The grandfather clock struck midnight as Detective Sarah Chen entered the Victorian mansion through its grand oak front door. Rain pelted against tall windows while lightning illuminated the study where Marcus Blackwood lay dead on Persian carpet. Blood pooled beneath his silver hair, staining antique fibers as the storm outside matched the violence witnessed inside tonight. Three family members huddled in the parlor, each claiming innocence while casting suspicious glances at one another quite nervously. The murder weapon, a bronze letter opener, rested beside the body, its ornate handle glinting under crystal chandelier light. Sarah pulled latex gloves from her coat pocket, knowing this case would test every skill she had ever learned.