"Good morning, Lily!" The cheerful voice of the bakery owner, Barbara, filled the small shop as she greeted her newest customer. "Morning, Barbara," Lily replied, her eyes scanning the rows of delicious pastries in the display case. "Everything looks amazing, as usual." "Well, thank you! It's always a pleasure to have you here," Barbara said, wiping her flour-covered hands on her apron. "What can I get for you today?" "Hm, let's see..." Lily paused, her finger hovering over the glass. "I think I'll try one of your new raspberry tarts. Heard they're to die for." "Oh, you won't be disappointed," Barbara assured her with a warm smile. "They're all the rage in town." As Barbara turned to retrieve the tart, the bell above the door jingled, announcing the arrival of another customer. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Barbara?" a tentative voice spoke up from behind Lily. Barbara's hands froze on the display case. Slowly, she turned to face the newcomer, her smile fading. "Yes, that's me. How can I help you?" "Um, I'm here about the... the murder," the voice stammered. Lily whipped around, unable to hide her surprise. She and Barbara exchanged wide-eyed glances. "I'm, uh, I'm with the newspaper," the visitor explained, holding up a notepad as if it were a shield. "I was hoping to get a statement from you." Barbara's face clouded over, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I'm not sure what you think I could tell you..." she began, her voice trailing off. Lily watched the exchange, her pulse quickening. She had heard about the recent murder that had rocked their quiet town, but she never imagined it would involve Barbara, the sweet old woman who made the best pastries in town. As the conversation continued, Lily couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her friendly baker than met the eye.