In the grim silence of a moonless night, a figure dashed through the woods. Their breaths were visible, panicked puffs in the icy air. Behind them, echoes of ominous footsteps crashed through the underbrush. A distant, eerie howl sent shivers down their spine. Suddenly, a deafening gunshot shattered the cold tranquility. The figure stumbled, collapsing onto the frost-kissed leaves. Blood seeped from their wound, staining the ground a dark crimson. Their eyes fluttered shut, holding a secret they'd never tell. Meanwhile, in the quiet town nearby, Detective Clara Hart stirred in her sleep. A phone call, jarring and insistent, interrupted her dreams.