Run: 2026-09-03-01M1K9M86HE0JAY51K6YJKXV42

The display case was still warm from the morning’s cinnamon rolls, but the air in the bakery had gone cold. “You didn’t hear anything unusual last night?” “Just the wind rattling the back screen door. Same as always.” “Except the flour bin was open this morning. And there’s a footprint in the dust by the walk-in.” “Could’ve been me. I was restocking the pastry shelf before closing.” “With muddy boots? You’d never track that in here.” A long pause, filled only by the hum of the refrigerated case. “Maybe someone came in through the alley after I left. The lock’s been sticky for weeks.” “Sticky, or deliberately jammed? Because the latch is fine now. Almost like someone wanted it to look forced.” “Why would anyone break in just to move a bag of flour and leave the cash register untouched?” “Maybe they weren’t after money. Maybe they were looking for something small enough to hide in a sack of flour.” “Like what?” “Like the missing locket from Eleanor’s estate sale. The one everyone in town thinks you bought.” The bell above the door jingled, but no one entered. Just the wind, rattling the screen again.