The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Flynn had no clue why Herman wanted him to find someone like Henry, but when Herman gave an order, he carried it out without question.

Henry Jameson, a clean-cut, charming college senior at twenty-two, was just about to graduate. Facing Herman, he nodded respectfully, "Mr. Salstrom, you called for me. How can I help?"

"Why don't you put your expertise in emotional intelligence and criminal psychology to the test?" Herman suggested, sinking into the couch and gesturing for Henry to take a seat. "What do you think is the reason I summoned you here?" Crossing his arms casually, Henry sat down and replied, "Well, Mr. Salstrom, since you're challenging me, I'll take a guess. You want my help with the Grannie Anita murder case from a few months back. You have doubts about it, don't you?" Flynn's eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea Herman had suspicions about Grannie Anita's case. Turning to Herman, he asked, "What's wrong with Granny's case? Didn't Anastasia already confess?"

Ignoring Flynn's question, Herman looked at Henry with a glint of admiration and said coolly, "Indeed, I have my doubts. Let's see if you can clear them up for me. Compensation won't be an issue." Henry grinned, "Mr. Salstrom, you're the wealthiest man in Riverdale. Your connections are worth more than money to me. I don't need a cash reward. Just offer me a job after I graduate, and we'll call it even." Herman's index finger tapped idly against the back of his hand, his lips curling slightly in amusement. "Bold move, kid."

Henry was the first to boldly request a job opportunity from him.

Listening to their cryptic exchange, Flynn felt utterly baffled and a bit envious of their quick thinking.

Henry responded modestly, "You flatter me, Mr. Salstrom."

Standing up, Herman pulled a stack of photos from a drawer. "These are the crime scene photos from when my grandmother was killed. Take a look and see if you can deduce anything."

The photos were detailed, showing Grannie Anita's final, distressed state, her expression, posture, and the surroundings.

Henry, donning his glasses, spread the photos across the table and began to scrutinize them intently. "Can I get a flashlight? The lighting's a bit dim."

As soon as the words left Henry's mouth, Herman handed him a flashlight.

Without a glance, Henry took it and continued his examination, eventually holding up a photo of Grannie Anita's corpse and shining the light closely over it.

Flynn could hardly bear to look at the photos, with Grannie Anita's chest covered in blood, her mouth slightly open, her eyes shut it was horrifying.

Herman did not interrupt Henry, waiting silently for his insights.

Henry, peering at the photo, declared, "Grannie Anita's eyes... they don't seem to have closed naturally. Someone must have closed them postmortem. The slight twist at the corner of her mouth, the contorted expression-it speaks of anger and shock. She must have been greatly surprised and upset at her attacker."

Flynn interjected, "Granny would've never expected Anastasia to harm her. Shock and surprise are natural. The autopsy reported the same. There's nothing unusual."noveldrama

Henry disagreed, "That may be, but this here is peculiar." He pointed at the photo where Grannie Anita's hand was bent. "She was stabbed in the chest, and there's blood on her hands, which means she must have clutched her chest initially-a natural reflex. So why, at the moment of death, was her hand outstretched, fingers curled, as if reaching for something, for help? Who was Grannie Anita reaching out to? The murderer?"

Henry's words struck a chord in Herman, who suddenly recalled the scene when he first entered the bathroom and saw Grannie Anita's body. Julie had been kneeling beside the corpse, weeping, and he remembered noticing bloody fingerprints on Julie's ankle. Herman's expression darkened, chillingly intense: "Julie was the first to find her. When she entered, Granny must have still been alive."

Adjusting his glasses, Henry smiled and said, "You're quite astute, Mr. Salstrom."