Dini does continue to stay overnight with them in Beachview - on Lee's insistence - every single day that her tubing comes loose, regardless of any other factor. And Edward doesn't stop her. But, he had started to notice that when the little girl comes over, she invariably seems to have some new bruise or scuff mark. These kids are really terrible at hiding their handiwork. He knows he'll catch this 'everyone' someday - he just needs to stay watchful.
Dini and Edward are in his office during an afternoon that Lee had insisted she stay over.
"Do you see this?" Edward asks her, leaning over the two pieces of parchment lined up side by side in the center of his desk. "These were signed with a quill. Notice the purple inks?"
"Yes . . ." she breathes, reaching out to touch them. Edward didn't stop her - it's not like these documents were irreplaceable. He's planning on forging many more copies of them anyway.
"Can you tell which one is the fake?"
She shakes her head.
"Can you tell which one is written on human skin?"
"No!" she squeals and pulls her hands away, grabbing them, wringing them. "Eewww…."
Just then they are interrupted by a call from Oswald. Edward turns on the screen. "And how are you doing this fine morning, Mr. Unofficial Mayor?"
"I'm not doing well, thank you," he snaps. "No thanks to you."
"I told you, Oswald. I'm having difficulty accessing -"
"Excuses!"
"Oswald, what is this about? My revenge is no longer tied to yours. It shouldn't matter to you whether or not we find Strange. That's for me - for my revenge," Edward says firmly. "All that should matter to you is Tab -"
"Edward," Oswald interrupts impatiently. "There's been reports of 'odd things' going down at Strange's new facility -"
"Wait. You found where he moved it?"
"Yes," Oswald says and puts his hand down firmly, impatiently. "But that's not important right now. Listen to me Edward. They're doing stuff with WHITE GOO. Sound familiar . . . ?"
It feels like the floor is going to drop out from underneath him. Cyrus . . . whatever's going on has to do with Cyrus. And possibly Kristen.
"Are you okay, Mr. Nygma?" Dini asks as he flops down into his office chair, his staff falling to the ground, unnoticed.
No. He's most decidedly not.
"Who's that?" Dini asks him in a whisper, even though he's unresponsive, as she points to a boy in the background behind Oswald.
"This?" Oswald asks her onscreen, pushing the boy forward. He's wearing a school uniform and a pad about his neck. His dark hair is curly and his eyes are serious. He's a bit older than her.
Oswald pushes him forward even more and he ends up filling half the screen. "This is Martin. Say hi, Martin!"
The boy waves at her, causing her to cower behind Edward, who's still flopped in his chair, not really paying attention.
"Well, that's just great," Oswald mumbles. "It looks like you scared her off, Martin. Go ask William to throw the javelin with you, okay?"
Martin nods and traipses off screen.
Dini peeks her head out a little just as Edward starts to come out of his funk just a bit.
"White goo?" he asks his friend on the screen.
"Precisely," Oswald replies. "Now, while you think that over, I'm going to continue preparing a little surprise for you."
"Surprise?" Surprises weren't always good, coming from him.
"Yes. Goodbye, Edward."
Edward signs off.
"Mr. Nygma?" Dini asks timidly, coming around his chair.
"Yes?"
"Is one of these really made of human skin?" She points at the parchment on the desk and looks frightened.
Should he lie?
Probably.
"No, sweetheart. I was just pulling your leg." He removes the document of human parchment from the desk and tucks it away. "Now, where were we?"
"Purple ink!" she says exuberantly and they dig in.
