The rain fell without mercy. Detective Shaw entered the room. Blood stained the white carpet. A body lay face down. The window was wide open. Cold wind stirred the curtains. Nobody had heard any screams. Shaw knelt beside the corpse. The victim wore expensive clothes. A knife was missing nearby. His partner crossed the threshold. She carried two coffee cups. "Another long night ahead, huh?" Shaw nodded without looking up. The clock read midnight sharp. Somewhere outside a dog howled. This case already felt wrong. Too clean, too perfectly staged. Shaw trusted his gut always. Something dark was happening here.