Moonlight filtered through dusty curtains onto the lifeless wooden floor. Detective Marlowe knelt beside the body examining bloodstains and footprints. Outside, wind howled through skeletal trees harshly against broken windows. A single lantern flickered casting ominous shadows across the room. The victim's watch lay beside a pool of dried blood. Footsteps echoed from upstairs hallway where secrets seemed carefully concealed. Marlowe reached into pocket pulling out a faded leather notebook. A single page revealed hastily scribbled names and time estimates. Silence returned except for Marlowe's steady breathing and creaking floorboards.