Run: 2026-07-25-01KYD5HXMWK63PNDB1XVJC2MP7

The bell above the bakery door chimed softly, and the scent of cinnamon and yeast wrapped around me like a warm blanket. You were kneading dough at the counter, your sleeves rolled up, flour dusting your nose. I leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching. “Did you find it?” I asked. You didn’t look up. “Found what?” “The note. In the sugar jar.” A pause. The wooden spoon clinked against the bowl. “You didn’t leave it there.” “I didn’t *find* it there, either.” My voice dropped. “It was tucked under the jar, hidden. Same handwriting as the shopkeeper’s journal.” Your hands stilled. “Why would someone steal Mr. Ellery’s journal?” “Maybe they didn’t steal it. Maybe they *left* it.” I stepped closer, the floorboards creaking. “The entries about the new recipe for scones… they’re dated the week before he vanished.” You finally met my eyes, dark and unreadable. “And you think someone used those recipes to… what? Poison him?” Before I could answer, you shoved the dough forward, shaping it into a tight ball. “We’ll bake them tomorrow. See if they rise.” The silence between us was thick enough to cut.