The crowd turned to look at her, and she flushed, clearly uncomfortable under the sudden attention. “I couldn’t see their face,” she stammered, “but they were wearing a dark jacket.”

Maeve shot a look at Jasper, her brows raised. “You’re wearing a dark jacket, Jasper,” she said with a pointed smile, though her tone was half-joking. Jasper rolled his eyes.

“Half the town is wearing a dark jacket tonight, Maeve,” he replied, unfazed. But he took a step back, crossing his arms as he surveyed the crowd, his gaze landing briefly on Lucas, who was also dressed in a dark jacket.

Elliot’s attention was drawn to the single torn page left on the table. He picked it up gingerly, his eyes narrowed as he examined the torn page. 

“There’s a handwritten note here,” he said, more to himself than to the crowd. His stomach twisted as he tried to make out the hurried, uneven script. Who would do this? 

The note, though brief, was unsettling: “Not the ending…” 

The message lingered in his mind, a chilling echo that sent a shiver down his spine.

Ruby gasped. “Oh! That note… it wasn’t there when I set up the display earlier!” Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide with genuine surprise.

The crowd murmured again, speculation buzzing through the room. Had someone snuck up to the table after the display was set up? If so, who? And what could “Not the ending…” mean?

Maeve leaned forward, her eyes glinting. “Maybe someone didn’t like the alternate ending you wrote, Elliot,” she suggested, her tone challenging. “Maybe they thought they could write it better.”

A sense of unease settled over Elliot as he stared at the cryptic message on the page. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, another crack of thunder boomed outside, and the lights in the cafe flickered once… twice… and then went out, plunging the room into darkness.

A few gasps were heard, followed by an uneasy silence.

As the storm rages outside, secrets and suspicions grow inside Chapter & Brew… who’s hiding the truth? Watch for part 3 of The Mystery of the Missing Bestseller to hit your inbox tomorrow!