Sammy’s eyes narrowed with determination as he looked back at the emcee, who was now fielding a barrage of questions from the audience. “We’ve got to find that Cherry Delight,” Sammy said firmly. “If it’s connected to what happened to the contestant, we need to figure out why someone would want to sabotage the contest.”

Lily nodded in agreement. “Let’s split up. Max and I will check the area around the stage and see if we can find any clues about the missing dessert. Sammy, you try to find the person in the trench coat and sunglasses. They might know something or be involved.”

The trio quickly went their separate ways. Sammy, scanning the crowd, made his way toward the area where the mysterious figure had been reported. The crowd was thick and disoriented, but Sammy’s sharp eyes spotted a suspicious figure slipping behind a food stand. The figure was still wearing the trench coat and sunglasses, their identity hidden but their demeanor clearly anxious.

Sammy approached cautiously, trying to blend in with the crowd. He noticed the figure was fumbling with something in their coat. It could have been the Cherry Delight—or something related to it. Sammy was about to confront the figure when he was interrupted by a voice behind him.

“Hey, are you looking for someone?” a man with a deep voice asked. Sammy turned to find a tall, broad-shouldered security guard eyeing him with curiosity.

“Yes,” Sammy replied, trying to keep his voice steady. “I saw someone acting suspiciously around here. They were wearing a trench coat and sunglasses.”

The guard’s expression darkened. “You might want to stay clear of them. We’ve had reports of someone trying to tamper with the contest. I’ll handle it.”

Sammy watched as the security guard moved toward the figure, who quickly slipped away into the crowd. The guard was persistent, but the figure was agile and managed to evade capture, disappearing into the maze of tents and food stalls.

Meanwhile, Lily and Max were busy combing the area around the stage. They noticed that the judging table was in disarray, with the other desserts scattered around. The Cherry Delight had been removed, leaving only a faint residue of crumbs and a few smudges of cherry sauce.

Lily carefully examined the table. “Look at this,” she said, pointing to a series of footprints that led away from the stage and toward a narrow alley behind the food stalls. “These don’t look like they belong to anyone here.”

Max squinted at the prints. “They’re too small to be from a man. Could be a woman, or maybe someone who was trying to avoid detection.”

“Let’s follow them,” Lily suggested. “It’s our best lead.”

The two friends followed the trail, which led them to a hidden alley where discarded food containers and broken crates lay strewn about. The footprints ended abruptly near a stack of crates. Lily noticed a small, almost invisible camera perched atop one of the crates.

“Looks like someone’s been watching this alley,” she said, pointing it out. “We should check the footage.”

Max nodded. “Good idea. There might be something on the camera that shows who was here and what they did.”

They returned to the main event area and found the security office. After explaining their findings to the head of security, they were given access to the camera footage from the alley. They watched intently as the footage revealed a figure in a trench coat and sunglasses sneaking into the alley and removing the Cherry Delight from their hidden spot.

The figure was swift and deliberate, but the camera caught a glimpse of their shoes—a distinctive pair of red sneakers. “That’s a clue,” Max said, pointing at the screen. “If we can find those shoes, we might find our suspect.”

Back at the main square, Sammy had regrouped with Lily and Max. “The security guard lost the suspect, but I saw them head towards the old bookshop nearby. It’s a place where people can easily hide.”

“Let’s check it out,” Lily said. “They might have gone there to lay low or stash the dessert.”

They made their way to the bookshop, an old, creaky building with a sign hanging precariously above the door. Inside, the shop was filled with dusty shelves and ancient tomes. They searched quietly, trying not to draw attention. Sammy noticed a door at the back of the shop, slightly ajar.

Carefully pushing it open, they discovered a small, cluttered storage room. Among the boxes and stacks of books, they found the Cherry Delight, partially covered in a dust cloth. Beside it, a pair of red sneakers lay abandoned.

Before they could celebrate their find, the door creaked open behind them. The figure from the contest appeared, looking shocked and furious. “You’re not supposed to be here!” the figure shouted.

Sammy stepped forward, his voice steady. “We’re here to find out why you tried to sabotage the contest. What’s your motive?”

The figure hesitated, then pulled off their sunglasses and trench coat, revealing a familiar face—one they had seen in the crowd earlier. “It’s not what you think. I didn’t want to harm anyone. I just needed to get the Cherry Delight to save my business.”

Lily and Max exchanged puzzled looks. “Save your business?” Max asked.

The figure, now revealing themselves to be Jenna, a local bakery owner, sighed. “I was desperate. My bakery’s been struggling, and I thought if I could steal the Cherry Delight, I’d be able to make a deal with the contest organizers to feature my bakery instead. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. I just wanted to save my business.”

The truth hung heavy in the air. Sammy, Lily, and Max knew they had to report Jenna’s actions but also realized that they needed to find a way to resolve the situation without causing further harm. Jenna’s desperation had led her to make a dangerous choice, and now it was up to them to help find a solution that could mend the broken trust and restore the contest’s integrity.