Run: 2026-09-01-01M1EM83E7NR1AMP180K056SKD

Sunlight streamed through the gingham curtains of the Willowbrook Bakery, illuminating the glass cases filled with golden croissants and berry tarts. The air was thick with the comforting smell of baking bread. At a round table near the oven, two women sat, their voices low amid the clatter of mixing bowls. "It happened right after the festival, you know." "The night the mayor's prize pie went missing?" "Exactly. And now Mrs. Eldridge is claiming it was stolen from her kitchen, but I found a piece of the crust in the alley behind the shop." "You did? Did you tell the constable?" "Not yet. There's more. I overheard that traveling salesman talking about a rare spice, the one only used in that pie recipe." "The one from the old miller's wife? That's been a secret for generations." "Yes, and he was asking around town who might know it. Then yesterday, he left in a hurry, leaving unpaid for his coffee." "Suspicious indeed. Perhaps we should look into his wagon before he gets too far." "Carefully, though. This isn't like the missing cat last spring. Someone might get hurt." "We'll be discreet. After all, this is our town."