The rain pelted the cobblestone street as Detective Miranda Reeves stepped carefully from her vintage sedan, scanning the shadowy alleyway. Her weathered leather gloves gripped the cold metal badge hanging from her neck while her sharp eyes surveyed the crime scene. Sprawled beneath a flickering streetlamp, the victim's pale body lay twisted in an unnatural pose, blood pooling around crumpled limbs. Forensic technicians moved silently around the corpse, their white protective suits creating ghostly shapes against the dark, wet urban landscape. A single brass button gleamed near the victim's outstretched hand, reflecting the harsh light and hinting at some unknown, sinister narrative.