Encyclopedia kneels at the drain and eases out the silver button with two careful fingers. The blue fleck comes free next, caught in a twist of rust and grit.
Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown
The button and cloth match something from a uniform.
Sally Smith
That scrap looks like it came from Pete Mercer’s bakery jacket.
Arthur
Pete was through here this morning. Delivered a box, hurried off. That all I know.
Billy Haggerty leans closer, then stops short when Encyclopedia holds the button under the alley light. A tiny smear of jam shines on its edge.
Sally Smith
Jam on a button from the bakery. That is not a coincidence.
Encyclopedia looks from the drain to the back door and the fresh water trail. The clue points straight from the candy store to Pete Mercer, and straight back to the missing collectible.
✓ Quest Accepted
Confirm what the bakery clue means
✓ Quest Accepted
Find the missing collectible’s trail through Pete Mercer
+ New Item Acquired
Silver button
+ New Item Acquired
Blue fabric scrap
“I will examine the jam smear on the button to see if it matches the bakery's stock.”
SUCCESS (Good Forensics, rolled +2)
Encyclopedia tilts the button into the light and studies the jam shine with careful stillness. The smear is red, sticky, and fresh enough to catch in the tiny scratches around the edge.
Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown
Strawberry jam.
He lowers the button beside the blue scrap, and the two marks line up with a bakery work jacket better than a candy counter apron.
Sally Smith
That is bakery jam, not candy syrup.
The Counterman gives the button one brief glance, then goes back to his boxes as if the answer hardly matters.
Arthur
Pete Mercer delivers in a hurry. If something is missing, he is the one people will look at first.
Billy swallows hard. The drain, the button, and the blue thread now point to one thing, someone used Pete's bakery route as the story's trail.
Quest Complete
Find the missing collectible’s trail through Pete Mercer
Quest Complete
Confirm what the bakery clue means