Fog rolled in thick and heavy, cloaking the moonlit street in a veil of mystique and eerie silence. Shadows danced menacingly as lamplights flickered, casting unpredictable patterns that seemed to move of their own accord. Detective Lila Harper tightened her coat against the chill, scanning every corner for signs of life or potential danger. Her breath visible in the cold air, she approached the abandoned mansion, its creaking gate swaying with a ghostly wail. Behind her, partner Tom Greene checked his flashlight, its beam cutting through the fog like a knife through butter. A chilling wind rustled the overgrown ivy that clung to the decaying walls, whispering secrets long forgotten by time. The front door, ajar, beckoned with an ominous invitation that neither detective could afford to ignore tonight. Inside, the air was dense with the scent of mildew and something else more sinister, harder to place. Tom’s footsteps echoed sharply against the dusty wooden floors, merging with the distant ticking of an unseen clock. They shared a glance, unspoken fears reflected in their eyes, both knowing this would be a night to remember.