The body lay crumpled on the floor, one arm reaching out as if seeking help in the final moments of agony. Detective Sullivan peered through the yellow police tape, his weathered face unreadable as he took in the gruesome scene before him. The coroner bent over the corpse, latex gloves snapping in the eerie stillness, measuring fatal wounds that spelled out a chilling truth. Whispers of dread slithered through the small town, unnerving residents who had never before encountered such brutal violence in their midst. As Sullivan surveyed the crime scene, one question screamed louder than any other: Who would have motive to cut a life so violently short?