It felt as if they’d driven to the end of the earth. And they were still driving. Lexi glanced out the window of the 4x4 to where the terrain had changed little over the past couple hours. Mile after mile of sand dunes and desolate desert scenery surrounded them. The desert held its own kind of beauty that even she could appreciate. But after the last couple days trapped in its isolation, she was ready to leave.
Issa had told them that they were finally getting close to the border. Another fifteen, maybe twenty minutes, and they’d be there.
She glanced out the back window. There had been no signs of the car that had been following them, which brought a measure of relief, but she still wasn’t convinced it was over. All she could do was pray that Colton’s shot had damaged the other vehicle to the point where they hadn’t been able to continue. But even if they weren’t following them, there was still another huge hurdle to cross. Getting into Morocco.
“How long do you think the border crossing is going to take?” she asked, trying to settle her nerves.
“It’s hard to predict,” Issa said. “An hour...two...maybe three. It depends on a number of factors. How many cars are already lined up, along with the mood of the border authorities.”
“And the exact process?”
He’d gone over it briefly, but she needed to feel prepared. Or at least as prepared as she could.
“First we’ll pass through the Mauritania side. Uniformed officers will ask to see your documentation. There are customs forms that have to be stamped, as well as the actual passports, and a fingerprint machine and photos for foreigners. Beyond that, there’s a good chance they’ll inspect our vehicle, and like with most border crossings, there will be plenty of determined people offering to help us in exchange for a fee.”
“And me?” she asked. “What am I supposed to do? Simply walk across to the Moroccan side and hope they don’t notice me?”
Issa glanced in the rearview mirror and caught her gaze. “That’s always an option, but I think it’s better if we tell them the truth up front. We can explain how you were the victim of a serious crime. You lost your passport, and are now headed to the American Embassy.”
Lexi pressed her nails into the palms of her hands, still not convinced this plan was going to work. Not only did she need to make sure Mauritania allowed her to leave, she needed the Moroccan government to let her enter. Without any documents.
“And you think they’ll believe me and just let me walk through without a passport?” she asked.
The last time she’d crossed one of the North African borders, she’d had to deal with two armed and hostile policemen, who’d pumped her with questions for the good part of an hour before finally letting her through. And that time, she’d had all her documents with her.
“There’s no way to know, but I think Issa is right. I don’t think we have a choice,” Colton said. “Though I do have some cash in case we need to...persuade them.”
Colton’s words only stoked her fear. In case they needed to persuade them? Like if they threatened to arrest her for trying to cross illegally? Bribes were common, but technically illegal. What if they were able to pay off the authorities on one side but the armed guards on the other side couldn’t be bought? Or Colton didn’t have enough money to pay both groups?
“Once we get through the first border control and passport checks, we have to go through no-man’s-land,” Issa said, continuing his explanation.
“Isn’t that where we are now?” she asked, with a chuckle.
“It might seem like it, but no-man’s-land is a four-kilometer stretch of unclaimed desert between the two countries that is surrounded by land mines.”
“Land mines?” Lexi glanced at Colton, unsure if she should laugh or cry. “This just keeps getting better and better. All I have to do is walk through the border without a passport while trying not to get blown up by a land mine, or get caught by Salif’s men, who for all we know are still on our tail.”
“The land mines exist all over the Sahara,” Issa explained. “Many of the countries are too hostile toward each other to have their borders touch. So the no-man’s-land is their solution. But there is no need to worry. As long as we stay on track, the road is easy to follow.”
“And Salif’s men...” she said. “Do you think they’ll follow us across?”
“If Salif is smart, he’ll realize it’s time to give up.” Colton said.
“Except the man’s hardheaded,” Issa said. “He might give up on the ransom attempt he organized himself, but Lexi’s kidnapping is different. He was hired to find the money, and I have a feeling his reach might be farther than any of us realizes.”
Lexi leaned her head back against the seat, closed her eyes and started praying. Letting her emotions swing out of control wasn’t going to help anyone. She needed to draw from God’s strength and focus on the fact that they were safe. That they’d managed to once again evade Salif’s men. And while she might be a day or two later than she’d originally planned, she still might be able to make Micah’s wedding.
She felt Colton’s fingers wrap around her hand and opened her eyes.
“You okay?” he asked.
She looked at him, thankful once again for his presence and unwavering strength. If she had to deal with this on her own...
“For the most part. I just realized that my flight to Ireland was scheduled for today. My stepfather was going to get a hold of Micah and tell her what was going on, but when I spoke to him, I was supposed to be on my way out of here.”
“We are on our way,” he said.
“I know, but things have gotten a bit more...complicated.” She bit back the tears. “I guess I’m not used to being kidnapped, chased and shot at.”
She shook her head. Saying it out loud made it sound crazy. Like a lame line from some action movie script.
“You said Micah’s fiancé’s from Ireland?” he asked.
She nodded. “They’re a very well-off family, and while I’ve only seen photos of the venue they chose, it’s absolutely incredible. Three hundred acres of woods and lakes, along with a castle dating back to the thirteenth century. Talk about a fairy-tale wedding.”
“We’re going to get you there.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Somehow, dreaming of castles, rich food and a spa treatment seems completely frivolous right now. All I really want is a hot shower and some clean clothes.”
“It’s not frivolous—it’s normal. Trust me, I have three sisters and each one of them spent what seemed like hundreds of hours planning their weddings. Of course none of them were married in a European castle, but I’m sure given the opportunity they would have jumped at it.”
She smiled, but even his attempt to lighten the mood wasn’t working. Not completely anyway. “I’m scared, Colton. I still don’t know how this is going to end. If Salif’s men show up behind us, or if they’re waiting for us at the border...”
He squeezed her hand. “Isn’t this how life always is? The unexpected hits us—job loss, sickness, financial issues—and we never know how it’s going to end. Granted, this situation is way out of the ordinary, but in reality the only thing we ever know for certain is that God’s still right here and none of what has happened over the last few days has surprised Him.”
“I know.” It was the one thing she’d continued to hang on to. Knowing that God was here even in the midst of tragedy, fear and pain. A passage from the Psalms played through her mind.
We will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the center of the sea...
“I’ve been impressed at how flexible you’ve been,” Colton said, breaking into her thoughts. “I’ve seen how you’re able to roll with the punches.”
“It’s not like I’ve had a choice.” She laughed, wishing she didn’t like him so much. But she did. His strength. His genuineness. His love for his family. His ability to make her smile even in the most difficult of situations.
The other thing that surprised her about the situation was that despite everything that had happened, she still had no regrets at coming here. She’d specifically sought out a place that would stretch her both physically and emotionally. In the end what she’d gained had far outweighed what she’d given. And even though it had been a long time since she’d felt that sense of normal—and she’d have preferred to skip these past few days—she’d still volunteer again in a heartbeat.
Maybe normal—maybe comfortable—was overrated.
* * *
Colton studied Lexi’s expression as they made their way to the border. He’d felt an attraction to her the first time they’d met in Timbuktu, but he’d never expected to have a chance to explore those feelings any further. In fact, he’d had no plans to fall for another woman. At least not for a long time. It was why he was here in Africa. To forget Maggie. Which was exactly what had happened. Maggie was—he could safely say—a thing of the past. But that didn’t mean he was ready to jump into another relationship again. How was it then that he couldn’t stop thinking about Lexi? Or that he wanted to figure out a way to get to know her better once this was all over? And yet that’s exactly what he wanted.
“You mentioned that one of the reasons you came to Africa was to find closure from your mother’s death?”
“I needed time and space to heal.”
“Sounds like the two of you were close.”
“Very. I miss her every day, but she’s the one who taught me to always live life to the fullest and take chances. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she booked a month-long European cruise for her and my stepfather. She told me she wasn’t done living and that there were still so many things she wanted to see and do.” Lexi’s gaze dropped, but there was a slight smile on her lips. “She rarely complained, always thought about others and never just talked about what she wanted to do one day. She did it. That’s how I want to live.”
“She’d be proud of what you’re doing here.”
“I hope so. And while I know it sounds horrible, I’m thankful she didn’t have to go through all of this. Trent might have been her stepson, but she loved him like her own, and if she’d known what he was involved in, it would have broken her heart.”
“We’re almost there,” Issa said, breaking into their conversation.
Colton looked outside as they passed a blue cargo container with Office of Tourism written on the side. He drew in a deep breath. He was determined to keep Lexi safe at any cost. They’d make it across the border, then head to the embassy on their way out of the country, where all of this would be behind them. He’d make sure she got to her friend’s wedding, and then he’d find a way to see her again.
Or at least that’s what he was going to keep praying would happen.
Issa pulled into a parking spot in front of a sand-colored building. There was a police car next to them. Colton looked behind them. There was no sign of the other vehicle that had followed them, which hopefully meant one less thing to worry about.
“We’ll let you do all the talking, Issa,” Colton said, as they exited the vehicle. “You up to this, Bret?”
He glanced at his brother-in-law who had been quiet for most of the trip. With a few good meals and some rest, he was going to be back to normal. He just needed to get Bret home. Needed to get all of them home.
“A few hours at the border in the sweltering sun?” Bret shot Colton a smile. “I’ve had worse days.”
He couldn’t help but smile back. They’d all had worse days recently. Which meant this was going to be a piece of cake. At least he hoped so.
An hour later, Colton decided that crossing into Morocco was going to be anything but simple. The sun pounded down on them relentlessly. He was worried about the constant jostling of people beside them begging for money or trying to sell cigarettes and cold drinks. He kept close to Lexi’s side while Issa explained over and over to the authorities what had happened.
Maybe they should have tried to smuggle her across. Or maybe that would have made things worse. There was no way to know. She was strong, he knew that, but that didn’t mean that the ongoing stress of the past few days wasn’t affecting her. Because he knew it was getting to him.
He glanced behind them in the line. There was still no sign of Salif’s men, but they were out there. Determined to get the two million dollars they’d lost as well as find Trent. And it wouldn’t be hard to deduce where they were going. They needed to make it to the embassy and as far out of Salif’s scope of influence as soon as possible.
But was Morocco going to be far enough?
He tried to dismiss the questions. All they needed to do right now was get into Morocco. From there on, they should be safe.
“They’re taking too long,” Lexi said, pacing beside him while Issa continued trying to convince the border officials to allow her to leave.
“They always take too long,” he said. “It’s part of the process.”
“Maybe. And I know I shouldn’t feel so much panic, but on the other hand I have been kidnapped—twice—over the past couple days, threatened and shot at...” She let out a huff of air. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” He reached into his pocket for some change, then haggled with a man for four Cokes. “Though this might help.”
She took the drink, then shot him a smile, before taking a sip. “You’re right. I don’t think I realized how thirsty I was.”
He handed one to Bret, then waited a couple minutes until Issa joined them to give him his drink.
“Anything?” Lexi asked.
“I’m trying to convince them to get someone from your government involved. The border patrol agent, Nuru, told me to wait a few more minutes. There’s actually a man here now who works for the American Embassy. Nuru’s trying to track him down before he crosses into Morocco. If he’s right—”
“They’ll let me cross?” Lexi asked.
“That’s what he implied.”
For the first time all afternoon Colton saw hope in Lexi’s eyes.
We just need a way across, God. And a way to put this nightmare behind us.
He stared past the line of cars toward the Moroccan border. A couple miles was all that stood between them and freedom. A couple miles and he could get Lexi through the disputed Western Sahara territory and on to Rabat, where she could catch a flight to Ireland and be done with this.
As Colton finished the last of his cold drink, a large African man wearing a dark gray uniform and accompanied by a second man approached them.
“I’ve been speaking with a colleague about your problem and might have found a solution,” the man said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I would like to introduce you to Karim Fadel. He works for the American Embassy and has agreed to take you to the capital.”
Issa quickly introduced Colton, Bret and Lexi to the two men.
“I’m returning from a business trip to Mauritania,” Karim said with a thick English accent. “The Mauritanian official told of what you have been through. I’d be happy to help.”
Colton hesitated briefly, before shaking the man’s hand. It almost seemed too easy. Someone with the right credentials happened to be crossing at the same time they were and suddenly they are allowed to cross? He pushed back the thought and reached out and shook the man’s hand. Why was he complaining? If it got the three of them across the border safely, that was all that mattered at the moment.
“Thank you. We appreciate your help tremendously,” he said.
“It’s the least I can do after what the three of you have experienced. The officials have told me they are going to allow you to leave Mauritania,” Karim said, “And with my connections to the US Embassy, I don’t expect any problems on the other side of the border once I explain the situation.”
“Issa?” Colton said, before following the man to his car. “Are you coming with us?”
Issa’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be crossing into Morocco with you. I believe you are in good hands, and it will be better if I return home to my family.”
“Are you sure?” Colton didn’t like the idea of simply leaving Issa behind, but he wasn’t sure there were any other options.
“What if they give you trouble back home?” Lexi added.
“I’ll be okay,” Issa assured them.
Colton prayed his friend was right as he gave him money for fuel and food for the return trip. “We owe you our lives, Issa.”
“Then I will expect another visit to my home—from all three of you—though the next time I will expect to be under better circumstances.”
Colton embraced the man. “Thank you, Issa. And please...be careful.”
A minute later, the three of them were headed with Karim toward a silver Mercedes.
“I told you it was going to be okay,” Colton said, nudging Lexi with his elbow.
“I guess I should listen to you more often.”
“Yes, you should,” he teased.
But despite his words, Colton still couldn’t shake the sense of uneasiness. He looked back one more time as Issa slipped into his vehicle and drove away.