Run: 2026-02-16-01KHK9DVG5QZ2EQQ44AVCS78TD

Sunlight spilled across the flour-dusted counter of Willow Lane Bakery. The bell above the door tinkled as Nell, the town librarian, stepped inside, scarf braided with peppermint stripes. Ivy, the bakery’s owner, brushed flour from her hands and surveyed the glass case. Grandma Hager’s Lemon-Ricotta Tart sat in a leather notebook, waiting for next week’s bake-off. The town waited with gentle breath for the truth and a perfect crust. "The recipe is gone." "Gone where?" "From the notebook—someone slit the spine and pulled a page." "Who would do that?" "Someone hoping to spoil our entry." "Check the sugar jar; thieves hide behind sweetness." "Behind the yeast, an envelope—greasy and green." "What does it say?" "'Meet me by the back door at noon.'" "That’s a clue, not a confession." "'Trade for the recipe,' the note promises." "A trap or a clue to a friend?" "Let’s wait, quiet as flour dust." "The clock ticks; a soft thump at the back door." "We’ll face it together." "Right. If it’s a rival, we’ll bake better." "The door opens; the missing page is tucked in a pocket." "So it was misfiled, not stolen." "And the note was a nudge from a friend." "Then let the baking begin."