The moon hung low over the dark, silent town. Detective Miller stepped out of his car, shivering. The chill air bit through his coat, sharp and unforgiving. He walked toward the old, abandoned mansion slowly. Its windows stared like empty, hollow eyes. A single light flickered weakly upstairs, unnaturally bright. The front door creaked open before he knocked. He entered, hand resting on his weapon. The hallway smelled of dust and something metallic. Blood. He followed the crimson trail down the corridor. It led straight to the library’s double doors. Inside, a body lay sprawled on the rug. The victim’s face was frozen in terror. Miller knelt, noting the neat, precise wound. A single, perfect circle marked the throat. No weapon lay near the silent figure. The killer had taken it with them. Miller knew this was just the beginning.