Chapter 2: The Ever-Present Shadow

She met the woman herself a few weeks later. Karen Page was tall, blonde, pretty in a small town way that somehow blended effortlessly with the crisp clothing she wore.

She stopped, just inside the door, having let herself in, and stared. Before any kind of interchange was strictly necessary, Mr. Murdock appeared, and Miss Page was escorted into his office, where despite both of their low tones, the harshness of their argument leaked out.

When Miss Page had left, Mr. Murdock told his new secretary to lock the main door and come into his office.

"Have a seat, Miss Dunham," he said, slipping behind his own desk gracefully. "There are some things I need to go over with you."

She had a pad and paper ready, but she had a feeling whatever he was about to say, she'd remember without help.

"About a year and a half ago, when Foggy and I were still partners and Karen was still working here, we handled a case involving a business giant and mock-philanthropist, Wilson Fisk."

"As I recall, he had his fingers in both the drug and sex trades, along with most of the cops in this precinct. He blew up several blocks here in Hell's Kitchen and had God knows what else planned before they finally arrested him."

Murdock's chin tilted to the side.

"I've been digitizing most of your records, Mr. Murdock. I get a lot of reading in. And I'm a quick study."

He smiled. "You'll have to forgive me for underestimating you. You're so quiet, compared to Foggy or Karen, I sometimes forget you're here."

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or say 'you're welcome.'"

He chuckled. "Let's go with the latter. I haven't had a lot of peace and quiet in my life. It's nice."

She nodded to herself. "I take it something new has come up with this case?"

"They're having another hearing. For early parole."

Her eyebrows shot to the ceiling. "It's been a year and a half. Isn't that…?"

"Unbelievable, yes, but they're doing it. Karen is preparing a piece, interviewing Fisk's victims. She thinks it will help. She's asked that I pull any names from our files and send them to her."

"Shouldn't be too hard to find. I think all of that is in the computer at this point…Will you need anything as well?"

"We won't be handling this case, if that's what you're asking. The DA can handle it from here. But I will want to be there, and I expect you to be there as well."

"Of course, Mr. Murdock."

"It might also help for us to go over everything one more time, just so we're prepared."

"Yes, Mr. Murdock."

"Karen is also interviewing any of the cops on Fisk's payroll that are currently serving out their sentences. If you could pull that information as well. Everything needs to go to this email address." He slipped a card her way. A simple card, she noted. Nothing fancy; to the point. Only two different fonts. "And I would like to see a copy as well."

His jaw was tight, she noted.

"She'll have to visit them in prison for that."

"Yes." His voice had lowered.

She nodded again. "Mr. Murdock…"

"Yes, Miss Dunham?"

"What about the other man…the, uh, Daredevil?"

"What about him?"

"The evidence he turned in was largely responsible for Fisk's conviction, and it seems he had a hand in bringing in Fisk as well…Will you want anything we have on him pulled as well?"

Murdock was quiet for a long moment. "No, I don't think so. Let's just stick to the facts on this one, Miss Dunham. Daredevil is still too much of a mystery to be reliable testimony."

"Very good, Mr. Murdock. Is there anything else?"

"That'll be all, Miss Dunham. Thank you."