The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and charred wood as officers stood amidst the smoldering ruins of what had once been a lavish mansion. Flames still licked the sky in the distance, the embers of destruction casting an eerie glow over the city.
The two fires had ravaged buildings in different parts of the district, and the authorities were scrambling to piece together the mystery of what had occurred.
---
At the Auction House Ruins:
Detective Harris, a tall, no-nonsense man in his late forties, adjusted his hat as he surveyed the wreckage of the mansion.
His eyes narrowed at the twisted remains of furniture and the faint outline of what had been a grand ballroom, now reduced to rubble.
Behind him, uniformed officers milled about, their faces grim as they began to sift through the debris for any clues.
"What's the status?" Harris asked, his voice gruff.
