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

by J. Traveler Pelton

  “For the firehouse incident, you are ordered to take a fire safety course at the firehouse and to put in ten hours of community service for them. That means for two days this month – and your folks may choose which days – you come to the firehouse, take a safety course, and do ten hours of cleaning or gardening. That’s for one infraction. For the infraction of possession of illegal fireworks, you are put on non-reporting probation for six months and assigned another ten hours of community service to be performed in your local community; this is not doing chores at home. You need to help someone else for ten hours, perhaps an older person needs wood chopped for winter or their yard mowed, that sort of thing. They can’t be related to you and maybe your pastor or bishop would have ideas on that one.”

  Unbeknown to the boys, their bishop had come up and was listening. He’d been assisting at the barn raising and quietly spoke, nodding at the officers as he came. “I have some ideas, for certain. Boys, you know Widow Yoder, lives over on Boxman road? Her house needs scraped and painted; her chicken house needs repair. We will provide the paint and tools; you shall provide the labor and I will provide the supervision. It may take more than ten hours.”

  “That brings me to the last charge, setting the barn on fire. The judge thought helping with the rebuilding on the day it was rebuilt was a good start, but he also thought another ten hours of community service wouldn’t hurt. So, on the three charges, you have thirty house of community service, ten to be in town because one of the acts was in town, the others out here with your own people who are the ones who suffered the most from your shenanigans. Now, frankly, the judge could have ordered you into juvenile jail for six months on just one of these so I think he’s being lenient on you. You are not to get into any more such silliness. I mean, yes, you are on rumspringa, but there are limits to that. Have fun, but within the law and with common sense. You want to buy some jeans and a cell phone and try out movies or go to parties, fine. Don’t hurt anyone. Oh, and except for the community service in town, you have to be on your parent’s farm or at church or in the presence and control of your mom or dad for the next thirty days. We call it grounding. I have it all written out here and copies for each of you, and I made a copy for the bishop as well.” He handed papers to each person who needed one.

  The bishop nodded. “It seems fair and just. We will all comply. When they have completed their service, what then?”

  “Just let me know and I’ll have it stamped completed. A written statement from you, signed by the boys as well, acknowledging their work, would be good for us to have in their files when it’s all done.”

  “I shall do that. Thank you. Would you like to join us at meal? The ladies have cooked up some fine food.”

  “I have no doubt, but we have a couple more calls. Thank them all for us.” He looked over at the gathering of people and studied a moment. “Isn’t that Rosemary Collins over there?”

  The bishop looked. “Yes, it is. She married outside the faith and was gone from us for years. She moved back here into town and she comes to see her family. She is a lonely woman and it does her sister good to talk. She brought some food and she helped the women and she is careful not to cross any lines. Since she had not joined the church at the time she left, she was not shunned.”

  “Interesting. She and Sophia seem to be close.”

  “Mrs. Drummond? Another good person. Yes, they are close friends. I won’t keep you longer. Have a good day, officer.” The bishop, carrying his papers, flanked by the fathers and their sons, turned and marched away to eat. Brad and Jed returned to the squad car and drove down the driveway and onto the street.

  Brad slowed down to look back at the group. “We could learn a lot from those people,” he said quietly. “Unity, cooperation, hard work … good folks.”

  “You think the boys have learned their lesson?”

  “I suspect they will by the time Bishop Yoder is done with them. Those fellows are in for twenty hours at hard labor.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Pastor Atherton leaned back with a relaxed smile on his face. “It appears you both have a good handle on finances, you’ve agreed you want to have kids, you know where you’re going to live, your work schedules are meshed, you have a good handle on the commitment of marriage, and our final topic is the outlaws amongst your in-laws.” He smiled. “I am assuming you both know each other’s families?”

  Toby glanced at Helen. “She knew my mother before Mom passed, and she’s met my brothers’ wives and families. I met her dad and her son. Little Skylar seems to be getting along with me so far, right, Helen?”

  “Sky can’t wait for us to be together,” she smiled. “I had a talk with him about maybe us getting a couple other sibs someday and he wants them to arrive full grown and ready to play. I sort of disabused him of that idea, but he’s ok with Toby. He said he’d just have to play with Toby until his brothers-to-be grew up.”

  Toby chuckled. “He’s a great kid. My relatives mostly live out of state, but Liam and Marti are here local. Helen babysits for them sometimes.”

  “We get along fine,” she added. “I have a question though. I’m not a member of a church and Toby here sometimes goes to the little home church group because it feels more comfortable to him. I’d kind of like to go to this church but I don’t know how Sky would fit in. We haven’t visited any church as a family yet.”

  “Having a similar worldview always helps when someone is starting a family, and getting married is starting a new family,” replied Pastor Atherton. “Being united on the place of worship is an excellent idea. Have you considered visiting each place?”

  “I have a problem trusting going into someone’s home. He likes it cause its small and intimate which are the exact reasons I wouldn’t,” she said softly. “The few times I’ve gone to someone’s house it’s been to things like Avon parties where someone wanted me to buy something. The few times I’ve attended church they seem to do the same thing. I believe in God, but I’m not so sure about his church, or any for that matter.”

  “It’s too bad that’s been your experience. May I make this suggestion? Since Toby is already attending the house church, why don’t the two of you go together this week, and then next week come here and alternate? You said earlier you were a Catholic at one time.”

  “I tried that and didn’t like it very much,” she interjected.

  The pastor nodded. “Well, then why not sort of experiment a little, and for certain pray about it together. We talked once before about having worship together, at least a prayer, each day before you separated and ran off to the daily grind. Why not make finding a church family one of the things you ask Him about? Here in our little town, you have only two choices, but there are churches within easy driving distance that might fit you better.” He reached into his desk and pulled out a list. “This is a list of all the churches within twenty miles of here; there are fourteen. If you both sit down and discuss what you are looking for in a church, then visit them sort of as if you had a checklist, asking God to lead you, you will find the one that fits.”

  “Those suggestions are not at all what I expected,” said Toby. “Most preachers I know try to get you to come to their congregation and wouldn’t dream of suggestions to look around.”

  “Been my experience that folks who are strong-armed into a church don’t stay and aren’t happy. I don’t think that’s how God works, so I don’t either. You’re definitely welcome here. We are pleased to host your wedding. But finding a home church is a work you need to do. Now back to the in-laws and outlaws. Do either of you have any reservations or worries about either side of relatives.?”

  They continued their session, with the pastor jokingly reminding them that in three weeks, they’d be tying a knot. He was confident they knew what they were doing and looked forward to the service. “I always did like weddings. I guess it’s the same thing as my brother the judge who gets to preside over adoptions. Making new families is relaxing and a great blessing.”r />
  Chapter Twelve

  “So how did it go? Did you get the two ounces all spun?” asked Dana as she faced her spinning class.

  “I proved you can teach an old dog new tricks,” announced Sophia, holding up a full spindle. “Isn’t this gorgeous?”

  “Well done!” said Dana. “I think you’re a natural.” She circled the group, seeing what had been accomplished.

  “Now, I see you pretty much all made two balls of ply. A single ply can be used but it isn’t as strong. Tonight, we’re going to work on putting two strands together. You need to start by taking the two balls you have made and sitting them in a quart jar or a yarn bowl. I like using two yarn bowls simply because many of my crafts friends make them out of wood – like this one which was made out of a burl and is so pretty – and others are made of pottery or ceramic – like this one made for me by a friend in Maine – see how she layered the glaze so it looks like sunshine over the ocean?” She held up the two bowls. “At any rate, if you read your handouts, I asked you to bring two jars or large cups; did you all get that far?”

  Most of the ladies had, some forgot, so Dana handed around quart jars in pairs. “Now, one ball goes into each jar. Pull out the ends like this. You need a different spindle for this, and I brought some, or you need a spinning wheel, I also brought that. Let me hand out plying spindles, notice the shaft is longer and the whorl is heavier. These ones I am handing around are made by a pair of sisters out of river rocks, they’re so smooth, and so cool. You want it heavy enough to pull the threads together, but not stretch them. A spindle weighing around two and a half ounces would be ideal. And I forgot to mention a little trick; if, when you are spinning, you simply leave your yarn on the spindle and fill up several spindles, you can use a small laundry basket as a lazy Kate. See? Just push the yarn up to the end and stick the two ends across the basket and have both ends stuck into either side of the basket corner. You can easily pull the yarn up and off the spindle that way. But back to plying our yarn with our jars …”

  She went from person to person, explaining the process, and soon all fifteen of the new spinners were having a good time making their plies into yarn. She then took them to the sink and they soaked their yarns in very hot water in one of their jars. While it was cooling, they went to break and refreshments and settled in for a good gossip.

  “Did you hear there’s another crime spree starting?” asked Sophia.

  “Should we get involved?” asked her friend, Rosemary.

  “I don’t know why we ought to. We have lots of folk in the sheriff’s office now. And besides, nothing very dastardly has happened. Except for the pigeon poo.”

  “The what?” asked Annie.

  “Poo!” declared Sophia with emphasis. “I heard the pastor’s boys had a bucket of it dropping it on people in the park from a tree. Caught red handed.”

  Annie laughed out loud. “I heard about that at school. It wasn’t real poo, it was some stuff they made in the little kids’ science lab, sort of like silly putty, shiny and gloopy and stuff. They were caught and they’ve been grounded and set inside for the past week during recess.”

  “The poor pastor’s wife has her hands full with those ones!” declared Melody. “Those rascals remind me of my brother at that age. Anyway, what’s this about a spinning mystery?”

  “Well, remember I lost my drop spindle and appears those same boys were chasing kids on the school ground with it. Sheriff said I could come pick it up and I will later this week. But the other one was found near the barn burning and that’s the one Sophia must be talking about.”

  “Near the Hershbergers? But the fire was an accident; just some boys on rumspringa who are making amends right now. Why would there be a spindle?”

  “That’s what we’d like to know!” declared Sophia. “I feel a new case coming on.”

  “Did anyone else here lose a spindle?” asked Dana.

  “No, but there were 8 stolen last week. We had a count of the ones in the jar and when we went to see how many were left the count was off. I’d counted them before I set them out and entered them in inventory, so I know how many you brought in, and I know how many I sold, but there were several missing. I wanted to talk to you about it. Nothing showed up on our cameras or mirrors, so I don’t know. One of those could have been at the fire somehow. I don’t think any of our ladies would do that.”

  “I’ll bet it was those boys,” said Betsy. “Just the kind of mischief they’d get into.”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve only seen them in here once or twice last summer with their mom. She normally runs errands while they’re in school,” replied Allyssa. “Anyway, we made out a report and we’re keeping our eyes open. It could have been tourists. We’ve had a bunch in here lately.”

  “Maybe, but we’ll all keep or eyes open,” declared Sophia. “Do you think the fiber is cooked enough?”

  “It hasn’t got to cook,” explained Dana. “It has to soak in hot water until it cools but I think it’s been long enough. Now let’s get it out of the jars, and I’ll explain what to do with it when you get home and hand out the patterns for this week’s assignments.”

  The ladies went to the back counter, found their jars and drained them, then gently squeezed out the water and rolled the fiber up in a paper towel. Dana explained how to weight it for drying, then handed out the next project, and they all left, chattering about the possibility of helping the sheriff again.

  Dana assisted Allyssa in the straightening up. As they were hauling the box of empty jars and materials out to the truck,

  Annie, who was carrying a box noticed something hanging on the door. “Look at that!” she exclaimed. “Someone brought back one of the lost spindles!”

  “What?” asked Allyssa. “No, I don’t think so.” She studied it and got quiet. “I do think we need to take this over to the sheriff.”

  “Dad’s coming to pick us up. You think he needs it?” asked Annie.

  “Need what?” asked Brad. He had come around to locate his stepdaughter. “What do I need? Your mom’s changing the little guy. He slept pretty well at the station. Sure will be glad when we get our other car out of the garage.” He came over to the door. “A spindle hanging on the door? It must have been put here while you were in class.”

  “I suspect. That’s odd,” said Dana. “Let me just cut it off.”

  “Wait a minute. Let me study that a second.” He bent over and looked at it without touching it, then took out an evidence bag. “Yeah, that’s a weird all right. “

  “What’s weird?” asked Dana. She was tired after class and just wanted to go home.

  “They tied it to your car using a hangmans’ noose.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Brad sat at the picnic table waiting at lunch time. He was eating his sandwich today, biding his time as first one, then another child came by for a cookie and a chat. Deputy Jed came up and joined him with a sandwich of his own.

  “You waiting for someone?” asked Jed as he bit into his hoagie.

  “Yep. He meets me here on Wednesdays. It’s his probation.”

  “What?” asked Jed. “We got elementary kids on probation?”

  “Not officially.”

  Just then, David and Bryan ran up to grab a cookie. David sat down. Jed shook his head and then nodded. “I get it.”

  “Hiya, Officer,” David said chomping into the chocolate chip cookie.

  “Been good?”

  “Yes, sir. Haven’t got nothing to report though. Nothing exciting is happening in this town.” he complained. “And Dad’s keeping me pretty busy. I still got work detail and my charts not half full yet.”

  “Not surprised. You’ve done some mischief. And it is busy, but not around your house, I don’t think. David, are you in Boy Scouts?”

  “I’m in Adventurers. That’s like scouts except it’s run by the church. Mr. Haustead is the scoutmaster. He’s teaching us to march in formation like in the army.”

  “You know ho
w to tie knots?”

  “Oh, yeah! We learned that.”

  “Can you tie me some knots?” asked Brad pulling a length of rope out of his bag. “All I got with me is clothes line.”

  “That’ll do. Which knot you want?”

  “Just show me some general knots.”

  Jed watched with an odd expression on his face. He chewed his sandwich slowly.

  “Well, first you got your basic square knot.” David quickly pulled the two ends of the rope together and showed them the result. He untied it and went on. “And then you got two half hitches. I like that one. I use it a lot.”

  “Ah, huh,” said Brad, chewing and watching and trying not to notice as Bryan filched another cookie.

  “And then you got a slip knot, that’s like this.”

  Jed, clearing his throat, interrupted. “Mr. Haustead teach you how to do a hangman’s noose?”

  “I’ve seen pictures but we didn’t have that one. I have a sailor’s knot.”

  “You ever seen parachute cord?” asked Jed.

  “Paracord? We used that in Adventurers. It’s nice and slippery and it works good for practice. I haven’t got any because the scoutmaster took all the knots we did to keep them for parents’ night. We’re going to have a display.”

  “You ever do any macrame?”

  He looked confused. “What is it?”

  “Never mind.” Brad shook his head at Jed. “Where were you last night at 8 or so?”

  “You mean at night? I’m still grounded, remember. After my chores, I was sitting in Dad’s study with Dad writing sentences. I will be so glad to be done with that.”

  “Sorry about that, sport. And Bryan, you owe me two cookies.”

  “What?” the little boy looked up in surprise. He tried to look innocent, but he had crumbs on his face.