Hearts are warmed, and faith is bolstered when stories of strangers returning lost purses and wallets full of Christmas cash are circulated during the holiday seasons each year.

Unfortunately, sometimes the stories don’t have good endings. Sometimes people who find lost wallets keep the money and flippantly toss away other contents, considering any money or other goods their good luck.

Such is the case of Cortney Kester, a hard working employee at First Heritage Credit, who earlier this month lost her wallet, and $1,900 in cash, while picking up lunch for her coworkers at Chili’s Grill & Bar.

Kester, who quickly admits she shouldn’t have carried the large amount of cash in her wallet, said she had just received the money and intended to put it away safely when she finished errands and picking up the office lunch order.

“I put the food in the backseat because it was several orders and I guess my wallet fell out of my jacket in the parking lot,” Kester said. “I missed it pretty quickly when I got back to the office because my mask was in my pocket, too. When I reached to get my mask I missed my wallet.”

Kester called the Chili’s manager on duty and rushed back to the restaurant where she found her mask, but not the wallet. Chili’s doesn’t have a working camera system and the employee who helped carry her order the car said he didn’t see the wallet.

Batesville police helped Kester by asking adjacent businesses to review their closed circuit tapes, but the Chili’s parking lot was just out of the view of all the cameras surveyed, she said.

“I put it on FaceBook and offered a reward, but I haven’t heard anything yet,” she said. “I guess I’m hoping somebody feels guilty about taking my wallet and maybe will at least return my social security card, driver’s license, and credit cards.”

“Maybe the Christmas spirit will hit somebody in the heart that knows who found my wallet and will get in contact with me,” she said. “I promise there won’t be any questions asked.

Kester can be reached at 662-609-2240.