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

continued, "EB Services is sort of myday job. It fills the time between my gigs as astuntman."

"Like in the movies?" I asked.

"Yes, I have done a lot of Westerns, but theyare not doing many anymore, so I play bad guys in movies wherethere are many fight scenes. I am a martial arts expert and evenwas in a Jackie Chan movie. These days, I do work where I am in aharness supported by wires in acrobatic fight scenes, the kindwhere you run up walls and jump over buildings. This truck is amovie truck. It didn't get looking like this on its own. It issometimes rented from me when I am on a movie. Also, it has aspecial suspension and a good engine."

He pressed on the accelerator pedal, and itsped up like a sports car.

"It handles well in chase scenes, real or inthe movies. It won't attract much attention in RockyButte."

He reached underneath the center of the dash.Something clicked and a compartment dropped down. In it was a gun,not a western type, more like you see bad guys in modern moviescarrying. Next to it was a small red cylinder that looked like aminiature fire extinguisher.

"Is that real?" I asked

'Yes, and it is licensed and legal. Thatcylinder is bear spray. It is a harmless pepper spray that isdesigned to stop a grizzly bear at thirty feet. It is useful forprotecting yourself when it wouldn't be appropriate to shootsomebody, or take the time to break some bones."

I noticed that he had a particular delight insaying, 'break some bones.'

"If you know the secret latches to pull, I'llshow you later, the back of the seat folds down and there are twoshotguns there."

"Just like in the movies," I observed. "Who areyou usually protecting when you are not protecting lawyers in smalltowns?"

"We have all kinds of clients. I have anotherpersona where I do the black suit with microphones up the sleeveskind of thing, and drive armored limousines. We do mostlyexecutives and entertainment people, rock stars, and all that.Sometimes, it is some important person from a Middle Easterncountry. We have had quite a bit of special training. I don't getto use my truck very often. However, you will not get any lessthorough protection than some foreign minister.”

"Tell me about the ranch and thearrangements."

"The Rocky Butte Adventure Ranch is about tenmiles south of town, off on a dirt road two miles from the highway.It has a main lodge where you will stay, and six rather plushhunting lodges–type cabins where visitors will stay. We will alleat family style in the main lodge. My wife, Sofia, will cook andserve as a bodyguard. She is also highly trained in martial artsand works as a stunt person in the movies."

I added, "I'll be careful not to complain aboutthe cooking."

Buster didn't flinch or laugh as he continued,"Your witnesses have been instructed to make their travelarrangements through us. They will fly to Sacramento as you did andthen will be met by our representative. Don't worry, they will bewearing limo driver clothes and have town cars. They will be takento another small airport where they will board a small twin-enginechartered plane that will fly them to the dirt strip on the ranch.I understand you will be having a guest."

"Yes, Tina Quail," I replied. “She will comeSaturday and stay for the length of our time here. My legalassistant, a young attorney, Elizabeth McKenzie, will be joining usalso and staying in one of the cabins. I guess she can ride with mewhen I drive to court.”

"We must insist on Tina staying on the ranchand out of Rocky Butte until the trial is over. We do not want torisk any sort of hostage situation. Sofia will be her companionwhen she goes for a swim, hike, or ride."

"Will I have a car, or is this mytransportation?"

Buster laughed and then said, "No, we haveprepared a lawyer-proper car for you. Nothing fancy, a Chevy Camaroabout two years old."

"Prepared? Secret compartments withguns?"

"No, we have added a few security features thatI'll show you later.

"We have some information, photographs etc., onthe guy who has been stalking you. Our intelligence from a reliablesource says he is working alone. He is code named 'Mr. S.' Hedoesn't appear to be very smart."

"Reliable intelligence source?" Iasked.

Buster didn't respond, but went on, "We havealso rented an old farmhouse on the way to the ranch, off the samedirt road. You will let it be known around town that you arestaying there. One of our guys, call him your stunt double, CodyStevens, will stay there and provide a nice welcome for Mr. S if heshows up.

"We will also have two of my guys in townstaying at the Riverside Motel. You will probably never meet them.They will be doing things for me and might provide transportationas needed. Also, Dore has a person with a San Jose Times press passwho will be attending the court sessions. She will keep Doreinformed on what transpires in court. You will get a copy of herdispatches."

I was quiet for a while. I thought about theother Mr. S in Candice and Tom's back yard.

"Buster, I compliment you on your planning. Itseems very thorough. I won't have to worry about anything but thetrial."

"That's our job," he replied.

"By the way, what does the 'EB' in EB Servicesstand for?"

"Executive babysitting, or so I have beentold."

The rest of the way to Rocky Butte was spenttalking about movies he had been on and some of the interestingcases I had worked. When I mentioned the Norton Simon museum,Buster knew all about it and discussed his favorite picture there,The Rag Picker by Manet. Apparently there was more to Buster thanthis cowboy persona.

After we turned off the highway onto the dirtroad, we drove for about a half mile through the pine forest andthen turned onto a driveway that led to a clearing with a boxytwo-story farmhouse, apparently dating from the early 1900s. It waswell maintained, painted grey, with white shutters, a new roof, andshort eaves like the houses in New England. Four sycamore trees,very green with their late spring foliage, surroundedit.

"You should look around inside so you can