The dead man lay still on the wet kitchen floor. Old Detective Smith stepped inside the dark and empty room. A sharp smell of gunpowder hung in the stale air. He saw a note clutched in a stiff left hand. Red blood stained the white rug near the front door. Who could commit such a truly violent and hateful crime? The large clock upon the wall had suddenly stopped ticking. Smith pulled his gloves on to touch the crumpled paper. He feared that the killer was still very close by.