The night was still and quiet, broken only by the distant bark of a dog. In the darkened living room, a body lay sprawled across the floor in a spreading pool of blood. Nearby, an overturned chair and a shattered vase hinted at a violent struggle that had recently occurred. The man's eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling, his face frozen in a mask of terror and agony. A jagged wound gaped obscenely across his throat, and the coppery reek of fresh blood hung heavy in the air. With shaking hands, Detective Jenna Hawkins knelt beside the corpse and carefully examined the body. There were no obvious signs of forced entry, suggesting the killer had been someone the victim knew and trusted. As Hawkins rose to her feet and surveyed the grisly scene with a critical eye, an uneasy feeling crept over her. This was no ordinary murder - something told her this was only the beginning of a twisted case that would test her skills to their very limits. She glanced around once more, committing every detail to memory, before turning to the officers hovering uncertainly at the doorway. "It's time to call it in," Hawkins said grimly as she pulled out her phone. "We need to get Forensics down here immediately. And find that damn phone - I have a feeling we're going to need to piece this puzzle together bit by bit." With a heavy sigh, the detective settled in to wait, knowing this night would be the first of many as the hunt for a cunning killer began in earnest under the cold glare of the crime scene lights. Hawkins had a sinking suspicion that this case would haunt her for a long time to come - but she silently vowed that no matter what dark twists it took, she would not rest until the murderer was brought to justice, no matter the cost. The chase was on, and Hawkins was ready for whatever horrors the night held in store. As she waited for the lab technicians to arrive, Hawkins reflected that it had been a while since she had a case of this magnitude to work. She hoped the killer would slip up soon and give her something solid to go on, or the pressure from her superiors would mount rapidly. Hawkins knew she would need to get the public on her side if she hoped to crack the case, which meant the media would soon be crawling all over the details. She shuddered inwardly at the thought of dealing with the press, but steeled herself. One thing at