Margaret stared at the blood-soaked letter on her wooden desk. The grandfather clock struck midnight as thunder rolled through town. Rain pattered against foggy windows while shadows danced and stretched. Detective Brooks stood silently, examining every detail of the scene. Two bodies lay motionless on the study's rich Persian carpet. A brass candlestick, still warm, had fallen beside the corpses. The murderer's footprints tracked crimson across the marble floor. Margaret clutched her pearl necklace, trying not to show fear. Everyone in the mansion had something to hide that night. The detective's keen eyes caught a glimmer beneath the bookshelf.