Love Story: In The Web of Life by Ken Renshaw (snow like ashes TXT) 📕

"Did your friend find you?" asked Agnes. "Hewas in here yesterday asking where you might be. I sent him to thecourthouse. Millie, the clerk over there said he wanted to seestuff about the court case you are here on."

"What did he look like?"

"He had a stocky build, like a farmhand, greycrew cut hair, gold wire-rimmed glasses, like boy scoutswear.

"Millie said you have a case against SheriffBogend for roughing up some guy. Bogend is a real bastard. I hopeyou fix him. He hassles people around here often. He is not much ofa tipper, either."

"I don't really know who the guy is. He isprobably an insurance investigator," I replied. "The judge isn'tgiving much time for me before he hears the case. I might rent aplace up here for a combination of vacation and work. There aremany vacation rental homes around here, aren't there?"

"Lots. Most of them are managed by agencies inPine Mountain. There are several dude ranches around here. Are yougoing to bring your family up with you?"

"No, I am unattached. I'll be alone. I like toget a little solitude when I get away from LA. It brings me back tomy roots."

"Maybe you can find some time for a little goldpanning and meet some of the local girls. People are panning againbecause of the current price of gold," said Agnes, looking at meinquisitively to see whether my expression changed. "I canintroduce you to a beautiful widow-woman friend ofmine."

"I might try some prospecting for women andgold if I have time. I will mostly sit around, sometimes coming inhere for your dinner special."

I looked at my watch and then said, "Goodcoffee, but I'd better get going,"

As I started to drive away, I saw that Agneswas on the cell phone. When I got to the edge of town, before I gotout of cell phone coverage, I stopped the car, and sent a secureemail to Dore. It said, "The man from Skeptemos was in Rocky Butteinquiring about me and visiting the courthouse. I met with theSodastroms and Steve Manteo. Now returning to LA."

****

Chapter Six

BACK INLA

Monday morning, I was back at my office. As Iwalked into the lobby, I noticed that Carolyn looked a littledisheveled. She didn't even greet me. I noticed a small overnightbag behind her desk. I guess 'I'm available for the weekend,'hadn't worked out as expected.

Zaza greeted me with, "If it isn't the mountainman! How is rabbit hunting in Rocky Butte? I have heard storiesabout those Sierra mining towns. Meet any dance-hallgirls?"

"All business. There is gourmet dinning atBob's Cafe. Here, I brought you a gold pan."

"A pretty yellow one, I have been wanting oneof these. Irving needs a new hobby. I have been trying to get himaway from our TV set."

"How was your weekend?"

"Irving watched TV. Period.

"You just had a call from someone named Dan atCrystalAire." She handed me the slip of paper with his phone numberon it.

"He is one of the tow pilots. I hope nothinghas happened to my sailplane."

I called Dan. He explained, "Dave, I don't knowwhat this means, but, you remember that funny guy with the greycrew cut and gold rimmed glasses I saw checking out your sailplanetrailer?"

"Yes, the one you told me about the day I flewthe wave."

Dan continued, "The other day I flew up to thesoaring operation on Ogden to deliver a tow plane that had beendown here for overhaul. While I was there, I saw Charlie Sears fromSanta Fe assembling his sailplane. You remember him from theregional contest we had here at CrystalAire last year?"

I replied, "Yea, I talked to Charlie quite abit during the contest. How is he doing?"

"He was spending a week flying at Ogden. He wastaking his bird out of the trailer and putting it together. Thefunny guy with the grey crew–cut was helping him. I went over andtalked to Charlie a while and got a good look at the guy. He isreally uptight, like a marine on guard duty. I couldn't figure outwhy he was there. He positively didn't look like a pilot. You mightlike to give Charlie a call and find out what the story on the guyis."

"I will," I said, "I have Charlie's cellnumber. Thanks. Let me know if you see the strangeragain."

I called Charlie and told him that Dan had seenhim in Ogden. We chatted about flying and Ogden weather and soaringconditions. I asked him about the man Dan saw helping him assemblethe sailplane.

Charlie replied, "I had never seen the manbefore in my life. He walked up and was just standing around so Iasked him whether he would like to help me put the wings on. He wasvery interested in how everything went together, as though he was amechanical engineer, but didn't seem to know anything about flying,and was not very interesting to talk to. After we got finished heleft and drove off in his white van."

"Did you find out any thing about him, where hewas from, or what he was doing there?"

"No, he was not a very personable guy. Why theinterest?"

"Dan saw him hanging around my glider trailerat CrysalAire He thought he looked suspicious."

Charlie continued, "I think 'suspicious' is agood description of him. Maybe 'creepy' is better."

I thanked Charlie and told him about my waveflight before I said goodbye.

I emailed a report of the incident to EBServices.

Zaza buzzed me and said, "Bracken wants anupdate on the court case and is here this morning. Shall I seewhether he is free?"

"Yes."

After a short call Zaza said, "OK to go upthere now."

As I went in, Phil motioned me to sit at achair in front of his desk and said, "How is Sodastrom shapingup?"

"We have a trial date in a month. The judgewarned me against any pre-trial publicity. He doesn't want thetourist town of Rocky Butte to be publicized as a place where itunsafe for families. The liability insurance company’s lawyer, whowill be defending the county, didn’t impress me.

"I think there is a good scientific case forremote sensing and a trained psychic being able locate people. I'llput the