Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: SKULDUGGERY (09/01/16)
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TITLE: A PIECE OF CAKE | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Benoit
09/08/16 -
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All the Finance Committee members followed the lead of elder Mark Thomas.
They finished praying and he stated, “I will cut to the chase. This meeting is called, because the church’s accountant has found some discrepancies. It appears that church funds are being stolen.” A chorus of gasps and exclamations of “No!” were heard around the table. Wendy shook her head. “What happened?”
“It appears that we’ve been losing money from our youth fund.”
Twenty six year old Isabelle Bryan wrinkled her brow. She’d volunteered to work with the youth that fall. She recalled coming across a check on the church administrator’s desk for One Thousand Dollars with the notation ‘youth program purchases.’ Ava, the church administrator, told her that Joshua, the new youth pastor, requested the funds. However, he denied it. She’d spoken with Ava again, who told her that it was a mix up, because the request was for another ministry.
“Isabelle, perhaps you can shed some light for us.”
Isabelle blinked. “What do you mean Mark?”
“Take one and pass it around,” he said as he passed out copies. “These are the amounts that are unaccounted for. It appears that checks were written for them, but there are no receipts attached.” All heads bent to closely examine the documents. “Also, the amounts started off small and kept getting larger and larger.”
Dawna looked at Isabelle. “Do you recognize them?”
“Noooo.” She shook her head. “All purchases for the youth fall activities were paid for since this summer.”
“Are you sure?” asked Peter.
“Positive. This makes no sense to me.”
Phillip put down the paper he’d been examining and leaned back in his chair.
“Seems to me we need to have a conversation with our new Pastor.”
Another finance committee meeting was called for the following week. Mark looked at them all with a grave expression on his face. “More money has turned up missing from the youth fund as well as other accounts.” Everyone was speechless.
Peter leaned forward. “So…what are we going to do?”
Isabelle began praying fervently for wisdom for the group, and for God’s revelation regarding who, what, why, where, and the how of the missing funds.
A month passed. Isabelle sat in her Sunday school classroom preparing for the next week’s lesson. Everyone else was gone. Fellow youth volunteer Annie had Isabelle’s vehicle, because hers was in the shop. Isabelle was so engrossed in what she was doing she did not hear the front door unlock, and someone enter the Sunday school building. She got up to go get something out of the supply cabinet. As she reached into the cabinet she heard a woman’s voice. Puzzled, she stopped. She quieted her steps as she moved across the floor towards the voice. As she got closer she realized it was Ava, the church’s administrator. She was on the phone. “Oh honey, this has been a piece of cake. They never suspected anything.” She laughed. “They’re still scratching their heads trying to figure out who’s been siphoning off their funds.” Another laugh. “Yeah, yeah…I wasn’t too sure it would work, but it did…at least for a while anyway.” Isabelle heard the rustling of some papers. “Naw…as much as I tried…it wouldn’t have worked with that young pastor. He’s been here for too short of a time and has no access to the other funds.” She snorted and then laughed raucously. “I suppose I can try again.” Isabelle was barely breathing. “Yeah, I know. I definitely do not want a trail to lead to me.” She then laughed and hung up the call. Isabelle felt frozen. ‘God, help me!’
Moving very cautiously and quietly Isabelle made her way back to her classroom.
She gathered up her purse and belongings, turned off the light, and very quietly exited the building through the back door.
After many closed-door meetings with all the church leadership, a plan was set in action. They spent one Saturday in fasting and prayer.
As she became greedier, Ava became sloppy, and left a trail of evidence back to herself. She was arrested and charged with fifty-five counts of embezzlement. Some in the congregation were shocked, and some like Isabelle were relieved.
Annie sat in the high school Sunday school room with Isabelle.
“Thank God that is over!”
Isabelle put the last touch on the Sunday school poster.
“Amen! Imagine, Three Hundred Thousand Dollars over a period of four years. Incredible!”
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As long as there is greed, there can be stories like this written, some fiction but others real. Someone has to be the one to write about it, why not you?
Good short mystery story.