapter 2

Before she returned to the sleeping bag, Dani looked about. The sun’s position this time of day made the shadow inside the cave very dark and gave the impression that behind the low heart-shaped entrance was an immense cavern; however, she knew that the cavity was actually only about five feet high and approximately six feet deep.

She scanned the surrounding rock walls and emitted a soft, desperate sigh. She had been right. She was in a canyon, though the walls were not exceptionally high nor exceedingly steep. It was not deep enough to produce an echo, but the sharp craggy rocks formed a formidable walled prison, especially with a twenty-pound concrete block attached to her neck. She knew she could not attempt to climb up to escape this ugly gorge.

When Dani focused on the lower and open ends of the canyon, she noticed a deep ravine that resembled a similar gully that twisted and wound its way to the south no more than one hundred yards from her bedroom window in Farmington, New Mexico. The gulch near her home was wide and no more than ten feet deep, but she estimated the depth of this canyon to be one hundred feet, maybe as deep as two hundred. She looked to her right, which she could tell from the position of the sun was westerly, and then to her left, easterly. She noted that the belly of this deep arroyo meandered and tightly looped like a coiled snake. The bends in this chasm made it impossible to see any farther than a hundred yards to the west and even less when she looked east.

Dani pondered where this canyon might be located. She was not an avid hiker, so there was no familiarity in the rock formations. As she looked down, she noticed in the deepest level of this darkening gulch there was a trail. She was sure of it. She could see a smattering of boot prints in some loose reddish dirt about ten feet below the rocky ledge that jutted from her cave. The softer dirt was probably the result of the flash floods that occasionally washed the canyon floor.

She assessed the possibility. If she could fashion some kind of footwear from the burlap sack, maybe she could walk out. It would be difficult, but she had to try. A tear dripped onto her cheek, but it was a tear of hope, not of despair. This gorge was like any of hundreds of others found in the desert. The open ends eventually found their way to the surface where they became shallow chasms or dried out washes. If she could get to the surface, she convinced herself that she would be able to see recognizable landmarks. At night she knew town lights could be seen for many miles, so she would simply walk toward them, toward people, toward her mom and dad.

She would need some time to prepare, and it would be dark in a couple of hours. Dani was experienced enough with desert sunsets to know that dusk lasted precious few minutes, and unless the moon was full and directly overhead, the bottom of the canyon would become inky black after sundown. She decided to return to the cave, eat the sandwich, and rest. Any attempt to free herself would have to wait until sunrise.

She was thinking, hoping that she would find some tools when she noticed that about six feet to the right side of the low entrance to her cave was a short, green-handled shovel leaning against the wall. She could not fathom why her captor would so carelessly leave such a useful tool. With some effort she was able to reach the compact spade and tossed it in the direction of the cave’s entrance.

Dani struggled but soon learned that the easiest way to move about was to cup the concrete block in both hands and hold it tightly to her chest. Twenty pounds was a lot of weight for her to lift, given she only topped the scales at one hundred ten pounds. Her dad had taught her, though, how to use her legs for leverage and balance. The jagged edges scraped her hands, her tender breasts, and her abdomen, but she was able to hoist the block and carry it like a baby. She had another hopeful thought. Maybe she could use the shovel to chip away at the concrete wedge and pry the chain away from the stubborn anchor. If that were accomplished, then maybe it could also be used to loosen the chain that tethered her to the cavern wall.

Her optimistic elation was short lived. Just as she carefully placed the block on the ground in front of the cave’s entrance, she saw him. She instinctively crouched as low as she could while she observed him walking from the direction of the sun. It was the good-looking Native American from the nightclub.

Dani tossed the shovel into the darkening cave, careful to avoid damaging the water jugs, the cooler, or the sleeping bag. She crawled in after it and pulled the cement lump into the shade and out of the fading sunshine. She lay low, ineffectively trying to hide behind the block in her dark sanctuary, knowing full well he could find her easily. He knew where she was. He had put her there. But she was still embarrassed by her nudity and hoped he wouldn’t see her naked. Then she felt foolish. She had panicked and had completely forgotten about the sleeping bag. She crawled into its folds keeping only her head, shoulders, and arms on the outside.

She was apprehensive and angry as she waited for him to approach. His footsteps became louder. He was obviously not trying to sneak up on her. Dani’s nervousness became paralyzing fear when his steps stopped just outside. He was so close that the low ceiling in the cavern obliterated her view of his face. But she could see his boots, jeans, and plaid short-sleeved shirt.

Dani sucked in a fearful deep breath. She could also see what she hadn’t noticed when she’d first seen him walking toward her. He was carrying a rifle. The dark barrel was leisurely pointed toward the ground.

Chapter 3

Chuma lowered his six-foot frame. He used the rifle for balance and placed both hands in front of him on the barrel, the way a hiker might use a walking stick. As he squatted, he peered where Dani was trying to hide. He could see from the hazy outline that she was stuffed into the sleeping bag and resembled a dark cocoon with arms. He also noticed that the shovel he had accidentally left was no longer leaning against the canyon wall. He reflexively looked off to his right and silently hoped that he would not have to use it again. He hated digging.

She could now see his face, which was strangely impassive and unemotional. Chuma showed no signs of arousal or interest in her nudity. Neither did he display any sympathy for her situation. He nonchalantly looked down as he removed his heavy backpack. Once he had been unburdened, he relaxed even more. He sat and leaned his rifle and himself against the backpack. A cigarette was retrieved from his front shirt pocket and was casually lit. When he turned his gaze toward her, Chuma’s languid expression had changed to a look of smug approval. This caused Dani’s edgy emotions to race with her heart, flipping between terror and anger with each rapid beat. She remained silent and still. She felt like a caged animal on display and was mortified by the way he looked at her.

Chuma finally spoke. Listen, Dani. There is no reason for you to try to hide.

He stretched his legs in front of him and crossed his ankles. After a deep puff on his cigarette, he added, I have no interest in having sex with you. Well, that’s not exactly true, but you have to trust me. I will not hurt you unless …

He didn’t finish his last sentence. He knew it would only sound harsh and cruel, and in his mind the consequences of anything short of Dani’s complete cooperation seemed obvious. To emphasize the unsaid point, Chuma laid the rifle across his lap.

It’s unnecessary for you to worry about me seeing you nude. It was me, after all, who removed all your clothes and chained you. You have a lovely young body, and under different circumstances I would welcome you into my bed. If I had wanted you, I would’ve done it while you were unconscious and completely vulnerable. That’s why it’s called the date rape drug, right?

Chuma casually laughed, which only infuriated Dani. She flew into a rage and tried to sound as indignant and angry as possible. She exploded, Ahhh…

The sound was an owl-like screech, but she quickly gained control and growled in a low menacing voice, Why am I being treated this way? Why have I been chained like an animal?

Chuma only laughed as he responded. Oh, my God, Dani, but you are a very brave girl. He laid the rifle aside and turned to unzip his backpack.

Dani buried her head and arms inside the sleeping bag but yelled loudly enough for Chuma to hear. If you’re so uninterested in using me as your sex toy, why did you drug me? Why am I naked, and why am I here?

Actually, I’m not the one who gave you the Rohypnol. How much do you remember about last night?

After poking her head back out, Dani hissed her response. You’re lying. I saw you at the club, and that’s where I had to have been drugged.

That you saw me last night is unfortunate, but don’t feel like you could’ve done something different. You were targeted a few weeks ago, and us being here today was inevitable. I was there last night watching you, photographing you. I’m flattered that you noticed my presence and considered asking me to dance, but once I had been warned that you were bolstering your courage with tequila shots and might actually do it, I left immediately.

Why? Are you shy? You can’t talk to a girl, or maybe you just can’t get it up unless she’s completely defenseless, drugged, chained, and already naked?

Dani regretted her blast of sarcasm immediately. Chuma’s face hardened, and any friendliness in his voice was replaced with chilled scorn and disdain. He sneered and coldly said, That comment was unnecessary, and it just cost you. You have enough food for three days, and I hope you haven’t wasted too much of the water. You will get no more provisions unless you apologize.

After a short pause he reached into the backpack and extracted another gallon of water. He gulped several mouthfuls before he deliberately began pouring the rest on the ground. Dani tried to withhold her frightened whimper but couldn’t. She watched with dismay, and in a squeaky, breathless voice that revealed her pure desperation she said, I’m sorry. Please stop. I’m really sorry.

Chuma poured water for a few more seconds, adding more anguish before he halted. The jug was still about half full. The lid was not replaced, and he positioned the partially filled container just in front of his outstretched feet. He looked sternly at Dani and ordered, You may have this water only if you come and get it.

Dani pleaded, Please don’t make me do this.

Cruelly, Chuma reached out with the barrel of his rifle and tipped over the plastic vessel. Dani saw the lifesaving water spilling in front of her and reacted. She scrambled out of the sleeping bag and fell toward the open entrance with her arms extended.