Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPHB71MBYW820B9KG61CGY

The grand estate loomed under storm clouds, its windows flickering with candlelight as guests arrived for dinner that evening. Detective Harlow adjusted his cufflinks, watching the butler’s stiff posture betray something unseen beneath his polished demeanor. A scream shattered the silence just as the clock struck midnight, echoing through halls lined with portraits of dead ancestors. Lady Whitmore clutched her pearls, her trembling voice whispering about the missing diamond brooch last seen around her nephew’s throat. The study door creaked open, revealing a body sprawled across the Persian rug, a single playing card clutched in its lifeless fingers. Inspector Graves knelt beside the victim, noting the scent of bitter almonds lingering near the half-empty glass of brandy. A shadow darted past the hallway mirror, but when Harlow turned, only the flicker of dying candles answered his sharp inquiry. The guests exchanged glances, each face a mask of innocence, though one pair of hands trembled just slightly too much. Outside, thunder rolled as the detective’s gaze settled on the grand fireplace, where a charred letter’s edge curled into ash. Somewhere in the house, a floorboard groaned under cautious footsteps, while the storm erased any trace of who had come or gone.