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

a western movie stuntman at all. He was five–feet,seven–inches, about one-hundred-seventy pounds, brown eyes, andwearing a short haircut, carefully made to appear spiky. He lookedexactly like me!

Buster explained, "Cody is your, shall we say,stunt double who will be living at the farmhouse we stopped by upthe road. He is well trained, like all members of our organization,and will give Mr. S an appropriate welcome if he showsup."

I looked in astonishment at Cody and said, "Arewe related? You look like you could be my brother."

We went outside to the black Camaro parked nextto Buster's truck. Buster handed me the keys. "We have modified thealarm system. Since we wouldn't put it past Mr. S to tamper withyour car, you have a special electronic door opener on the keychain. It has two indicator lights above the door open button. Ifeither of those is lit, don't go near the car. The yellow lightindicates that someone has been in the car since you locked thedoor. The red light indicates that someone has had the hood opensince you turned off the engine. If either of those lights is on,walk away. I'll probably be nearby to take care of you. This is avery important instruction. Also, don't give your car to anyoneelse to drive unless it is at my instruction."

"I get it," I said wondering what this was allabout. "I want to go into town for dinner tonight at Bob's Cafe. Iwill plant the idea that I am staying at the decoy farmhouse andpick up any the gossip."

"Good, I follow you in my truck. You can getthe townspeople used to the idea that this is your car."

As I went back in the lodge, Sofia appearedcarrying a hanger with a white Hawaiian shirt with hula girls onthe front and back.

"Wear this into town," she said. "It may not beyour usual style, but we want you to stand out. It is part of theplan."

That evening I went to the town to have dinnerwith Agnes at Bob's Cafe. I parked my Camaro in front of the cafeand went in. There were eight people in the cafe, four men inStetsons sitting at one booth. Three women in simple dresses, maybebelonging to the men, sat at another booth busily gossiping. A manwearing a Caterpillar Tractor ball cap occupied a booth at the endof the restaurant. The ladies noticed me and bent over in secretconversation, perhaps speculating on who I was.

I sat at the counter, and Agnes walked over andannounced, "The dinner special is pork chops, best in thecounty."

"I can't pass that up, and I'll also have anMGD," I replied.

Agnes announced, "One Miller Genuine Draftcoming up." She slid the order slip onto the carrousel at theservice counter and brought me my beer. "I didn't expect you 'tillnext week when the trial starts."

I saw Buster drive up in his greenpickup.

"I came up to do a little relaxing before thetrial. I have rented a place ten miles down the hill, off a dirtroad. It was a farmhouse and is now a vacation rental.”

Agnes thought a minute and then said, "Is it aboxy grey house with white shutters?'

I nodded yes. Buster came in and sat at abooth, without either of us acknowledging each other.

"That is the old Williams' house. They used toown many properties around here. I heard they fixed it up,some."

"You're right. It has a fine new kitchen, andit looks as though it has been repainted and has newfurniture."

The ladies were huddling again.

The cook rang the bell, and Agnes retreated todeliver some orders.

I sat alone for a while, heard the bell ringagain, and watched Agnes bring my special.

"Looks good," I said.

"Best in the county. You staying therealone?"

I nodded yes as I took my firstbite.

"Get you anything else?"

"No. This is good," I said.

I noticed that Buster had the specialalso.

After Buster left and was sitting in hispickup, using a toothpick, and seeming deep in thought, I paid mycheck and left, leaving Agnes a big tip.

As I drove back to the ranch, I saw Buster agood distance behind me. I turned on the dirt road, and then Busterfollowed me for a while, passed me, and then stopped by thedriveway to the 'old Williams house.' I stopped behind him and sawCody come out from behind a bush and walk over to my car. He wasdressed in the same hula shirt I was wearing.

"You can ride with Buster the rest of theway."

I stood and watched Cody drive my car into thedriveway before I joined Buster.

"This will be the routine," saidBuster.

"What is he going to do all the time hangingaround?"

"Cody is a screen writer. Two of his scriptshave been made into movies. He is working on the rewrite of ascript he has recently sold and is going into production thissummer. If someone could peek into the window of the 'old Williams'place' they would see a man hard at work on his laptop, lookingever so much like a lawyer preparing a case. He even has a bunch oflaw books laying around."

As we drove to the ranch, we exchanged viewsabout the best pork chops in the county and other worldlymatters.

I spent Friday getting ready for the trial. Iwent to the courthouse to file some papers and then went to Bob'sCafe for lunch. I noticed Buster drive by but not stop, I talked toAgnes briefly, and had their luncheon special, an open-faced chilihamburger. I commented to myself that I couldn't get food like thison Melrose Avenue.

I thought to myself, 'I'll bring Tina here fora treat and celebration after we win the case.'

When I left for the ranch, I noticed Busterfollowing me as I left town.

After we made the switch with Cody at theWilliams' place, I got in the truck and asked Buster where he atelunch.

"I had fine dining at the TastyFreeze."

"You know how to live," I observed.

Back at the ranch, I worked for a while andthen decided to have a nap in the brightly colored hammock behindthe lodge, strung between two trees at the edge of thewoods,

I was dozing off, enjoying the sun reflectingoff the needles of the pine trees, listening to the wind