Run: 2026-09-03-01M1KC2GGXEK609KP3JWS4AYF3

The old mansion loomed silent beneath the moon's pale glow. Detective Clara Reed arrived late, her breath fogging the air. A single light burned upstairs, flickering like a nervous heartbeat. She stepped onto the porch, avoiding the creaking third board. The front door hung open, revealing a long dark hallway. Inside, the smell of wet wool and copper filled everything. A body lay beside the fireplace, one hand clutching nothing. Clara knelt close, scanning the room with practiced, steady eyes. No visible wounds, yet blood had pooled beneath the skull. The victim's lips were parted, as if mid-sentence forever now. Someone had locked the windows from the inside before leaving. On the mantel, a clock ticked loudly, marking ten fifteen. She counted eleven guests, but only ten sets of footprints. A torn photograph lay near the man's outstretched left hand. The face in the photo had been scratched with anger. Clara picked it up using the edge of her scarf. The fire had died hours ago, leaving cold gray ash. Whoever killed him had known exactly when to slip away. A floorboard groaned above her, sharp and deliberate this time. Clara looked up, her hand moving toward her holster slowly. The house was not empty after all; it was waiting.