The secret Ingredient

"What we'll do Kim! The main ingredient isn't here! What we'll do this week! You know that everyone is waiting for our new cookie… It was going to be awesome, then this happened… oh Lord, help us…a…"

"Can you just shut up for a moment, Jane. I'm trying to think of something."

They were sitting in their shop. When early morning Jane entered the shop and entered the kitchen she found something mysterious, and when she opened the cabinet… it was all upside down. Most of the things were missing, and when she found out that the new monthly cookie's secret ingredient is missing, she panicked and called Kim. Kim was his best mate and the caring partner in the shop. He was half sleeping when he was talking with Jane. He woke with a shock and got ready; when he reached, he found Jane sitting on a kitchen chair.

Now Kim was trying to think k for a solution…suddenly he got up with a smile on his face and said, "I know who will find our secret ingredient thief" and went away.

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He was sitting in his room when the worker entered and told him that a man is here to meet him. He asked him to bring the man called Kim.

"Hello!" Kim entered the room. The investigator glanced at him and stood up, walk a bit, and reached towards the door "you may sit, I'll be here in a while… and … hey!"

Kim was surprised by the attitude of the investigator.

He observed the room. It wasn't large. In the corner of a room was a bookshelf with four portions. Every portion was filled with books, even a single gap wasn't able to be seen, but something was fishy. He jerked his head and turned his head around, and saw a stool also piled with books. Beside the table was a rack full of files. At the back of the main table was a wall covered with a map. It also has some red marks on it. On the table was an empty mug of coffee. The laptop was opened, and some papers were scattered beside it. He moved forward to look at documents, but the door opened, and the investigator entered the room. He sat on his chair and held his hand up for greetings. "I am Agent." Kim shook his hand and said, "I have heard of you from my friend. He says that you are the good investigator and so…I thought to came to you," he stopped. "Go ahead!" Agent was listening with great interest.

"I and my friend has opened a shop called Coff N Cookie. It's been a year. We launched Monthly cookie… like…on every first day of a month we bake cookies with a new recipe. Today is 1st of October. My friend reached early in the morning to bake the new cookies. When she opened the cabinets for ingredients, she found out that the secret ingredient was missing… we want you to find our thief so we can take our ingredient back from him."

Agent was copying all this information in his small pocket diary. When Kim finished, he looked up at him and asked, "what's your friend name?" "Jane," he replied. "I will go with you to your shop…if you don't mind" "no…no… I know it would help you to investigate."

They reached together to the shop. Jane stood up quickly and greeted the investigator but was puzzled. She asked Kim about him. Kim told her and said, "he will find our secret ingredient in no time."

"Sir! Kim!"

"I have to go Jane to help him. You may sit near to us."

Investigator Agent was in the kitchen searching cabinets. When Kim entered, he asked, "what was the secret ingredient?"

"Err….r…mmm"

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Agent was searching the counter table when he asked Jane, "who works in here or… who comes here?" "Kim sits on the counter and I work in the kitchen… you know…baking…and…yeah! There is a guard who lives up and he also guards our shop… mostly I wake him up after I have baked."

"Up?" Agent was puzzled.

"U…there is a room above the shop. Stairs go from the kitchen. His family isn't here so we gave him space… actually I was supposed to live there so I must not have difficulty… I mean… my house is a bit far away so Kim made that room for me. About a month I lived there, but then this man…William came and asked for some work. We asked him to guard our shop and we'll give him space to live and food to eat. He is an old man."

"Can you show me the room please? I want to ask some questions from him."

They both went up the stairs and entered a fully furnished, large room. Jane opened the lights and curtains. An older adult was lying on the bed in between the space. Beside the bed was a table on which a mobile and a lamp were settled. At the corner was a room refrigerator. A cupboard was placed beside the window. Jane woke him up. "Father! Wake up! I want you to meet someone."

"Father?" Agent asked

"When he first arrived here he told me that I look like his daughter who is married to man in the village where he lives. After that I called him father and he just loved it."

"Who is here?" a shaky voice entered their ears. "Jane! Is it time for me to guard your shop?" "No… here is a man who wants to ask you something. His name is Agent."

"Hello Sir! I am Agent. (He sat at the corner of his bed and William was wide awake listening to him) I just only want to ask that do you feel hungry in the middle of the night."

"Yeah I do. It's just yesterday's night. I was hungry. I opened my bag of food and found out that it was empty. I went in the kitchen and searched in cabinets." He was about to cry. "There were lots of jars full of cookie chips. I only ate one and was forcedly taken back into my happy life with my wife. She used to make those cookie chips whenever I felt angry or happy. I brought up all of the Jars and put it in my bag so every night I can have my wife back…in thoughts only," he was crying. Jane was standing stunned, and the investigator was smiling. "Here is your thief!"

"He is not thief. He is my grandfather! Kim! Up here….. I found my grandfather… please tell me… do they taste like grandmothers cookie chips!"

"Yeah! They does… daughter! That is why you looks like my daughter!"

"Well… grandpa! I am supposed to sell them to people for my earning but you can have one jar. Just lend me back others." Jane pleaded

William handed her the bag full of cookie chips. She ran down and yelled, "you are not supposed to guard the shop now and I am baking cookies. Quickly! Get dressed and come down for breakfast!" she heard "She is like her mother and grandmother!" there were laughing noises. "I can hear grandpa!"

They all came down and sat around a table. Investigator said, "I don't want any money but want to eat the cookies with a mug of coffee!"

"Yeah! Why not." And Kim was there in no time with a tray containing four mugs and a plate full of cookies, a bowl full of cookie chips for grandpa. "Come on Jane! Eat something before opening the shop," and they all sat and ate, laughing on William's story with his wife.