Chapter 10
Lilly:
'Life had been dragging by SO slowly since Auntie Rose died. But the morning I left alone to meet with Mr Velaska, the sun was shining and I felt good. I wasn't nervous about this at all. I had a good start to the day, I kissed Ivan and said I was going into town and wouldn't be gone too long. Then later, before I left, I had breakfast with my Mom. She seemed a lot happier since Dad came over to visit.
I drove away from the house, went down to the river and parked my car and got out. I took a walk to the rivers edge and looked across at the city, then I looked down into the water. It suddenly occurred to me how fucking filthy that water was, and how much it stunk.
I threw up.
No, it wasn't nerves – I wasn't scared about meeting someone as big and powerful as Velaska. The river just stank that morning. It's just that I'd never noticed it before...
I waited for him to arrive. I was standing there leaning on my cane feeling like I could conquer the whole damned city. And why not? I'm young, I'm smart, and I'm powerful in my own right. I thought of Ivan, then my thoughts shifted to Ozzie. The way saw it, I'd grown up in a house at the back of the estate and on the other side of it, lived two boys who were my friends. Years later when I started dating Ivan, no one minded because he wasn't related to any of us... But Ozzie? It's the blood tie thing. That;s what makes it wrong. We never looked at each other that way until his birthday party. And something inside us just started to burn and that light would not go out. I guess I should feel guilty, but my heart says no, that love is what it is. Maybe I'm just crazy. Or maybe I have an odd perspective on life that's purely my own that no one else can understand. I don't know.
But, my mind drifted to these things, then to my meeting and the future as I saw myself becoming more and more powerful in this great city of ours. As Velaska's limousine pulled up, I smiled. I was on a high already. The thought ran through my head:
I am the Gotham Jigsaw. Nothing can stop me!*
* By the way, NEVER, ever feel so powerful that you think NOTHING can stop you. Don't think it - or say it - because life has a way of twisting that notion and snapping it right in half.
My life was about to implode.
Pretty soon I was going to learn that being young, clever and even being the Gotham Jigsaw wouldn't make a difference to carelessness. I'd become so arrogant I thought nothing could go wrong. I thought I could do what I liked and control my entire destiny. I was wrong, and no – it had nothing to do with the meeting that was about to happen. It was something else. It was an age old mistake that so many had made before me, I'd walked into my own trap. Either that, or life was about to give me a huge wake up call. I just didn't know it yet...'
Lilly had turned her back on the river and stepped away from the edge as she tried not to think about how she had thrown up her breakfast after the smell of the water had made her puke. She had wiped the last trace of vomit from her mouth and taken a few breaths, then as the limousine pulled up, she smiled.
Two armed guards got out first. Their faces were painted clown-like. She didn't feel intimidated. Then the passenger door was opened and he got out : There he was, in his fine and fancy suit, with his face in clownish shades and eyes like pure ice – the Joker, Mr Jeremiah Valeska...
As she set her sights on him, Lilly waited by the river, watching as he walked towards her, sensing this was a big achievement, one that would reverberate through the years as she strengthened bonds between her family and his. To have the Gotham Jigsaw on your side had to be a huge bonus for any gang boss in this town...
He joined her, stopped and smiled, then his eyes reflected curiosity.
"I was told the Jigsaw would be here. Instead I see Penguin's daughter... This is getting interesting, where is Mr Jigsaw? And by the way Lilly, you look charming today. You certainly are a stunning young woman. I'd heard it said that Penguin's daughter was smart and powerful, and attractive. It was definitely an accurate description."
His gaze went up and down her body as he smiled.
"I do hope this really is about Melanie... Or is it something else, Lilly? If you have ambition to make some kind of personal alliance with me, as tempted as I am, I have to turn you down because while it's true my current wife is half my age, we do have a young family and I have no intention of straying from her side. I won't mention the ex lovers, or the mistress..."
He gave her a wink.
He looked her up and down again, then she leaned on her cane, stepped closer and glared at him.
"My eyes are up here, stop looking at my tits, I'M the Gotham Jigsaw!"
He blinked. Then he looked at her more intently, and smiled a slow smile:
Of course, he could see it in her eyes, he knew the eyes of a killer when he saw one...
"Penguin's daughter is the Jigsaw? Well, that is a surprise! And by the way, as flattered as I am by the notion that you might be attracted to me for my power or my reputation, I wasn't looking at your tits, Miss Kapelput... You have a small spot of something on your blouse..." he leaned closer and dropped his voice to a whisper, "It looks like puke."
Lilly stepped back, her face briefly flushing as she shot him a glare that reminded him of her father back in the day when he lost his temper, and he smiled as she whipped a handkerchief from her pocket and quickly brushed away the vomit.
"So... you wanted to see me about Melanie?"
"I'm aware of the sensitivity of the situation with her having the Velaska name. I didn't want to kill her without your permission."
"I see."
"I'm also offering my services to you as the Jigsaw, Mr Velaska. I have another powerful client who employs my use, but I can fit you in when necessary. I feel this would be good for both our families – all the other gang leaders seem to fear you. My father speaks of you with warmer regard."
The look in his eyes softened, not much, but it was certainly noticeable.
"I bet Daddy doesn't know you're here today."
"Not yet. But in time, I want him to know how I made a bond between our families in the interests of lasting harmony."
Jeremiah paused for thought.
"Lilly, your offer is generous but it's not necessary. I'm capable of destroying my own enemies and boldly leaving my signature for the world to see. I don't need the Jigsaw. Also, your father and I have had a good friendship for many years – I don't know how he puts up with me, but let's just say while I'm known as Joker the reality is very different. I'm a miserable bastard because I've suffered much loss over the years... Buried a son, one of my wives, too, lost two unborn children with my third wife... and three of my grown up kids have problems that are enough to keep me awake at night - and when I call your father, he listens to all of my shit. And I listen to his. I have developed great respect and fond regard for your Dad over the passing years. No matter what happens in this town, we will never be enemies. We are both men with families and that is the common bond we share."
Lilly felt briefly awkward.
"I didn't actually know any of this."
"Well, you do now. And I really do appreciate your offer. The Jigsaw already does a huge favour for this city, wiping the scum from the streets. It keeps a lot of troublesome people in line for people like me, it saves us the effort. You are an asset to this place, Lilly..." then he briefly smiled again, "By the way, I know far more about the Jigsaw than you realise – I didn't know it was you, but I'd heard the killer is actually more than one person but masterminded by a woman. I know this because when Jim Gordon takes his promotion, Detective Johnny Velaska is taking his place. He's my second oldest son – my very own reliable information source in the GCPD."
Surprise registered in Lilly's eyes. Then as she felt a wave of weakness sweep over her, she swayed and Jeremiah put a hand on her arm to steady her.
"Are you alright, Lilly?"
"Yes, I'm just not feeling too good today... must be something I ate... Your son is taking over form Jim? He's the one Jim told me about?"
"Yes, he is. I'm immensely proud of him. Everyone thinks he's a brilliant and dedicated cop who despises his criminal family. It couldn't be further from the truth. He's exactly where I want him to be, for information. And he's very reliable. He also loves killing those who he feels deserve to die. He has the Jigsaw mind set and he looks a lot like my dear late twin brother Jerome. He's my favourite son, if you want me to be completely honest."
Lilly still felt slightly dizzy.
"I look forward to meeting him."
Jeremiah paused again then he changed the subject.
"I'm well aware of the pain Melanie has caused. Your poor brother Ozzie isn't cut out for mixing with the likes of her, let alone taking part in underworld dealings. To fake his own death over a threat as weak as hers, oh god, I really felt bad for that young man. Penguin has always said his son isn't too bright. Ozzie must have been terrified. That's why I brought her with me today. She's nothing to do with me, she's just someone who I financed while I dated her mother many years ago. All she's done since she grew up is use and abuse my name to get what she wants. Messing with a Cobblepot was the last straw for me, as well as for you... I'm going to have her brought over here, and I'd like you to tell her exactly what you think of her. Be assured, she will never trouble your family again."
Then he turned back to the car and ordered one of his men to bring her over. An armed guard dragged her from the car, she gave him a look of anger and then reluctantly allowed him to lead her over to join them. The guard stood back, as Lilly took in the sight of Melanie, whose face was flushed. Anger burned in her eyes and her mascara had run from crying. Her tight fitting clothing hugged her curves and her long, fair wavy hair fell to her shoulders. She wore huge hoop ear rings and cheap shoes and all Lilly could think was, This is the woman who caused so much shit? She stunk of stale booze. There was nothing remarkable about her and she was no great beauty, either.
Then she remembered all the pain she had caused and what she had driven Ozzie to go through, and Lilly's eyes burned like blue fire as she pushed her to her knees and glared down at her.
"You're Melanie?"
Melanie looked up Jeremiah.
"Who the fuck is this? You said I had to apologise to the Jigsaw! Who's the creepy goth chick?"
Lilly leaned closer.
"I am the Gotham Jigsaw, you dumb ass!"
A look of alarm came to the woman's face as those words sunk in, then Lilly grabbed her by the throat and she gave a strangled cry as she dragged her closer.
"Next time you decide to scare someone with your unwanted pregnancy lies, remember the Jigsaw is pretty fucking handy with a coat hanger! And I'm talking about using one to poke your eyes out! My half brother went through hell because of you... I LOVE my brother, you have no idea how much I love him! If you ever pull that shit of yours on anyone, ever again, I will devise a game so gross and bloody and hideous for you, that when they find the pieces of your corpse, the murder will be legendary, even in Gotham!"
As she let go of her, the terrified woman fell back, then sat up again as she looked at her in terror.
"Never, ever piss me off again!" Lily yelled.
"I'm sorry!" Melanie wailed, "Please, get her away from me, she's crazy!"
As she said that she had looked up at Jeremiah, who ignored her and looked to Lilly.
"Are you done, Miss Jigsaw?"
"Yes," Lilly replied, stepping back and respecting his wish not to kill her.
Then Jeremiah stepped closer behind Melanie jammed a gun against her head and pulled the trigger. As she slumped dead and bleeding out, Lilly looked down at the corpse, then to Jeremiah as surprise registered in her eyes.
"I thought you didn't want her to die?"
Jeremiah put his gun away and glanced to the nearby armed guard.
"Get rid of that body," he ordered, then he stepped over the corpse and joined Lilly.
"As I said, the woman has been a thorn in my side for years. And to cause such trouble in your family, is unforgivable. There's also the fact that she's seen the face of the Gotham Jigsaw. Like I said before, you're an asset to this city. We can't have your identity put at risk."
"I appreciate that," Lilly replied.
Then Jeremiah paused, looking at Lilly thoughtfully. She felt a little confused as he stepped closer and took hold of her hand and gently rubbed the back of it.
"Lilly, am I right that you've been feeling unwell for some time?"
"How do you know that?"
"You feel weak, even if you get enough sleep, you still feel lousy in the morning. And this sickness and unsteadiness, it came on with no warning...and you're using the bathroom a little more than usual?"
"Yes..." she said in a hushed voice.
As he patted the back of her hand, she saw another side to Jeremiah as he spoke gently to her in an almost fatherly tone.
"Lilly, I have fathered nine kids officially and there are a few more outside of my known relationships. I do know the signs. I may be wrong about this, and I don't want to worry you – I don't know your personal circumstances – but you might want to take a pregnancy test, my dear."
Lilly gave a gasp and she couldn't conceal the look of horror that had briefly flashed in her eyes.
"It's okay, I won't say a word to anyone," Jeremiah added, "But you should take that test, just to certain... Or maybe it's just something you ate. Don't drive if you feel dizzy. Do you need someone to take you home? It's really no trouble."
"No, I'm fine," she assured him as another wave of dizziness swept over her, and this time it was shock. She couldn't be...It was the first time in her life since the fire in the barn all those years before, that she actually felt grateful that she walked with a cane, because she certainly needed it at that moment to stop herself from falling.
"I'm fine, I can drive," she assured him, "And thank you for meeting with me today, Mr Valeska."
She shook his hand and forced a smile. She knew she was breaking out in a sweat. As she walked away, she focused on each step taking her closer to her car. By the time she had reached there and opened the door and got in, she was a shaking mess. She sat there as in the distance, she saw Jeremiah get into the limo and then it was driven away. Lilly took slow breaths and calmed herself, then she turned the key in the ignition and drove off, deciding before she went home, she would have to pick up a pregnancy test. She needed that result to be negative, it had to be negative...
Ivy had just dropped the kids off at school. As she drove back home, her thoughts were on the future. The family were starting to adjust to losing Rose now. That great big void was turning into a slowly healing wound as they came closer together and love covered it over and eased the pain.
Ivy was thinking about what Pengie had said to her about getting closer, about her moving into the house. Maybe, it didn't seem so impossible now. That mention of, did she wish they had more children together, had really made her think. She was still young enough to have one more, but she wasn't sure if he had been seriously thinking about that, or about her moving into the house...
It could be done, Eddie was getting older now and Lilly and Ivan still lived at home, she could keep everything the way it was and spend more time over at the mansion and still tend to her plants in the greenhouse. That thought of the possibility of another baby penguin had really made her think. He didn't know how much she ached, ever since Lilly had been born, her arms had ached, her heart had ached, to have another baby by the man she loved. But then she and Ed had solidified his tie to the family in blood by having a son together and after that, life had moved on and time had gone fast... But it wasn't too late. She swore at that moment she felt an ache in her womb as it longed to carry another baby by the one man she would love forever.
"Don't think about it too much Ivy, it's not going to happen," she said aloud as she drove through the gateway and headed down the drive, then around the back of the house towards her end of the estate.
Rose had not long been buried. It would take time to get over that, precious time and pretty soon, it would be too late. She only had a few more years to think about going through another pregnancy. Ivy put those thoughts out of her mind as she parked the car, then she got out and went into the greenhouse, where she sat down and talked to her plants.
These days, she didn't feel like losing herself in a bottle any more. She hoped it would stay that way, as she got on with her morning and knew somewhere at the back of her mind, some sunlight had been let in, and it was all down to what Pengie had said to her. She didn't want to let her hopes rise too far, but she revisited those possibilities as she spent time in the greenhouse, and the thought of those possibilities – even though remote – kept a smile on her face.
After their passionate night, Oswald had slept in late and Ed had made him tea and breakfast and brought it upstairs, set it next to the bed and woken him with a kiss. One look in his eyes told him that spark was back to stay between them. It was all he needed to see to know they would be okay – they had found their closeness once more, grief had not kept them apart as lovers for long. After breakfast, Oswald had sat in bed next to Ed as he drank his tea, and they had discussed the matter of Fish and her phone calls.
"Do you want to see her again?" Ed asked.
"No," Oswald replied honestly, "She saw me coming back into her life as a chance to try and grab some of my oil business. She hasn't changed. And while I enjoyed what she did to me, I realise doing it behind your back – and without telling Rose – was cheating and I'd never do that to either of you, not deliberately."
"Ozzie was missing at the time. Your head was in a mess. It's forgotten," Ed promised.
Oswald drank his tea and set the cup down, then rested his head on Ed's shoulder.
"I don't want to throw her out of that place. She had nothing when I found her again. I know she's Fish, but we go back a long way and I can't help feeling a small amount of sympathy for her."
"Even though she's still calling you and trying to get between us?"
Oswald raised his head and met his gaze.
"I'm just too sentimental for my own good these days."
Ed paused for thought, and then he laughed.
"I have the perfect solution!" he said, and then as he outlined his plan, Oswald started to smile. Ed's plan really was absolutely perfect. He could just picture the look on her face when Fish found out what he was about to do...
As soon as she had arrived home, Lilly had gone upstairs, locked the bathroom door and taken the test. She had walked away from it as she paced the floor, not daring to look even though she knew the result would have come through quickly. She felt faint and slightly sick again but now she put it down to nerves. It seemed ironic that one minute she had felt invincible and the next, as if the sky was about to fall in.
"I'm not," she whispered, "I can't be... I'm worrying for nothing..."
Then she took a deep breath and went over to the test and picked it up. The result said Pregnant. Lilly took in a sharp breath and started to shake as she put the test in her pocket and then leaned against the bathroom door, needing to feel something solid against her body because she felt as if the whole world had just collapsed around her. She put a hand to her mouth to stifle her sobs as tears streaked her face...
It wasn't Ivan's baby. They were always careful. One minute she had been the Gotham Jigsaw, with plans to become even more powerful and unstoppable, and now she was just Lilly, a young woman who had made the mistake so many had made before her – she had got carried away in the heat of the moment and not given a second thought to the risks that went along with unprotected sex. It had just been the once, in her over confident mind she had guessed there would be no harm in that.
How wrong she had been.
The baby was Ozzie's. It had happened on the day they fired the kidnapper's house. She was carrying his child, and if the blood tie wasn't bad enough, he carried the gene that handed down the Cobblepot Curse. He was the only one who still carried it. This baby would be born sick...
Her hand slid down to her belly as she gave another sob and suddenly it wasn't about how much trouble she had caused or how angry her father would be or how enraged the rest of the family would be, it wasn't even about how devastated Ivan would feel when the truth came out. It was about this baby, this child she immediately knew she could not bear to abort. The next realisation was another shock:
She did have maternal feelings, this was her child, and she was keeping this baby, no matter what happened...
It had been a good start to the day for Oswald, spending so much time in Ed's arms with no worries to cloud his life. As he got up late and went downstairs with a smile on his face, Ed was already in the car, and driving away. He was heading off to the coast to see Fish. He certainly had a surprise for her... Oswald watched the car leave then he turned away from the window. A text alert sounded on his cell phone and he took it from his pocket... Lilly?
He opened up the message:
Please Dad, forgive me, I'm sorry. Something bad has happened. Don't tell anyone else, just meet me at the barn, no I mean Karina's playhouse. Just be there, I'm waiting. Please hurry, I'm scared. Only you, no one else - I need my Dad.
Oswald stared at the message for a moment, wondering how Lilly could ever be scared of anything. She was Lilly, she was the Gotham Jigsaw, what could possibly frighten her? He thought his daughter was invincible...
Oswald left the house and started to make his way down the path that led to the place where the old barn used to stand. The thought had crossed his mind that for her to call it the barn, when that place had been such a source of trauma to her because of the fire, did not bode well... Something had scared her half to death...
The playhouse was big enough to be a residential home. It had cost Ivy thousands to have built, but it had heating and electricity and there was no temptation for candles and matches. Not that Karina would ever do a thing like that, she used it as a house to play in with her friends, she covered the walls with bright and colourful art, too – no pencil sketches were pinned to the walls these days, like they had been when Lilly had been younger, no designs that would one day become killing devices. Karina's play space was a happy one.
But not today. Karina was at school. As he opened the door and went inside, he saw Lilly sitting on a couch and her face was streaked with tears. She looked up at him and sobbed, then she got up and as he met her in the middle of the room, he saw a look in her eyes that he never wanted to see again. Lilly was terrified. That young woman who had once had so much ice in her veins and power to do as she pleased was reduced to a shaking, weeping wreck. Until now, he would have thought it impossible. His next thought was why, and who was responsible.
"What's happened?" he demanded.
Lilly looked into his eyes.
"It's really bad..."
"You're my daughter, I can assure you nothing can be that bad, Lilly! Now tell me what's happened. I'm concerned!"
She looked down at the floor.
"It was just this one time... I thought it would be okay, I thought because I could get away with murder I could get away with anything!" she sniffed and gave another sob as she tried to breathe so she could explain, as her words came out in a near hysterical mess, "We... we haven't been together since then... not like that... no one knows. I was most scared of telling you because I don't want you to stop loving me, Dad! But you're the one I need the most, I'm scared... It's my fault... I'm the one who started it. I couldn't stop myself..."
"Lilly, just tell me what's wrong!" he said, getting a creeping, horrible feeling that something very bad was about to be explained. It couldn't be what he was dreading, not that... but the pieces were coming together already. He needed to hear her say it to be sure it wasn't just his own worst fears coming to the surface.
Lilly briefly closed her eyes, then she reached into her pocket.
"Please don't tell my Mom... don't tell anyone yet..."
She drew out the pregnancy test. He couldn't see what the result said because her pale hand was shaking so violently. He took the test from her and read the result. He looked at it for a moment, then put it on the table and looked into his daughter's eyes.
"This had better be Ivan's baby, I'm assuming he doesn't want children yet and you're scared to tell him?" his voice had trembled as he asked that question, clutching on to one last faint hope that he was wrong.
Then he saw the look in her eyes. Then she shook her head and gave another sob.
"Daddy, I'm sorry... it's Ozzie's baby... he doesn't even know yet!"
Oswald glared at her as she stood there, braced for his wrath. Then as he thought about Ozzie and Lilly and that unborn child that clearly, she intended to keep, who would be born with the same pain he had once endured, his rage disappeared. It wasn't the reaction Lilly had been expecting, as the man the underworld knew as Penguin, whose murderous rage was legend in the city of Gotham, simply felt all trace of anger fade out as he looked at his daughter. Then he pulled her into his arms and held her as she wept, and he cried with her.
When Lilly's tears had stopped flowing, Oswald let go of her, then led her over to the seating area by the window and they sat down together. Lilly said nothing, she just looked down at the floor.
"You do know this child will be born very sick, there's no doubt about it, you know that, don't you, Lilly?"
She nodded.
"And you know it could have other problems because of your blood link to Ozzie?"
She nodded again.
"And you don't want to abort this baby?"
She raised her head and met his gaze.
"I never thought I'd say this, Dad – but it's different now I'm pregnant. I want this baby, it's mine..."
She she gave a small sob and wiped her eyes.
"I can't even say this unfair – we took a chance, we took a risk. I had all my life planned out and now that's gone. I can't be the Jigsaw and have this baby, but I love Ozzie and I'd protect this child with my life! I never knew I'd feel that way. I was the Jigsaw, I was invincible!"
A look of panic came to her eyes.
"No one is invincible, Lilly," Oswald replied, "And when we are young and have a chance to take some power it does feel like you could own the world. I made mistakes, I ended up in jail, I've been in Arkham... But this is very different to my mistakes."
"Do you hate me and Ozzie?" she said quietly.
Oswald gave a heavy sigh. He was holding on to those words Rose had said the day before she died and he knew the answer in a heartbeat.
"I could never hate either of you. And I think you've both been punished enough. This baby probably won't survive. You will both have to go through losing this child. I can't add anything else on top of that to make this situation worse. You and Ozzie will have a lot of pain and regret over this – for the rest of your lives."
"I wanted to tell Ivan the baby is his," Lilly said quietly, "But I know that wouldn't work and it wouldn't be fair on anyone."
"You're right about that," he replied, "And he knows you don't carry the gene. He certainly doesn't carry it either – he's not related to us. It wouldn't take him long to work out the truth."
"I want you to keep me safe," she whispered as a tear ran down her face.
Oswald put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder and cried some more.
"I can't protect you from this, you and Ozzie will have to face up to the consequences... But I'm here for you, Lilly. I'm here for Ozzie, too. This isn't something for anyone to get furious about, there's no point. It's a tragedy and we must stay strong and deal with it together."
Then as she sobbed like a frightened child, he kept his arm around her as he fell silent, deciding exactly how to deal with the situation. The family needed to be told – not the younger kids, but everyone else had to know the truth, they needed to unite over this, not react with rage. It was bad enough two lives had been wrecked, but that baby was innocent and didn't deserve the life of pain it would be born into, and the more he thought about that child the more he wanted to protect it because they shared the same terrible family curse, and that was something he wished on one one, because it was terrible...
Ed was unaware of what had unfolded back home. He parked his car outside the house that overlooked the sea and got out with documents in his hand and went up to the front door and knocked. His smile had a sneaky hint of Riddler about it as he deliberately mimicked the the kind of tap tap Oswald made on the door with his cane, that horny Penguin knock... Oh boy, was Fish in for a big surprise...
She opened the door after a brief pause. She was wearing a flowing silk gown and the smile on her face soon vanished when she saw Ed was alone.
"No Oswald? I was hoping he might have decided to come and visit... I miss him."
"I bet you do!" Ed said with a smile, "I need to come in, Oswald asked me to bring these papers over – it's just to update the lease on this place. It needs a couple of signatures, it won't take five minutes."
She stepped back and invited him in.
"How is Oswald?" she asked as she led him through to the front room.
"He's okay, he's getting over the worst of the shock now. We all are. These things take time."
"Be sure to tell him he's welcome to come over – just to talk, if he needs me."
"Sign these, Fish – and please hurry up, I have places to go, I've got a thousand things to do today."
He handed her a pen and she looked down at the documents he had placed folded on the table, One glance told her it was a new version of the lease, and she signed quickly, hoping if she was polite enough Ed might mention to Oswald that Fish had invited him over.
"Thank you so much!" Ed said brightly as he snatched up the papers, then he looked at her and laughed.
"Am I missing something, Ed?" she said darkly as she felt her anger start to rise.
He smiled brightly.
"Yes, you most certainly are! Me and Oswald do everything together. Including the ownership of this house. That's about to change – it's being transferred to me. I'm your new landlord!"
She stared at him in disbelief.
Ed's smile faded as his eyes grew cold and a hint of Riddler emerged.
"This is how it works from now on – you will not call my husband. You will never try and entice him over here again for your sadistic amusement. I was furious about your little game and so was Rose. If you ever try and contact him again, I will have you evicted. Have I made myself clear?"
Fish glared at him.
"Yes you have, Mr Nygma!"
"That's wonderful. And I'll just add, that time I enjoyed watching you and Oswald – it was all about my Oswald. Not you. I don't even like you, Fish. The man I love walks with a limp because of you. I'm only allowing you to stay here because he's kind enough to want to help you out because you had nothing. Don't ever think for one minute you could get me into bed and use sex to get yourself a piece of the oil company... I don't want your whips and chains, I don't want your fingers up my ass, I don't want your dirty phone calls and I definitely don't want your dominance. You don't turn me on – Oswald is the only one who gets me hard! Now my point has been made, I'll spend no more time gloating over this victory. I shall now be on my way. Goodbye, Fish!"
He walked out of the house leaving the front door wide open. Fish glared after him, then looked down in anger at the freshly signed papers. Now Ed was in charge, she had no chance of using Oswald to get into his oil company. Her scheming could go no further. She knew when she was beaten, and Ed had the upper hand now.
Ed drove away with a smile on his face. At last, the Fish Mooney problem was solved. He felt on top of the world as he headed home - he had no idea what devastating news awaited on his return...