Run: 2026-03-18-01KM08CTQZBX8V99E0928DWZNV

The bell over the door gave a tired jingle as the late-afternoon light stretched across the glass pastry case. Cinnamon rolls cooled under a cloud of vanilla glaze, and the air smelled like comfort with a faint edge of trouble. “Did you see who bought the last batch of lemon tarts?” Nora asked, wiping flour from her hands even though the counter was spotless. “It wasn’t who,” Jules said, nodding toward the window. “It was how. She kept looking over her shoulder like the frosting was hiding evidence.” Nora leaned closer to the display, lowering her voice. “Then why did she ask for extra zest? People don’t do that unless they’re trying to cover a taste.” Jules pulled open the ledger and tapped a finger on the day’s purchases. “And she paid cash, exact change. That’s either a sweet tooth with good manners—or someone who doesn’t want a paper trail.” Nora’s eyes flicked to the register, where the drawer looked perfectly shut. “Last night, I counted the till. Today, it’s short by ten dollars.” Jules studied a crumb trail along the prep table, faint as a clue in a detective show. “Maybe ten dollars isn’t the point,” she said. “Maybe it’s the distraction.” Nora exhaled, reaching for the cooling rack. “Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t get away with it—one tart at a time.”