"Have you tried the lemon tarts? They melt in your mouth." "Not yet, I always go for the blueberry scones. They're my kryptonite." "I should've guessed. You always have blueberry stains on your fingers." "Amateur detective now, are we? Speaking of which, did you hear about Mr. Thorpe's missing cat?" "Oh, you mean Muffin? Everyone's talking about it. Mrs. Hargrove said she saw him down by the river." "Interesting. Mr. Thorpe swears Muffin never strays far from the garden." "Maybe we should look into it. You know how cats can be, one moment they're here, the next they're miles away." "But Muffin’s a homebody. It does seem fishy, doesn’t it?" "More like suspicious. And you know, if anyone could keep a cat in place, it’s Mr. Thorpe." "He is the town's cat whisperer. Maybe someone took Muffin. For a ransom or something." "In a small town like ours? Seems far-fetched, but then again, stranger things have happened." "Do you really think someone would be that bold?" "Bold or desperate. Either way, I think we should swing by Mr. Thorpe's place after we finish these pastries." "Good idea. And maybe let's grab a couple of these lemon tarts for the road. Just in case." "Works for me, and besides, they'll help keep our investigative energy up."