Run: 2026-07-01-01KWE95H97MNTX1SP7WP20NBMF

The bell above the door chimed as Margaret pulled her cardigan tighter, eyeing the empty display case where the lemon tarts should have been. "Sold out already? It's barely nine." "Not sold out. Thrown out. Someone got into the kitchen last night." "Into Bea's kitchen? That door has three locks." "Had three locks. Now it's got a busted one and a very upset baker who's threatening to close for good." "What did they take?" "Nothing, as far as I can tell. That's the strange part. They didn't take the register money, didn't touch the safe. Just made a mess of the pastry case and left." "Left something, or left with something?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, sometimes people break in to leave things behind, not take them. A message, maybe." "You've been reading too many of those detective novels." "Or not enough. Where's Bea now?" "In the back, staring at her oven like it insulted her mother." "I want to see the kitchen." "Margaret, this isn't your business." "It became my business the moment you told me about it over coffee. Besides, I make excellent tea for interrogations." "There's no interrogation." "Not yet."