Criminally Spun Out: Book 5 of the Fiber Maven's Mysteries Read online

  Mike wrapped his around his neck. “It’s not scratchy. I hate scratchy. This doesn’t itch at all.”

  “Mike’s sensitivities to wools are just about legendary around here,” said Allyssa. “Get him near some real sheep’s wool even in a blend and, boom, hives all over. That he’s not reacting to this alpaca is grand.”

  “Now here’s one for that young lady who was out at the cash register trying to mind it all? What’s her favorite color?”

  “Clarissa's favorite color is green, so let me take this one to her. And guys, bring in Dana’s stuff to the display corner I set up for her. We all need to get back to work. This is simply so exciting.”

  Chapter Two

  For the next few hours, boxes were carried in and unpacked or stored, paperwork was accomplished, and a general tour of the four stores and a map of the town produced so Dana and her mom could find everything; by the end of the morning, Dana blew out a gasp and nodded her head in satisfaction.

  “You have a great set-up here!” she exclaimed. “I am going to be so glad to be part of it. I have to get back home soon and help Mom finish unpacking her cages so we can settle the canaries into their new aviaries and a guy is coming with hay later.”

  “Well, here’s a set of all the other classes we’re running this month; and we thought if your first one could start next Thursday night, it would fit in,” replied Allyssa.

  “Thank you! I’ll get this all entered into the computer when I get back home. Let me just finish a few things here in the corner.”

  Dana had agreed to allow Mike to put her drop spindles on display in the museum case. Mike took the mummified cat and pipe collection out of the locked glass cabinet right by the cash register and settled the drop spindles into the display on green velvet, using the labels Dana had already provided. He looked at it in satisfaction. “I’ll just feature it in my email newsletter tomorrow,” he said to himself, “A lot of ladies are going to want to see these.”

  The newest display in the Fiber Mavens Shop had a banner displayed across the top proudly calling it The Spinner’s Corner. It had two pegboard walls with bags of fiber and already spun yarns matching the fibers next to it. It had small baskets of each kind of fiber so people could feel before they bought, and it had basic spinning needs, a jar of drop spindles of differing colors, sizes, weights, and types, several small books, a scale with a bowl to weigh out roving. There were also hanging small bag kits for beginners and small bags of natural dyes. Three sign-up sheets were set up for different types of spinning: drop spinning, wheel spinning, and blending. A carder and a spinning wheel were displayed. The ladies all stood back and studied the display.

  “There! Not too much, not too little, I think it’s good. I really like that little bio there with the picture of you and your herd. They’re sweet!”

  “That was taken last spring,” Dana told her. “I think my animals were all that kept my head on after the accident. Speaking of which I’ve got to get back. I have a load of hay being brought in at 5 this afternoon, and I need to get it all stored safely and the canaries in their flights with Mom all before supper.”

  “Then we’ll see you next Thursday for the first class.”

  “I hope we have enough sign up to make it worth your while,” fretted Dana. “A week is not long to gather students.”

  “I already have three people for the beginner’s class,” Allyssa replied. “You’re capping it at 10.”

  “It’s better that way. I can give them individual help. We’ll use drop spindles to start and I have plenty of those. Thanks for your help.”

  “Thank you for coming. Have a safe trip home.”

  Deputy Jed came into the shop.

  “Afternoon, welcome!” said Allyssa. “You on business, Jed?”

  “Wife said she needs,” he pulled out a three-by-five card and read off of it. “She needs two more skeins of that blue yarn she bought Thursday. And wants to know if she can sign up for the spinning class. Is that some sort of biking thing? She was complaining about her baby weight.”

  Lydia broke into a fit of giggles and left to get the yarn and write Jed’s wife’s name on the sign-up sheet. She pulled out the handout about the spinning class, Jed paid for the yarn and the class and left.

  Lydia and the other ladies went back to what they were doing before Dana came that morning and shortly it was time to close up and go home.

  Chapter Three

  “There, there, honey, I know it’s nasty tasting, but it will help,” Casey crooned to Kai as she rubbed teething medicine on his gums. He sniffed and fussed. She handed him a frozen teether and went to help little one-year-old Enya, his twin sister, with the same medicine. She didn’t like it any better than her brother. Casey snuggled them both into their swings and started the timer and soft music. The sniffly babies sobbed softly before dropping off for a nap.

  Casey sighed. “Gracious, I hate teething. At least while they’re asleep, I can get the kitchen cleaned up and the dinner in the oven, and I might be able to dictate those notes. Best get running, but boy, could I use a nap!”

  Casey slammed through the kitchen like a grasshopper, dashing from one area to another, bringing organization out of chaos. Just as she put a casserole in the oven, the back door opened and in stepped Brad, her husband.

  “Hi, honey, how are the kids?” He said as he stepped up and kissed her. “Don’t worry, not hungry, ate lunch already at the office during a meeting.”

  “Teething. To what do I owe the honor of your presence in the middle of the day?”

  “Appears some youngsters on rumspringa may have screwed up and I’m heading over to talk to them and their dads.”

  “Oh? They usually keep a hat on everything.”

  “I know. This time, a bit more mischief than needed. Got them dead to rights on a security camera by the fire department setting off firecrackers. Marsha Downing sent me a copy of the tape. She's sort of steamed so I guess I have to visit two dads.”

  “They don’t like photos.”

  “I know, but these boys haven’t joined church yet. Their dads are reasonable. Marsha said she was coming over this afternoon?”

  “Yes, I need to run into the office for some sessions between 2 and 5; supper’s in the oven and will be ready by then. I’ll get home at 5:30, put it all on the table in time for you to show up at 6. Annie will take over for Marsha at 4, so hopefully the babies won’t be too upset with me not being here.”

  “Well, Marsha’s an EMT so I suspect she’ll know how to cope with teething. Anyway, stopped by to get a kiss, grab a bottle of soda, and I’m off. Where’s Rutherford? He likes to ride along.”

  “He was on the back porch.”

  Brad had walked to the living room to peek at his twins and grinned. “Nah; he’s on duty.”

  “What?” Casey came to look around him.

  Rutherford had stretched his huge frame across the front of the baby swings and was lying there, alert. He heard Brad, looked at him, but didn’t bark. His very attitude said nobody better come close to these two puppies or they’d contend with him. He sat up and nudged the left swing to keep it rocking back and forth and then he lay back down.

  “Hey, old man, I need you on a run,” said Brad. Rutherford sat up and looked at the babies, shook his head and stood up, yawned widely, and came over to his master. He looked back at the puppy twins and then at Casey as if to tell her they’d better be right there when he returned. She laughed softly, petted the dog, and went back to her work.

  Rutherford got into the back seat of the patrol car and Brad headed out into the countryside to talk to three errant Amish teens, smiling to himself as he drove. “I live in the best place on God’s green earth and I have the prettiest wife and best children in the world. It cannot get better than this, Lord, and I thank you for my blessings.”

  Suddenly, from the back seat, Rutherford growled and then barked, He sat up and started pawing at the door.

  “What’s up, old man? You see
something?”

  Brad pulled the car over to the side of the road and onto a small field driveway. He got out and let Rutherford out. Rutherford ran into the field and stood barking next to an idled tractor.

  A man was lying by the wheel, barely conscious. Brad radioed for an ambulance.

  “Brad?” whispered the man. “Careful, I got hit with 'bout a thousand hornets cleaning up this field. Ought not to be any hornets out here. Got dizzy trying to get away, fell off the tractor.”

  “Ambulance is on the way. Who’s at home, Carl?”

  “Wife is home. Phone out of power so I couldn’t call. I feel like I’ve been out here hours, but maybe not.”

  Rutherford ran back to the squad car and brought back the emergency bag Brad always carried in the front. Brad took out water and held it as Carl took some swallows.

  “Man, that’s good. I’m so thirsty.” Brad checked his pulse, and it was missing beats. There were large welts all over the man’s head and face, hands, and Brad guessed all over his torso.

  “Sip it slow. Once the ambulance is here, I’ll run over and let your wife know.”

  “I think Rutherford may already have taken off for that.” Rutherford was streaking across the field and came back barking.

  Just then, Brad’s radio went off.

  “Detective Malcom. There is a 10-70 at the Hershberger farm. Units dispatched. Give help if possible. What’s your status?”

  “Roger that, I have an ambulance on the way here with a farm injury: I can go over if needed.”

  “Negative. I’ll dispatch Jed and Danny over to see if the fire department needs help.”

  “You busy today?” gasped Carl.

  “Seems like. Here’s the ambulance, Rutherford’s going to lead them right here.”

  Rutherford ran between the EMT’s and Brad, urging hurry. The men came over and started caring for Carl.

  “I’ll head over to the house and let your wife know. You guys need anything?” asked Brad.

  “Got it covered, Officer,” said one. “My gosh, looks like you’ve been hit way more than twenty or thirty times, Carl. We’re taking you into emergency. I’ll get the stretcher.”

  Brad and Rutherford made their way to the car, Rutherford kept lifting his muzzle and whining. “Yeah, I smell it too. Looks like Hershberger’s farm. We had to stop there anyway, so let’s just mosey over. You stay in the car, old fella. Hate to lose you trying to rescue somebody from a fire.”

  Carl’s wife took off her apron, grabbed her purse, and headed into the emergency room as soon as the detective had given his message. She thanked Brad and drove out behind him, turning left as he turned right.

  At Hershberger’s, fifty Amish men were lined up throwing water at the barn, which was burning. The pumper truck was pouring water on it as well.

  “The stock is safe,” said David Hershberger. “Hay is a total loss. There was no storm, and the hay was good and dry, I just don’t see how we could have had a fire. If it hadn’t been for your dog barking like that, we’d not have looked up and seen smoke and we’d have lost our stock.”

  “Really?”

  “I could hear Rutherford all across the field – we were finishing up digging potatoes and I heard him bark,” said David’s oldest boy. “He’s got that big low voice and I looked over to see what he was barking about and I saw the smoke over the barn and we ran back. By the time we got here, I heard some pops and the barn went up. I hit the gong and ran inside to lead out the horses, and the cattle stampeded out. We may have lost a few chickens but not much else.”

  Brad frowned. “Fire Marshall will look it over,” he informed them, “Anyone hurt?” The men shook their heads and started to go back to fight the fire, but Brad called Hershberger back. “By the way, I know this is a bad time, but where is your boy Ezekiel?”

  “He’s in the line helping with the water,” answered David. “Why? Is he in trouble I don’t know about? He got a burn on his hand but had to help.”

  Brad looked at his feet a moment. He sighed. “I have to show you something.” He pulled out a photo of Ezekiel, Levi, and Joshua at the firehouse, setting off fireworks in the dark until they were chased off.

  “You wouldn’t maybe have some fireworks leftover from July 4?”

  David was frowning as was his oldest son. “You think they had fireworks stored in the barn and that caused this fire?”

  “It’s possible. I don’t want to cause you more upset than is already happening but I do need to question him. I know he’s just turned 16 and is doing the rumspringa thing but it has to be done safely. Fireworks are against the law.”

  “And he may have burned down our barn.” David cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, “Ezekiel Hershberger. Here, now.” A young man looked up, saw the officer with his dad, and seemed to wilt. He handed off his bucket. His oldest brother came over and took his place so the water could keep its steady stream.

  “Ezekiel, where were you when this picture was being taken of you?” demanded his father. Ezekiel looked at the small video without comment at first. “Me and the guys were just fooling around. We weren’t hurting anyone.”

  “Did you know it’s illegal to shoot fireworks off in the city limits?” asked Brad.

  “Well, no. But there’s that concrete pad and we figured if we fired them off there behind the firehouse, it would be safer than out here in the field where it’s dry now.”

  “So, the cement pad behind the firehouse would be safer, right in the center of town where there are literally hundreds of people trying to sleep, in wooden houses that could catch fire in this dry spell rather out here in the fields where all you’ll burn up is grass??” asked Brad.

  “That was our reckoning, I guess.” He shuffled his feet. “I guess we’re in trouble. I didn’t know that lady inside had a camera.”

  Brad sighed. “There are security cameras all over town and you and the guys were caught on several of them.”

  “Did you have the fireworks stored in the barn?” demanded his father.

  “I only had some cherry bombs left and yah, they were in the barn. But there wasn’t anybody in there shooting them off. I had them in one of the feed bins.”

  “How old were they?” asked Brad.

  “They were left over from a couple of years ago. We found them and so I don’t know.”

  “Did you know those old firecrackers can go unstable and shoot off by themselves? Your older brother heard some pops as he ran across the field to save the stock. How many were there?”

  Just then, there was a sound of a string of fireworks in the barn. The men all jumped and backed up as if a gun had gone off.

  Brad ran over to the men calling out, “It’s ok, there were some firecrackers in the barn, not ammunition. Keep working!” The men went back to pouring water on the remaining structure.

  The fire chief came over. “This one of the boys who had the crackers at the fire station last night?” Brad nodded. Ezekiel looked glum and David looked like a trip to the woodshed was in order, right now.

  “I’ll be visiting the other two boys at their homes.”

  “They’re here, helping put out the fire with their families,” said David. “There’s Levi and Joshua together in the bucket line. I’ll just go get them and their dads.”

  The fire was coming under control. The fire chief turned to Brad. “Thanks to that loudmouthed dog of yours, the fire was noticed in time to avoid losing the entire barn, but their hay is ruined, back wall will need replaced, some of the roof. It could have been a lot worse. At least, no human or stock injuries. Won’t take them long to repair and rebuild, I suspect one good work bee might do it.”

  “It’s too bad it had to happen,” remarked Brad as two Amish fathers and two ashamed boys came over. Brad thought he had a long afternoon ahead of him, working out the mess.

  Just then. Mrs. Hershberger came up with a puzzled expression on her face and a pitcher of lemonade in her hand. Her daughter was with her with a
tray of cookies and tin cups.

  “Thank you so much for coming to help,” she began. She offered them each a cup of cold lemonade and a cookie. “I found something odd though, on my way out the back door.”

  “What’s that, ma’am?” asked Brad. “You surely make the best peanut butter cookies.”

  “I found this stuck in the screen on the back porch. It’s one of those drop spindle things, isn’t it?”

  Brad took it and looked it over. “I take it you don’t anyone here spin yarn?”

  “No, we do not. I wouldn’t know where it came from. And why would they stick it through the screen?” Brad put it in an evidence bag. “Was there a note or anything?”

  She shook her head. “No, it was just hanging there. I'll have the boy repair the screen for me this afternoon so flies can't come in to plague us. I’m going to go get refreshments out on the table for folks.” The women left. A picnic table was being covered with sandwiches and cold drinks, cookies and a pie.

  The fire was out. Brad told each of the boys they’d have to go in front of a judge, but for now could stay in their homes. They had to consider themselves on house arrest, meaning not to go anywhere, just do their chores and stay home. Their fathers agreed.

  As Brad turned to go, Joshua came up to him. “Mr. Malcom, I am sorry for what we did. We did not mean to start a fire. It was a dumb thing to do.”

  “Where exactly did you find those firecrackers?” asked Brad.

  Joshua looked surprised. “We didn’t exactly find them. An older lady gave them to us. She said she was cleaning out her basement and found them and thought we might like to go shoot them off. It did seem a little odd; she was just walking with them in her purse and saw me at my uncle’s woodshop. She came to where I was stacking slab wood and gifted me with them. They were in a plastic bag. I thanked her and she went inside the store and bought, I think, a wooden bowl from my uncle.”

  “Do you know who she was?”

  Joshua shook his head. “She was just an old lady. I don’t recall seeing her before. I need to get over and join my father and brothers.” He nodded and went over to the table.