The Secret Room

Dedication

To my husband, the most important man in my life. Thank you for being my rock. I will always love you.

Chapter 1

A loud knock at the door rattled the windows as if an earthquake had hit the building. Ella’s heart jumped to her throat as she sprung to her feet. The knock continued, and a man with a south-of-the-border accent begged for someone to help him.

She pulled the shade back and looked into his dark eyes and over his shoulder. The moon cast a glow on a small woman with dark hair draped over her shoulders. A baby clung to her dress.

Ella’s body shook as if she had a chill. Quickly she moved to her handbag lying on the floor and retrieved a small handgun. She wrapped her fist around the cold steel handle, put her finger on the trigger and pulled it from the bottom of her handbag. She stood with her arm straight at her side and quickly approached the door.

Who’s there? What do you want? She yelled as she stepped closer to the door.

We need to hide. We escaped from the Coyotes.

What coyotes? I don’t think there are coyotes around here. They usually stay away from the lights of the town.

Ma’am, the Mexican Cartels are called Coyotes. They smuggle illegal Mexicans into the country.

Ella pulled the shade back. The moonlit sky gave her a better view of the people at her door. A young man, probably in his late twenties wearing a straw hat with a cord around his chin and cocked back on his head, and a young woman with tear-filled eyes holding a baby.

With Ella’s hand on the door against her better judgment, she unlocked, slowly opened the door, and stepped back.

The young family rushed past her and huddled in the far dark corner of the shop.

Why did you knock at my door? I should call the Sheriff.

Senorita, please don’t call them. The Coyotes will find us.

Who are you hiding from...who? Ella asked as she locked the door behind her. She realized she was not in danger and put the gun away.

The men in the white van, the Coyotes, they will take us to the drop-house and keep us locked up until our family sends money for our release. Our family doesn’t have money. We are poor. We came to work in the fields, the young Mexican man told Ella as he pulled his wife and baby close.

Where is Paul and Nellie? They always hide our people and help make our way to the San Joaquin Valley where we can work and make money to care for our family.

Senor, they are not here. I’m the new owner of this store. When I picked up supplies in town, I overheard something about the storekeepers vanishing in the night. They must have moved away. I don’t have any knowledge of your people, coyotes, or drop-houses.

No, no, they did not move, they would not move, he cried out. Can you hide us for the night? We will leave tomorrow at sun break. We cannot travel any further tonight with the baby. My wife is not strong. We have walked through the desert most of the night in search of this place

Where will you go tomorrow? Ella inquired.

There’s a truck that travels through twice a week to pick up farm workers. There are farmers over in the valley in need of workers. They make a way for workers to get from Conway to the valley. The Cartel, human smugglers, Coyotes as they are known, bring our people here. They charge a fee, but sometimes they are not honest, and put us in drop-houses until the family pays a ransom. If the family can’t pay the Cartel, they kill them and leave them in the desert for the vultures to devour.

I’ve never heard of such a thing, she whispered. Are you sure of this?

Yes. The farmer sends a truck over twice a week to pick up workers, taking them to the farm, he continued as Ella listened intently.

This is our first time to come from our country to look for work. We heard there is plenty work for everyone. We are starving in our country. We only want to make a better life for our family. We have traveled many days in the back of a van. It was so crowded we struggled for every breath. I heard the driver say they were taking us to a drop-house. I knew I had to get my wife and baby away from the Coyotes. We made our way to the van’s back door. When the van slowed to maneuver around a herd of cows, we jumped from the back of the van and ran for our life through the desert. When we left home, we were told by friends to go to Conway and look up Paul and Nellie at the secondhand store on Main Street, if we needed a place to stay before catching the farmer’s truck to the valley.

Ella didn’t understand all the man was saying in an effort to plead for help from a woman that knows nothing about Coyotes and people hiding or smuggling people.

You can stay until daybreak, and then you must be gone. I don’t understand any of this.

Gracias, senorita, gracias. We won’t be any trouble to you. the man said thankfully, as he wrapped his arms around his family pulling them close.

Ella put her long coat on, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and put a sock cap on to keep the chill of the night away. She threw her handbag strap over her shoulder, adjusted it and looked back at the family.

You are out of here first thing in the morning, you hear me? Ella reiterated as she turned the knob on the door. Ella stopped in her tracks for a moment, turned and looked back at the three huddled in the corner.

What are your names? she asked.

I’m sorry ma’am. My name is Juan and my wife is Maria. Our baby is Jose. Juan pointed to his family.

Are you hungry?

Yes, senorita, we are very hungry, but there will be food on the truck for us tomorrow. The baby can nurse his Madre, if she has milk, Juan said as he looked at his hungry family.

You lock the door behind me and I will be right back, Ella ordered as she made her way out the door.

Ella raced to Joe’s Coffee House, the only place still open in town that served food. She walked in and adjusted her knit hat.

Take a seat anywhere, we are not too busy. It’s late for a pretty woman to be out on the streets. You must be new to town, a man behind the counter said. The menu is on the table, he said pointing to the small dining room.

Ella took a seat in the booth, opened the small menu, and decided on hamburgers and French fries.

The man called to her, What’ll it be?

Two burgers loaded and two orders of French fries. And I had better have two bottles of soda. And that’ll be to go. She closed the menu and wedged it back in place.

He fired up the grill top and began to cook. Soon the smell of greasy hamburgers permeated the small cafe. Within a few minutes, he was back with the food in a brown bag and two bottles of soda laced between his fingers. He placed them on the table and dropped off a bill. I’ll get that at the register when you’re ready.

At the last minute, she remembered to get milk for the baby. I’m sorry but can I get a carton of milk?  Make it a half gallon, she asked.

He made his way to the back and brought back two quarts of milk. This will have to do; we don’t sell it by the half gallon. He placed it in a brown bag and set it next to the register.

Ella slid out of the booth, took money from her wallet and paid the bill. She dropped a few dollars on the table, adjusted her hat, and started out the door.

Ma’am, you forgot the burgers on the table. He smiled. Someone at home must be hungry and waiting for those burgers.

Yes, yes, you’re right. She smiled. Thank you.

She rushed back to the storefront keeping an eye out for the van. She filled her arms with the burgers, fries, and the milk. She ran her fingers around the necks of the soda bottles, stepped out of the car, backed up to the car door, and shut it with the swing of her hip. She looked from side to side, and made her way up the steps to the door and rapped loudly. The Mexican man cautiously opened the door. Ella handed him the two bags and the two sodas she held between her fingers.

Gracias, gracias!

Juan took the milk from the bag and kissed the carton. As he opened the carton of milk he asked, Do you have any way I can warm the milk for the baby’s bottle?

Yes, there’s a hotplate in the back room, Ella replied as she hurried to the back room. She pulled the string hanging from the ceiling light and switched it on. She fetched the hotplate from the top shelf and hoped the coil would heat.

I guess this was left behind by Paul and Nellie, Ella said as she crossed her fingers for the coil to turn red.

Juan found an empty can, washed it before pouring the milk in, and placed it on the burner. It took a moment for the coil to turn red. As soon as the milk was warm, he filled the bottle, shook a few drops on his forearm to make sure it wasn’t too warm for the baby. The baby wrapped his hands around the warm bottle and began nursing and cooing, causing the milk to run down his little chin. Maria opened the bag, and unwrapped the food Ella had generously provided them. The young family gobbled down the food, but not before bowing their heads to give thanks for the food He had provided them through a stranger.

How would they ever be able to repay her? The thought was going through Juan’s mind.

Ella found a couple of old blankets in the back room. She shook them out to rid them of spiders.

Here, Ella said, take these blankets. They will keep you warm tonight. You be gone at first break of the day like you promised. I could be in trouble for harboring you. It is illegal for you to be in this country.

"We will, senorita...you have my word" he replied.

Ella donned her coat, wrapped the scarf around her neck, and pulled the sock hat over her ears, as she rummaged through her handbag for her keys.

Ella had quit her corporate job and moved to Conway to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a flower shop. She met Mark Brandon, a local who owned a recently vacated storefront. They worked out a deal and soon Ella was cleaning the storefront in preparation of opening a flower shop when Juan and his family came to her door.

The previous tenants were secondhand clothing dealers, and the place smelled of sweaty clothes and old soiled leather shoes. She wondered why anyone would want to sell old secondhand clothes, and why did they close up shop?

This place doesn’t have any heat, you will have to keep each other warm tonight, she cautioned. As she reached the door, she looked back at the three people huddled in a corner wrapped in old blankets, on a journey to a better life.

Juan Hernandez spent a restless night, worried the Cartel might know of the place they were hiding and barge through the door. Friends back in his homeland told him the secondhand store was a place of refuge. He only knew Paul and Nellie were not at the store. A strange woman answered their plea at the door and let them in from the cold of the night. Was she an angel or would she call the authorities or could she possibly know the Cartel? Juan had no way to know, but he had shelter for his family for the night. The three of them cuddled close as he looked over his wife’s shoulder at his beautiful innocent baby boy. He knew he must protect both from the evil of this world. Juan crossed his chest and closed his eyes.

Just before daybreak little Jose started to squirm rubbing his eyes and sucking on his thumb. His diaper was soiled. They had one change for him. Somehow they must find a way to wash out the soiled diaper and get it dry for the next changing. Maria changed Jose and took the soiled diaper to the bathroom to wash it out. She put it in the bag from last night’s dinner and tucked it in her coat.

I will dry it when we get on the truck. I can hold it in the wind and let it dry as we travel to our work place, Maria assured Juan.

Juan warmed another bottle for baby Jose to have on the trip to the farm. He secured it under his belt where he would not lose it as they ran to the farmer’s truck.

Maria and Juan folded the blankets, put them in the corner for Ella before they gathered up their belongings and headed out. It was just before daybreak as they had promised Ella. Juan looked both ways and across the street before he unlocked the front door. He helped Maria out the door and pulled Jose close to his chest. Juan locked the storefront door and immediately saw the white van they escaped from the night before coming down the street. He pushed Maria down behind a potted shrub on the sidewalk and fell beside her. They lay frozen in fright for their lives.

They are looking for us. What can I do? Juan asked Maria.

The van slowly drove past. After the van’s taillights disappeared in the distance Juan and Maria got to their feet.

The farmer’s truck would be at Main Street and Fifth Avenue; the same way the van was going. Should they go there, taking a chance on being seen? They knew if they found them, they would take them to a drop-house to be tortured. Moreover, they knew their family could not pay a ransom for their release. They would kill them, and even worse, they would rape Maria repeatedly while they made Juan watch.

The Cartels make a deal with those wanting to come to the states. The smugglers charge the illegal people a fee to bring them across the border. After working and saving for years, the immigrants have enough money saved to pay the fee for a ride across the border. Some of the Cartel are not dropping off their clients at their destination. Instead, they are taking them to a drop-house where they tie them up and hold them for ransom. Some have luckily escaped and have told of beatings beyond imagination. There are stories of their feet sliced and their shoes taken from them. It would be physically impossible for them to run if they were to escape.

Juan looked up and saw headlights from a large vehicle speeding down Main Street. The tires smoked as Ella’s car slid up to the curb. As she jumped from the car, she ordered them to get back in the store.

The door is locked. I locked the door as you asked, senorita, Juan cried out.

Ella dumped the contents of her handbag and scattered the contents over the sidewalk, frantically in search of the store key, she grabbed the key ring, fumbled the keys through her fingers, unlocked the door and rushed inside.

Keep the lights off, Ella demanded. I saw the white van you described to me last night. They must be searching the city for you, Ella told them.

But, senorita, what can we do? We must get to the farm.

Juan, I don’t know. I need time to think. Ella grabbed her head. Take your family to the back room. No one will see you there. I will be back in a few minutes. Don’t open the door for anyone. You hear me? Don’t open the door. Ella ordered.

What you say we will do, senorita. We are at your mercy, Juan promised in broken English.

Ella collected the items she dumped from her handbag. This handbag is so heavy; why do I carry so much junk around? she murmured.

Ella left the store for the market where she picked up milk and diapers for Jose. Then she went to the fast food joint where she bought breakfast for the hungry family. It was daybreak as she turned her Ford station wagon onto Main Street headed back to the store. She noticed a car in the rearview mirror. Every turn she made, the car stayed with her.

What can I do? I can’t go back to the store. She remembered the truck stop just out of town was open. She could drive up to the pumps where Charlie sat on a stool waiting to take care of his customers. Ella set the food on the floor and covered it with an old blanket she kept in the car to keep it warm.

There sat Charlie on his tattered stool.

Yes, there are angels, Ella thought.

Charlie slowly limped toward Ella’s car.

The white van stopped across the street. Ella made small talk with Charlie about the goings on in town, in hopes the van would move on down the road.

Are you new here? Charlie asked as he sprayed the windshield with window cleaner. He slowly pulled the squeegee across the windshield, leaving a grid of streaks with each pass over.

Yes, I’m just getting settled in. I rented the old secondhand storefront and I’m getting it cleaned up. I plan to open a flower shop.  

Did you hear what happened to the secondhand store owners? Charlie questioned.

No, did something happen to them? Ella quizzed.

Oh, nothing I know about, ma’am. I just work and keep my head down, he sheepishly told her as he wiped the streaked windshield with his blue paper towel.

Ella wondered what the old man with a limp had under his hat. She knew this wasn’t the time to question him.

Sheriff Brady drove up just in time. The men in the white van noticed the sheriff and immediately drove away. Sheriff Brady was a tough ‘son of a gun’ and he kept control of this out of the way town. On the other hand, he thought he had it under control. The sheriff checked all unfamiliar vehicles. The red lights flashed and the siren squealed through the night air as Sheriff Brady sped after the white van. Ella paid for her service and headed back to the store. This time she parked in the back in a dilapidated garage Mark included in the monthly rent. It would be best no one see her vehicle, for the time being anyway. They must have seen the car parked at the store and thought Juan and Maria were hiding in the store since Paul and Nellie, the previous store owners, used the place as a refuge for the escapees from the Cartel.

Paul and Nellie left town in the middle of the night. No one had seen or heard from them. Did the Cartel find out they gave refuge to the poor immigrants on their way to the farms? Did they run for their life? Did the Cartel do away with them? It seems no one knew what happened to them. Someone knows. Does Ella have herself in too deep? Is her life in danger?

Juan opened the door for Ella. Senorita, senorita, the white van passed by many times, Juan told Ella.

Everything is okay, Juan. The sheriff noticed the van and went to check it out. I don’t think they will be back this way today, she assured Juan.

We can go now and meet the truck. Juan began picking up their things.

The farmer’s truck pulled out of town as I drove from the truck stop. I’m sorry, Juan, you missed the truck, Ella told Juan.

Jesus, what will we do? What have I done to my family? Juan cried out. I should have kept them in Mexico. I have put my family in great danger. I didn’t know it would be so bad in this country. I thought... Juan began to weep. I am sorry, Maria, I’m so sorry. I will keep you safe. We can go back to Mexico and I will find work there. Juan pulled Maria to his chest and held her tight.

Maria pushed Juan away. You’ll do no such thing. We will get through this. Not everyone in this country is bad. Be thankful for the help Ella has given us. There is work in this country. We will think of something.

That Maria is a little pistol when she gets upset, Ella thought. I’m glad she has spunk. We all need a little temper to shine occasionally.

Maria filled the baby’s bottle with milk and warmed it on the hotplate. Ella opened the bags of food and the three sat on the floor sharing the food. Ella felt a closeness to this couple and their baby and the young family felt love in Ella’s presence.

For now, Juan, you and your family will stay here. There’s a mattress in the back room you can sleep on. The floor is too hard, Ella told Juan. You can stay hidden here until the truck comes back in a few days."

Senorita, senorita, how can we repay you? You are too kind, Juan said.

Enough of this senorita stuff, my name is Ella, you hear, she insisted.

Ella, I will, senorita...I mean Ms. Ella. Juan agreed to call her Ella, but wanted to use Ms. to show respect.

They all chuckled as they opened the cold breakfast sandwiches Ella picked up at the fast food diner. The breakfast sandwich filled their bellies. Last night a young family was hungry, and this morning their angel again provided food for them.

Ella handed Maria the diapers she had picked up at the market and Maria was so grateful.

Ella, I will never forget your kindness. We needed the diapers for Jose. Gracias, gracias. Maria said as she began to weep.

Now don’t go getting mushy on me, you hear? Ella said as she wrapped her arms around Maria’s shoulder.

I’m cleaning this place and I plan to open a flower shop. You can help me with the cleaning while you wait for the farmer’s truck to arrive," she told them.

We are grateful for your help. We will do a good job of cleaning for you, Ms. Ella, Juan said.

I’ll pay you for your work, Juan. This will give you some money in your pocket for food, Ella told Juan.

Gracias, Ms. Ella, gracias, but you’ve already helped us. No need to pay us anymore, Juan told her.

Ella got the cleaning supplies out and started scrubbing on the walls. Juan was standing on the ladder doing the upper walls, while Ella and Maria were washing the bottom walls. They worked for hours. They laughed and shared their life experiences. It seemed they had known each other forever. Maybe in another life their spirits had met. Ella didn’t believe in a previous life, but there was closeness, a bond formed between them.

Ella, Juan said, we need to paint the walls. Just washing them is not enough. The paint is too bad, and you want this place to look like a shiny new penny.

You are right Juan. I will go to the hardware store and pick up some paint. What color do you think I should paint the walls? Ella asked.

Oh, Ms. Ella, you do not want me to choose the color. I like bright colors. You pick the color and I will roll it on the wall, Juan told her.

Ella scurried out the door, stopped in her stride, turned to look at the work they had accomplished. They were sent to me by an angel.

She asked Juan to lock the door and stay away from the windows. Off she went to Conway Hardware to pick up the materials they would need to get the shop in tiptop shape.

She loaded herself down with paint, rollers and brushes and headed out the hardware store door. As she flung the door open, she noticed Mark Brandon, her landlord, leaning on a post in front of the hardware store.

What the heck are you doing with all that paint? Mark inquired as he pushed his cowboy hat to the back of his head.

I’m painting the walls of my store, Ella told him.

Here let me help you with that, Mark said as he grabbed cans of the paint and carried them to his truck.

I’ll take it over to your store, Mark said as he lifted the cans over the tailgate.

That’s not necessary.

Mark insisted, as he threw everything in his truck. Before Ella could convince him, he was headed for Ella’s store.

Ella sped past Mark and slid into the parking space in front of the store. She rushed into the shop, catching her breath, and holding her heaving chest, she pointed to the back room. Juan and Maria picked up Jose and rushed to the back room, squeezing their bodies into a cabinet.

Ella knew no one could be trusted. She didn’t know who was involved in the human smuggling Cartel stuff. She knew she had a family who needed protection. Mark hung around the store for a while. He chatted about town folk, and moved in on Ella, wrapping his arm around her waist. Ella twirled in a circle, unwrapping his arms.

Mark Brandon, I have better things to do than stand around talking to you. You best hightail it out of here. Ella pointed to the door.

Mark looked a little sheepish, turned, walked to the door, and said, Okay, Ella, but I’ll be back.

I don’t doubt you will. The door almost hit Mark on the butt as Ella pushed it shut and locked it behind him. She watched as Mark drove off, making sure it was safe for the family of three to come out of hiding.

Paint went on the walls as if a professional painter was doing it.

Juan, you do a damn good job of painting. Who taught you to paint? Ella asked.

You see, Ms. Ella, my dad was a painter, he taught me. He was a very good painter. He painted for all the wealthy people in our village. I have been painting since I was just big enough to hold a paintbrush. I will teach Jose how to paint when he is old enough. Ella, we will have this store painted before tomorrow night, you can count on it. Juan promised.

As promised Juan had the store painted and it looked good by the next evening. Ella made a few trips to the hardware store for more paint during the course of the two days of painting and cleaning. The walls were a soft green, the wood floors a dark brown. Everything looked nice and smelled of fresh paint.

There is still much to be done, She told Juan. I need to hire a carpenter to build display cabinets and work tables.

Ms. Ella, my trade in my country is also carpenter and handyman. I can do all this kind of work. However, I don’t have time to help you. We must go to the farm or the crops will be harvested and there will not be work for us, Juan told Ella.

Juan you have many talents. Why are you looking for farm labor work? Ella asked.

There isn’t any handyman work in our country, and everyone told me we can do farm labor and make good money in the States.

Chapter 2

Ella drove to her 1940’s home that reminded her of a lodge nestled away in