Run: 2026-04-24-01KQ0A0CPMQDZND046QCT6Q65P

A single candle flickered, casting long shadows across the meticulously arranged desk in the silent study. The heavy rain outside was a constant drumming against the tall, mullioned windows of the old manor. Detective Elara Vance stood over the body, her expression unreadable as she noted the precise angle. The victim, Lord Harrington, was slumped forward, his prized collection of rare coins scattered beside his head. One coin, a gold Roman aureus, was noticeably absent from its velvet-lined case on the polished mahogany. A faint, cloying scent of bitter almonds lingered near the half-empty crystal decanter of port wine. She knelt, her gloved fingers hovering just above a single, perfect white gardenia placed upon the blotter. Its petals were not wilted, suggesting it had been placed there very recently, perhaps by the killer. The grand clock on the mantelpiece began to chime, its deep tones echoing the hour of midnight. Its steady rhythm was the only sound besides the rain, counting down the moments until discovery.