A Riverside Christmas Mystery
Chapter 20
"By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes."
William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Jim brought Ginger back into the barn, took off the saddle and blanket and curried the old horse with long deep strokes, all the time whispering affectionately in his ear. He was happy to see that Ginger's breathing was deep and even, and the old horse did not seem tired even with the climb up the hill. Peter and Winona took great care of him and he would live out the rest of his life loved and spoiled. He gave Dapple an affectionate pat on his way out.
Twilight would soon be upon them and Uhura and Winona would be back after all the shops closed. Violet, Bones, and Spock were in the kitchen, Davy was in his high chair, and Peter was sitting playing chess on his padd.
Violet unlocked the door, and Jim came in when bringing the cold with him. "What's going on," he asked Violet, slipping off his coat and looking at the three of them at the kitchen counter.
"I thought we'd give Winona a break and fix supper while she and Nyota are gone. We're fixing waffles and hash browns, my sous chefs are helping."
"Sounds great," said Jim, bending over and moving a chess piece on Peter's padd. "Try this move, Squirt," he said, pointing. He looked at Violet. "Does it seem to anyone else around here that all we do is eat? That we go from one meal to the next with nary a pause." Jim smiled at the cooks. He looked at his First Officer as he helped Violet. Spock had a large towel tied around his waist, his body language totally relaxed, his face peaceful and content as he chopped slowly and methodically; his usual impassive Vulcan façade was tucked away somewhere out of sight. Jim thought he would carry this memory around with him of a contented and happy Spock, calmly dicing potato. It was like a gift, he thought, something to be brought out now and then to look at.
"Yeah, ain't it great?" Bones grinned. "I, for one, am going to take full advantage of the marvelous cook that is your mother, Jim. All I gotta say is that you, Sam and your dad, were lucky to have food like this as you grew up."
"Indeed," said Spock. "I must admit, I have never had such delicious fresh food and all very proficiently prepared. My mother is not a bad cook, Jim, but she is not the equal of your mother."
"Okay guys, cut it out. Too much pressure being put on me here," said Violet, dicing onions, crying her heart out, and looking sternly at Bones and Spock. "Davy is never going to get food like this when we get back home, but I'm getting lots of tips from Winona, right baby?" She sniffed loudly and wiped her streaming eyes.
Davy chuckled at his mother and munched on his cookie.
Jim laughed and leaned over to kiss the baby's soft curls. "We were spoiled. My friends often extended their after school visits, knowing full well Ma would invite them to stay for supper, and there were always cookies, cakes, and stuff for snacks after school too. Peter knows, right Squirt?"
Peter nodded, grinned. "Yep, my friends do the same thing, Uncle Jim. Noni is a great cook, and Baker."
"Well, Peter don't ever take that for granted," said Bones. "There are very few places left these days where you can get food as good as this and lovingly made too."
"Speak of angels and they appear," said Jim, opening the back door for his mother and Nyota. "Here, Ma, let me take those," he said helping his mother with all the bags.
"Thank you, sweetheart." She sighed. ""We've had a very successful day, haven't we, Nyota?"
"Yes, we have. My feet are killing me in these boots, but the news of Violet's visit was spread to every corner of Riverside. We tried to hit as many stores as possible, plus we stopped at the coffee shop and Winona must have told at least 50 people there!"
"That's great. Your work is done," he pulled out chairs for them. "Sit down, both of you look worn out. Ma, any sign of that shuttle?"
"No, dear. We didn't see any sign of them. Just as well, because we were on a roll," she sighed again, tiredly. "Nyota and I must have spoken to more than half the town about Violet's visit. I can assure you that those men will hear about it somewhere. Violet, I bought something for you. I know you're very short of clothing and neither Uhura nor I are your size. I hope you like it, dear; it's for the dinner tomorrow night."
"Oh, Winona! You didn't have to do that, but how lovely of you. Last night I was wondering what I was going to wear. As you can imagine, dressing up was the last thing on my mind when I packed for Davy and I. I'll pay you back as soon as I can get to a bank," she said.
"Nonsense, Violet, it's a gift. I'm just so happy that you and Davy are here with us, and I can't tell you how lovely it's been to have a baby here again."
"Thank you, Winona." Violet came over and hugged her tightly, her eyes shining.
Jim cleared his throat. "Jonathan said he would comm me if his Des Moines contact sees the men heading this way."
"What smells so good?" Winona's attention was now on dinner. She saw that Bones and Spock were busy at the counter with potatoes.
"Waffles and hash browns for supper," said Bones. "We decided the chief cook should sit and enjoy being waited on for a change," he smiled over at her.
"That's so lovely, thank you." Winona slipped her boots off her feet. "It feels good to just sit and relax," she added. "Also I was worried those men would show up in town and we wouldn't get to finish telling people about Violet's visit."
"Noni, do you want some hot tea?" asked Peter. "I'll get you some and Ms Uhura too. You want your Earl Grey?"
"I'd love some, Peter, and Nyota too, I'm sure," she said glancing at Uhura who nodded. "Thank you, sweetheart."
After dinner they relaxed in the living room. Spock brought out the chess set to give Peter another lesson and Winona, Violet and Uhura adjourned to the bedroom to try on their new clothes. Jim's communicator beeped; it was Jonathon. "Jim my contact just let me know the shuttle has left the motel. They're probably on their way to Riverside. Just wanted to give you a heads up, stay alert, ok?"
"Yeah, we will, thanks. Bones and I will feed the animals this evening. I don't want Ma or Peter outside. See you tomorrow evening."
Bones overhearing the conversation, got up and put on his coat to follow Jim outside. The barn was warm and smelled of horse, donkey, hay, and oats. It was a comforting scent to Jim, he had known it his whole life.
Jim looked at his CMO. 'Bones, are you enjoying this furlough," he asked him. "I know it's not your usual type of shore leave." His CMO had a reputation of preferring more exciting shore leaves, unless he went home to Georgia.
"Are you kiddin' me, Jim? This has been one of the best, if not the best leave I've ever had. The only thing that would've made it better would've been to have Joanna here with me or me with her. Of course that'll happen when hell freezes over, Jocelyn would never allow it. But I'll talk with her Christmas Day, and that'll be good. So yes, it's been great and I thank you for invitin' me. I think it's been great for all of us, don't you?"
"Yeah, Bones," Jim said softly, his hazel eyes glowing in the dim light of the barn. "It's been pretty special all the way around. It's always great to have you here, Bones." He smiled softly at his friend.
They went back in the house and Nyota passed around the now new ritual of hot chocolate in the evening. It provided a warm and soothing ending to the cold winter days. The shuttle didn't materialize, probably spooked away from the area by Jonathon and the deputies.
In the morning, everyone was quiet at breakfast. The dinner and what was to follow, loomed before them like an albatross. The only positive thing was that hopefully it would all be behind them by the next morning. Conversation was minimal, everyone preoccupied with their own thoughts. Peter and Davy were the only ones who seemed unaffected by the atmosphere and for that Jim was thankful. After breakfast, Jim excused himself to make his comm call to the ship, it was time for another check-in on the progress of the Enterprise's mission status, but before Jim could begin the comm call, his communicator beeped. It was Gavin's code.
"Hi Jim, how did it go yesterday?"
"Hey Gavin. Ma and Nyota reported that it went very well. Then Jonathan commed and said the two men were heading for Riverside, so I imagine by now they know Violet will be here. Are you still able to come this evening?"
"I wouldn't miss it, Jim. I'll be there as promised with the extra Phaser. How is Violet holding up?"
"She seems fine. She's strong and determined. I think she just wants this to be over, and I can't blame her. We all feel the same way, both for her sake and for our own. We're taking Davy's crib to Jonathon's apartment after his nap and immediately after dinner, we'll take them to the apartment. The deputy assigned to them should be there by then. Are you bringing a shuttle or do you need to be picked up?"
"I'm coming in my personal shuttle, Jim, so I'll meet you at the restaurant this evening."
"See you there, then. If anything comes up before then, I'll comm you."
After speaking with Scotty, and receiving assurances that all was well with the Enterprise and her crew, Jim paced relentlessly. He paced in the living room, he paced in the kitchen, and he paced in the office. He picked Davy up and paced with Davy in his arms. Jim hated waiting, and as his crew knew all too well, waiting for action was his least favorite thing in the world.
Bones' indignant protest of "light somewhere Jim, for Pete's sakes, you're drivin' us all crazy" fell on deaf ears and he continued pacing and even his mother's gentle admonition for him to do something constructive failed to stop his restlessness.
Eventually even Spock's usual and never-ending patience with his Captain was strained. He suddenly got up from his chair and stood in front of Jim who had to stop abruptly in mid pace. "Jim," he said softly, "may I speak with you in the office?"
Jim looked at him in surprise. "Of course, Spock, is something the matter? Are you all right," he asked worriedly, looking at him closely. A too vivid memory of Spock's near death not long ago, rose sharply like a specter in his mind's eye. (1)
Spock put a gentle hand on Jim's arm and pulled him into the office. "I am fine, Jim. However, it seems that you are not."
Jim looked at Spock, his hazel eyes widening in surprise. "Of course I'm fine, Spock, there's nothing wrong with me."
"You are very agitated, as is clear by your incessant pacing, and you are distressing your mother and Dr. Palomino. Already I see in your mother's face that she is wondering if this plan is not much more dangerous than you have told her, or if indeed Davy and Dr. Palomino are more at risk than you have implied." The brown eyes held a hint of reproach. "Jim, we are not on board ship where all the command crew is familiar with your pre-mission mode of behavior. Your mother, Peter, and Dr. Palomino are unaware that this is your usual behavior before any mission. Perhaps you should think about modifying your agitation so they do not become agitated as well."
"Damn," said Jim softly. "I hadn't stopped to think. Of course you're right, Spock. Worrying my mother or Violet even more than they are already, is the last thing I want to do." He smiled his sunny smile at his First. "Thank you, for bringing it to my attention. It's no wonder I keep you around, you keep me on the straight and narrow," he added.
"Do you think so, Jim?" Spock said, a gleam in his eyes. "It has been my experience that despite my best efforts, you always go by and through the most circuitous, wide, and bending routes."
Jim gave a whoop of laughter and the people in the living room gave a collective sigh of relief. Bones rolled his eyes heaven ward in thanksgiving. Thank God, he thought, trust Spock to calm Jim down or he would have driven us all crazy by tonight.
"He'll be all right now," said Uhura to everyone. "He just had a little pre/mission jitters. He's always like that on the bridge, we usually just ignore it."
Spock and Jim came back in the room. Jim bent and kissed his mother lightly on the cheek. "Sorry, Ma. I didn't realize I was making everyone nervous. I'll behave now."
Winona looked at her golden son; she had always seen him that way. Even as a baby he'd looked like that, with his bronzed fair skin, golden brown curls, and amber eyes. To her, he'd always had the look of warmth and sunshine. People would stop her on the street to tell her what a beautiful baby he was. Now, he even wore command gold and it was the perfect color for him. "It's all right, sweetheart," she told him. "I think we're all a little jittery."
Knowing the huge family style dinner that Marie would prepare for them at Salvatore's ( local people called it The Feast of Plenty), lunch was just peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and milk. After Davy's nap, Jim, Spock, and Bones loaded the baby crib, Peter's cot, pajamas for everyone, and a change of clothes for the next day into the back of Jim's shuttle.
Since Winona opted to go with Jim and Uhura to Jonathon's apartment, Spock and Bones stayed behind to keep an eye on things.
"Spock, Bones, don't let Peter go outside by himself, lock the back door, and Spock, keep your Phaser handy." Jim's steadfast eyes were on them, telling them without words he was once again entrusting Peter's safety to them. (2)
"Do not worry, Jim. Peter, Dr. Palomino, Dr. McCoy and I plan on another game of Monopoly. I feel that this time I will do better at the game," he said, a rueful tone in his voice, recalling his earlier bankruptcy. Bones just grinned.
Jim laughed. "Good luck with that; to a large extent Monopoly is a game of chance as well as strategy. Anyway, we don't plan to be gone long, we'll just set up the crib and cot, and come right back."
Jim set his shuttle down in the parking area in front of Jonathon's apartment and they carried the cot and crib up the front walk. Jim keyed the alarm system to let them in and they stepped into the spacious front room. There was a note from Jonathon on the table. Jim read it. "Jonathan says the guest bedroom is to the right and the Master is on the left, Ma. We'll set the cot in the Master for you and Peter, and the crib in the guest room. He also says the refrigeration unit is full of snacks, milk for Davy, and breakfast food for in the morning, to help yourselves."
"Jonathon shall have several home cooked meals for this," smiled Winona. "He is a dear."
Jim and Uhura made quick work of setting up the crib and cot and putting linens on both. Winona unpacked the duffel with all the night-clothes and put them in their respective bedrooms. Tomorrow's clothes, she folded neatly and put on the dressers. They took one last look around. Jim turned on a lamp so Serena would not come into a dark room, locked the front door and gave his mother the key for the door code.
Jim piloted the shuttle home, and before landing, did a quick 360 around the area. All was quiet as he landed. They walked back to the farm-house through the deep snow and Jim unlocked the back door. They could hear everyone in the living room, still playing Monopoly. Bones southern drawl sounded very pronounced over Peter's giggles as he said, "Spock, there's no cheatin' allowed, you cain't just walk out of jail 'cause you feel like it, you know."
"Dr. McCoy, Vulcans do not cheat. As you can see, see I have drawn the Get Out of Jail Card, so I do not see how you can accuse me of cheating."
"Well, all I know is that you're one heck of a sneaky Vulcan and I don't trust you as far as I can throw you! I didn't see you draw that card."
"Gentlemen," said Jim at the door. "Peter, are these two misbehaving?" Winona and Uhura were giggling behind him.
"Yes, Uncle Jim. They are," said Peter trying to control his laughter and not succeeding. Violet was rolling her eyes.
"I think you two are setting a bad example for the young ones," grinned Jim. "And anyway, it's time to dress for dinner. We'll have to take Ma's shuttle too, we won't all fit. Spock you'll be with Ma, Peter, and Uhura. I'll take Bones, Violet and Davy. We'll have to leave Ma's shuttle at Jonathon's."
They went into their respective rooms to dress for dinner and when they came out, they inspected each other. Spock wore the tunic that Peter had given him in San Francisco, which he told Peter was now his favorite.(3) It was a rich, dark brown, with motifs of gold, rust, and orange threads at collar and cuffs. He wore it above fawn colored trousers and brown dress boots. The gold IDIC symbol was, as usual, on his breast. McCoy was in his usual black trousers, black boots, and as always a powder blue tunic. Jim wore a light gold tabard trimmed in darker gold over dark brown trousers with his brown boots
"We're ready, Uncle Jim," said Peter from the bedroom door. He wore a forest green tunic with darker green trim at the cuffs, dark brown trousers and soft brown boots. Winona wore a skirt of rich purple and her tunic was her favorite color, lilac. She had put her hair up, not in her usual braid, but in an old fashion Gibson Girl knot low on the back of her head. Around her throat, she wore the necklace that Jim and Sam had given her long ago. Uhura wore a deep crimson tunic over silver slacks, with carnelian earrings and a matching carnelian bracelet. Her hair was combed behind her ears to show off the beautiful earrings. Violet wore the outfit that Winona had bought for her. It was winter white; soft wide pants and a long tunic with creamy white embroidery at the neckline. The soft cream color brought out her big brown eyes, flawless skin and rich dark curls which she piled on top of her head.
McCoy looking at Violet thought, wait until Gavin sees her, that man don't stand a chance.
Jim smiled at everyone. "At the risk of sounding a bit conceited, I must say, we all look pretty darn good. Shall we go?"
The two shuttles followed each other, Jim piloting one, Spock the other. Jim kept a sharp eye for the two men shuttle, but there was no sign of them. Salvatore's parking lot was, as usual full, but there was no sign there either.
As they entered Salvatore's, Papa greeted them and announced very loudly, "Here he is, Riverside's favorite son, Captain James T. Kirk and his crew." To Jim's shock, everyone in the restaurant stood and cheered. Papa, beamed at him as he led them through the crowded tables. People he knew and some that he didn't, reached out to him, to Spock, Bones and Uhura, to shake hands and pat their shoulders. Jim could feel the flush on his face as he glanced at his mother, whose eyes were shining with joy and pride. Spock, Bones, and Uhura, looked bemused but seemed to take the accolades in stride.
Papa ushered them into the private room. Gavin and Jonathon were already there and then Mama and Marie came in. There was much hugging and kissing and ooohing over Davy and somehow Gavin managed to maneuver things so he sat next to Violet.
"Let's eat," said Mama. "Marie has prepared a wonderful meal for everyone."
The food was wonderful, and eat they did. The conversation was golden, many stories told with much laughter, but all too soon, Jim stood. It was time to leave for Jonathon's apartment. "Thank you, Papa, Mama, Marie, it was all glorious! We'll be back soon," he promised hugging them close as they all said goodbye.
1 See "Ring of Treason"
2 See "Hostages"
3 See "Hostages"