Epilogue

The nap in the back of the car proved to be the only sleep they would get for the rest of the night. Steve moaned and groaned about being poked and prodded at the local hospital, but was quite glad, when all was said and done, to be thoroughly warmed and to have been given some decent painkillers. His headache was not quite gone, but it was muted enough that he was feeling less deathly. When Steve was released, with no signs of a concussion, but a warning to keep an eye on him for the next 24 hours, Weston drove them back to the police station in Tahoe.

There, Mike filled in what he had learned from Nicholas and Mikey about Fraser, the scarred red haired man. Steve told Daniels what he remembered about seeing Fraser in the mirror at the hotel. Agnes, Marty and Ryan, who had been brought to the station, told their stories again. Fraser had been searched and the deed to Agnes' mother's property had been found in his jacket pocket. The jigsaw pieces were fitting together quite nicely.

Combining forces, Daniels, Weston, Mike and Steve questioned Fraser thoroughly and despite the court-appointed lawyer telling Fraser to keep quiet, the persistent questioning got to the man. He was caught this time, red handed, and he was not going to get away. "All right! I went into that hotel room to find the deed. Midlem was trying to diddle me out of my share of the profits, but I wasn't going to let him get away with that. He was unconscious on the floor when I found him. I searched the room, but it wasn't there, so I shook him awake and tried to make him tell me where it was." He glared at the cops. "Stupid git had gone and had it stolen from him, hadn't he?" he asked rhetorically. "His usefulness was over."

"What did you do?" Daniels asked with admirable neutrality.

"I hit him on the head with a bottle," Fraser replied. "Then I left him there. He deserved everything he got!" he spat.

The cops exchanged a glance. A second blow to the head, so soon after the first, was almost certainly the cause of death. Had Midlem been found after the first blow and taken to a hospital, there was every chance he might have survived. However, the second blow was too much. Marty, Agnes and Ryan had not killed Midlem. "I've heard enough," Daniels declared. "You are under arrest for the murder of Grant Midlem. You are further charged with theft and conspiracy to defraud."

"You can't make any of that stick," Fraser shouted defiantly as he was taken to the cells.

Sighing, for it had been a long and trying day, Steve eased his stiff shoulders. He just wanted to go home to bed and sleep for about 100 years. Somewhere outside, Jeannie was waiting patiently for them. It was Christmas Eve and he had promised to be home that day. It didn't look as though that was going to happen. "What about Agnes, Marty and Ryan?" he asked.

"They'll face some charges, too," Daniels replied. "After all, they did assault Midlem, although I don't altogether blame them for that, and you didn't hear me say that," he added. "Plus kidnapping worse it's actually your Christmas present," Jeannie replied and blushed. "I brought it with us what can I say?" Steve asked, looking askance at the digital radio alarm clock. "It's He found a smile for his friend. "Thanks."

Not in the least taken in by Steve's false innocence, Mike gave Jeannie the bracelet he'd bought for her. Steve gave her the necklace he'd found and handed Mike a large, squashy package. Mike felt it all over thoroughly as Jeannie and Steve laughed and urged him to "open it already!" Predictably, it was a sweater, but instead of being in the usual muted colours that Mike preferred, this one was emerald green. He looked at it, then looked at Steve. "Thanks," he gruffed.

"Just trying to bring your wardrobe up to date," Steve informed him. "It's the 70s now, you know. Bright colours are all the rage."

"You just want to borrow it, don't you?" Mike replied. He held it out, pretending to measure it against Steve. "Well, it'll probably fit you."

"Oh yeah, that's generous of you," Steve teased.

"What's this, Mike?" Jeannie asked, lifting the last small parcel nestling under the tree.

"Open it," Mike instructed her. "It's for all of us from Nicholas."

They admired the beautiful craft work that had gone into making the intricate wood pieces. Mike explained that all three pieces should fit together and they were soon trying out various ways, sitting close together, laughing often, as they couldn't get them to join.

Suddenly, the pieces jelled and they were left with another beautiful piece of art. It was placed on the sideboard so that everyone coming in could admire it. As Steve and Jeannie started to clear away the dishes from their meal, Mike looked at the puzzle and thought about Nicholas. He shook his head as an idea crossed his mind, but it refused to go away.

It was indeed a miracle that they had found Steve and that despite all the peril he had faced, he had come through virtually unscathed and they were all at home together on this special day. At Mass the night before, Mike had given special thanks for the people who had helped he and Jeannie out along the way and Nicholas and Mikey got an extra special mention. Now, Mike believed the thought that he had just had about Nicholas' identity.

His Christmas wish had come true. Who was the person who granted Christmas wishes? Why, St Nicholas himself, dear old Santa Claus.

Settling back comfortably into his chair as Jeannie and Steve laughed together in the kitchen, Mike saluted the other man. "Godspeed and God bless you," he murmured.

The End