A/N: This was NOT an easy chapter to write. I hope you enjoy it. : )

I'm sorry for the late update. I've been ill recently.

Chapter Three

Later that afternoon, Helena and Dinah were in the offices of Nash, Rickey, and Cole -- attorneys-at-law and executors of the estate of Carolyn Lance.

Philip Nash -- a portly, owlish-looking man in his early fifties with a receding gray hairline, jowls, a bulbous nose, and a double chin -- sat at his heavy oak desk across from Helena and Dinah, peering through a pair of thick black-framed half-bifocals over a sheaf of legal documents.

"Birth certificate … driver's license … everything seems to be in order here," he said.

"Just out of curiosity, how much is the estate worth?" asked Dinah.

"The estate is in a blind trust," said Mr. Nash. "I'm not at liberty to reveal an exact figure."

"Without being too specific, how large is it?"

"It's … quite large."

"How large is … large?"

Mr. Nash took off his eyeglasses, took a handkerchief out of his shirt pocket, and wiped the lenses of his glasses. "I believe Ms. Lance can be safely characterized as … a wealthy woman," he said.

All of the color suddenly drained from Dinah's face. "I need to go outside," she said.

"Of course, Miss Lance," said Mr. Nash. Dinah then rose from her seat, walked towards the office door, opened it, and left the room.

********************************

Dinah stood in the hallway outside Nash's office and leaned with her back against the wall, arms folded across her chest. Her hands were tucked underneath her armpits. She stared down at the floor and wore a pensive expression on her face.

The door to Nash's office opened and Helena walked out. "Hey," she said to Dinah as she shut the door behind her.

Dinah looked up at Helena. "Hey," she said softly in reply.

Helena took a place alongside Dinah and leaned with her back against the wall. "You've been named heir to the estate of a complete and total stranger," she said. "I know how that is … believe me."

"Don' wan' her money," Dinah muttered inaudibly.

"What?"

"I don't want her money," said Dinah, only louder.

"What do you mean 'you don't want her money'?" Helena asked incredulously.

"Where was her money … when my foster parents were abusing me?" Dinah interjected bitterly, glaring at Helena. "Where was her money … when I was alone?" Dinah then turned her head away, trying to hide the tears that forming in her eyes.

"Yeah," said Helena softly. "I hear ya'." Helena paused. "Some things money can't buy."

"Arms to hold you," said Dinah mournfully. "Soft lips … to kiss you."

Helena put a hand on Dinah's shoulder. "You're not alone anymore," she said quietly. She then asked, "Sure you wanna go through with this? You look like you're in a lotta pain."

"I have to," said Dinah. "I told you … I have to know what's inside of me. I have to know what I'm carrying."

Helena nodded. "Come on," she said, gently clapping Dinah's shoulder. "Let's go back inside."

*********************************************************

"Sooo … where do we begin finding these characters?" said Helena into her comm. She and Dinah were in the Wayne suite at the Edgewater Hotel. After MUCH cajoling on Helena's part, Dinah had been persuaded to wear her comm set (Helena had brought it to Seattle with her -- on Oracle's orders).

"We might start by looking for a list of Canary's underworld contacts -- a 'little black book', if you will," said Oracle in reply over the comm.

"Where do we find this 'little black book'?"

"If the underworld knew these people were talking to the Black Canary, their lives would have been in danger," said Oracle. "It stands to reason that she would've kept it in a VERY secure location."

"There was a safety deposit box mentioned in the will," said Dinah. "We might want to check there."

"We'll do it in the morning," said Helena.

"Guys," said Dinah. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."

"Your health concerns are legitimate," said Oracle. "There is much about your metahuman abilities that we do not know. We don't even know the full extent of them." Oracle paused. "I'm hoping that this trip will provide answers for all three of us."

Poor kid, Helena thought. I can't imagine what she's going through. My God … waking up with a new superpower. Sounds like something outta ALIEN.

"One question," asked Dinah. "What did my mother … do for a living? I mean, how did she earn the money … to buy the house?"

"Canary was a bounty hunter," Oracle said flatly.

"I see…"

"What can I say? That was how she paid the light bill." Oracle paused in reflection for a moment. "She was one of the best." She paused once again. "She was very good at what she did. She brought in a lot of high-priced perps: terrorists, drug dealers, arms smugglers, megalomaniacal dictators hell-bent on world domination … you name it, she brought `em in.

"What your mother told you … was true," said Oracle solemnly. "Hers was a hard, brutal, business. She rolled the dice for every dollar that she earned." Oracle paused. "She wasn't crazy … and she wasn't stupid. At the same time, the risk was always there."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I just wanted you to appreciate what your mother had to go through to accumulate that estate," said Oracle. "I wouldn't be so quick … to throw it away."

"I can't accept it," said Dinah. "I just … can't. I can't forget her being gone … for all those years. If she thinks she can just … buy her way … back into my life, she's got another thing coming."

"I doubt that was her intention," said Oracle. "No one's ASKING you to forget. For that matter, no one's asking you to decide right now. In fact, I'd strongly advise against it."

"I'll think about it," said Dinah. "And thank you … both of you… for your time … and your patience."