Run: 2026-02-16-01KHM5MS152VAZQX2XGG5V29HJ

The rain tapped softly on the darkened windows of the old manor, muffling the distant chime of midnight. Inside, the flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows across the velvet drapes and antique furniture lining the ornate drawing room. A single crimson stain marred the pristine carpet, leading to the lifeless figure slumped in the high-backed armchair. The victim, a man in his late fifties, clutched a torn letter in his left hand, his face frozen in shock. Around him, the air hung heavy with the scent of bergamot and something faintly metallic, almost imperceptible. On the mantelpiece, a clock ticked relentlessly, its brass hands pointing to the exact moment the world had stopped. A faint trail of muddy footprints led from the French doors to where the body now rested silently. Outside, the storm howled, its fury echoing the chaos that had unfolded within these once-serene walls mere moments ago. Detective Clara Hale stepped into the room, her sharp gaze immediately drawn to the peculiar placement of the overturned chair. She noted the shattered teacup on the floor, its shards scattered like pieces of an unsolvable puzzle waiting to be deciphered.