Chapter 17

"O Winter! ruler of the inverted year, . . . . I crown thee king of intimate delights,

Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness,

And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd Retirement,

and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know."

William Cowper

The group, encumbered by toboggans and helmets, trudged slowly down the hill and back to the house. Gavin, in spite of his coat, gloves and hat, stood shivering on the back door stoop waiting patiently for them to arrive.

"Gavin," Jim said, hurrying forward and shaking his hand, "great to see you. I was concerned that we hadn't heard from you."

"I'm sorry, Jim. I was on assignment and had to maintain comm silence. My assignment is finished now, so I came straight away. I have tomorrow off, so thought it'd be best if I came in person to give you the report." He looked at the group loaded down with toboggans, helmets, the basket of snacks and Davy in the sled. He smiled. "Looks like I missed all the fun," he said.

Winona came up to him arms outstretched for a hug and Gavin gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "Let's go inside, and get in from this cold, "she said, smiling up at him. "I'm going to start lunch and meanwhile you can warm up in front of the fire. "

Gavin looked pleased. "I'd enjoy that, Winona. I can never say no to your home cooking." He glanced over at Violet who now had Davy in her arms. "You must be Davy's mother," he said looking at her sweet lovely face with interest; his smiling grey eyes indicated how much he liked what he saw. "Happy to meet you at last, Dr. Palomino," he told her. "We were very worried about you. I'm happy you're here safe and sound." He reached over and lightly touched Davy's pink cheeks. "Hi little guy," he added. "Bet you're thrilled to have your mama back with you. Here, Dr. Palomino, let me take him, I know he's heavy," he said holding out his arms for Davy, who went to him willingly with a sweet baby grin.

Violet's cheeks also took on a soft pink color. Well, well, thought McCoy with interest, so that's the way the wind blows. Now wouldn't that be somethin'. A mite too soon after her husband's death, but still…there are always possibilities.

"Let me light a fire," said Jim, taking off his heavy coat. "Peter, I'm afraid it's adult conversation time again. Will you go help Noni in the kitchen, please? I'm sure she can use some help."

"Sure, Uncle Jim."

"I'll go help too," Bones said. "You can catch Winona and I up later," he said, eyeing Jim and tilting his head significantly towards Peter, as he followed him to the kitchen.

Jim nodded his understanding and bent down to light the fire and put the fire guard up. Violet sat down on the floor and Gavin put Davy down in her lap. Jim straightened and looked closely at Gavin's weary face. "Is everything okay, Gavin? You look really tired."

Gavin sighed and stretched his back and neck. "I am. It's been a strenuous and stressful two-day mission, but it's over now, and it ended well."

"We all know better than to ask you about it," Jim said. "Relax for a few minutes while I get you a mug of hot chocolate. Hot chocolate pretty much cures all ailments," said Jim smiling at him.

He walked into the kitchen and saw Peter and Bones busily chopping salad fixings. "Is Gavin all right?" asked Winona.

"Yeah, Ma, he's fine, just getting him some hot chocolate. He's beat though, says it was a tough mission."

"All right, dear. Tell him lunch will be ready in an hour or so and maybe he can nap later. We're having that homemade macaroni and cheese with crushed cracker topping that you and Sam always loved so much. Peter and Bones are making a salad for me."

"Sounds great. I'm sure we'll be finished by then."

Jim took the mug of hot chocolate in to Gavin and sat down on the floor beside Violet and Davy. Davy stood and tottered over to him. "Ji," he said and sat down in his lap. Jim hugged him close and kissed the curly head. "Okay, Gavin, what did you find out?"

"It's not pretty, Jim, but it is pretty conclusive. The two cousins from the father's side, the Williams siblings, Thomasina and Harold are a pair of low lives. The husband, Jerome Chu isn't any better. When they were first married, they and the brother tried to extort money from Sanford by threatening to reveal some scurrilous gossip about his mother; they intimated that Sanford was conceived by another man from an affair his mother had while she was still married to his father. It was all done very subtly and slyly, but they made sure Sanford got the picture. Apparently he adored his mother, and they thought that would be his weak spot for a little blackmail. They didn't know him very well. Blackmail was not something he was going to put up with. His lawyers paid them a visit, and whatever the lawyers told them, it made them back pedal fast. There were abject apologies and lots of groveling; it took a long time before he talked to them again. His father and mother were married for many years and were together on an extended vacation when there was an accident of some sort on their shuttle and they were killed. Sanford was 24 when that happened. After the accident, he only tolerated their presence because they were his father's only surviving relatives. It was during that period when there were those reported ugly confrontations that I told you about earlier. I also did a thorough investigation of their finances, and I do mean thorough." He looked at Jim who had opened his mouth to ask a question. "Don't ask me how I got the information, Jim, plausible deniability is what all of you have now, and I want to keep it that way."

"Commander, am I to understand that you did something illegal?" asked Spock his eyebrow rising in consternation.

Jim looked up and shook his head; a warning to Spock not to say anything more.

Violet looked distressed. "Commander, please, please, don't put your job in jeopardy. There are enough people in harm's way because of me."

"Dr. Palomino," Gavin said firmly, "Winona Kirk asked for my help, and there's isn't much that I wouldn't do for her."

"Violet, Commander, under the circumstances, please call me Violet." She smiled shyly at him.

He smiled back. "Then it's also Gavin, okay?"

"All right, Gavin." She turned to Jim. "Talk some sense into him, please, Jim," she pleaded.

Jim shook his head. "I can't, Violet, I agree with him. When Ma asks for help, she gets it, and that's just the way it is and will always be."

"If it will ease your mind and Mr. Spock's, it wasn't exactly illegal, but I did bend some rules," Gavin mused, obviously thinking of toes stepped on and arms he twisted.

"I've bent some rules myself, now and then,'" muttered Jim. "So what else, did you find out?" Jim asked, getting back to business and bouncing Davy gently up and down on his lap.

"The evidence is pretty open and shut. There was a big credit draft made out to some dummy corporation called Duo Corps for 25,000 credits. And before you ask where they got the money, the siblings borrowed some of it, the brother, Harold, sold his shuttle, and the Chu's mortgaged their apartment. There's another 25,000 credits still in the account. I'd say that's the rest of the pay out once the job is done. The other cousin is clean as a whistle. I think we can rule her out completely. She's had very little to do with these cousins through the years, since she's from the other side of the family. Anyway, I'm very sure after everything I found out, that the siblings and husband are the right suspects." He leaned back on the sofa, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Great job. We'll need copies of the bank transactions when we get these guys. I want the case to be iron clad, so those high-priced lawyers can't pull their usual tricks. Jonathon Romaine, our Chief of Police, is coming by this afternoon. Is it okay with you if I share all this with him?"

"Sure. He can have the proof, but just make sure he knows that I can't divulge my sources or how I acquired the information because I won't be able to tell him."

"Understood." Jim sat very still with Davy on his lap, his hazel eyes almost green with introspection. He was absently letting the baby play with his fingers while he thought. His plan was gaining details in his mind but he would wait to share it when Jonathon came back. There would be action and resolution at last. After that, Violet and Davy would be safe and they could get back to living their lives.

Spock looking down at his Captain's face, knew that Jim's deep introspection would soon lead them all to some kind of action. Spock was sure that whatever Jim's plan was, it would be in Violet's best interest and would be for her ultimate safety. Jim held dear everything that Spock believed in; fairness, honesty, loyalty, integrity, honor, the search for truth and the desire to do good in a sometimes capricious and uncertain universe. That's why his crew would always follow him anywhere, everywhere; and that's why Spock chose to be at his side.(1)

Gavin sipped his hot chocolate, sighed, and finally allowed himself to relax. He was exhausted; he hadn't slept in almost 36 hours.

He looked around the cozy living room and saw the tree. "Are you getting ready to decorate the Christmas tree?" he asked lazily.

"We'll do it this afternoon. I hope you'll join us, it would make Ma very happy if you would," said Jim. He grinned mischievously. "We'll wait until you and Davy have your naps."

"Laugh all you want, Jim, but in my job, you nap when you get the chance," said Gavin, unperturbed and suppressed a big yawn.

"Have to admit, in my job too," said Jim ruefully.

Winona's head peeked in from the kitchen. "Lunch is ready, hope you're all hungry."

"Ravenous," said her son, carrying Davy in and putting him in the high chair as everyone sat down. Bones brought the baby his mac and cheese. "Bo," said Davy smiling and banging his spoon.

McCoy grinned. "You're shameless, Davy my lad," he said.

After lunch and KP duties, Violet and Davy went to take a nap and Gavin was sent to Jim's room to rest. The others went into the living room and Winona sat by the fire and took up her knitting. Uhura, with Spock's help, transcribed a new Christmas song she wanted to sing for them. Bones and Jim read, and Peter went to his room to answer Amanda's letter. He had a lot to tell Spock's mom.

Winona looked up from her sewing at her son. "Jim, I think I'll ask Gavin to spend the night. He can sleep here on the pull out sofa. He's so tired, there's no sense in his going home. He can rest here overnight and go home late tomorrow."

Jim repressed a smile. He'd had a feeling that his mother would invite Gavin to stay over, but all he said was, "good idea, Ma."

Chief Romaine commed Jim to say he couldn't get there until after his work day was over. There had been a rash of pre-Christmas thefts downtown and his hands were full. "Jim, why don't I bring take-out for everybody. I'm sure Winona could use the break from all the cooking."

"Great idea, Jonathon, thank you. I'll tell Ma. Don't rush to get here, we had a late lunch and we're going to decorate the tree this afternoon, so eating later won't be a problem. We'll see you when you get here."

It was late afternoon by the time Violet and Davy woke up, and Gavin, looking much more rested, came out of Jim's room to find coffee and snacks on the table. Peter came in with Sorrel and Jim brought the big box of ornaments and lights into the living room. Winona stood back to admire the tree and said again what a great choice they had made.

"Uhura, why don't you sing something. We have enough hands for decorating the tree, and a Christmas song from you would be the icing on the cake," said Jim smiling at her, his arms full of lights.

"Thought you'd never ask, Jim. This is the song that Mr. Spock and I transcribed earlier," she said. "It's called 'I Saw Three Ships'. It's a traditional old English carol probably 17th century. I hope you like it." She took up the guitar, looked into the distance and her beautiful rich voice, accompanied by soft strumming, drifted softly across the warm room:

I Saw Three Ships

I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

And what was in those ships all three? On Christmas day in the morning.

Pray whither sailed those ships all three? On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

Pray whither sailed those ships all three? On Christmas day in the morning."2

"Beautiful as always, Nyota" said Bones after a sweet moment of silence. "Just beautiful! Keep singin' darlin' nothing prettier than your voice to help us along as we hang up these ornaments."

"All right, Leonard," she said, humming softly to herself, "but all of you join in when you want to," she said before starting on the lovely bittersweet 'I'll Be Home for Christmas.' "

"But only in my dreams," sang Jim under his breath, profoundly thankful that this time it was reality and not just a dream, that he was really home for Christmas. He stepped up on a small ladder to get the lights evenly distributed on the high branches. "Peter, be sure the unbreakable ornaments go on the bottom branches, just in case Davy and Sorrel decide to investigate."

To Jim's amusement, Spock, with his usual precision, was eying the exact measurement between the ornaments he was placing on the tree. Jim knew there was no use telling Spock that the ornaments could be placed haphazardly on the branches. It just wasn't going to happen with Spock, but it looked like he was enjoying himself.

"Ma, remember when Sam and I bought you this one? I must have been about five." He showed his mother a delicate spun glass angel. How had it survived all these years?

"Of course, sweetheart. I have always treasured it and I wrap it up very carefully after Christmas every year." Winona smiled her sweetest smile at her son, seeing in her mind's eye the blond curly-haired Jimmy who had saved his meager credits (with Sam's help of course) to buy her the ornament.

Violet stepped back to contemplate the tree and said, "Gavin, you need to cover that hole right there by your left hand, it needs a couple of ornaments. Jim, you need to move one of the lights to your right to have the lights evenly balanced."

Jim whispered loudly to Gavin. "She's such a perfectionist, she's always been that way, I couldn't ever get away with doing anything less than perfect when we were doing our homework."

"I heard that, Jim Kirk. And you should thank your lucky stars I was there to keep an eye on your work, or you wouldn't have gotten into the Academy with some of that stuff you wanted to turn in!" Her soft brown eyes were alight with mischief as she looked at Jim.

Jim chuckled at Gavin. "Violet kept me on the straight and narrow all through high school. Hard for me to admit, but 'tis true, 'tis true 'tis pity, and pity 'tis 'tis true," he said ruefully.

Spock looked a question at him, "William Shakespeare?"

"Hamlet, Spock. Like I said, we do like our Will Shakespeare in this house."

The front door bell rang. "I'll go," said Peter.

"No, Peter. I'll go," said Bones, putting a hand out to stop Peter.

"Look through the peep-hole first, Dr. McCoy. To quote one of your antique world maps, 'Here Be Dragons'," Spock said.

Bones and Peter opened the door to Jonathon Romaine, who was loaded down with bags of take out food for everyone. Bones led him straight to the kitchen and he set everything down on the counter and went into the living room.

"Jonathon, glad you're here," Jim said, stepping down from the ladder. "Let me introduce you to Commander Gavin Bradford, from Star Fleet SIS. He's brought us a lot of important information." The two men shook hands.

Jonathon turned to Winona and gave her a hug and kiss. "I come bringing food," he whispered in her ear. He stepped back to look at the tree. "Great looking tree, Winona. Brings back some great memories," he said.

"Sit down, let me bring you up to speed on everything," Jim said. "Peter, why don't you go set the table and put the take out food out for everyone to help themselves. We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Sure, Uncle Jim. I'll come get you when it's all ready."

"Thanks, Squirt."

Jim shared all the information Gavin had discovered and Jonathon listened quietly until he finished. He turned to Gavin. "You can get the bank account and transactions for me and the state police?"

"Yes, I can. In fact I have them ready, encrypted and available whenever you need them. Jim and I feel that with Violet's forensic autopsy report, her testimony, and the bank transaction proofs, it will be enough to convict the siblings. It's not enough to arrest or convict the two hired thugs though. There is no direct and proven link to them through the bank transaction to Duo Corps, and they haven't done anything violent yet, except trespass and harass the farm animals."

"Speaking of that,' Jonathon said, "it's not just your farm, Winona, they've been hovering and harassing all the outlying farms, searching for Violet. I've gotten complaints from several farms in the last 24 hours."

Jim looked at Jonathon and saw that he was aware of Gavin's situation and wouldn't ask any awkward questions. It was definitely time to share his plan with them; it was obvious that in order to get concrete proof to arrest the two men they had to catch them in the act trying to kill Violet.

"I think it's time to do something to end all of this and I have a plan," Jim said. "It will bring all of this to a head and Violet and Davy won't have to hide anymore; they'll be safe."

There was a groan from Bones, but Gavin, Jonathon, and Spock looked at him expectantly. Violet and Winona just stared at him with wide eyes.

"What we're going to do is use Violet and Davy as bait." He held up his hand as he heard loud protests from all sides except from Violet. He looked at her, his hazel eyes shining gold in the firelight. "Do you trust me, Violet? You do know I wouldn't let anyone harm a hair on your head or Davy's?"

"Of course I trust you, Jim, there isn't anyone I trust more." Her eyes never wavered from his.

Jim leaned over to plug in the tree lights and a rainbow of colors lit up his handsome face.

"Good, then here's what we're going to do," he told them.