He grabbed her as the sun was setting and held her captive for 14 hours … she had nothing to rely on but her wits and faith in the voice guiding her through the darkest of nights in West Texas. The haunting wilderness of the Texas Chihuahuan Desert provided the perfect backdrop for a desperate and demented undocumented alien to strike terror into the heart of a single mother living alone in Terlingua. Through twelve tortuous hours her efforts to stay alive document the incredible strength of a woman determined to outwit her captor and live long enough to tell the story.The heartbreaking events of that night, and the following saga that led to the capture and trial of Refugio Gardea Gonzalez, became a controversial international border incident.

With courageous audacity, these events are finally shared by the woman who was dead center of this unprecedented story. Written with gripping intensity, this is a tale that will move you, shake you, and leave you wanting to know more about the extraordinary Texas Spirit.