The Missing Ingredient

A fictional short story — How do you find something that’s a secret?

Mark stood at the glass door and took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as the smell of freshly baked bread infiltrated his nostrils. This may be one assignment he might actually like. He opened his eyes and looked down at the paper in his hands.

The owner, Mister Young, claimed someone broke in during the night and stole some of his property. The front desk officer who took the call said he wouldn’t tell her what had been stolen.

A little bell jingled overhead when he opened the door and stepped inside. The place was spotless, with off-white walls and a light blue and black checkered floor. His shoes clicked on the tiles as he made his way to the old fashion looking counter.

A young woman behind a cash register greeted him with a smile. “What can I get for you?”

He looked around at the pies, loaves of bread, and cookies on display, and for a moment, he forgot why he had come. The temptation to snag a tasty treat messed with his mind, and made him feel like a kid again.

He shook his head to clear the fog and looked back up into the brown eyes of the lady behind the counter. “I’m here to see Mr. Young about the break-in. Is he available?”