Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPMFXPRWE6GMTNYCXR3Z99

The bell above the door jingled as the morning rush began to thin. The scent of cinnamon and butter hung thick in the air, mingling with the low hum of conversation. “You’re out early for a Sunday.” “Couldn’t sleep. Too much on my mind.” “Still thinking about the festival?” “Among other things. Did you hear about the missing pie?” “Mrs. Henderson’s famous apple crumble? The one she was supposed to donate?” “Gone without a trace. And now she’s accusing half the town of theft.” “Well, if it wasn’t her, it had to be someone who knew the schedule.” “Or someone who had a key to the hall.” A pause. The clink of a spoon against a porcelain cup. “You don’t think it’s connected, do you?” “To the other incidents? Maybe. But why a pie?” “Maybe it wasn’t about the pie at all. Maybe it was about the note.” “The one tucked inside?” “Exactly. Someone didn’t want that message getting out.” The bell jingled again. A gust of wind carried the scent of rain. “Well, if it’s trouble you’re looking for, you’ve found it.” “Oh, I’m not looking. Trouble found me.”