the greatest tragedy. ↣a bar tending for jesus fanfic↢

SOLID(?) EVIDENCE

The river room was empty, something never before seen on a Sunday morning at True Life. A small folded notecard sat pitifully on the bar table, sporting a messily written 'Gone Fishing! Will be back soon.' in Ava's handwriting. The half way open blinds on the windows cast an eery lined shadow on the grey circle tables dotting the room, and the river room sign swayed back and forth slowly, creaking. The only noise making the place not seem completely abandoned was the distant low voice of pastor Richard, gloomily preaching his morning sermon, slow and tired without his usual coffee. 

Outside, right by the lighthouse, traipsing around the back of the church, was a large group of very concentrated kids, each one holding a small plastic magnifying glass. Each person closely examining each inch of the yard, looking for discarded donut crumbs. Detective Elly, Ava, Marcus, and Jazmin stood cross-armed on the lighthouse porch. 

Ava looked out at her house-mates, crawling and hunched about the yard. It was a ridiculous sight, but they had already searched the inside of the church with no evidence, and had been forced to take the desperate search out in the open. Cars driving by rolled down their windows and looked out with concern. Ava shoved her embarrassment aside and turned to Detective Elly. "So you're really sure someone stole the donuts?" 

Elly raised her eyesbrows. "I'm positive. I've seen this before." Jazmin leaned up against the door of the lighthouse and put a finger on her chin. "I thought you said this was your first case..." "It just doesn't seem like something someone here would do, you know?" Ava thought aloud. "I mean, isn't one donut enough? theres usually plenty for everyone." Elly shook her head and put her magnifying glass up to her eye, making it look giant and distorted. "But what if they didn't steal them, to eat them?" 

"Elaborate." Jazmin said dryly, and Marcus turned his head to Elly, his attention won. Elly set down her tool. "I mean, what if they stole them for a reason that would only benefit them... give them endless donut access..." Marcus thought. "Like steal the DNA from the round rock donuts to make their own bootleg?" Elly smiled and did finger guns at him. 

"That's oddly specific..." Ava said, eyes shifting. Jazmin nodded. "That's ridiculous. Maybe the donut man simply didn't drop them off today?" At that moment, commotion broke out near the playground. Antonia held up a small cement forensic sample in her fingers and stood up on the slide as children excitedly gathered around her. "I found crumbs!" She yelled triumphantly. 

Elly looked matter-of-factly at Jazmin. "Didn't he?" she crooned, turning and leaping down the stairs to Antonia. Ava shrugged and followed, Jazmin and Marcus close behind.