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

  “Not anymore. You can’t be trusted to make good decisions, so you’re off the team. You’ll have to earn it back. Son, you just have to think before you act. Now go get the badge and John, if I can talk to the girl, you said her name was Emory?”

  “Yes, she was just placed here last week and she’s not been a problem. She listens, she obeys, doesn’t talk sassy, and it’s not in her records that she’s been in any mischief up until now. We honestly thought we had a quiet one this time.” The pastor got up and left his office, called up the stairs and Emory came down.

  She was a tall, thin child, with a pinched sort of face. Her high cheekbones made her dark brown eyes stand out, and her pixie cut dark blond hair was neatly combed. She wore jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt that was a little too big. She came in slowly, saw the policeman waiting. A look of panic came over her face for a second, covered up quickly by a look of nonchalance. Jed hated it when kids reacted that way to him. He loved kids, had two of his own, and he hated being scary. He knew it wouldn’t do any good to smile. Somewhere in this child’s past some cop had done something to frighten her, or some relative had told her to beware, and now here they were. She didn’t trust cops.

  “Emory, please come here and set down,” he said.

  “David gave me this to give to you. Why do you need a kids’ badge?” she asked as she handed over a metal deputy badge.

  “Do you know what this is?”

  “A badge from a toy store?”

  “No, it’s an honorary cop badge. Brad gives them out to kids who seem to be ready and willing to assist the force in keeping the town safe.”

  “Oh, really?” she replied. “You need kids to protect you here?”

  “Really. And they do a great job for the most part. Now, tell me in your own words about the incident with the cat.”

  “We were just practice batting. We weren’t hurting anyone. It was our bat and ball and glove, and everything was fine until this woman comes barreling out of the school and comes over and starts fussing about how we aren’t supposed to be here except during school hours and we needed to go home right now. She could have just asked us. She didn’t need to yell like that. It was uncalled for.”

  “Un-huh, what happened next?”

  “She stood there glaring and waited for us to leave and then she went back inside. And we started home across a field behind the stores. We found this really pretty, sort of long-haired cat trying to steal food out of the dumpster. David caught it – he’s good at that – and I tried to hold it, but it scratched me.” She held out her arm and showed them the long scratches, six inches long and deep.

  “They must have bled and I’ll bet that hurt.”

  “Well, yeah, but when we got home, I washed them with soap, and they’ll be ok. I washed out the tee shirt and put it in the hamper. It wasn’t dry yet so it all came out. I’ve had worse.”

  “After this discussion, I want you to go to Sally and have her bandage those scratches. There’s no telling what was on that cat’s claws.” Mr. Atherton spoke quietly, “Wasn’t she in a dumpster?”

  “Yeah, ok. Anyway, David caught it again and he turned around and then this funny look came over his face and he started back for the school. He told me to grab our stuff and I did. And he got to the parking lot and I opened the door and he stuck the cat in and he shut the door and we grabbed our stuff and ran home.”

  “And she saw you and called us,” said Jed. “What you did is called criminal mischief,” he said slowly. “And I’ll talk it over with the sheriff but David may actually have to go in front of the juvenile judge this time.”

  “That’s not so bad.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “We went in front of the judge when they took my mom away and sent me into foster care last year. The judge isn’t scary. Mom will be back in three years and the judge said they’d try to find my dad or my aunt Alinta. They haven’t yet so I have to stay in foster care. Both the places I’ve been have been decent. In the last one, the old lady fell down and got hurt so they sent me here.”

  “I see. Well, I’m going to write this up. You consider yourself on house arrest for now. You’re going to have to at the least apologize to Mrs. Bronson.”

  “For what? We gave her a pet.”

  “I don’t think that for a moment and neither do you. Don’t skirt the truth.”

  “Emory, go to Sally now.” The pastor and deputy stood up as she slumped out the door.

  Jed’s radio beeped and the dispatcher ordered him to call in. “Got to take this. You ground them both and keep them here, and we’ll be back with you.”

  “Thank you for coming out.”

  Jed had his phone out and called the station. “This is Jed.”

  “Jed, get to the yarn store. Brad’s kids have been kidnapped.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The block was cordoned off; the Columbus squad came in and the crime lab people were everywhere, fingerprinting, taking pictures. Brad sat with his arm around Casey, who was pale, hardly breathing, shaking.

  “If they don’t find them soon, they’ll be dead, won’t they?” she whispered to her husband. “Or they’ll be sold or something. Oh, Brad.” Tears started down her cheeks and she turned into his shoulder as he held her.

  The Yarn Sisters showed up en masse. They were beside themselves. Having gotten calls from the members who were at the spinning class, they had gotten here before the crime scene tape was up and they mingled around in the front of the store talking quietly, making plans. Sheriff Black was in back with Brad. Jed came in and was dispatched back to hold down the fort at the office.

  “We’ll find them, Casey,” said Erik quietly. “I’ve already called the FBI. You go with Annie to the hospital. Brad and me will work with the guys here and we will find the babies.”

  The ambulance had loaded up Annie and the EMT came in for signatures. Brad led Casey out to the ambulance and she got in to ride with her daughter.

  “I’ll come to the hospital as soon as I can,” he told her. “I’ve called the pastors and they’ve got the prayer chain working. We will get our babies back.”

  “Brad, the blood on the spindle. They stabbed that doll in the herb store.”

  “It could be Annie’s from her head wound. It doesn't mean the babies are hurt.”

  “Brad, why would someone do this?” she cried.

  The medics came and closed the door. The ambulance pulled out. The last glimpse of his wife was of her holding her unconscious daughter’s hand as the door was shut, and then her silhouette in the window. “I don’t know, but I aim to find out,” he said to the wind.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Ok, everyone here,” announced the sheriff. “I want you in two groups. I want those who were actually here during the class over there with this gentleman who will take your statements. I need the rest of you to stand over there.”

  “What’s going on?” demanded one of the ladies. “Did someone really take Casey’s babies?”

  “Are they going to be found?” asked another.

  “Are they already dead?” asked a third.

  “Separate right now or I am going to go down in history as the man who jailed all twenty-six of the Yarn Sisters. Move ladies, every moment is precious,” scolded the sheriff.

  The fifteen ladies who had been present moved over by the strange cop from Columbus.

  “Now,” said Sheriff Black. “All you who weren’t here, unless you came here while the meeting was going on, leave through that front door being held open and don’t touch anything.”

  The ladies started to protest. “Leave now or sit in a cell overnight waiting to be processed. This is a crime scene. We don’t want any more messing about. Shoo, go. Right now,” he walked behind the protesting group of ladies as they were ushered out, and he locked the door behind the last one.

  Erik turned around to look at the ladies in the class group. “Ladies, do you remember anyone else coming into the shop while you wer
e in class? Are you certain you are the only ones that were here?”

  The ladies looked at each other, alternately shaking or nodding their heads.

  “We were on break, and milling around buying roving and such,” explained Sophia. “If someone came in out front, I think we would have seen them, but the doorbell didn’t ding or anything. We were going from up there to back here for refreshments and talking. Alan came downstairs to filch a couple cookies but he’s the one that found Annie. Are we suspects?” she demanded. “That’s outrageous.”

  “You are the only ones that were present. These two gentlemen will talk to you each separately and take your statements. The rest of the men are dusting for fingerprints and trying to find out whatever they can.”

  “Is Annie going to be ok?” asked Andy. “There was blood back there and she looked so white.” Her lower lip trembled and she edged closer to her mother.

  Jane Long put her arm around Andy. “They’re taking her off in the ambulance to the hospital right now,” said Jane softly. “The doctors will do what needs done.”

  Andy started to cry softly. “We’re supposed to graduate together. She’s on the cheer team, she can’t die.”

  “Ma’am, why don’t I take you and your daughter here together first so you can take her home. Just sit right here by the register and if the rest of you will come back to the classroom, sit down in your circle where you sat before, wait patiently, we’ll get around to all of you so you can go home. It’s been a trying night,” the guest detective spoke quietly as he ushered the group back to the circle. He and his partner interviewed the shaken ladies who alternated between anger, sorrow, and fear. At last, the final woman was interviewed and sent out.

  In the back, Allyssa and Alan had been grilled by yet another detective as Brad sat and listened. He watched as the lab workers dusted the stroller, the changing pad, the table, the office, as they took pictures and made soft comments and took notes.

  “They had to have been waiting back here,” he said quietly. “None of those ladies are capable of doing this. We know every one of them. They wouldn’t do this. There has to have been someone back here.”

  “The back door was locked; there are no signs of forced entry.” answered Erik. “Son, why don’t you go on to the hospital and sit with your wife? You won’t do any good here right now. You can’t possibly be thinking clearly.”

  “I have to find the babies,” Brad looked up with a blank expression, so much in shock. “They were just learning to walk. Little Kai would pull himself up to his feet by my chair and beg to be picked up. And Enya was teething and bit me on the foot last night, I had my feet up on the ottoman reading the paper and she pulled herself up, latched onto my toe and that baby can bite! Oh, Lord, what am I going to do it they’re lost forever?” He put his head in his hands and started to tremble. Erik put his hand on his shoulder. A detective joined Brad and Erik. “Let me ask you some questions, Detective. You said you knew all those ladies. Is there anyone new in town?”

  “Last new person was a foster child. We’re pretty stable around here.”

  “Anyone mad at you or Casey?”

  “Not that I know about.”

  “You send anyone up that might be out and looking for vengeance?”

  Brad shook his head.

  “Anything odd going on in town?”

  “The drop spindle thing is odd, but up till now, it’s not been anything like this.”

  Jed walked over. “Not quite so. Remember my call to the herb shop this afternoon? Wanted to talk to you about that one. Just got back.” He outlined what he’d found and showed them the doll with the spindle through it.

  The detective from Columbus shook his head. “Somewhere out there you have a really sick cookie. Brad, why don’t you go to your wife now. I’ll be over to the hospital later to catch you up and will have questions for you both. Concentrate on your little girl.”

  Brad drew a deep breath and stood up. “I can’t help it; everything keeps zipping through my mind. I’m going to ask Matt to drive me. I don’t trust myself right now.”

  “Good idea.”

  “I’m ahead of you,” replied Erik. “Matt and Sandra are outside waiting to go. You just go.”

  Brad stumbled going outside where he was met by his brother-in-law Matt.

  “Listen, I’m going to drive your car; Mom’s driving behind us, and I’ll ride back with her, so you have a way to get home. We waited for you and Mom’s about nuts worrying.”

  “Thank you. I just don’t know what I’m going to do and I don’t trust myself right now.”

  “Understood. Come on, give me your keys and I’ll head out. It’s only a half-hour drive and you can catch me up. Don’t give me that blarney about can’t talk about an investigation. This is my nieces and nephew we’re talking about.”

  They got into the jeep, backed out, and were followed by Sandra as they drove out of the town and headed for the hospital.

  Chapter Twenty

  Toby sat next to Helen as they watched Skye on the playground with some other children playing.

  “I think the lunch with your dad last week went well. He’s a good man,” said Toby. “Do we have everything ready for the wedding now?”

  “Yes, but I almost feel guilty having it now.”

  “What?” Toby looked horrified. “You aren’t having second thoughts?”

  “Not about us, but with the search going on for the Malcom babies, I don’t know. I just wish we could do more.”

  Toby got very sober. “I know. Brad’s one of the best officers I know. I hate that this has happened to them. And once again, we’ve got FBI and who knows what team combing all over town. It’s like the town has been cursed with feds swarming like flies over roadkill.”

  She nodded. “It almost doesn't feel safe anymore. I almost feel like tucking Skye into the car and having him stay at his grandpa’s all the time. Nothing much happens out there where Dad lives. I want to have him with me more now, and with you, but can we actually keep him safe?”

  “I’m pretty sure every parent in town is asking the same thing.”

  “I’ve got him enrolled in the local school now, you know, and he loves his teacher and he’s making friends. You know Mrs. Anderson, the fifth-grade teacher? Her son and Skye have hit it off. They’ve got a play date after school tomorrow. Aurora and Matt Armstrong are taking them to the Columbus Zoo for a special program and I’m afraid to let him go. I know they’re careful. I just somehow can’t feel safe.” She paused. “Has Casey’s daughter Annie come out of the coma yet?”

  “Whoever it was hit her pretty hard. I heard the doctors are keeping her in a coma until the swelling in her brain goes down.” He stopped a moment. “They’re thinking it was someone that she knew. They found the thing she was hit with, some sort of wooden thing. That it could have happened when the shop was full of people taking a class, talking and such, and no one heard anything going on back in the warehouse was pretty stunning, which makes them think Annie knew the person, turned her back to change the babies and was hit.”

  “Heavy weighted thing?”

  “Yeah, I heard it was some sort of spinning thing, let me think. All I can think of is Scottish fold cats, that’s not it. Scottish spindle? Maybe. The spinning teacher had brought it to demonstrate something with it, so whoever attacked her must have been in the shop, picked it up, used it, and left it. The Yarn Sisters are beside themselves, blaming themselves for not being more observant.”

  “I’ll bet they are. Now they’ve got to get involved.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Emory sat on the branch above David who was idly skipping stones across the creek behind the parsonage. “We gotta help Brad find his babies,” he said out loud. Frowning as the stone skipped only once as it plopped into the water.

  “How we going to do that when we’re both grounded until further notice.? Since everyone’s so busy, they don’t have time to see to us and we’re stuck here until the adults
all talk about what we have to do, so far as I can see, we’re going to be grounded pretty much forever.”

  David frowned. “Yeah. But if we found them, everyone would forget about that cat and everything and we’d be heroes and I bet I’d be back on the irregulars.”

  “What’s an irregular?”

  “Brad said an irregular is a soldier who isn’t officially on the payroll but does footwork for the military.”

  “Like unpaid slaves?”

  “No, not like slaves. It’s fun. We have meetings every couple of weeks and eat pizza and Brad trains us how to do stuff. We went on a field trip to the police academy in Columbus.”

  “What kind of stuff?” She swung down out of the tree and sat cross-legged, leaning against the trunk.

  “Like how to remember things and notice stuff and not to mess up evidence. That last ones important. Can’t mess up evidence.” he scowled. “And all the evidence is in the fiber store and we can’t leave the yard.” He plopped himself down under the tree and sighed. “I guess I shouldn’t have put the cat in the car. It was stupid. Thanks for trying to back me up.”

  “No worries.” She waited a few minutes. “Your parents are nice, you know? And your little brother isn’t even a pain. I kind of like it here.”

  “That’s good. Mom and Dad love about everyone.” he paused. “I wonder who that is coming up to the door? Mom’s inside, but I don’t recognize that woman.”

  “She’s probably someone who wants prayed for or her electric bill paid or something.”

  He nodded. “We get a lot of company since Dad’s the minister.”

  “What’s it like being a preacher’s son?”

  David had gone very quiet. He motioned her to be quiet and lie down as he watched the lady at the side door. “That’s odd. People go to the front door, not the side. She knocked and Mom didn’t answer. She’s doing the laundry in the basement. Now that strange lady is going in.”