Run: 2026-02-16-01KHK1V5VQRPBP12TBYBTF3Y70

The scent of burnt sugar and yeast hung heavy in the air as the morning rush finally died down. "Did you see the look on Mayor Higgins' face when he realized the tartlets were gone?" "He looked like he'd swallowed a lemon whole. Honestly, I think he suspected you hid them on purpose." "Me? Hide the lemon curd tartlets? That's practically treason in this town. Besides, Mrs. Gable was the last one at the counter, and she has a sweet tooth that could rival a honey badger." "True, but she usually pays with exact change and a story about her cat. Today she just dropped a five and ran out the door without her umbrella." "That is odd. She never leaves without her umbrella, rain or shine. Do you think she knew something was wrong with the batch?" "The batch was perfect. I triple-checked the recipe. No, it wasn't the food. It was what she saw out the window before she left. She was staring right at the alley behind the shop." "You don't think... no, not here. Not in our bakery." "I'm just saying, people don't run from lemon tarts unless they're running from something else. Did you check the back door?" "I locked it tight at six. But now that you mention it, the flour sack near the entrance looks a bit disturbed. Like someone brushed past it in a hurry." "Maybe we should call Sheriff Miller. Just to be safe." "After coffee. I can't solve a mystery on an empty stomach, and neither can the sheriff."