Amish Country Arson Read Online Free Page B

down. “Did Mr. Stolfus figure
out what caused the fire?”
    “ The sheriff arrived to investigate
before we left,” Elton said. “Jonah saw someone on horse back
leaving his cornfield. The rider headed east. It was too dark to
make out more than that when he looked out the bedroom window. The
sheriff thinks someone set the fire.”
    “ That's awful,” Aunt Tootie said,
hanging her dish towel on the line behind the cookstove. “What is
this world coming to when someone can be that mean for no
reason?”
    “ Why would anyone burn that man's nice
big barn,” Nora declared on her way out the back door to empty the
dish pan.
    Elton picked up his cup and took a drink
while he pondered his answer. He set the cup down to respond. “We
may never know what makes a man do such an evil act, but this is
the only world we have. It is filled with all kinds of people, gute
and bad.
    Jonah looked out the window in time to see
the fire started on the southeast side of the barn. The sheriff and
fire chief looked there first. They found a fragment of a plastic
juice bottle and a white lid. Partial label looked like it might be
a ten ounce Tropicana Orange Juice. The plastic smelled of
kerosene.
    Sheriff Dawson wanted the names of boys in
rumspringa. He wondered if they had been joy riding and drinking.
One of them might have torched the barn for a prank.”
    “ Did you come up with names?” John
asked.
    “ I gave him a few in strict confidence,
but I did not want to accuse anyone. I explained to the sheriff our
teenagers are allowed rumspringa, before they commit to our faith.
Sometimes, they act more English than Plain. That does not make
them guilty of such a horrible crime. Noah and Daniel, you know the
boys I am thinking of. Have you heard one of them brag they were
about to set a fire?” The bishop asked.
    Noah looked at Daniel, and Daniel shook his
head no. “We have not. If we had, we would have told Daed.”
    “ Gute,” Elton Bontrager said. “If you
ever hear anything let your father know. Such a deed by a young
person would be cause for bragging, especially by one that is
drinking. Others would know about this. We do not want more fires.
If Jonah had not woke up when he did, the house would have caught
fire. Some of their family may have perished. We hear of that
happening all the time.”
    Daniel said, “There is a party in the timber
on Bender Creek road a week from Friday night. That is the place
such bragging might happen.”
    The bishop perked up. “Would you boys be
willing to go to this party and listen to the talk?” He glanced at
John and saw his frown. “Of course, that is if your father is
willing to let you.”
    “ Noah and Daniel stay away from such
parties. They are level headed. I am proud of them for knowing
their faith and family are more important than joining in evil
English ways. I think getting involved with a group that has one or
more arsonists is dangerous,” John stated.
    “ What if Daniel and I took Biscuit for
a practice run Friday night before we start coon hunting?” We could
use that for an excuse. We just happened to walk in on the party
and hang out for a while,” Noah said.
    All at the table watched John as he wrestled
with his decision. “Sure enough, I think this could be dangerous.
Against my better judgment, if you do not stay long and will be
very careful to not let on why you are really at the party I will
say jah.”
    Elton stared into his cup. His head jerked
back, and he narrowed his eyes at Redbird. She grinned at him and
clapped her hands.
    “ Was ist letz, Elton?” John
asked.
    “ I am ferhoodled. My coffee cup is
empty, and I know I did not drink all of it,” Elton said, grinning
at Redbird.
    “ Redbird, shame on you,” Daniel
scolded.
    Redbird stuck her tongue out at Daniel and
leaned back against Elton for protection from her brother. That
caused everyone to laugh.
    “ What's so funny” Hal asked as she
entered the kitchen with Jane right behind