by Ash Czarnota
“Gavin! Oi, Gavin!” Shaun flagged down the boyish Vicar Gavin Evans from the street. Gavin was sitting on a nearby bench writing feverishly in a wooden bound journal. He looked up at Shaun, his stream of consciousness clearly broken but the boy didn’t seem to mind.
“Blessed day to you, Shaun,” Evans regarded with a smile.
Shaun approached the boy slowly. He knew in his heart of hearts a man of God like Gavin wouldn’t be tempted by flashy material luxuries. Besides, what use would he have for a necklace, anyway?
Gavin scooted over on the bench to make room but Shaun decided it was best to stand. He withdrew his notebook and pen from his coat. Gavin looked up at Shaun expectantly. “As you know,” Shaun cleared his throat loudly before continuing, “As you know, Gavin, a necklace went missing from Peter and Jayne’s shop.”
Gavin nodded gravely, “Ah, yes. Such a shame.”
“I was wondering if you remember seeing anything strange occur around the time of the theft,” Shaun continued.
Gavin furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. “I don’t believe so, Shaun. I’m sorry. I do remember the necklace but don’t recall any particularly suspicious activity from the night in question.”
“Well, the thing is Gavin – and I don’t mean to put you on the spot – we have reports from folks around the town of you having a keen eye for that necklace,” Shaun replied slowly.
The Vicar’s ears turned beet red, he pulled at his clerical collar. “Well …” Gavin stammered, “I don’t…You see…The thing is…” Shaun patiently waited for the boy to continue.
“Sorry, Shaun, I meant to come to you sooner. I really did,” Gavin quickly stammered.
Shaun was utterly confounded. “What are you even on about, Gavin?”
“It was for Rosie. I was planning on gifting your daughter with the necklace on her 17th birthday. I’ve been saving and saving and saving and believe me you Shaun, no one was more devastated to see that beautiful piece of jewellery be taken than myself.” Gavin admitted, deflated.
Shaun stood there in silence for a while. Rose. His Rosie? With the Gavin boy? “How long have you two been going on behind our backs?”
“A few months. I pressed Rosie to tell you two as soon as we started going steady, but she implored me to not say anything until she was ready. She’s a lovely girl, Shaun, but I’m sure you already knew that.”
“Yeah,” Shaun replied distantly, “The best.”
“I didn’t have anything to do with the necklace. I have no idea who could have taken it. I’m sorry I can’t help you further but I’d be happy to answer any more questions you have,” Gavin offered with a meek smile.
“Oh, I have more questions, just not about the necklace.” Shaun mumbled, “I guess, I’ll be on my way, but you, Rosie, Fiona and I are going to have a sit down to discuss your affair and set some ground rules.”
Gavin nodded and rose from the bench to extend his hand. Shaun took it and gave it a firm shake.
As Shaun moved off to head back to the jewelry shop, a white paper catches his eye in the grass along the path. As he picked it up, Shaun realized he finally had the first piece of evidence in this case. It’s time to call the village together to put this case of the missing necklace to rest.
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About the Author
Ash Czarnota
Brand (noun): A product or service that provides a solution to a problem.
Compelling and effective marketing campaigns will deliver your brand’s value proposition with the right messaging to the right people through the right channels. It’s crucial for brands to keep a finger on the pulse of the ever-changing digital marketing landscape. The consequence of not being in the know of the latest trends and best practices can be detrimental to your brand’s growth. I can help with that.
I’m a marketing consultant with a heavy lean into organic social media growth, copywriting, and content strategy. I have background experience in influencer marketing and management, B2C and B2B email marketing, public relations, and event coordinating.
On a personal level, I’m the founder and manager of a female-forward outdoor community, so I understand the unique needs and marketing hurdles grass-roots organizations and small businesses need to contend within the digital space.
Let’s connect and find a way to creatively navigate the digital maze to help communicate your brand’s message and plant the seeds for limitless growth.