A Riverside Christmas Mystery
Chapter 7
"From far away we come to you, The snow in the street and the wind on the door
To tell of great tidings strange and true, Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor"
William Morris
Morning at the Kirk farmhouse was filled with activity. Breakfast was hot oatmeal, fruit, muffins and coffee, and then Winona shooed everyone out of the kitchen so she could bake cookies and a fruitcake. Davy was fed, changed, and passed around from one person to another and then put on the floor to play with Peter and Sorrel as they did their assigned chores for the impending visit of Commander Bradford. The fireplace needed to be cleaned, the bathrooms freshened, towels laundered, living room swept, furniture dusted and beds made.
"Peter George Kirk, did you clean Sorrel's litter box this morning?"
"Yes, Noni, it's clean."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
"You'd think he was royalty or somethin'," muttered a disgruntled McCoy, busily dusting the furniture. "Everything looked just fine before."
Spock, coming in carrying towels to the washer, looked at the doctor with a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "Do I detect a bit of jealousy at the impending visit from Commander Bradford, Doctor McCoy?"
"'Course not, don't be talkin' nonsense Spock. Don't know how you get some of your ideas in that computer that passes for your brain. It just seems to me to be a lot of fuss about nothin'." The cornflower blue eyes glinted with annoyance.
Jim busy with the fireplace grinned at the bickering. "If anyone should be jealous, it should be me, Bones, but you don't see me griping. If this visit makes Ma happy, that's all that matters. And don't forget he's doing us a big favor looking for that birth certificate."
"It's not us he's doin' the favor for," muttered McCoy. "It's your mama and no one else."
Winona came in from the kitchen. "Gavin said he'd be here for lunch. I think home-made pizza and salad would be good, don't you, Jim?"
"Ma, whatever you serve will be great. I'm sure Gavin doesn't get home cooked meals very often, and neither do we. Everything you make is delicious and we're all very happy to eat it."
Winona laughed. "He does like my cooking; he always cleaned his plate when he was here this summer recuperating.(1) You know, Jim, Gavin's basically alone in this world. He has a career that doesn't allow for close friendships and he's lost both parents and his only sibling is very far away. Peter and I enjoyed having him here very much; he's a fine person, and a home cooked meal is the least I can do to thank him for his help."
Winona's glance took in everyone. "I really appreciate everyone pitching in to help clean the house. I'm so hoping Gavin has good news for us, Jim. He said the search would be finished by the time he got here, so one way or the other we'll know something."
Nyota came in from the bedrooms. "Everything is tidy in the back rooms, Winona. Anything else I can do for you?"
"No, Nyota. That's all, thank you, dear. Everything looks fine. I just have to wait for the cookies, they're baking now. Then I'll put in the fruitcake. Jim, dear, I think it's time we think about the Christmas tree. Why don't all of you go to Birnam Woods and pick out a pretty one. Put the red ribbon on it like we always do and we'll cut it down later this week."
"Good idea, Ma. But I want you to go with us. We'll wait for the cookies and then we'll all go. Remember Ma, you promised to join in all the fun and you missed the snowball fight."
"Yes I did, didn't I. All right then, the cookies will be ready in 8 minutes and then we can go. I'll put the fruit cake in when we got back."
As they left the farm-house, Jim scanned the sky carefully before they walked in to the woods. There was no sign of the shuttle, but they would all need to stay alert. He patted the phaser he had in his coat pocket. He had debated about bringing it, but decided to err on the side of caution. Davy was riding in his old baby sled with the high sides and Peter was pulling him. "Let me know when you get tired, Squirt, and we'll take turns pulling the baby. He's heavy."
"Okay, Uncle Jim, but I'm fine right now. The baby is happy," said Peter, looking down at the gurgling smiling baby.
Always, when he came into Birnam Woods, even as a schoolboy, Jim would think of that old Robert Frost poem, "The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." The words were like a talisman to him, they spoke to him about his command life and duties as the Captain of The Enterprise.
The group spread out to check the trees, choosing first one and then another with everyone giving their opinion until at last there was a consensus. Jim tied the red ribbon around a beautiful spruce tree and they all stepped back to admire their choice.
They walked back to the house, with Jim pulling Davy's sled, and Uhura broke out in song. "O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree…."
As they came in sight of the house, Winona exclaimed. "Look there's Gavin! Gavin, hello, we're coming," she called to him as she hurried to the back stoop.
"Hi Winona." The young man gave her an enthusiastic hug and another one to Peter. "It's great to see both of you." He turned to Jim, "Captain, a pleasure to see you again. Doctor McCoy, Mr. Spock, how are you?" His face couldn't contain his gleeful grin.
"Gavin!" Winona said looking up at the happy handsome face. "You found her, didn't you! Oh, you blessed man, how wonderful! Come inside and tell us everything."
Jim pulled Davy out of the sled and led the way to the living room. He handed Davy to Bones and crouched down to start the fire in the fireplace. Gavin Bradford divested himself of his heavy coat and sat in the easy chair by the fire and looked around at the eager faces. He pulled out his padd and smiled at the six pairs of eyes that were riveted on him.
"I got the results of the search early this morning. I couldn't wait to get here and tell you, so I got in the shuttle and took off. According to search records, Violet Sterling Palomino was delivered of a baby boy on Nov. 3rd of last year in Iowa City, Iowa. His name was registered as David Robert Palomino, father's name listed as Robert Dean Palomino, deceased."
Jim and Winona exchanged shocked glances. "It's Violet, Ma. Davy is Violet's baby!"
"Oh my God!" Winona's face showed deep shock. "Violet…that sweet lovely girl, Jim!"
"You know this woman?" asked Gavin.
"Yes, we know her, Commander. I grew up with her. We were in the same class all through school and we were good friends; we spent a lot of time together, studying mostly and commiserating like kids do, about teachers, classes, boy troubles and girl troubles. She's a lovely person, kind, funny, with a wicked sense of humor, and brilliant. After I left for the Academy, she went off to college and we sort of lost touch along the way. I heard about her parents' accident from Ma. I sent her a condolence note, and I think Sam did too, Ma. She responded but we haven't been in touch since." Jim sighed. The weight of command made it very difficult to keep in touch with friends scattered all over the quadrant, but he felt a deep regret that he hadn't tried harder to keep in touch with Violet.
At one time during their high school years, Jim had thought of asking Violet out on a date, but he had reconsidered. Their friendship had been too important to risk by turning it into that would most probably be a short-lived high school romance, and then a breakup, so their friendship had continued to the mutual satisfaction of both until the Academy and college had separated them.
Winona looked sadly at Gavin. "I went to the double funeral of course. Everyone from around here did. It was such a tragic thing; she was an only child. After the funeral, I offered to help her close up the house and pack some valuables and we did that a couple of days later. She was very subdued, but she spoke lovingly about her parents. After she closed up the house, she went back to college to Grinnell. I received a note from her a couple of years ago that she was getting married, but not about the birth of the baby. Now her husband is dead too, and these men are after her."
"Ma, do you know where she worked? What kind of job she has?"
"No Jim, but I think her degrees are in forensic pathology."
"So she's a doctor, then." asked McCoy.
"Yes, but I don't know where. "
"Well, that should make it easier to find where she's worked and we can try to track her from there," said Jim.
"I think so," said Gavin. He leaned back, well pleased with the reception of his research. "Winona, I feel sure that Dr. Jeffries will be able to find out where she's been working."
"Yes, I'll comm him right now. He can stop looking for Davy's birth records now and concentrate on finding Violet. I'm sure all of Iowa's medical employment data bases are open to him."
"Ma, after you've finished talking with Dr. Jeffries I'll let Chapel know she can stop looking for Davy's DNA results. No need for that now."
Gavin looked down at Davy on the floor playing with Peter and Sorrel. He got up and sat down by the children. "So this is the famous Davy," he said. He gave the baby his hand and Davy wrapped his baby fist around one of his fingers. "He sure is cute, isn't he." He pulled back on his finger and Davy brought up his other hand and wrapped it around his other fingers. "Hey, you're a strong little guy," he told the baby and lifted him up in his arms. "We're going to find your mom, Davy, you'll see. She's going to be all right."
"I'll go contact Tom now," said Winona. "I'm sure he'll find out where Violet worked and we can start there. Maybe she'll contact us soon. I know she must be very anxious about Davy, and she said she'd get in touch."
Jim bent and picked up Davy and put him on his lap. "How long can you stay, Gavin. Hope you can spend the day with us, we'd all be glad if you would."
"I took the day off, Captain. Haven't done that in a long time."
"Jim, Gavin, please call me Jim. No ranks here. I'm on leave and glad of it."
"Yes, Sir." He grinned sheepishly. "I can stay until late this afternoon, then I have to head back to New York."
"Well let me bring you up to date on those two thugs who paid us a visit. They were back last evening searching the woods next door. It's obvious they haven't found Violet, or they wouldn't have come back to search the woods." Jim hugged Davy's warm small body to him and pressed his face on top of the blond curls.
"Will you give me a description? I'll run it through our face recognition data base and see what we get. It may take a while, but it's worth a try."
"Of course. Between Mr. Spock and I we can probably do a good job with the descriptions. Spock is highly observant and I'm not so bad myself." Jim gave Davy an absent-minded kiss on the soft baby cheek and put him down on the floor. He was thinking that the two men were very similar in looks and wondered if they were brothers. That would make the search easier.
Winona came back from the office. "Tom said he'll get started right away. He doesn't think it'll take long to find out where she works."
"Good, Ma. Gavin, Spock and I are going into your office for a little while. I have to contact the ship and tell Chapel she can stop searching and then Gavin is going to get our descriptions of the two men and run it through the SIS facial recognition data base. If we can get identification maybe we can figure out why Violet is running."
"I'll get started on lunch then and I still haven't put the fruitcake in the oven yet."
"By the way, Ma. Gavin is spending the day with us."
Winona's beautiful smile broke out. "Oh lovely, Gavin. I'm so glad you can stay. Let's go ice skating this afternoon, Jim. That'll be fun. The ice should be perfect right now. I think we can find skates for everyone. I have Sam's and Aurelan's and two old pairs of yours, Jim, and George's that are almost new, and two pair of mine, and several pairs that people have left here through the years. Peter, please go get them down from the attic and we'll get them cleaned up, you get yours too, sweetie."
McCoy said, "I'll help you with lunch, Winona."
"I'll help too, Winona." Uhura picked up Davy. "Come on, Davy, you can help in the kitchen too. He's just the best baby…all sunshine and smiles," she said.
"That's the way Violet was when she was little, all smiles and so sweet natured."
Jim contacted the ship and told Scotty to have Chapel stop the search. The medical supply mission was going smoothly. No other ship activity in the sector, reported Scotty, news that Jim was happy to hear.
Gavin got his padd out and Jim and Spock took turns describing the two men. Jim told the Commander about his suspicion that they could be siblings or twins.
"I agree with your assessment, Jim." Spock said.
"That would simplify the search, then. Sibling or twin criminals are a rarity, so I'll input the search parameters with sibling or twins tag and see if we get any hits."
"Those two looked very dangerous. I'd like to know just what we're up against."
"I hope we'll know soon. Jim, how is your mother doing with all this?" The fine grey eyes looked concerned.
"She's doing fine, Gavin. My mother is a very strong woman, resilient and able to cope with what ever life throws her way. Davy couldn't be in better hands, as Violet knew when she left him here."
"I'm glad to hear that. I think the world of your mother, she's an amazing person. She and Peter were so kind to me when I was here this summer. I'll never be able to repay her for all she's done for me, starting with saving my life and then taking care of me while I recuperated."
"Indeed, Commander," said Spock. You were very fortunate that it was Dr. Kirk who found you in the park. She is a remarkable woman."
"I think so too," smiled her son. "But please don't embarrass her by saying so, she wouldn't like it, Gavin."
"No, I won't Jim, but I want you to know that I'm available at time if there's ever anything that she needs and you can't get back home. "
"Thank you, Gavin. That means a lot to me. I do worry about that sometimes, she and Peter are here alone, so I appreciate it very much."
Uhura peeked in and said that lunch was ready. Good pizza smells were coming from the kitchen as they walked in. Winona, flushed from the heat of the oven, put them on the side board with the big bowl of salad. "Help yourselves everybody."
Davy was given tiny pieces of pizza covered with cheese and some sliced carrots and it was soon gone. "Ma, Ma!" he yelled, until Jim, laughing, cut more pizza and gave them to the baby to quiet him down.
"This child really enjoys his food," said Bones. "No wonder he's always happy, his tummy is always full.
Table talk was general and after lunch and kitchen clean up, they all went to try on skates and trooped out to the small lake just down the from the farm road that passed in front of the house.
"Let's keep our eyes and ears open for that shuttle," murmured Jim to Spock and Gavin. "We'll have to hide Davy if we spot it."
"Jim, did you bring your phaser?" Spock spoke very softly.
"Yes, Spock, did you?"
"Affirmative."
"So did I," said Gavin, walking close to Jim. "It's in my coat pocket."
"Let's just hope we won't need them." Jim's face was grim.
1 See "Ring of Treason