Run: 2026-07-25-01KYCSEJ9K6Z0V39AWHZT0BJ0D

Flour dusted the air of Buttercream Lane like confectioner’s snow. The bell over the door jingled, and Margo slid a tray of lemon scones onto the counter without breaking eye contact with the woman in the wool coat. "Twice-baked almond?" "Please. And tell me who found her first." "Not a customer. The delivery boy said the back garden gate was open." "That gate hasn't budged since Mr. Finch replaced the latch in '92." "If you're asking whether I touched the ivy, I haven't." "Good. The inspector prefers footprints singular. Did anyone mention the missing tart pans?" "Only that the registry lists three. The display holds two. The kitchen shelf holds none." "And the cream puffs?" "Unmolested. Which suggests the intruder wasn't hungry." "Or was interrupted. The morning paper said she kept a journal in a tin box." "If she did, it wasn't in the pantry. I checked behind the sugar sacks. Found only a postcard from Marseille, 1987." "Keep that. The inspector loves unfinished vacations." "Shall I box the scone?" "With extra glaze. And Margo—lock the garden gate on your way out." "Already did. With Mr. Finch's old latch."<|end_message|>