Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY9DRPAG8EEHDA65VHMD6M2

The bell above the door tinkled softly as the morning light filtered through the lace curtains of Willow Creek Bakery. The air was thick with the scent of cinnamon rolls and fresh scones, shelves lined with golden loaves and jars of homemade jam. Behind the counter, flour dusted the wooden surface, and a chalkboard announced the daily special: blueberry muffins. "Another one? That's the third break-in this month. Poor old Mrs. Hargrove must be beside herself." "Shh, not so loud. The whole town's buzzing about it. They say nothing was taken—just the garden gnomes rearranged like some prank." A pause, the clink of a coffee cup on saucer. "Prank? In Willow Creek? Feels more like someone's testing the waters. Remember last summer's fuss with the library books? Pages torn, but no fingerprints." "Sounds like our ghost is back. Or maybe not a ghost. What if it's that new fellow at the mill? Shifty eyes, always asking about folks' routines." Laughter bubbled up, light and skeptical. "You're reading too many of those detective novels. But... pass the cream, would you? And let's keep an eye out. If another gnome goes missing, I'm calling a town meeting." The oven timer dinged, breaking the moment, as steam rose like a whispered secret.