Detective Sarah Carter stood beneath the flickering streetlight, her keen eyes scanning the dark alleyway. The moon cast eerie shadows on the damp cobblestones, while the faint sound of a dripping faucet echoed in the distance. The victim, a well-known businessman, had been found lifeless in his luxurious office earlier that evening, and Sarah knew that time was of the essence. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind of the chaos that had consumed the city in the wake of the brutal murder. As she stepped forward into the shadows, she couldn't shake the feeling that this case would be anything but straightforward.