Run: 2026-09-23-01M36P1ZRJYJ7RY02MFK11SZM0

The bell above the bakery door gave a sleepy jingle as rain swept Main Street. Warm cinnamon and fresh bread filled the narrow shop, but beneath them lingered the sharp scent of wet wool. “Someone’s been in the pantry.” A streak of flour crossed the checkerboard floor, ending at the open back door. Beside it lay a single black button. “Mr. Bell wears a coat with those.” “Half the town wears black coats. And Mr. Bell was here before dawn, asking whether I’d seen his missing ledger.” The baker lifted a tray of honey buns from the oven. Their golden tops gleamed, though her eyes stayed fixed on the button. “Why would a ledger be in your pantry?” “Because he left it here yesterday. He said the mayor’s pie contest accounts didn’t add up.” A gust rattled the front windows. Across the street, the mayor hurried past beneath a red umbrella, clutching a paper parcel to his chest. “Is that the ledger?” “Could be. But he’s carrying it like it might bite.” The baker set down the tray. A dusting of flour clung to her sleeve. “Then we’d better offer him a bun.” “And ask about the button?” “After he’s had a bite. People confess more readily with honey on their fingers.” The bell jingled again. The mayor stepped inside, smiling too brightly. “Fresh from the oven?” he asked. “Fresh enough,” came the reply. “Though I’d be careful with the filling.”