Warm light spilled from the display cases, casting a golden glow over the bustling bakery. The sweet scent of freshly baked pastries wafted through the air, mingling with the gentle hum of conversation. "I swear, it's like the whole town has gone crazy. First, the Wilsons' puppy goes missing, and now the festival's prize-winning pie has vanished." "Vanished? That's a bit dramatic, don't you think? Maybe it just got misplaced." "Misplaced? You know as well as I do that Eleanor's pies are the pride of this town. She guards them with her life. Someone must have taken it on purpose." "Well, if it's any consolation, I heard the judges were a bit...underwhelmed by the entries this year. Maybe the thief did the festival a favor." "Don't be ridiculous. The pies are always the highlight of the festival. Without Eleanor's famous cherry pie, it's just not the same. Do you think we should start asking around, see if anyone saw anything suspicious?" "I'm sure the gossip mill is already churning out theories by the minute. We just need to tap into it and see what we can dig up."