Run: 2026-03-03-01KJTZAWVGVW8A5TR1PZSPYB38

The bell above the door chimed, cutting through the warm, yeasty air of the shop. A dusting of flour hung in the sunlight like golden motes, settling over the display of iced lemon tarts and almond croissants. "You’re early. The sourdough hasn’t even finished proofing." "I needed a distraction, and your walnut loaf is the only thing that keeps me from pacing the floor." "It’s the extra pinch of sea salt. Or perhaps the nerves. You look like you’ve seen a ghost." "Worse. I saw the Mayor leaving the library at midnight, carrying a shovel." "A shovel? In that tailored wool coat? He’s allergic to dirt, let alone manual labor." "Exactly. And he wasn't alone. Mrs. Higgins was right behind him, clutching a velvet bag that clinked like heirloom silver." The oven timer buzzed, sharp and insistent, but neither moved. "Maybe he’s just taking up midnight gardening. It’s a very stressful time for the town council." "At the community garden? During a thunderstorm? If he’s planting petunias, he’s doing it in the mud, or he’s burying more than just spring bulbs." "Coffee’s on the house today, I think. You’re going to need it."