Home for Christmas
By Janet Brayden
"I don't think this is going to work," Nick Ryder complained as he struggled to his feet for the fourth time in less than five minutes.
His partner, Cody Allen, helped him stand.
Their partner, Murray Bozinsky, and Cayce McKenna, whom they considered – and treated as – a little sister practically fell over they were laughing so hard.
The three men were spending the month of December at Cayce's ranch. The Lazy M was nestled in a pretty little valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains near the Nevada state line. Said valley was covered with a three foot deep blanket of snow.
What had Cayce,and The Boz,in stitches, and Nick complaining, was the brunet detective's attempts to walk in snowshoes. Nick had, so far, only managed five steps at a time before getting tangled up and falling in the snow - sometimes face first and sometimes sitting or flat on his back. His mood was definitely not good at this point.
Murray, for some unknown reason – unless it was his analytical mind – had been doing pretty well as had Cody. Murray was generally rather uncoordinated so this only aggravated Nick more. The Italian had been on a championship football team, could run quite well and was accustomed to doing the occasional somersault or tackle – even jump over low walls or climb a rope in the course of an investigation. He was an outstanding helicopter pilot – even Cody had to admit that even though the blond wasn't fond of the Screaming Mimi most of the time. But Nick just could not seem to master walking in snowshoes and it was driving him crazy.
Cody pulled Nick to his feet and shot a look at the other two members of the group, warning them to curtail the giggling before Nick completely lost his temper.
"I don't get it," Nick said. "How come I can't take more than a few steps without falling but Murray hasn't fallen since the second time he tried?"
"Maybe you're overeager," Cody said.
"Anxious," their partner stated.
"Uncoordinated and clumsy?" Cayce giggled.
"Cayce." Cody's voice was a warning.
"We're never going to get a tree at this rate," Nick said. "I'm just going to take the blasted snowshoes off and wade through the snow without them."
"No, you're not!" Cayce exclaimed. "I'll not have you getting any wetter than you already are. We're a couple of hours from the house. By the time we get the tree and get back it'll be dark. The temperature's dropping, the wind is rising and I'm sure those clouds are going to dump more snow on us."
The three men looked to the east. Sure enough, the clouds were gray and flurries were starting to fall.. They shook their heads in wonder at Cayce's ability to read the weather the way Cody read the ocean and Boz computer languages.
Without further argument, Nick gave in and took a seat on the horse-drawn sled while his companions went about a half mile further into the woods.
"This is the one," Cayce told her "brothers". "I marked it a couple of months ago so I'd remember it."
"It sure is a beauty," Boz agreed.
"All right, you two," Cody said. "Stand back out of the way while I chop it down."
"Just make sure you don't chop it down on yourself," Cayce retorted as Boz giggled. "You're not exactly an expert lumberjack you know."
"Yeah, yeah," Cody responded. "Just move back – without the comments."
Still giggling, Cayce and Murray did as he told them. Fifteen minutes later, in spite of the comments from the peanut gallery as he called them, Cody had felled the seven foot Douglas fir and they were fastening ropes to it in order to drag it to where Nick was waiting with the team and sled.
"It took you long enough," the Italian complained as the tree hunters returned, dragging the tree behind them. I almost froze to death waiting for you!"
"I highly doubt it," Cayce said. "That hot temper of yours would keep you warm."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah!"
Nick made a move as if to push her into a snowbank but Cody smoothly moved in between them.
"That's enough, kiddies," he told them with a twinkle in his eye. "Let's get this tree lashed down and get back to the house before these flurries turn into a blizzard."
"A blizzard? You think we're going to have a blizzard?" Murray asked.
With a wink at Cayce he started singing "White Christmas" causing the other two men to glare at him and Cayce who had joined him.
"If you have to sing," Nick said, "Sing something else."
"Like what?" Cayce asked innocently.
"I don't know. Anything but 'White Christmas'."
"OK." Cayce giggled and started singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
Nick's groan prompted a change to "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" which was followed by "Here Comes Santa Claus". Nick's continued moans and groans of protest brought on a bout of giggles and a few rounds of "Jingle Bells" and "Here Comes Suzy Snowflake" and a comment of "You ought to hear me, Uncle Brian, Sarah and Erika do Bing Crosby and the Andrews sisters version of this and we're really good with "Melekalkimaka".
To prove her point she started singing it. Nick was about to protest when Cody warned him that if he didn't stop their incorrigible little sister would start singing Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas Song. The very thought of Cayce and Boz singing Alvin caused Nick to swallow whatever it was he was going to say.
It only took a couple of minutes for the men to secure the tree while Cayce checked the harness and condition of the horses and sled before they started off with Cayce driving the matched team of Clydesdales. By the time they reached the ranch house the flurries had turned into the steady snow Cayce had predicted.
Getting the tree into the house was not very difficult as far as the stairs were concerned for the ranch hands that were working around the barn had taken it upon themselves to see that the stairs, walkways and driveway had been cleared whenever there was an inch of snow cover them. Even now Smokey Jim Kennelly was plowing the driveway with one of the ranch's pick up trucks while Brian Hays was cleaning the other vehicles, the Screaming Mimi and the Baroness. Though the cowboys were generally more comfortable on horseback or in a truck they knew it was wise to keep the helicopters clean in case of an emergency. Every morning, and late afternoon, for the last few days Cayce and Nick had gone out and warmed up the engines to ensure they were in good working order. Of course Cody had joked that the weather had nothing to do with keeping the pink crash monster in the air. Nick had chosen to ignore him.
"Oh, chica, what a beautiful tree!" exclaimed Cayce's housekeeper and surrogate mother, Josefina Delgado. "It's fit for a queen."
"Isn't it gorgeous, though?" Cayce sighed in ecstasy. "It'll look great when we get it decorated."
"Ahem." Cody cleared his throat. "Where does your royal highness want this tree? Her woodsmen are getting tired of holding it. And they're going to drop it any second now."
"Over by the fireplace, where the tree stand, is Noble Woodsman." Cayce pointed out the spot. "You guys get the tree in the stand and Murray and I will fasten it in place when Josefina says it's straight enough.
It took fifteen minutes of struggle, constant relocation and turning of the tree before Josefina was satisfied.
"Are you sure this is where you want it?" Nick asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Nick." Cody tried to warn his partner.
"Well, now that you mention it…" Cayce started.
"Cayce!" Even the normally calm and easy going Cody was getting aggravated.
"All right, all right," she laughed. "It's fine where it is."
"Thank you," Cody responded.
"When do we decorate it?" Boz asked.
"As soon as Uncle Brian gets here," she told him. "We always decorate our tree together."
"Is he going to make it?" Nick asked. "It's snowing pretty hard out there."
"He'll make it," Cayce said. "He wouldn't miss Christmas at the Lazy M unless he was on duty and he's always managed to get here no matter what the weather." She did, however, look a little worried. As Nick had said it was snowing pretty hard now.
Nick, seeing her worried look, walked over and put a hand on her shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.
"He'll be here," the Italian reassured her. "He wouldn't miss Christmas with his girl."
"Señorita Cayce come show your friends how to make the popcorn and cranberry strings for the tree. "Josefina knew how worried Cayce was and was seeking to distract her.
It worked, too, because the very thought of the three detectives stringing cranberries and popcorn for the tree was intriguing. Such simplicity would seem to be beyond all three of them – especially Murray, the scientist who insisted on making it more complicated than it was. Nick and Cody, on the other hand, seemed destined to eat more than they strung. Several times she reached out to slap one or the other's hand.
Outside the storm raged and Cayce got up several times to pace to the window and back again. Every time the phone rang she jumped to answer it only to trudge back to her seat with heavy steps.
The three men looked at each other and each tried to cheer her up. Their efforts were for naught. As the afternoon turned into night, Cayce's eyes threatened to leak unwanted tears.
Eventually she retreated to her office shortly before supper. She was convinced that Brian McKenna would call by radio, if not by phone, and she was right.
"Lazy M…McKen…calling..read me?"
"Nick! Cody! Boz!" she screamed. "It's Uncle Brian on the radio!"
The three men came on the run. Worry etched their faces as they heard the Colonel's voice. He sounded worried and possibly in pain.
"Can't see…hard…trees down…blocked…close…"
"Colonel? It's Lieutenant Ryder," Nick took the microphone from Cayce who'd been trying to get through to her uncle.
"Ryder?...barely hear…"
"Colonel, where are you?"
"think five…six miles…not sure…"
Cody looked at Cayce and asked, "Which direction is he supposed to be coming from?"
"Northeast until he leaves the interstate," she replied. "When he gets to Sunny Acres it's almost a straight run east."
She took the microphone back from Nick.
"Uncle Brian, what do you see? Anything that can help us find you?"
Boz had gone into the corner and pulled a state map and one of the area out of Cayce's file cabinet. The three men spread it out on the desk and traced the route that he would probably have taken from the post to Sunny Acres. Then they started looking at the second map, picturing landmarks in their mind.
"Trees…snow…shadows…"
"Uncle Brian, concentrate! Any houses? Barns? Signs?"
A weak reply…"sign…six miles…M ranch…"
"He's close," Cody said.
"Yeah," Nick agreed. "But did he overshoot in the storm, turn back or is he off the road?"
"He sounds sick – or hurt," Boz whispered. "Cayce's really upset."
A hasty whispered conference among the men found Nick and Cody donning heavy jackets and gloves and heading out the door. Their first stop was the bunkhouse where they alerted Cayce's foreman, Alex McGregor.
"McGregor! Colonel McKenna's lost in this storm!" Cody told the redhead.
"We're looking for volunteers to help search for him."
"The Colonel's in trouble? You'll have your volunteers in about two minutes."
So saying he grabbed his sheepskin jacket, leather globes, hat and scarf and started for the main room.
"Listen up you cowboys," he said. "The boss lady's uncle is overdue and lost in this storm! Who's up for a manhunt?"
Instantly every man in the ranch hand's quarters volunteered. Smokey Jim Kennelly took two wit him, Alex went with Nick and Cody while Brian Hays went to the house to spell Cayce and Boz on the radio. The other three men formed a separate team.
The Riptide detectives and McGregor took Cayce's jeep. Smokey's team went by leading a fourth "in case he's gone off the road into the woods", Smokey explained.
The third team took the pick up so that they could plow the road as they went. All had battery operated lanterns and walkie talkies. The vehicles were all equipped with short wave radios.
The wind was howling and blew snow in the faces of the searchers as they exited the bunkhouse and the barn. Alex took the wheel of the jeep as he knew the area best and was accustomed to driving in the snow. Cody kept a map handy and referred to it as they started searching while Nick handled the radio.
"Colonel McKenna, this is Nick Ryder. Are you hurt, sir?"
"Ryder? …good…hear…voice."
"Are you hurt?" Nick asked again.
"Banged…ribs..bump…head…"
"Sounds like he's had a crash," Cody said worriedly.
"See if he can give us some landmarks," Alex said. "Anything that will help us find him."
A weak laugh was the response as well as the word "snow".
"It seems like we've been down this road before," Cody said remembering a Christmas some years earlier.
Fort Sam Houston, Texas. December 23, 1974
Lieutenant Cody Allen, and his partner in the Military Police, Nick Ryder, were about to go off duty but they needed to pick up their three-day passes from their commander officer, Major Brian McKenna. On the way in they passed a young girl bearing a striking resemblance to the major.
"Sorry, men," the major's secretary said. "The Major's not back from Dallas yet and I don't know if he signed your passes yet.
The two men exchanged looks and sighed.
"Do you have any idea when he'll be back?" Ryder asked.
"He was expected several hours ago. I don't know what's happened to delay him."
Just then the phone rang. The woman answered
"Major McKenna's office. No, sir, he hasn't."
The two lieutenants waited patiently until the sergeant finished her conversation.
"Sorry fellas," she said as she hung up. "As I started to say, Major McKenna went to Dallas to pick up a prisoner."
"By himself!?" Allen exclaimed
"No, Lieutenant Pierce is with him."
"When's the last time they checked in?" Ryder asked.
"Around two o'clock – just before the major's niece got out of school. They're supposed to leave for her grandfather's ranch in California tonight. The poor kid is worried sick."
"Was that the major's niece we passed on the way in?" the blond asked.
"Yes. Her parents died in a boating accident four years ago. The major got custody of her and they've been inseparable ever since."
The sergeant hesitated a moment and then added, "Frankly I'm worried. This was supposed to be a routine transfer of a prisoner but I'm afraid something's gone wrong. The major really should have been back by now."
The two lieutenants looked at each other and then turned back to the sergeant.
"Tell us everything," Cody said.
The sergeant hesitated a minute and then gave them all the details.
"Major McKenna and Lieutenant Pierce went to Dallas to bring a Captain Thomas Hunter back. The captain is accused of stealing weapons from the armory here, at Fort Sam, to sell on the black market. The Dallas Police Department found him in a bar brawl last night."
"Is the captain supposed to be danger?" Ryder asked.
"No, but he may be part of a gang and he may be desperate," was the reply.
"Desperate men can be dangerous," Allen commented.
Without another word the two officers headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Major McKenna's secretary asked.
"Dallas," was the reply.
"How are we going to get there?" Cody asked as they exited the building where MP headquarters was located.
"Fly." Nick replied.
"Fly?"
"Yeah, fly!"
"In what?"
"Helicopter."
"What?" the blond was incredulous.
"Come on." Ryder hustled toward the jeep they'd arrived in.
Turning the key in the ignition he started the jeep toward the nearest army air strip which was several miles away.
Several hours later the two men landed at Dallas-fort Worth Airport and rented a car. Some people gave the uniformed men dirty looks but they ignored them and headed for the nearest police station.
"No," the desk sergeant said, "I haven't seen him but I just came on duty. Let me check with Central."
The officer picked up the internal telephone and dialed the central police headquarters. The report was that the major and his junior officer had picked up their prisoner and started back to San Antonio around ten that morning. They hadn't been heard from since and the police had assumed he'd gotten back safely.
"He never arrived," Allen told him. "He's hours overdue and his niece is worried sick."
'I'll put out an APB. You can try to pick up his trail from the central headquarters building on East 26th."
The sergeant showed them how to get there and gave them a map of the city. The two army officers thanked him and took off. They knew what kind of car the missing men were driving.
"Drive or fly?" Cody asked his partner.
"Drive – then fly when we find them so we can make sure they get back."
Cody wasn't surprised by Nick's reaction. What little he knew of Nick's childhood and youth told him that Christmas hadn't always been pleasant. Nick wasn't going to let anyone, or anything, spoil Christmas for the lonely and worried young teenager at fort Sam Houston.
The officer in the main building gave them the same directions he had given Major McKenna. The lieutenants thanked him and started on their way.
"I don't see any sign of them, do you?" Cody asked Nick.
"No, but we've barely started. It's like looking for a needle in a hay stack."
"You're right," the blond agreed. "The major took a standard motor vehicle issued sedan. The only thing that will stand out is their uniforms and the license plate."
"Yeah, and knowing Major McKenna he probably didn't want to stop for long. Sergeant Crane said that he is devoted to his niece – he'll be wanting to get home as soon as possible so he probably wouldn't want to stop for very long."
"There's a likely looking restaurant," Allen said after they'd been driving for a couple of hours.
The brightly lit establishment boasted family fare at reasonable prices. The two men found seats and ordered coffee. They asked the staff members if they remembered an army officer in his thirties with light brown hair and green eyes.
The oldest waitress, a woman in her fifties, did and told them which way the trio had gone when they left the restaurant.
"Couldn't have gone that way," said a trucker who had arrived in time to hear that part of the conversation. "The road's blocked off by the sheriff's department – something about an accident and an escaped prisoner."
"When was this?" Nick asked.
"Few hours ago." Realization dawned on him. "Come to think of it, I hear it was about the time your major would have gotten there."
Cody looked at Nick with apprehension," You don't suppose…"
"I don't know but we'd better get out there and see."
The men thanked the waitress and the trucker and headed out the door. This time Allen took the wheel while Ryder kept his eyes open and searched for any sign of the missing men.
About ten, or fifteen, miles later they came upon the roadblock the trucker had spoken of.
"What's going on, deputy?" Cody asked as they approached one of the uniformed men.
"Couple of army officers – a major and a lieutenant, escorting a prisoner had an accident. The younger – says his name is Pierce – was hurt."
'Is he still here?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, but they're about to take him away."
"Where is he?" Cody asked.
"Over by the ambulance," the deputy pointed.
"The new arrivals exited their car and hastened over to the ambulance to find thirty-year-old Lieutenant Timothy Pierce lying on a stretcher. His face was pale and it was obvious that he was in pain.
"Lieutenant Pierce? What happened?" Cody asked.
"Our prisoner tried to escape. He attacked me and then grabbed the wheel. We ran off the road and flipped over in that ditch. I got a busted shoulder out of it but the major said he wasn't hurt. He wanted to stay with me but I made him go after the prisoner."
"Which way did they go?"
"East. There's no telling how far they got. Hunter is a pretty good runner but o's the major."
"Hunter doesn't stand a chance," Nick joked. "Major McKenna is as stubborn, and determined, as they come."
"You're right," Cody agreed. "Take a look over there."
Looking in the direction that Cody was pointing, Nick's face lit up and he started laughing.
Uniform mussed, smudged and ripped in a couple of places, Major Brian McKenna was making his way back to them. Pistol in hand, he was marching his prisoner back to the scene of the accident and straight into the arms of the waiting sheriff's department deputies and two anxious Ms. Upon closer inspection it was obvious that he was limping slightly and he had the beginnings of a black eye but other than that he appeared to be unharmed.
"Major McKenna? Are you hurt anywhere, sir?" Cody asked anxiously.
"No, Lieutenant Allen. I'm fine."
"Are you sure, sir?" Nick asked.
"Ryder? Just what the heck are you two doing here?"
"We came to get those passes you promised us," joked Cody.
"Didn't Sergeant Crane give them to you?"
"No, sir," Allen replied. "Sergeant Crane didn't know where they were."
"Then officially you're still on duty."
"Yes, sir, I guess you could say that," the Italian conceded.
"Technically you're AWOL – you do realize that don't you?"
He hesitated a moment and then grinned.
"I'll take care of that when we get back to Fort Sam." Shoving his prisoner toward his two uninjured lieutenants he said, 'Let's get the captain, here, back to the post stockade."
"Uh, Major," Cody ventured to ask, "how did you plan to do that? Your car is totaled."
"Oh. I hadn't thought of that."
"Cheer up, Major," Nick grinned. "We flew down in a chopper and rented a car. We'll have you back at Fort Sam in a few hours."
"What?"
"You bet we will," Cody added. "There's a young lady anxiously waiting for you to get back. Something about you going to her grandfather's for Christmas."
"Cayce! The poor kid must be out of her mind worrying about me!"
"Sergeant Crane said she was beside herself so let's get going shall we?" Cody led the way to their rental car.
A couple of hours later they were back at the airport. The chopper took off a short time later – headed for San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston and the stockade where their very unhappy prisoner would be locked up again to await his court martial.
"The two lieutenants took it upon themselves to escort their commander back to his quarters only to find them unlit. Major McKenna wasn't surprised.
"Take me to the Equestrian Center, if you would, gentlemen," he said. When she's upset Cayce is drawn to horses no matter where we are."
The stable was dimly lit when Cody entered. He couldn't see much of anything so he called out, "Cayce? Cayce McKenna? Are you in here?"
"Who wants to know?" a young girl – the one he and Nick had seen earlier – emerged from one of the stalls.
Even in the dim light Cody could see the slumped shoulders and he could hear the huskiness that indicated that she had been crying.
"Are you Cayce McKenna?"
"Yeah."
"I've got a Christmas present for you," Cody told her and then stepped back.
Cayce gasped and ran to Brian McKenna, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Uncle Brian!"
"Cayce, macushla, it's okay. I'm here," Brian said holding her close and stroking her hair.
"I thought maybe you weren't coming back – just like Mama and Daddy never came back," she sobbed.
"I just got delayed, that's all, love," McKenna hugged his niece tightly.
Cody and Nick exchanged pleased and sympathetic looks and then offered the McKennas a ride to their quarters which their commanding officer gratefully accepted.
The next morning, Christmas Eve Day, Lieutenants Ryder and Allen were called into the office of the Post Commandant.
The general, a stern looking man in his early sixties, scowled at them. Brian and Cayce McKenna were both there as well.
"These are very serious charges, gentlemen," the general scowled. "AWOL, unauthorized use of a military vehicle, stealing a helicopter…"
He put the papers down and glanced over at Major McKenna who appeared to be having difficulty keeping a straight face, and Cayce who looked anxious. "The Officer of the Day is not happy with you two and I'm inclined to be on his side. What do you have to say for yourselves Lieutenants?"
"Technically, sir," Cody said, "we were off duty."
"And we didn't steal the chopper," Nick added. "We borrowed it."
"Be that as it may," General Howell said, "you didn't have signed passes nor did you have official permission to use the helicopter or leave the post for that matter."
The two young lieutenants squirmed as their CO uttered a quiet cough which could have been a chuckle. They looked at him and tried to figure out what was going on.
"The charges are dropped due to mitigating circumstances," the general told them as Brian McKenna burst out laughing and Cayce looked enormously relieved.
"Merry Christmas, gentlemen. Major McKenna - they're all yours."
The three junior officers saluted him before leaving his office and going to MP headquarters office.
"Cayce has something for you Allen, Ryder," McKenna said when they had returned to his office. "Cayce."
"Uncle Brian signed off on two week passes for you, Lieutenants," the girl said as she handed them the precious papers. "It's because you went after him and brought him back to me."
She gave Cody his pass and then kissed his cheek. She repeated the action with Nick.
"I love you guys," she said through her tears of joy.
The next several hours were tense for Cayce and the others but, finally, around nine o'clock, Cody's voice was heard over the short wave as opposed to the walkie talkie.
"We've got him! We'll be at the house in about forty-five minutes."
Cayce nearly broke down but held herself together long enough to ask, "Is he okay?"
"We can't tell for sure out here," Cody told her, "but he insists that he's fine."
Forty minutes later the truck with the plow attached came up the driveway followed by the jeep and the three horsemen leading the spare mount. Three men emerged from the jeep and headed for the house. The rest of them headed for the barn and/or the bunkhouse.
The door opened a minute later and the senior Riptide detectives entered, supporting Brian McKenna on either side. Cayce ran to him and threw her arms around him.
"Uncle Brian, are you all right?"
"Fine, macushla, fine," he said. "Just shaken up a bit is all."
"You look sick," she said.
"Not sick, little one," McKenna told her. "Just half frozen and a little sore. I'll be fine."
"I think so, too," Nick said. "A hot shower, a hot meal and a good night's sleep and he'll be ordering us around just like the old days."
Brian McKenna grinned. "I can't wait to see where your next Reserve weekend sends you, Lieutenant. I'd like to get my hands on you in an official capacity."
"Sorry, sir," Nick told him, "I already got my orders – I'm headed to Polk next month."
"Ugh! The swamp. Maybe I can get you transferred to Lewis with me."
"Enough you guys," Cayce told them as she helped her uncle out of his coat and took his hat and gloves. "Uncle Brian you go straight up to your room and get a shower and into bed. I'll bring you some supper and then you can go right to sleep. We have some shopping to do tomorrow."
"That's right, Cayce, my love," the major said. "We have a few gifts and some stocking stuffers to get. Do you have a list as if I didn't know."
"Yes, sir, Colonel McKenna, sir," she said with a laugh. "You drilled it into me from the time I was ten that I should make a list whenever I went shopping. It's written and in my wallet."
Colonel McKenna gave his niece a hug and then headed up to his room. Murray had already taken his suitcase up for him and returned to the living room. Cayce went to the kitchen to get him some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich along with a glass of milk. She brought the tray up and left it on the small desk in the bedroom he used. Within an hour everyone was asleep.
Bright and early the next morning, Cayce took care of her barn chores, gave her champion barrel racer – Blackfoot Medicine Man, who was better known as Doc, some exercise and then headed to the house to clean up and help Josefina make breakfast for everyone.
Before her hands headed off to take care of things in the various areas of the ranch she thanked them all – very emotionally – for the part they had played in rescuing her uncle the night before.
"I'll never forget it," she told them. "I know Uncle Brian plans to thank you himself later."
The men were embarrassed and just stared at the ground. They would do anything for Cayce and Colonel McKenna. – they thought that much of them.
When breakfast was over - and the dishes washed - Cayce and the colonel, accompanied by the Riptide detectives, went to the mall in Sugar Creek to do a little shopping. Cayce was giggling a lot as she and Brian went through the different stores collecting stocking stuffers. If the men of the Riptide had heard her they would have been very suspicious. They'd have been even more suspicious had they seen the stores she was visiting. Suspicious and apprehensive.
After lunch they returned to the ranch and decorated the Christmas tree. Colonel McKenna was elected to put the angel on the top of the tree as he did every year. Cody assisted him with the lights and garlands, then they all pitched in to put the ornaments on followed by the tinsel.
Among the ornaments were a wooden sled with Cayce's name on it, some midnight blue glass ornaments with gold glitter, some ornaments that looked like Chinese lanterns and a rather odd looking "man" made out of Styrofoam, yarn and a roll of Lifesavers. Cayce explained that her Great-Aunt Elinor and Great-Uncle George had given that to her many years ago and she treasured it. It always went in a place of honor high in the front of the tree.
When the tree was done they all headed for the Sunny Acres skating pond. A lot of people were already there and they called for Cayce and her uncle to join them. It didn't take long for the two McKennas to don their skates and join the rest. The waltz tempo music of Doris Day's rendition of Silver Bells floated on the air as uncle and niece started skating.
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city.
Hear them ring, ring a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas Day.
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on ever street corner you hear
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Hear them ring, ring a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you hear
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Hear them ring, ring a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Strings of street lights, even stop lights
Blink of bright red and green
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
Hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all this bustle you'll hear
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Hear them ring, ring a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Hear them ring, ring a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Cayce's green eyes were sparkling like emeralds when the light reflects off of them. After the fright she'd had the night before her three "brothers" were happy to see her so relaxed.
"They skate well together," Cody commented as he watched them gracefully glide around the ice.
"They sure do," Nick agreed as did Murray.
They spent several hours there before heading back to the ranch. Cayce had tried to talk the three friends into donning a pair of skates and joining them - especially when the younger crowd started a game of Crack the Whip – but they refused on the grounds that they were too old for such childish nonsense. They did, however, join in the snowball fight that ensued later on. Nick had a good arm and landed several on his former CO who promptly retaliated and hit Nick with a few snowballs of his own. Cayce's target was Cody and she managed quite a few hits herself.
Laughing, joking and soaked to the skin the quintet climbed into the mini van and drove home. All took hot showers and put dry clothes on. Later, after they'd had supper, all disappeared to their various bedrooms and finished wrapping their gifts. When they were finished they brought them down to the living room to place under the tree.
They retired for the night around eleven after having attended a Christmas Eve candlelight ceremony at the small Lutheran church in Sunny Acres. Cayce and Boz put a plate full of cookies and a glass of milk out for Santa amid much laughter and hooting from the older detectives. The youngest members of this multicultural "family" ignored them and placed it on a table by the fireplace.
"Murray! No stockings until we eat breakfast!" Cayce scolded the youngest of her "brothers".
Murray was very much a child at Christmas and he was crushed when Cayce forbade him to open his stocking gifts until they'd eaten. He knew the rule – she'd told him when they'd arrived at the beginning of the month but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try to get away with it anyway.
Breakfast consisted of waffles and sausage along with milk, coffee, orange juice or hot chocolate depending on what each wanted. Josefina greeted them with a smile and a cheery Feliz Navidad. She didn't have to work on Christmas Day but she wanted to do this for Cayce so that Cayce could enjoy Christmas with her family.
After breakfast they all headed for the living room. Josefina had received her gifts the day before and now left for her home. She would return in the morning but had been talked into taking the rest of the day off.
"This one's for Nick," Cayce said as she took down the large bright green stocking with the red bow on it.
Ryder accepted it and emptied the gifts that were in it on the floor in front of him. There was a nice fire going in the fireplace and all had chosen to sit on the floor and enjoy it rather than sit in chairs that were farther away.
Nick's stocking contained some cherry flavored Chapstick, some homemade fudge, a bag of walnuts, a small pocketknife, a candy cane, a package of pens and a notepad. The gift that made everyone laugh was a pair of black and white fuzzy dice.
"What is this?" he asked incredulously.
"They're for you to hang from your rear view mirror," Cayce told him through her giggles. "Uncle Brian picked them out for you."
"I can't wait to see you hang those suckers from the mirror, Nick," Cody laughed. "I can see you cruising down the highway with those swinging in the breeze."
"Thanks, Colonel," Nick said. "I'll remember you for this."
"My pleasure, Lieutenant," Brian McKenna said with a grin.
"This one's for Boz."
Cayce handed Murray his stocking. It contained candy, a candy cane, pens, a notepad, some nuts, a couple of pairs of socks, a magnifying glass and a gift certificate for an electronics store.
"I wasn't sure what you wanted or needed in that store," Cayce explained, "So Uncle Brian and I bought the gift certificate. You can get whatever you need for the Roboz or one of your computers or experiments."
"Thank you, Cayce, Colonel," Murray said.
"Lieutenant Allen," Colonel McKenna said, "this one's for you."
Cody's stocking was bright red and had blue, silver, gold and green ornaments on it. It contained fudge, walnuts, a small compass, pens, a notepad and a box containing what Cayce called a mustache mug. It would allow the mustached blond to drink without getting his mustache dirty.
Cayce and Colonel McKenna's stockings had been filled by the Lazy M ranch hands and the Riptide detectives. They each had candy, a pen and pencil set, ribbons for Cayce's printer, a small sewing kit and a leather bookmark that KC Campion had made for them in his spare time.
The stockings dispensed with the group moved on to the gifts under the tree. There were dress shirts for the men, a new pair of flannel pajamas for Colonel McKenna that were solid red. Murray received a pair of green and black plaid pajamas and a dark green robe to go with them. Nick and Cody each received a pair of pajamas as well. Cody's were yellow and Nick's were dark blue.
Cayce received new pajamas as well. Also a pair of fleece lined boots, a Claddagh necklace from her uncle as well as various other smaller gifts such as a Statler Brothers cassette tape.
When they were through with those gifts Murray spotted one last gift under the tree. Curious he asked Cayce about it.
"Oh yeah," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "That's for three "boys" I know named Cody, Nick and Murray." She reached under the tree and pulled the rather large and cumbersome package out from under the tree and handed it to Murray who eagerly tore at the wrappings. "It's from Santa and he says you're to set it up under the tree immediately after you open it."
"Oh, wow, boss!" Murray exclaimed when he saw what the wrappings had covered. "This is great!"
"Santa", really Cayce and her Uncle Brian, had bought the Riptide detective's a model railroad set complete with half a dozen freight cars, an engine, a caboose, what seemed like miles of track plus buildings, trees and all the trimmings.
The ranch house was filled with warmth, love and laughter as the three "boys" and Colonel McKenna set to work putting the track together and setting up the "toy land town" under the tree. It wasn't long before a train was circling the tree blowing it's whistle and chugging down the tracks.
"Merry Christmas," Cayce said to her family.
Nobody heard her. The "boys" were too busy playing with their new train set.