Chapter 5

Wolf’s Lair was a moderately large ranch house. Red tile roof, walls that looked like adobe – but probably weren’t, considering how hard it was to produce adobe that would last. We parked the truck and Wolf helped me down. He picked up the trash bag that was my excuse for luggage from the back seat. Going in through large double doors, we found ourselves in a very nice living room, furnished in dark, heavy wood, and Indian stuff on the walls: hangings, paintings, pictures – you know, the usual.

“The kitchen is through there (he pointed straight ahead),” Wolf said. “Down the hall is my office and our room. You can have your choice of any of the suites downstairs.” He disappeared down the hall.

I walked into the kitchen. It was all stainless steel, with a back wall that seemed open to the outdoors, but it wasn’t. There were windows of the large variety. Seemingly, the house was built on the top of a rise, and the view was impressive: it went on and on and on.

One other thing of note in the kitchen. A woman was sitting at a large table, cutting up vegetables. She didn’t look up, but said, “Hello. I assume you are the young Indian girl that Wolf was told about. We have an easy-going life here. I trust you will make yourself a part of it.”

From the back, I judged her to be an Indian. An easy identification: long black hair and her shorts showed a pair of tan legs that didn’t look they came from the Texas sun. Bare feet.

“Hi,” I ventured. “I’m Lexi, and easy-going will suit me just fine.”

She turned around in her chair, showing an eye patch over her left eye. “I’m called One-eye by many.” I sensed some hostility.

“What does Wolf call you?”

She smiled. “He calls me ‘hot stuff’ some days and ‘trouble’ on others.”

“I don’t like One-eye. And I can’t call you hot stuff.”

“You can call me Desert Flower, then.”

“Flower fits you much better,” I said, smiling back.

She put down the knife and got up. “Do you want something to drink? Do you drink coffee ... or iced tea ... or Coke?”

“Just some water, please. If you tell me where the glasses are, I can get it myself.”

She was indeed ‘hot stuff.’ A short woman – maybe 5’3” – but with a knockout figure that would have been Playmate of the Month material. Big bust, narrow waist. A grown-up Barbie, in other words – not Barbie-sized breasts though, that would have been a 58FF or some such. She padded over, on bare feet, to a cabinet near the refrigerator, flipped the door open, and – voila – glasses.

I filled one with water from the dispenser built into the ‘fridge. Balancing it in my left hand, I took the few steps to the living room, grabbed my trash bag/luggage. “Where’s the downstairs? Wolf said I’m to stay there.”

She pointed to the kitchen’s corner. “Stairs over there.” She was as taciturn as Wolf. Was she a wife? Girlfriend? I suppose she could be just a cook. Wolf had indicated a bedroom that was for more than one so that probably left out a mere employee.

I went downstairs and found a long dark hallway with several doors to the right. I picked one near the stairs and opened it, to find a room decorated with – what else? – heavy, dark wooden furniture, a large window showing the backyard vista, and a door leading out. To the right, looking up, I saw a good-sized deck. To the left was a small building, adorned with Indian ‘stuff.’ I don’t know what to call it, but I was sure that it would be Wolf’s real lair – for his Medicine Man business no doubt.

This would be more than comfortable. A TV, an attached room with porcelain facilities, and a big comfy bed. I drank some water and laid down on the bed. It was early afternoon, but I was out like a light in a trice. My last thought was: ‘What was a trice, and did they have lights?’

...

When I woke, it was dark outside. The clock said 10:00 in green lights. And I was covered by a blanket with a simple Indian design woven in. I changed into a pair of shorts and went out into the darkness of the backyard. In neither of my lives had I seen so many stars.

“ ... so, I let her sleep.” It was Flower’s voice, drifting down from above.

“She’s been through a lot in just two days.” Wolf’s voice carried here. “You wouldn’t believe what they had planned at that hospital. Tests ... that seemed to scare her. White-eyes medicine.” I could hear him spit.

The sound of ice tinkling in a glass came down from the deck. It seemed that Crying Wolf and Desert Flower shared a love of silence. I wandered off to the left. There was only the ambient light of the moon, low on the horizon, but I found the small building with the Indian designs around the door. I opened it and it was dark inside. I didn’t look for a light and shut the door behind me. In due time, my eyes adjusted, and I could see – nothing. Keeping in touch with the log cabin type wall, I walked around the small room: and found nothing.

I walked to the center of the back wall and sat down. I’d been doing meditation when I was in Las Vegas – in life #1 – and began to relax. This little body was very flexible, and I found the lotus position easily.

Red?

[Here, as always, Lexi.]

Can you find me something to place a bet on? NCAA tournament. Basketball. Hockey. NASCAR races. I have only a few thousand dollars, and if I’m to make a dent in changing this world, I’m going to need some way to get money, soon.