The rain fell hard against the windowpane. Detective Miller wiped water from his coat. A single light flickered in the hallway. He stepped inside the old mansion carefully. The air smelled of dust and death. A woman’s scream echoed from upstairs. Miller drew his gun and moved forward. A shadow darted past the staircase. He followed it into the dark study. A body lay sprawled on the rug. The victim’s eyes stared at nothing. A note was clutched in his hand. Miller knelt down to read it. The message warned that time was short. He heard a floorboard creak behind him.