Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8W1T6H84N95VPY06K72MN

The rain drummed against the old Victorian’s peeling paint as dawn broke over Hollow Creek. A single rose, blackened at the edges, lay crushed beneath the victim’s cold, outstretched hand. Detective Mara Voss adjusted her coat, her breath fogging in the chilly morning air. The butler’s stiff posture suggested he’d seen far more than he was willing to admit. Neighbor Mrs. Hargrove clutched her teacup, her knuckles white as she whispered to herself. Footprints in the mud led toward the garden, but vanished near the overgrown rosebush. The victim’s pocket watch had stopped at exactly three-fifteen, its face still gleaming faintly. A half-smoked cigar lay on the fireplace hearth, its embers still smoldering dangerously. The scent of lavender lingered in the air, though no vase held any flowers nearby. Mara’s gloved fingers brushed the victim’s wrist, searching for any hidden clues. The housekeeper’s trembling voice muttered about "the gentleman who always paid in silver." A single playing card, the Ace of Spades, slipped from the victim’s sleeve unnoticed. The wind howled through the broken window, carrying whispers of a secret long buried. Mara’s sharp eyes caught the reflection of a shadow moving just beyond the porch light.