Run: 2026-04-24-01KQ0PZYP4BXTZSMSRJ1BK9B69

The bell over the bakery door gave its cheerful jingle, though the morning fog pressed gray against the windows. Inside, cinnamon rolls steamed behind the glass, and trays of sugared scones cooled beneath blue-checked cloths. “You’re early.” “So is half the town when there’s gossip with their coffee.” “Then you’ve heard about the missing trophy.” “The brass rolling pin? From the Harvest Bake-Off case?” “Vanished sometime after midnight. Locked cabinet, no broken glass.” “That trophy’s been in the display window for twenty years.” “And suddenly every contestant had a reason to want it gone.” A dusting of flour lay across the counter like fresh snow. Beside the register, a smear of raspberry jam marked the corner of a folded napkin. “That wasn’t there when I closed.” “Jam from the thumbprint tartlets?” “I didn’t bake any yesterday.” From the kitchen came the warm tick of the old oven cooling. On the floor near the swinging door, a single almond sliver glinted. “Who ordered almond crescents this morning?” “No one.” “But someone baked here last night.” “And forgot to wipe their fingers.” The fog shifted, revealing footprints in flour leading toward the pantry. “Well?” “Put on a kettle. If we’re solving a crime before breakfast, we’ll need tea.”