Page 124 of The Silent Appeal

Mum, we’re not speaking, but this is important. There are fifty bagels, packed into a crate, at an artisanal bakery in Lockley Bois that need collecting NOW and bringing to the church hall tomorrow.

4:32 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Please.

4:41 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

They’re for the sleep out and I’ve got back-to-back client engagements this afternoon.

4:42 p.m. Carol wrote:

Ask Nicky-Rose.

4:43 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

I know the crates they use—they’re tall so air circulates around the bread—and they won’t fit into the Honda Civic. Anyway, she’s in the middle of setting up Kevin’s new accounts system.

4:45 p.m. Carol wrote:

He got by perfectly fine without her, I’m sure he can spare her for a Friday afternoon.

4:47 p.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Apparently not. FFS I’ll have to get them myself and Zoom a potential new client—who happens to be a high-net-worth individual based in LA—from a lay-by. Perfect.

Message exchange between Fran Elroy-Jones and Rev. Joshua Harries on April 25, 2025:

5:53 p.m. Fran wrote:

Are you stopping by tomorrow?

5:55 p.m. Josh wrote:

To the sleep out? I told Kevin I’d pop in for an hour or two. Will it be well-attended?

5:56 p.m. Fran wrote:

Most Fairway Players will be there along with friends and family. I’m leading a sing-song around a virtual fire (on Kevin’s laptop) at 9 p.m. Probably songs from the musicals.

5:57 p.m. Josh wrote:

I’ve no intention of missing that. Your voice is beautiful.

5:57 p.m. Fran wrote:

Perhaps you could lead a song, or tell a campfire story?

5:59 p.m. Josh wrote:

Even the choir won’t have me! And as the Fairway Players aren’t a church group, I don’t suppose a Bible story would go down very well.

6:00 p.m. Fran wrote:

What about a ghost story?

6:06 p.m. Josh wrote:

There’s the Lockwood Lane Ghost? The previous vicar told me about it years ago, but I might have to embellish the tale to make it interesting.