Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY9Y44Z7JC4Y0M0VVNMY8SZ

Rain lashed against the tall, gothic windows of Blackwood Manor with unsettling, rhythmic force. Lord Ashworth lay sprawled upon the Persian rug, a crimson stain blossoming across his tailored waistcoat. The grand library, usually a sanctuary of knowledge, now felt oppressively silent and filled with dreadful anticipation. Detective Inspector Alistair Finch arrived, his weathered face grim under the flickering gaslight illumination. Lady Ashworth shrieked dramatically, clutching a delicate lace handkerchief to her perfectly powdered face. A single, ornate silver letter opener rested beside the body, gleaming faintly in the dim, surrounding shadows. The household staff huddled nervously in the doorway, exchanging frightened glances and whispered, anxious speculations. Old Man Hemlock, the butler, maintained a stoic composure, though his hands trembled almost imperceptibly with suppressed fear. Finch surveyed the opulent room, immediately recognizing the meticulously arranged chaos as decidedly unnatural. He requested a complete sealing of the manor, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the estate grounds.