A/N-Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chapter. Okay, so here's chapter 4!!
Chapter 4- Insanity
"What? What do you mean?" Batman asked, taken aback.
Jo hung her head. "I've known, actually, for a while now," she said.
"How long?"
"Ever since Mom died. I found her diary. She also told me in the note she left me before she died," Jo said.
Batman narrowed his eyes. Then, with a sympathetic tone, he asked, "Did your mother…did she…?"
"Commit suicide?" Jo finished for him.
Batman nodded. She shook her head.
"No. She was murdered. I don't know who did it, but she knew that someone was after her. That's why she left me the note explaining everything."
"And what was 'everything' exactly?"
"First, she explained that she had deliberately lied in her diary. She had always feared that someone would find it and get her into some kind of trouble."
"What did she lie about?"
"That the identity of my father was unknown at first. She had always known. I mean, if you're going to get busy with the Joker, odds are you're going to know who he is. It's kind of obvious."
Batman seemed to flinch at the euphemism she had used, probably--Jo guessed--because it was a young girl that had used it. However, she made no apology and continued on.
"Next, she explained that she had always wanted to tell me, in one form or another. She said, in this letter, that while she had been pregnant with me she had gone over different methods in her head to tell me when I was old enough to understand. However, she could only think of one. My name."
"I don't understand," Batman said.
"My name is Joanna Ker. She didn't give me a middle name. She, like my friends and other family members, have always called me Jo for short. Jo Ker."
"Joker," Batman said.
"You catch on quick," Jo said sarcastically.
Batman scowled. "What was the final thing she told you in the letter?"
"That was it. Except that she didn't want me to associate with my father, nor was I to go looking for him. He was too dangerous, she said. A bit hypocritical, I thought, but it was a very good point."
"Indeed," Batman said, standing.
He turned, as if to walk away from her, but Jo stopped him.
"Batman?" she said meekly.
"Yes?" he asked, without turning.
"What does he plan to…do to me? My father?"
Batman turned. His eyes, though not visible, dimmed, Jo knew.
"I don't know, Joanna. I just don't know."
…………………
"She about this tall, with short dark hair and green eyes. She's really pale because she always at that damned computer or playing the piano," Catherine Massa told the detective standing before her in between sobs.
"Any idea why she would've run away?" the detective asked.
"She didn't run away!" Miss Massa yelled. "She was happy! She came home singing yesterday, for the love of God!"
"But she might of, Miss Massa, you have to accept that," the detective pressed on.
"She didn't! She wouldn't have done that! Not my Jo!"
"But Ma'am--"
"That's enough, Bullock," Commissioner Gordon said, coming up behind his detective.
Bullock, disgruntled as he always was, stood. Gordon tipped his hat in the direction of the sobbing woman.
"We've taken up enough of your time, Miss Massa. We'll be off, and we'll do everything in our power to find Joanna," he said as he ushered Bullock out of the house.
Outside, he turned to Bullock. "Don't worry about the girl, Bullock. She's fine, and she has to stay lost."
"What?! Commish, what are you talking about?" Bullock asked, outraged.
"Batman has her and for very good reasons. He's just recently informed me. She'll stay with him until such time that she can safely return home."
"Safely? How is this girl in any danger? You heard her aunt, top of class, president of several clubs…who's after her, the kid who wanted to be president of the chess club?"
"No, someone much worse."
"Who?"
"I can't say. But don't you worry. She'll be safe."
"With the Bat? Let's hope."
Gordon gave Bullock a scathing look, then got into his car and drove off.
End Notes: I hope every one likes this chapter. Please R & R! Thanks!