Page 145 of The Silent Appeal

Breakfast wasn’t as popular as you said it would be. I’ve got three dozen eggs, two and a half catering packs of bacon, twenty-two shiny baps, five packs of vegetarian sausages, and one unopened bottle of ketchup left over. I told you we had too much. I’ll take it home if no one else wants it. A runny egg bap with ketchup might cure Myra’s morning sickness.

Let me know that’s ok. Won’t do anything without your say-so. Don’t need the aggro. Joyce

To: Joyce Walford

From: Kevin MacDonald

Date: April 27, 2025

Subject: Re: Food

Thanks, Joyce, and for all the hard work you’ve put in this weekend, making food for us. Where would we be without you, Denise, and Marianne? Yes, not everyone stayed (or came back) for breakfast, but far better we have food left over than not enough. Let me reassure you the lights are not dangling above everyone’s heads. They are all firmly bolted to a rail, and each has a safety chain to stop it falling if the bolt fails. Everything is further secured by a rope pulley that allows us to redress the rig without going up a ladder. Unfortunately, what happened last night was a perfect storm—a poorly secured rope pulley, then loose bolts and a chain that failed to compensate. The good news is that Amelia will make a full recovery and Lucas is with her now. To use a suitably theatrical phrase: all’s well that ends well.

Regarding the left-over breakfast ingredients. I’m hoping to donate them to the homeless, given the charity we’re supporting this weekend. I’ll take it all back with me and do some research into our nearest community kitchen.

Thanks again, Kevin

P.S. The “shiny baps” are actually artisan bagels. Sarah-Jane is a consultant for the bakery.

Message exchange between Joyce Walford and Kevin MacDonald on April 27, 2025:

2:12 p.m. Joyce wrote:

Myra and Barry are homeless.

2:13 p.m. Kevin wrote:

They live with you.

2:15 p.m. Joyce wrote:

No need to remind me. They don’t have a home of their own and that’s homeless.

2:18 p.m. Kevin wrote:

But they’re not literally out on the streets.

2:22 p.m. Joyce wrote:

No, but I might as well be! The four of them are eating me out of house and home. A few eggs, bacon, and bagel rolls would go a long way toward helping us get by.

2:23 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Barry has a job in a garage.

2:29 p.m. Joyce wrote:

But he has to work extra hours as a doorman at Lunar three nights a week. Myra can’t work now she’s got Kahleesi and Arya. Things are tough for the Walfords right now.

2:33 p.m. Kevin wrote:

Ok, so keep a dozen eggs, six bagels, a pack of sausages, the half pack of bacon, and as many bottles of Bliss Bubbles as you want.

2:25 p.m. Joyce wrote:

They’ll be very grateful.

Message exchange between Sarah-Jane MacDonald and Emma Crooks on April 27, 2025: