by Ken Renshaw
As I walked into my office on Tuesday, I didn't even notice Carolyn doing her thing because I was feeling so good. When I got to my suite, Zaza wistfully sighed her "Good morning." Then, she looked at me and said, "OK, this looks like a dozen long–stemmed roses sort of day. Did you get Flopsey and Mopsey and Cottontail together somewhere? OK, I get it, one dozen for each, one for Saturday, one for Sunday, one for yesterday."
"No flowers," I said. I saw a puzzled appear on Zaza's face.
Zaza said, "You have an unexpected visitor in the lobby. He said his name is Mr. Burton. Do you know who he is?"
"No, can't say I do. Is he there now?"
"I'll check," said Zaza as she buzzed Carolyn.
"He's there."
I walked into the lobby and a tall man in a dark navy blue suit and dark aviator glasses rose out of his chair and said, "Mr. Willard?"
I said, "Yes," as he handed me his business card. It said 'Mr. A Burton, Special Representative, EB Services.'
I stared at the card for a minute until I remembered who EB Services was, Colson's Security consultants, and then nodded my head in recognition.
"Please come into my office," I said.
"Can we take a walk?" he said.
"OK," I said. I then turned to Carolyn who was pretending to look another way, and said, "Tell Zaza I will be gone for a while." I followed Mr. Burton to the elevator, and we got in without him saying a word. As we rode down, he didn't speak. He stood with his hands clasped in front of him staring at the door.
As we exited the elevator he said, "Lets go out into the plaza."
Our Century City building is situated on the edge of a park-like plaza that is shared with two other high-rise buildings. The plaza has a central fountain and many benches under trees or next to landscaped plots for people to relax or have lunch. I followed Mr. Burton to an isolated bench where he sat down.
"Please excuse the precautions, they are part of our business. As you know, we have been retained by the Colson Foundation to provide security for you and your key witnesses from now until the end of the trial. I am aware of Dr. Montgomery's scare at your parking garage, the discovery of surveillance devices on your car, the person seen around your equipment at CrystalSky airport, and at Rocky Butte, and in Ogden. We know who he is. We have a plan for your security and the security of your witnesses at Rocky Butte.
"First, we would like to provide surveillance of your equipment at CrystalSky airport. It sits in the open and we would like to park some sort of vehicle in the vicinity that we can conceal a surveillance camera in. Do you have any suggestions?"
I thought for a second and then said, "I sometimes rent a jeep sedan from the tow pilot, Dan, to tow my sailplane trailer for off-road retrieves. Rent Dan's jeep and park it near my trailer. It would not seem out of the ordinary since a credible coat of dust covers it. You can trust Dan. Tell him you are doing it for me so I can catch whoever has been messing around with my trailer."
"We will do that," Burton replied. "Now, here are the arrangements for Rocky Butte.
"We have leased an upscale Dude Ranch near Rocky Butte, which has a main house and five first-class cabins. You can stay in the main house with a couple of our people. Buster, one of my operatives, will be your bodyguard. His wife, Sofia, will be a bodyguard, and will prepare the meals for the witnesses and other visitors. The pair are experts at what they do.
"Your witnesses and other visitors, such as your firm's staff, or people from Colson, will stay in the cabins and we will provide transportation to and from the Rocky Butte Courthouse. Witnesses and visitors will fly commercially to Sacramento and then will be flown, by us, on a chartered light plane to the airstrip on the ranch property. Witnesses can bring spouses or significant others for their stay, but nobody goes into Rocky Butte for anything but court business." Burton paused, and I interrupted.
"How about me, can I bring my significant other?" (I was delighted at saying that.)
Burton didn't flinch, but I thought he was mulling over the fact that they hadn't found a significant other in checking me out.
"And," I added, "I need to go into Rocky Butte to mingle with people so that they will consider me more like a local. The local grapevine is an asset I intend to use. The grapevine gave me the intelligence that there was someone checking up on me, the guy that was also spotted in Ogden."
Without pausing Burton said, "Of course, in answer to both requests, but, your guest shouldn't go into Rocky Butte during the trial. We don't want to risk a hostage situation. Whenever you go into town you must be accompanied by our man or his wife, your bodyguards."
"Fine," I replied.
"I understand you want to go to Rocky Butte day after tomorrow."
"Yes, I plan to drive up. I have to take a lot of stuff."
"No, we would strongly recommend flying. Our man will pick you up at the airport. Fly from Burbank to Sacramento on Air California." He took out his iPhone and texted a message. Can you make the 9:15?"
I said, "Yes."
He then said a courier would come to my office tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 to pick up any packages of material I needed in Rocky Butte. His phone buzzed, he read the text message and said, "You are on the 9:15.
"No one is to make their own reservations, but everyone should use their own name and passport when they travel."
"This afternoon, a courier will deliver a letter of travel arrangements and instructions for you and another letter for your witnesses, and spouses or significant others. We insist on making travel arrangements for everyone who will visit the ranch. Anybody arriving unexpectedly will be substantially inconvenienced."
"I get it," I said. I thought Shot-on-sight.
"Fine," he replied. "It is a pleasure doing business with you. We are certain everyone will enjoy the arrangements."
He stood up and shook my hand and said, "Have a safe and successful visit to Rocky Butte."
As he walked away, I wondered if everyone Colson did business with was so wishy-washy.