Run: 2026-04-27-01KQ6Z7KRZDXARAYSDMX4DREFJ

The bell chimed, but neither pair of eyes looked up from the dough. Flour hung in the shaft of sunlight like suspended gold, thickening the air with the scent of yeast and hidden trouble. "He wouldn't touch the almond croissant. Complained the marzipan tasted bitter. Almost medicinal, he said." A heavy thud shook the granite counter, making a jar of sprinkles jingle in panic. "Marvin hasn't had a palate since '09. He's just fishing. Trying to see if I'm rattled by the headlines." "Or he's stalling. Did you find what was wrapped inside the sourdough jar?" The whisk stopped clinking. "Yes. A key. Small, brass, and cold as the river behind the mill." "That's the library box key. Arthur wasn't reading papers. He was keeping a ledger of something dark." "Arthur isn't keeping anything now. Sheriff's cruiser just passed. Lights flashing." "Eat the muffin. Now. Tell them I was only stress-testing the crumb structure on a fresh batch." "And the key?" "Inside the crust. If they press, you're blind to gossip." "Liar. You see everything in this town." "Only what bakes in the open. Keep your voice down. Sheriff Miller smells a lie faster than burnt sugar." Outside, tires crunched over gravel, stopping at the door.