Lightning flashed outside the window. Rain battered against the pane. Suddenly, a scream pierced night. Silence fell heavy and ominous. Detective Mara peered through darkness. Her flashlight revealed a figure. Lying still upon the floor. Blood started pooling beneath him. Mara approached, her steps deliberate. Her heart pounded like thunder. The room smelled of iron. "Murder, at this late hour." She muttered, eyes scanning around. A shattered vase lay nearby. Footprints marked the dusty floorboards. Each clue whispered secrets unsolved. Mara's mind raced with theories. Tonight, justice felt chillingly elusive.