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

checking winddirection shown by the windsock, I felt my sense of excitement atseeing Tina increase. The airplane disappeared and then, a longminute later, appeared over the trees at the end of the runway,landed and, taxied to where we were. The engines sputtered tosilence. Tina was sitting in the back seat and Elizabeth McKenzie,the young attorney who would be my assistant for the trial, sat inthe front.

Elizabeth climbed out first, dressed in abusiness suit. I shook her hand and said welcome. Tina jumped downand ran to me and gave me a big kiss. I felt wholeagain.

Elizabeth said, "That's a relief. Tina and Italked on the plane, but I didn't know how she fit into theoperation. Carolyn is on a week-long vacation, and I feared I mightfind her up here."

I laughed and said, "Thanks for thinking somuch of me."

She looked at Tina and said, "You are obviouslyin a much bigger league."

Elizabeth is a tall lady, six foot two, and awhole head taller than I, with a low maintenance, short haircut,very athletic and looks like and was a member of the US Olympicwomen's volleyball team. She still trains, wears very littlemakeup, and generally looks stoic. Although she is very outspoken,and does not have the tact to deal with clients well, she is agreat legal researcher and has great powers of observation. It mustbe her volleyball training that gave her the ability to senseeverything going on between everyone in a room. She readsjuries.

I said to Tina, "The lodge is about a mileaway. I see you are wearing tennis shoes. Want to walk?"

"Sure."

Elizabeth was eyeing Ben with great interest ashe loaded the baggage. She seemed to be fascinated by the fill ofhis Levis jeans.

I said, "We will walk. Elizabeth is staying incabin two. Show her around the lodge and then take her to hercabin. We will be there in about a half hour."

We hugged and then kissed, Tina said, "I reallymissed you. It feels like we have been separated formonths."

"Me too, although, when I think of you, I amkind of where you are, I feel your marvelous energy."

As we walked holding hands, Tina told me of thefrantic activity in ending the school year. I told her about finedinning in Rocky Butte, about how Buster and Sofia were ourbodyguards. She displayed mock disappointment when I told her shewouldn't be able to enjoy the fashionable eating establishments inRocky Butte until after the trial. I did promise her a night on thetown after the trial, including dining and clubbing at theClaim Jumper and Diggings, if we could talk Buster and Sofia intogoing with us.

I related my recent space-time travels, "I havehad some more interesting new visions. The biplane thing gotcleared up more. Apparently, I was a Word War I German fighterpilot vying for the Blue Max. Early in the war I believed I wasinvolved in some chivalrous combat, a modern version of medievalnoble knights jousting in armor. Later in the war, as the alliesput more airplanes in the air, it turned into wholesale slaughterof untrained pilots. I had this incident where I saw the people Iwas shooting down. They were mere boys. I refused to fly and killinnocent children. They apparently court–martialed me, publiclytearing the insignias and rank from my uniform. I was sent to theinfantry to die an inglorious death in trench warfare.

"In another vision I saw a woman, someone Iloved, scolding me for disgracing her, and dumping me. I felt verybetrayed. Maybe that is where some of my trust issuesoriginated.

"I think some of my passion for flyingsailplanes may be related to those World War I times. I may bestill trying to prove myself and get the Blue Max, the orderof Pour le Me'rite. I don'tthink I have lost my interest in flying, but it will be different,maybe less serious, and more fun."

Tina replied, "Wow! You are getting a lot outof this space-time travel. Did you talk to Tom aboutthis?"

"Yes, I did. He told me to be careful not to doit alone, unguided. It is possible to getmentally stuck out of present time. He said that youcould help me stay in present time. If I start to drift inspace-time, you should do something to get me grounded, such astake me to bed and jump on me."

She chuckled and then added with a wry smile,"Oh, the sacrifices one must make out of duty."

We walked quietly for a while, arm-in-arm,interrupted with side-hugs. I was relishing having hernear.

Buster and Sofia greeted us when we got to thelodge. Sofia looked delighted to meet Tina. "It will be so good tohave another woman to do girl–talk with. Here, let me show youaround."

Buster and I chatted for a while, and herelated to me that his men in town had picked up the gossip, 'alawyer had moved to town and was buying the old Williams'place.'

I laughed and said, "The subterfuge isworking."

He also commented that Elizabeth looked veryathletic. She asked him which trails to use for a five-milerun.

Sofia and Tina returned from the kitchen, andSofia said, "Tina has given me some ideas for dinner. Buster and Ineed to go into town to get some things. We will be back in acouple of hours."

"Stay close," Buster admonished.

We walked out upon the porch, watched themdrive away. Tina turned to me, looked intently and said with agiggle, "Emergency! He is drifting out of present time. Must takeimmediate action."

Dinner was a delight. Trained martial artsspecialists, art and music lovers, Hollywood stunt people, anOlympic athlete, and a pilot can be jolly dinnercompanions.

Sunday, while Elizabeth and I worked preparingfor the trial, Sofia gave Tina karate lessons, and Buster went tothe Williams' house, and town.

****

Chapter Eight

THETRIAL

Monday morning, Buster drove Elizabeth and meto the Williams' house where we picked up our car to drive tocourt. Buster asked for a five-minute lead and drove off in hispickup.

Elizabeth briefed me on what she had discoveredsearching the Internet. She said, "Sheriff Bogend's father was aBible-thumping southern evangelical preacher. If we probe in thatarea, we might expose some irrationality, strong beliefs in theDevil and