After breakfast, Linda thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk. I live only a few blocks from the park, so I agreed. After I grab my keys and Linda grabs her things, we take off down the sidewalk and towards the park.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" I ask. Linda shifts her bag and pushes her glasses up her nose.
"I need a favor from you."
"And what would that favor be?"
"Well, you're friends with Captain Margaret Sawyer aren't you?"
"Maggie? Yeah, why? Do you want me to set you two up?" I wink at her.
Linda's nose scrunches. "Hardy-har-har. No, I need you to see if she'll meet with me. I want to talk with her about this Intergang investigation. I've been trying to get in contact with her ever since the witness went into protective custody but she refuses to see me. And every time she does see me, she avoids me."
"I thought you're from Metropolis? How do you know Maggie?"
"I don't know her per se, but I have had a few run-ins with her. Besides, don't you know? Captain Sawyer used to live in Metropolis."
I adjust the knit cap on my head. "Right. That still doesn't explain how you know her."
Linda sighs and scratches at the crown of her head. "Okay, fair enough. I know Maggie because my first story was an arson case. Maggie was part of the SCU and she thought Intergang had something to do with it. We ended up running into each other on one of the previously burned buildings and we sort of hit it off. Anyway, together we solved the case. It wasn't Intergang but a fireman. You see, Metropolis had cut the local fire companies' funding to put into the SCU. So this fireman took it upon himself to start a few fires. The most recent one killed an SCU officer. You know, Maggie used to always make time for me or any reporter but this case must be extremely important for her to refuse to see even me."
"It is. Even I haven't been able to see her let alone talk to her because of it."
"That's too bad. But schedule aside, can you at least ask her out to lunch? She won't say no to you."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because I know her, she has a thing for blondes and red-heads."
"She must have really liked Supergirl then."
"Oh, you have no idea." I'm not sure what Linda means by that and I don't want to ask her either. We've just entered the park when Linda stops and looks at me. "Katherine can you do this for me, please?" There she goes, using my full name again.
"I'll see what I can do." Linda smiles at me then fixes her glasses, which for the umpteenth time since I've met her, have slipped down to the end of her nose.
"Thanks." Gotham Central Park is basically empty this early in the morning. It's beautiful in the park and the way the sun shines through the trees is magnificent. "I've always liked the parks in Gotham. Metropolis only has three, but if my memory serves me right Gotham has seven?"
"Have you been to all of them?"
"Most of 'em. Barb and I would go on these long walks together. We even took a stroll through Amity Park in Suicide Slums."
"You and Barb are really close, aren't you?"
"Barbara Gordon is my best friend. She has always been there for me when I needed her. I just wish I could say the same about myself."
"I don't understand." Linda takes a breath.
"I know Barb always says great things about me, but I don't feel worthy of the praise. When Barbara was shot by the Joker, I was off doing my own thing. I didn't even know about her being paralyzed until after she finished her therapy. What kind of friend isn't there when they're needed?" Linda's shoulders have slumped down more than normal and her blue eyes are on the verge of tears.
I do something I don't expect; I grab Linda and pull her into me. She's stiff in my arms at first then slowly relaxes and wraps her arms around me too. Her head rests on my shoulder, which causes her to bend down more. I'm not a small person but in Linda's arms I feel tiny. We stay like that for a while, letting the world move on as we stand still.
XXX
I started patrol an hour ago and I've been bored out of my mind for the same amount of time. Gotham is as quiet as a dead person.
"Maybe we should let Killer Croc out of Arkham. That way we can at least busy ourselves for a while." Stephanie smacks Damian in the back of the head for his comment. He gives her the evil eye then motions for us to move. I don't like working with Damian. He's irritating at best. Stephanie is okay to work with from time to time but I prefer her more as Stephanie than Batgirl.
In a spur of the moment, I take off down the roof and jump, leaving Batgirl and Robin alone. Barbara must have picked it up on her monitors because she buzzes in on my intercom and asks where I'm going. I tell her that since it's so quiet there's no use for me to stay with Stephanie and Damian. She doesn't contest. It takes me half an hour to get to uptown Gotham City. This is where all the rich live and dine. I'm surprised Linda lives in such an area. Yes, I'm on my way to check on Linda at her apartment as Batwoman. The day after Batwoman had the encounter with Linda, I checked out where she was staying in Gotham. The fact she's living in such a ritzy place makes me suspicious.
Lucky for me, her apartment is in one of the tallest apartment complexes in Gotham. No one is going to spot me as I land on her balcony. And I land on it without a sound. The balcony's doors are a tad open. This makes it easier for me to listen in on her. It's not lost on my how unethical my actions are as I peek in and see her apartment is huge and everything in it is gorgeous. There is no way she can afford this on a reporter's salary.
"I don't see what the problem is, Clark." I duck behind the wall as Linda comes around a corner. "Yes, I know what you said but that doesn't mean I understand." I can see Linda roll her eyes through the semi-translucent curtains that hang on the balcony doors. "Fine, fine, I'll behave." She puts her left hand on her hip and rolls her eyes again. A few times I see her nod as she listens to this Clark. I'm sure Clark has finished speaking because Linda smiles and leans on the wall. "I love you too, cuz. Good night." Linda closes her cellphone and tosses it on the couch. She heads for the kitchen and I lose sight of her. I hear the fridge open when her phone goes off again. Linda comes back into view and grabs the phone.
"Hi Lucy." Linda's face breaks out in a huge smile as she sits on the couch. "It's good to hear from you, too. Sorry about yesterday and this morning, I was busy with an emergency. A friend of Barb's and a recent acquaintance of mine had an accident."
Acquaintance? I'm an acquaintance?
"No, she's okay now. Just a bump on the head is all… Yeah, she tried to help me with something but my weight pulled her down and she banged her head on a desk. She was out half the day yesterday… I don't think that'll be a good idea. She doesn't know I told anyone else but Barb." Linda unbuttons her white blouse as she listens to Lucy. "Good to know," she says as she pulls off the shirt, leaving nothing but a black camisole covering her bra. "I see." Linda reaches down to pull of her shoes off when she shoots out of her seat. "What? There is no way that's true… Well, we'll see about that… Yeah, you darn right you should have a talk with him. There's no way I would stay with a guy after he did that to me." Linda calms down and smiles. "Okay, good night, Luce." She sits again and takes her shoes off. "I know, I know. I love you too Lucy."
Whoa, love? Who exactly is this Lucy?
Linda hangs up and reaches down to take her socks off. I watch her prop her feet on her coffee table and wiggle her toes. It's kind of cute. She leans her head back and does some deliberate breathing when her phone goes off again.
"Ugh, really? Can't a girl relax around here?" She flips open the phone. "What?" She doesn't sound happy. "Oh, Bruce, hi."
Bruce? She can't mean Bruce Wayne?
"I'm fine. How are you? You must be tired after that trip." Linda laughs a few seconds later. Her body language changes from laid back to more flirtatious. "Yeah, Clark called about an hour ago. I had a very nice and long conversation with him… Yep, that's Clark alright."
Linda moves to lie on her couch. "What kind of guy are you? Hmm, well I don't rightly know. You're a hard guy to peg down, Mr. Wayne."
It is my cousin she's speaking to. How does Linda know Bruce and on a friendly basis?
"Is that why you like me so much, I make things interesting?"
Bruce likes Linda? This is news to me. Not once did Bruce ever mention being interested in someone romantically. Then again, he's always Batman when I'm around so relationships are never going to be a topic of discussion. As I think about this I realize I haven't been paying attention to Linda's conversation with Bruce.
"See you soon Bruce. Be careful-oh, and tell Diana I said hi." Linda listens to what Bruce says then bursts out in laughter. "Well, how would you feel if a woman like Diana kept walking around the hotel naked—wait, never-mind don't answer that."
Diana? Now who's this woman? And what kind of a relationship does she have with Linda that she can walk around naked? I stop myself on that train of thought. I sound like a teenager right now.
Linda says good night to Bruce and is about to hang up when she freezes in place. Soon after, her frozen features melt into a warm smile. "I miss you too, Bruce." I've seen all I need to see and move to the ledge
"Did you enjoy the show?" I stop and slowly turn. Linda has her arms crossed and is leaning on a door.
"How long did you know I was here?"
"After I hung up on my cousin Clark."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Linda shrugs. "Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay. You disappeared after I last saw you and I didn't know what happened." Linda keeps standing there and doesn't say a word. "And you're not going to tell what happened, are you?"
She quirks an eyebrow. "Not really."
"I see. I guess I'll be off then." I pull out my grappling gun and aim for the building across the street.
"I hope to see you again, Batwoman. We have a lot to talk about, you and I." I shoot off the grappling hook.
"We'll see, Miss Danvers." I jump off the ledge and don't look back.