Credit to my French teacher for making up the French riddle in this chapter.

Ever since the news had aired his answer to the Riddler's threat, Bruce had been waiting for the villain's next move. It came Friday afternoon, when Bruce called Commissioner Gordon on a burner phone.

"I was hoping to get a hold of you," Gordon said. "There was a robbery at a convenience store just hours ago. Security camera caught the Riddler, or someone in the same sort of suit and mask."

"Was anyone hurt?" Bruce asked in Batman's voice.

"No. He did use a young girl as a hostage, but once he was away from the place, he let her go. She wasn't harmed."

"Any new riddles?"

"Yes. Well, at least we think it's a riddle, but there was also a message he painted on the wall of the store. It said, 'Come out, Bat, don your paint, Gotham knows that you're no saint.' The witnesses said he said something in French, which we assume was a riddle. Nobody there spoke French, but we've got a sound bite. Hang on; I'll play it for you."

In a moment, Bruce heard the Riddler's voice.

"Quelle est la difference entre la tour Eiffel et une chemise?"

"What is the difference between the Eiffel tower and a shirt," Bruce translated.

"The Eiffel tower and a shirt?" Gordon repeated. "I would think the similarities would be more unusual than the differences. But I guess that's just the type of riddle it is. Any ideas?"

"Not yet. I'd like a photo of the message on the wall and a copy of the sound bite. I'll pick them up at your office tonight."

"OK. There was one more."

"That's unusual."

"Yeah, I thought it seemed kind of much. He told them, 'If that's too much for you, then try this on for size: What do you get when you cross a cow and a goat?'"

"That... sounds too simple."

"I know; I can't think of anything that seems clever or funny."

"Give it some time."

"Yeah. Oh, and we've determined that his suit had to have been custom-made. There are several places around here that could have made it, and hundreds across the country. It's a long shot, but we're investigating the local businesses anyway."

"Good." Bruce hung up and muttered to himself, "A cow and a goat?"

"I like school, but I'm glad it's the weekend," Dick told Harriet on the way home. "I think I can get most of my homework done tonight and then relax tomorrow."

"Good. We should do something fun. Do you want to spend time with your new friends?" she asked.

"Uh... I don't really know anyone that well yet. There's this guy named George that seems pretty cool. He and I are... we want to try out for sports together."

"That sounds like fun."

"Bruce said it would be OK. I thought maybe if I had practice at a time when he needed Alfred for something, then maybe you could take me."

"I'd be glad to. I wouldn't mind watching you practice, either."

"I don't know about that... it might make me nervous. Anyway, this one tryout needs eight people to qualify, and we're still finding people for it... George got one other guy to sign up today and I found one that said he would if we had the other seven people, but that's still four we have to find."

"I'm sure you'll manage. You're the most charismatic young man I know."

"I think you're a little biased, Aunt Harriet."

Harriet chuckled. "Well, you should probably call Bruce before you start your homework so you won't forget."

"Yeah, I will." Dick sort of dreaded calling Bruce, but at the same time he knew he would feel like something was missing if he didn't. It was starting to become routine.

Bruce came to the phone sooner this time around.

"How are things at the Manor?" Dick asked.

"Fine. If we're lucky the northwest corner will be ready for use before the year is out..."

Dick found himself smiling.

"How's school?"

"Good."

"Think you'll be ready for a full week next time?"

"Yeah. The teachers all seem pretty good. Some of the other kids are scared of Mr. Rayner, my English teacher, but I think he's cool."

"Try out for any sports today?"

"Not yet. I don't think I'm cut out for basketball. I might try soccer next week. Did you play sports in school?"

"Not really. I did a little of all the expected stuff, but none of it really took. Although, when I was a kid I was junior marble champion of Gotham City."

"Marbles? I didn't know people still played that..."

"I think Gotham still does have a championship, but it's hard to find people who like to play a casual game."

"Huh. Well... I should probably start my homework—"

"Before you hang up, could you put your aunt on?"

"Oh, um... OK. Or I could just tell her... whatever you wanted to—"

"It's not the sort of thing you just pass on to somebody. Please ask her to come to the phone."

It was the first time Bruce had given him something like an order, and Dick wasn't sure how to react. He wasn't very rebellious by nature, but it rubbed him the wrong way. "Fine," he muttered, and set the phone down.

Harriet was in the kitchen fixing Dick's after-school snack. Dick leaned on the door frame. "Aunt Harriet? Bruce wants to talk to you."

"Oh, all right. Thank you. You can take that up to your room if you want to study there."

"Sure; thanks."

Dick picked up the tray and walked across the dining room to the living room, but he paused just out of sight. He could hear his aunt speaking to Bruce. He didn't like eavesdropping, and he felt guilty, but he couldn't make himself leave.

"Just fine, thank you. All right. Oh, that sounds lovely. Perfectly fine. Wonderful; I look forward to it. Goodbye."

Dick walked quickly and quietly across the living room to the stairwell. It was obvious from what he'd heard that Bruce had offered Harriet some sort of pleasantry—something about the next time they would meet, he guessed. It sounded like an invitation of some sort. It was no doubt a nice, polite thing on Bruce's part, but for some reason Dick didn't like it. Harriet's house was almost like home, and Wayne Manor was more like boarding school. The two environments weren't supposed to mix.

After he'd gotten a couple of homework assignments done, Dick's phone went off. It had been so long since anyone called him, he had almost forgotten what it sounded like. He scrambled to find his phone in his desk.

"Hello?"

"Dick?" said a female voice.

"Speaking."

"Hey, it's Barb."

"Hi."

"Is now a good time to talk?"

"Sure." Dick closed his door softly and went to lie back on his bed.

"Sorry I can't talk to you much at school."

"It's OK, but you shouldn't let Jim push you around."

"He doesn't, really. To be honest... well, don't tell him I said this, but I think he's just insecure. Like he's afraid I'll dump him at a moment's notice. It makes him nervous when I make friends with another guy, that's all. He's not really a bad guy. I think he'll grow out of it."

"We can hope, I guess." Or you could just tell him to grow up and save a little time... Dick thought to himself.

"So, how are things going for you? Do you like your classes?"

"Yeah, I like them fine. It's really different from my old school, but it's not bad."

"Good."

There was a little pause and Dick felt like he should say something, but he couldn't think of anything before Barb spoke again.

"So, you're staying with your aunt?"

"Yeah."

"But isn't Bruce Wayne your guardian?"

"Sort of... I stayed with him for a while. I'm supposed to go back to his place after school Wednesday, but I don't know... maybe I should ask if I can just stay here."

"How come?"

"Well, my aunt is family; I've known her all my life. But Bruce... I don't really know him at all."

"What's he like?"

"I wish I knew. It seems like he's never around. When I was over there he was always off at company meetings or going to town to have dinner with someone-or-other. I don't know why he agreed to take me in. It seems like he... doesn't really care one way or the other about me."

"Maybe he just doesn't know how to be a guardian. He doesn't have kids of his own, right? And his parents died when he was a kid, so... he probably doesn't have much to go on."

"I guess."

"Sucks for you, of course... maybe if you just try to talk to him enough, eventually he'll come out of his shell."

"Maybe, but I'm not sure I really want him to."

"You can't really know him if you can't talk to him. It's not really my business, but I think if I were you I'd give him some time."

"I appreciate the advice. Mind if I give you a little?"

"Turnabout is fair play."

"I think if you really like Jim, you should tell him he has nothing to worry about so he can quit getting jealous. And if you don't, you should tell him that too, and stop wasting both your time."

There was a silence. Dick swallowed nervously.

"I'm sorry if that sounded rude..." he started.

"No, it's OK. I know things seem a lot simpler when it's someone else's problem you're trying to solve, but... I'll think about what you said."

"I'll think about what you said, too."

"OK. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"Probably something with my aunt. You?"

"I don't know yet. Mind if I call you again?"

"Sure. If I can't answer at the time, I'll call you back."

"All right. Anyway, I'll see you Monday."

"Yup. Goodbye, Barb."

At dinner, Harriet satisfied Dick's curiosity about Bruce's call.

"Bruce has invited us to meet him in town for lunch tomorrow. Isn't that nice?"

"Oh... yeah. Great."

"He must miss you."

It was all Dick could do to keep from laughing. "Uh... I think he's just being polite. He needs to get to know you if I'm going to be seeing much of you."

"We ought to think the best of people and give them the benefit of the doubt—don't you think so?"

"Yeah, I guess. Sorry, Aunt Harriet."

"He's taking us to eat at the Hightower Hotel. We'll have to dress sharp; that place is fancy. If we're lucky, we may even catch a glimpse of the royal family."

"That'd be swell."

"Do you think you'll have your homework done by then?"

"Probably. That or tomorrow night. Then I'll have all Sunday free."

"Good. Would you like to go to church with me?"

Dick blinked. He'd forgotten that his aunt still attended church. "Sure, if you want me to."

"I know your father wasn't much of a churchgoer..."

"Mom took me now and then. And Dad wasn't against it; he just figured that if God was all-powerful, he could take care of you whether you went to church or not."

"Well, that's true, but there's something to be said for getting together with other believers. It makes us stronger."

"Just promise you won't let any of those sweet little old ladies pinch my cheeks, and I'll come quietly."

Harriet laughed. "I'll do my best to shoo them away for you, but it's not my fault you're such a cutie."

"Holy humiliation, Aunt Harriet. I'm almost sixteen."

"Almost? In six months!"

Dick sighed, but he couldn't stay annoyed. He knew this was an argument he could never win, anyway.

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