HI Folks! We're getting close to Donna's predicament. Please stay tuned as we see how she is going to get out of it by her Knight in Tarnished Armor - Harvey. Thanks for sticking with this one. I appreciate all the readers, reviewers, etc. Always like to read your comments. Love - Carebearmaxi.

Point Me In The Direction of Albuquerque

Chapter 5 - Enlightenment

2:45am

New York City

"Louis," Harvey said wide awake now. He had been waiting for Louis' return call.

"First of all, you and Donna owe me for getting my friend out of bed I think he had company," Louis prefaced the conversation.

"I don't give a shit what he was doing when you called him. What did he say?"

"He said he would have to wait until morning. Did she indicate how long she was going to be on that reservation?"

"Yes, she said she has to be at a doctor's appointment with her "husband" at 9 am sharp just outside Albuquerque. She contacted a Doug at the hotel. Did you give Joshua his information?"

"Yes, Josh has all of it. He knows he can help. He apparently knows all about the Holmgren family and their nefarious business practices."

"Good. We need to get Donna out of there before that doctor is supposed to do what she says he is planning to do."

"You got that right."

Mr. Holmgren, Jack and Donna arrived at the reservation and went straight to the long houses wherein the tribes lived. Jack's mother and father came out and hugged their son and then shook Elliot, Sr.'s hand. Apparently they were on good terms with this man as their behavior did not seem intimidated in the least.

"How great to see you again, Mr. Holmgren. Is this the young lady whom you married?" Robin, Jack's mother, asked.

"Yes, this is Donna Holmgren, my wife," Elliott, Sr. said pushing Donna in front of him.

"So beautiful. Look at the lovely hair. She is very different than your others," Wayne, Jack's father, stated.

Donna not having been enlightened as to what purpose she is serving being the wife of Elliott Holmgren, Sr. attempted to be pleasant as possible and bide her time; however, she felt she was failing miserably because she felt a sharp shove to her back catapulting her forward. Donna looked behind her and from the wicked look on Jack's face Donna was sure that Jack was the one manhandling causing her to bump into Wayne's broad chest.

"Yes, this one exactly fits my requirements. Your son did a very good job of catching her," Elliott, Sr. stated.

"Now everything is legal, correct?" Wayne said. "I do not want any interference like the last time."

Donna noticed when she shook Wayne's hand he not only had feathers in his long black braided hair but wore a gold badge like a sheriff's badge. Robin, Jack's mother, spoke perfect English which fooled Donna as Robin wore traditional Navajo garb a of red and blue knit sweater over which she wore a soft suede jumper dress and moccasins. Robin also wore feathers in her hair.

"Come, Donna, I will wash these clothes for you," Robin said holding Donna's large bag containing her dusty clothes from the previous day. "You can also change out of this dress to more comfortable clothes which I have set out for you in your area."

Donna looked back at her male companions with her "husband" saying, "Go with Robin, my dear. She will help you get settled before we take our trip tomorrow."

Donna wanted to make a break for the road and the truck but when she looked behind her there were suddenly two of Elliott's thugs standing guard by the entrance gate with their arms crossed and dark glasses covering their eyes. All they need are dark suits and earphones and that would complete the Secret Service look Donna thought.

Robin put a comforting arm around Donna and escorted her to the first Long House on the left. As they walked, Robin told her the history of the Long House and what their purpose served now.

"Originally the Long House was used by the tribes as a communal residence. We use them now as dormitories or a school house. Most of us live in small houses. A lot of the residents are Native Navajo and are our teachers and our medical staff."

"Ok, so why I am being held captive and in a dormitory if I am Elliott's wife?" Donna asked. It kept getting stranger and stranger.

Robin swallowed hard and maintained a guarded look on her face.

Donna noticed this and she sighed, "You can't tell me."

"It's not that I don't want to, but my family and I have suffered consequences from my giving other of Elliott's "wives' answers. My son and daughter are in a good place right now, and I don't want to hurt them in any way."

Donna nodded her understanding.

"What is going to happen to me?"

"Nothing very bad. I noticed how Elliott, Sr. looks at you."

"He said that I fit some type of requirement."

"Yes," Robin stated and then opened the door to the long log cabin.

"What are these requirements?" Donna asked needing to know.

"I am not sure exactly. However, the last "wife" he brought here did not have your color hair or your height. She was sophisticated but she was unable to perform her duty."

"So, what happened to her?" Donna asked becoming more frightened by the minute. She also wished she had her firearm with her. Unfortunately, due to security regulations no one was permitted on a flight with a gun in her purse.

"She's fine. She lives here on this reservation," Robin volunteered.

"Would this mean that if I don't fulfill this duty that I am held captive here for the rest of my life?" Donna asked as Robin showed her to a walled section of the complex with a bed and its own bathroom.

"Please, Donna, do not ask me any more questions. I don't know what will happen to you specifically. I know Elliott, Sr. is good to the women he has had. I must go now."

Before Robin could leave, Donna reached out and grabbed Robin's upper arm and jerked her around, "Look, I have a family and obligations. They will come look for me. So I can absolve you of any wrong doing, please tell me something I can use."

Robin look down at where Donna gripped her. Tears threatened to fall from Robin's eyes.

"I cannot tell you exactly what happens. There are other women in this dormitory who also have been Mr. Holmgren's wife. Ask one of them, please."

With that, Robin stepped out of Donna's loosening grip and walked out of her section of the house. When Donna heard the outer door shut, Donna sat down on the bed and immediately retrieved her spare phone that somehow got past Jack's observations of her possessions. It had 100% battery life. Donna's first thought was to call Doug back at the hotel. Considering she did not have much to tell him at this point, she decided to wait until she was sure that the activity in this dormitory had ceased and then she would wait until nightfall and call New York. Call Harvey. He was her best friend. He would know what to do.

After Robin had left Donna alone in the house, Donna stood in the doorway before she was going to change into the jeans and checkered blouse that Robin had left for her. She also had left her a pair of soft Ked sneakers which were so comfortable after spending many hours and a dusty walk in designer high heels.

Well, I may as well change out of these clothes. These beautiful four inch stilettos are not the best to run in should I have a way of physically escaping. Wayne looks like the Sheriff, so he must have a vehicle around here somewhere. Where would I go? The hotel can't be that far away. This place is pretty far out in the desert, so I don't think I would attract anyone to cause a car chase. Geez, I've been living in the city way too long, Donna thought.

As she was removing her green blouse, there was a small knock on the door.

"Come in," Donna answered. She swiftly gathered the sides of her unbuttoned blouse around her holding them closed with her hands.

"Mrs. Holmgren?"

"Call me Donna," she said to a timid little black haired girl who must have been around twelve years old who bashfully opened the door to the chamber. She stood in the doorway holding a covered plate and a can of soda.

"Miss Robin thought you may be hungry, so she sent me in here with this food."

Donna suspecting the worse case scenario decided she was not eating or drinking anything in this place as she needed to keep a clear head in case they wanted to drug her again to make her more compliant.

"What's your name?" Donna asked the little girl.

"Marily."

"Pretty name. Why don't you join me?" Donna inquired to see what Marily's reaction would be.

"Sure." Marily ventured all the way in the chamber and placed the plate and soda on a small wooden bureau.

"Have a seat. I fear I am not very hungry right now," Donna explained to the young girl.

Donna buttoned her shirt quickly and then walked over to the bureau to retrieve the covered plate and soda.

Donna sat on the bed next to Marily and uncovered the plate. Donna was surprised to see a large turkey sandwich on rye with lettuce, tomato and a pickle on the side. There was also a little plastic container packed with delicious-looking cole slaw.

"Is this?" Donna asked the girl.

"Yes, I was told it was one of your favorite sandwiches," Marily said.

"It is, but how would you know?"

Marily looked away at that moment avoiding the question.

"You can't tell me, I know. That seems to be the running theme around here," Donna muttered softly to herself. "Do you want half? You look hungrier than I do."

Marily was only twelve. A small petite little girl with dark black hair and big beautiful dark eyes who was probably in the first bloom of puberty.

"Sure," Marily answered.

At least I know they didn't put a drug in this like they did my wine last night. Surely, they wouldn't endanger one of their own children Donna thought.

They shared the can of soda until Marily declared the can was empty and went to get another.

During their joint lunch, Donna was able to pull information from Marily who said she had been born on the reservation and her mother was a school teacher who had come from another state. Donna told her a little bit about herself thinking, perhaps, that Marily would unthinkingly divulge other pertinent information.

"So, you said your mother is from another state? What about your father? Is he a Navajo?" Donna wondered while she took a bite of the sandwich. Donna made a face because the turkey was as good as any she had from her favorite New York delicatessen.

Marily saw Donna's face and smiled. "You really like that, don't you?"

"Yes, Marily, I do. It reminds me of home."

"Where's home?" Marily asked taking another bite of her half of the sandwich.

"New York. Do you want to share the cole slaw?"

Marily nodded as her mouth was full.

"So," Donna repeated herself when she knew the girl had not answered her. "Is your father Navajo?"

"Partially, he's also Mexican," Marily slipped after she swallowed her bite.

"Do you know your father?"

"Not really. Mom says he is a big businessman but he's too busy to really get to know me. Mom says he provides for us as long as we stay here on the reservation."

Donna realized why she was brought here. The clues were all there in Marily's conversation. Also, the comments made by Wayne and Robin about her not being the usual and fitting the requirements. It looks like Donna was being prepared to be a baby factory for this Holmgren guy.

"Hey, Marily, has your mother ever told you about when she was first here? What was expected of her?"

"Not really. My mother has punished me for asking questions, but I think she's just trying to protect me from Sheriff Wayne and Miss Robin," Marily stated.

"Why? What will Sheriff Wayne or Miss Robin do to you?" Donna wondered. She knew instinctively something was up with Jack's father and mother.

"I don't know exactly, Ms. Donna. You are really pretty. If you have a baby, he or she will be very beautiful."

Donna shook her head in mock disbelief for she had surmised already the reason why she had been kidnapped and brought here.

"Baby? Who says I'm having a baby?"

Marily rose and looked out the door. She shut the door behind her and resumed her seat on the bed next to Donna moving closer. She spoke in a whisper.

"Ms. Donna. That man with the white hair. He's the man who brought my mother to this reservation. I almost certain he's my father but my mother won't say."

"Hold on, Marily. Why does he make women have his babies? Can you answer that?"

"No, I can't. All I know is that he brings women here and when they are here for a little while it's obvious they've become pregnant. Just this year I was allowed to help the last woman brought here. She was here for a few weeks and kept throwing up in the morning."

"Ok, so how did you figure she was pregnant?"

"My mother told me. She told me I was old enough to help."

"Is that lady still here?"

"No, she lost her baby," Marily said softly looking away sadly.

"What happened to the lady? Where did she go?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know. All I know is when the lady, Bevie, was her name said she was losing her baby an ambulance came and took her to the hospital and I never saw her again."

"Mar-", Donna began.

"Miss Donna, I don't know anything else," Marily interrupted shaking her head obviously frightenend that she had given too much away already. "I have to get back to my mother soon. She's teaching the orphans today. You might be allowed to meet her, maybe not. It depends, I guess."

"On what?"

"Whether you're going to have a baby," Marily said.

Donna took her hand in hers and said, "You have been very helpful, Marily. You'd better leave if you have to."

"You won't get me in trouble or yourself, right?"

"No, I will not allow you to be in trouble," Donna said standing. "Thank you, Marily." Donna gave the girl a hug.

Donna now stood changed into her jeans equipped with her spare cell in her front shirt pocket. She knew that if anyone was reporting on seeing her they could spot the lump of her large cell phone in her back pocket and just pluck it. This way with it in her front shirt pocket she would see them coming. She retrieved the clothes that she wore last night and carrying them came out of her section of the Long House and looked around. There were several women there at the community tables, sewing, beading, and one of them was folding laundry. Donna was about to ask where to put her worn clothes when suddenly a whoosh of chilly air announced the arrival of Sheriff Wayne.

"Mrs. Holmgren, Donna, I just wanted to see how you were fitting in. Did Marily provide you a good lunch?"

"Yes, it was very good. She's a very nice girl. Sheriff Wayne?" Donna asked.

"Yes, I am the Sheriff. Your husband provides the reservation with work and other things."

"Oh," was all Donna could say.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I would like to take a look around. Is that ok?"

"Sure. You're free to go wherever you wish. Mr. Holmgren will meet you for dinner with our family at our home in a few hours."

Donna hid her thoughts by focusing on her feet. Maybe I can figure some way of finding what I need to get out of here. Probably have electrified or barbed wired fences on the edge of the reservation. It would make sense if they told me I could go anywhere and not be held captive in chains.

Sheriff Wayne took Donna's arm and noticing the green designer clothes said, "Oh let me take these. My wife will know how to clean these."

"That reminds me. I wanted to pay your daughter or Jack for these beautiful clothes. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find my wallet or my purse. My checkbook was in my purse as well as my makeup and, you know, the female things."

Sheriff Wayne smiled sarcastically.

"There's no need to pay for these clothes. They are a gift and I'll be sure that they are returned to you once they are washed and pressed. I will try to locate your purse for you. Robin usually forgets to return the personal affects to our visitors when they are initially here. She is always excited about the new people here and forgets. I will check with her for you and get it back to you tonight."

"Fine," Donna said nodding acting complacent with the situation. How dumb or submissive did they really think she was? Smiling at him, Donna then followed a couple steps behind as Sheriff Wayne escorted her out of the Long House.