Murder is Easy

Chapter 35

Chapter 35-

"What theory, now?" Daemon asked, sounding almost resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to like what he would hear.

"I will say it but I think it is better if you leave. I need to talk to Rose first," Dennis said. Daemon's eyes widened, looking like he wanted to argue about it.

"Daemon, please."

Daemon turned to Rose's pleading eyes and after a moment looked resigned to the fact that he wasn't allowed there.

"Fine, but I want to hear the details later," Daemon said before stomping out of his office. Rose watched his retreating back and turned to Dennis after the door was harshly shut.

"What is the theory?" Rose asked.

"I have two but I will leave the second one for later because I am not very sure and it is purely based on my assumptions. But this one however, I have proof to back me up on it. It was something I inferred from the letters that Daemon showed me."

Rose raised her eyebrows in disbelief. Daemon himself had checked those letters a thousand times and she didn't think anything passed by him.

"There is something that I noticed in the letters. I am not sure if you were not paying attention or what, but didn't you notice a difference between the letters?" Dennis asked.

"What do you mean; a difference? That doesn't make sense. After every letter he signs off as the reaper or something..."

"That is true, I admit," Dennis continued, "But there is a difference."

"I don't get it ," Rose replied softly.

Dennis looked into her eyes and said, "You must have noticed but you are trying to ignore it. The letters that Daemon gets are way different from those that you receive; don't you think that?"

Rose's eyes widened and she stared at Dennis like he was crazy.

"How?" Rose asked, almost frightened of his answer.

Dennis  continued solemnly, "There are two different people. Even at first it didn't make sense to me, but something was too different."

"What?" Rose asked.

Dennis swallowed and stayed silent for a moment.

"It is the way how they refer to you."

Dennis looked expectantly at Rose.

"What?" Rose repeated again.

"It's the way how they refer to you," he said,  as his eyes roamed across her face, "One feels something for you but the other..."

"The other hates me," Rose confirmed. Her face showed that she didn't seem to believe him.

"The one who sent letters to you and those pictures... I won't say that he isn't mentally ill; but his motive isn't to hurt you or anyone, I suppose. His letter to you, especially the one with pictures of you, is an exaggerated one. I don't think you have to worry about the contents of that. It was sent by someone who you know."

"Who I know?" Rose asked bewildered, her mind jumbled from all the new information.

"Not now, or even probably now. I meant someone who has known you since before. For example, there are a few pictures in the collection in which you look no older than 18," Dennis explained.

"I hadn't noticed," Rose admitted, "I was too preoccupied with the fact that I had got pictures of myself sent by a stranger. And Daemon never let me look at them afterwards."