Rain battered the small town’s windows, a relentless tapping rhythm. Detective Lane sipped coffee, gaze fixed on the gathering townsfolk. A scream shattered the silence, echoing through the old manor. The lights flickered violently, plunging the room into sudden darkness. When illumination returned, a body lay sprawled near the fireplace. Whispers rose quickly, panic bubbling beneath carefully composed faces. Lane knelt, examining crimson stains seeping onto the carpet. “Everyone, remain calm,” he commanded, voice steady among frightened onlookers. A bloodied letter opener glinted ominously under the chandelier’s glare. In that single moment, trust dissolved, suspicion springing up everywhere.