Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8DARNQKAWS85K09HFHNTE

The scent of cinnamon and warm bread hung thick in “The Sweet Spot,” clinging to everything like a comforting blanket. Flour dusted the counter, and a half-finished batch of apple tarts sat cooling on a rack. “You’re staring at the sugar sprinkles, Detective Harding,” a voice observed, laced with a touch of amusement. “Not exactly a crime scene investigation technique, is it?” “Just…observing,” Harding replied, pushing a stray lock of graying hair behind his ear. He took a slow sip of his coffee, the ceramic warm against his palm. “The way Mrs. Gable arranged them. It’s… deliberate.” “Deliberate? She sprinkles them randomly when she’s baking. It’s a Gable thing.” A pause, then, “Though, I *did* notice she used an unusual amount today. Almost like she wanted to draw attention to them.” “Exactly. And the delivery man, Mr. Henderson, he left without saying a word. Just dropped off a box of croissants and vanished.” “Henderson? He’s been a fixture here for twenty years. Something’s definitely off. Maybe we should ask about the sprinkles.” “Let’s start with the croissants.”