The old mansion loomed ominously against the stormy night sky. Detective Sarah Parker stepped out of her car, raincoat dripping. A flash of lightning illuminated the crime scene tape ahead. She ducked under it, nodding to the officer on duty. Inside, the foyer was eerily silent, save for distant whispers. Sarah's trained eye immediately spotted something amiss: a painting askew. Behind it, a small safe hung open, its contents missing. She moved deeper into the house, following a faint trail. In the study, a body lay sprawled across an antique desk. Blood pooled on priceless wood, staining papers strewn about haphazardly.