"Lord knows where that broadcast could've been from." Barbara said while typing away on her computer. "It bounced around so fast I couldn't keep one long enough to actually track it down." Within the confides of Barbara's clock tower apartment, rented, and paid for by Bruce Wayne, the room was illuminated by three gigantic computer screens.
Bruce, who stood behind her with his cowl off, was beginning to grow frustrated. "He's openly targeting her." He crossed his arms in even further thought. "I don't understand the obsession with this woman."
"I would've thought you did." Barbara mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing."
An annoyed hum left his lips before turning back to the screen. "I'm going out, keep tabs on the Detective before anything happens to her."
"Roger."
On the verge of a coma, Jess continued to pour over hours of work. It had been a week since Laura's death and not once has Jess left the precinct unless she had a lead. It usually ended running cold, but she was starting to catch a whiff of something every time she walked past Adonis.
It was a weird lead, to say the least. Jess had heard about Adonis's past relationships before, but she never found them interesting enough. While looking through his file, it appears that a single restraining order popped up, catching Jess's attention. It had been active for almost two years now.
On the restraining order, her name was Juliet Cassidy, a former waitress and now executive assistant to Bruce Wayne. Once living in the Narrows, she saved enough money to get out and is now living with her only son. It was still a shady part of Gotham, but it was nicer than where she used to live.
Before she knew it, Jess had bags under her eyes and was hunched over a cup of coffee in a café that appeared to be swarming with attention. She pushed up her aviators to hide the exhaustion in her face.
"Funny to see you here."
Jess tilted her head up to see Bruce standing over her with a slight smirk on his face. She laid her head on her fist with a sigh. "It is funny, isn't it?" She watched Bruce take a seat right in front of her. Suddenly, he heard something. It was faint and yet he still picked up on it.
"What's that sound?" He noticed the way her head avoided his gaze.
"Nothing, I don't hear anything." She shrugged too casually. Bruce narrowed his blue eyes at her in suspicion. When he saw her try to shield her overly large cup of coffee, he snatched it away. "No, no, stop!"
He brought the cup up to his nose to give it a smell. Bruce didn't need to once he realized what was wrong with it. "Is… is this coffee fizzing?"
"No…"
"Is there an energy drink in this?!"
"Don't judge me!"
A heavy sigh escaped Bruce. "Have you been sleeping?"
Jess chuckled under her breath before batting her eyes at him. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
"Not this time." He placed her coffee cup onto a waitress tray.
"Ugh." Jess groaned before rubbing her face. "Listen, I called you because I need a favor." She slid over Juliet's file. "Your executive assistant has a connection to one of my officers."
Bruce furrowed his brows. Him and Juliet had a fling a while ago, she was going through a lot and just had a baby when she applied for the position. They became good friends. He knows all about her situation. "Juliet is a strong woman," Bruce started. "She's been through a lot these past few years because of him, when she became my assistant. I was going through a dark time too." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We connected over that, and she told me everything."
"Like what?"
"He has stalker tendencies. If you don't give him what he wants, he'll make your life hell." Bruce slid the folder back to Jess. "It's what I was shielding her from."
A twinge of jealousy bloomed in her gut. She doesn't know why, she had no right, but it did. "Right." Jess nodded before putting some money on the table. "Thanks for the information."
He noticed the change in her attitude. "Where are you going?"
Jess tossed on her jacket. "To do my job." She bid him farewell and walked out the café door, leaving Bruce confused at the table.
In order to let herself in, she buzzed many of the apartment doorbells until someone just buzzed her in. In one of the apartments, loud music blasted, while screaming and arguing could be heard in another. Jess cautiously took in her surroundings before knocking on the door labeled 1C.
Multiple clicks from the locks inside alerted Jess that someone was opening the door. It opened ever so slightly, revealing an oval-shaped eye poking through the slot in the door. "Ms. Cassidy, I'm Detective Jessica Kent. Do you mind if I come in?"
With a crease in her brow, Juliet swallowed. "Am I in trouble? Did the restraining order expire?"
"No, I'm here for some information regarding your past relationship with Adonis Spinnaker." Jess showed Juliet her badge just to clarify she was indeed a cop.
Juliet quickly opened the door and ushered Jess inside. She closed the door, locking all the locks again.
"Can I get you something to drink?" She muttered, motioning for Jess to follow her into her living room.
Jess took a seat right across from Juliet, all the while, taking in her surroundings. The windows were covered with thick black blankets, the only light really coming into the room was the side table lamps.
The apartment was quint, little pops of color in the paintings she had hung on the wall. "Tea?" She asked with a raised brow.
"No, thank you." Juliet sat down in her armchair while messing with her hands. "There's no need to be nervous, I'm not going to hurt you." Jess reassured.
Juliet gave a breathy chortle. "No, I know, it's," She swallowed thickly. "Terrifying, I suppose. My situation."
"Well," Jess nodded. "Let's start from the beginning."
Just like that, Juliet spoke like a flood of truth. "It started off great, he was my dream guy. We met at the café I used to work at. He would buy me coffee, then it turned into flowers, and then it was casual dating. At first, that's all I wanted it to be, but he wanted more… so I gave him more." Juliet looked at the scar on her arm. "He pushed and pushed until finally, I got pregnant with my son. I broke things off when him before I knew I was, but things got so bad that I had to beg Bruce Wayne to give me a job."
It was quiet between the two of them before either one said a word. "He's a compulsive stalker." Jess mumbled. "Has he done anything violent since the restraining order?"
"No, Bruce usually drives me home from work everyday." She placed her cup onto the table. "Doesn't leave much room for an attack."
"And he still has his badge?"
Juliet scoffed in distain. "Someone in the courts gave him a pass." She crossed her arms over her chest. "They seem to be real good friends."
"Do you know who?"
"Judge Sophie Teck."
Jess felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her mother-in-law was friends with Adonis? "Judge Teck?"
Confusion swept through Juliet. "Yeah, do you know her?"
Jess stared at Juliet with wide eyes. "She's my mother-in-law…" She stood up, almost frantic. "Thank you for your time." She straightened out her red jacket. "I promise you; Adonis isn't going to be your shadow anymore."
Jess pulled her sleek red car into an empty spot in front of the towering Gotham Courthouse. With a flick of her hand, she slapped on her aviators, shielding her eyes from the harsh sunlight. She exited the car with a determined huff through her nose. Today, she was going to get the answers she sought, no matter the cost.
Marching up the imposing steps of the courthouse, Jess made sure her badge was prominently displayed, a symbol of authority and determination.
Her eyes locked onto the receptionist at the front, and she turned on her charm, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Hello, ma'am," she purred, her voice dripping with intrigue. The lady seemed momentarily flustered, captivated by Jess's allure. "I need to speak with Judge Teck. Is she available?"
But before the receptionist could respond, a voice called out from behind her. Jess spun around, her aviators gleaming in the sunlight, revealing her piercing gaze. Standing there, to her surprise, was her formidable mother-in-law, a mix of astonishment and curiosity etched across her face. "Jessie?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. "What a surprise!"
Jess raised a hand, stopping her mother-in-law from enveloping her in an embrace. "I need to talk to you about something," she stated firmly, her tone brooking no argument.
A flicker of excitement danced in Sophie's eyes as she nodded, leading the way into her office. "Of course, follow me," she said, unable to contain her delight. As they entered the private sanctuary, Sophie's gaze lingered on Jess's transformed appearance. "Oh my, how long has it been since I've seen you?" she marveled, reaching out to touch Jess's newly colored hair. "And you've colored your hair!"
Jess instinctively recoiled, subtly moving her head back to avoid Sophie's touch. "Grays," she muttered, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness, a testament to the burdens she carried.
Sophie paused, her hand lingering in the air for a moment before retracting it. She studied Jess's hardened expression, sensing the weight of the unspoken secrets that hung between them. "I see," she murmured, her voice tinged with regret. "You've been through so much."
Jess's eyes narrowed, a flicker of vulnerability shining through her bravado. "You have no idea," she whispered, her voice laced with a hint of pain. She took a step closer, her gaze locking with Sophie's. Jess stared at Sophie intently, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. The room seemed to grow colder, the air thick with tension.
She could sense that there was something more to Sophie's connection with Adonis Spinnaker, something darker and more sinister than she was letting on.
"I need the truth, Sophie," Jess demanded, her voice laced with urgency. " Jess's voice trembled with urgency as she confronted Sophie. The room seemed to darken around them, shadows dancing ominously on the walls. She needed answers, and she needed them now.
A chill ran down Sophie's spine as she locked eyes with her daughter-in-law, searching for any sign of deception. "What would you like to know?"
"What is your connection with Adonis Spinnaker?"
Sophie's face contorted, her eyes flickering with a mix of guilt and fear. It was a fleeting moment, but Jess caught it, like a flash of lightning in the midst of a storm. Something was amiss, and Sophie knew it. "I allowed him to have his badge back after his restraining order." She sat down in her leather-bound office chair. "A simple transfer."
"He's an abusive piece of shit." Jess growled. "Who is now my partner."
"Well," Sophie began, "according to Adonis, the woman he was with... she falsely testified her own abuse."
Jess's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing to make sense of the revelation. Was it possible? Could Adonis, the notorious charmer and manipulator, be telling the truth? Or was Sophie just another pawn in his twisted game?
But the way Julie was living, there was no way she was lying. Jess knew her gut wasn't wrong… or was it?
Her hands tightened into fists at her sides as she stepped closer to Sophie, her voice laced with suspicion. "I saw the photos in her case file, Sophie. Bruises, cuts... evidence of a brutal assault. Are you telling me she did that to herself?"
Sophie's gaze flickered away from Jess's intense stare, her attention drifting lazily towards the clutter of files scattered across her desk. The conversation, albeit weighty, seemed to bore her, as if she had seen it all before. Her voice held a hint of nonchalance as she finally spoke.
"He had marks himself," Sophie muttered, her tone lacking conviction.
Jess's disbelief laced every word that followed, her voice dripping with skepticism. "So you expect me to buy into the idea that a pregnant woman, barely weighing 125 pounds, could inflict such brutal wounds upon herself?" Jess's words dripped with incredulity, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and frustration. "Are you seriously suggesting that she orchestrated this entire charade?"
Sophie's response was marked by a casual shrug, as if she had grown accustomed to the twisted tales that unfolded within the walls of her courtroom. "I've seen it done before," she admitted, her voice tinged with a weary acceptance. "You know me, Jess. I've always believed in innocent until proven guilty. Something just didn't add up in that case. I had to make a tough call. She kept her restraining order, and he got to keep his badge."
"You still conversed with a suspect in an ongoing case alone." Jess growled. "That's against the rules, you know this."
A frustrated sigh escaped Sophie's wrinkled lips. "It was one time after a trial." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I denied his offer to help him stay out of Arkham." She fixed a photo frame on her desk with a half-assed smile. "Listen, everyone in the end is happy."
Jess's eye twitched involuntarily, a surge of frustration coursing through her veins. In a world where justice often seemed like an elusive dream, the powerful continued to manipulate and shape their own narratives. How many more innocent lives would be shattered before the truth could prevail?
"Happy…" Jess muttered before turning in her heel. "I'll fix that definition real quick." She ripped the door open and slammed it closed. Her mother in law was on her radar now, she just needed to make sure she didn't scare her away before she got any dirt on her.
Each page of the case was a winding alleyway in a city of secrets, branching into countless shadowy paths as Jess delved deeper. It turns out, once her mother-in-law had ascended to the bench in Gotham, things started to get complicated.
Thanks to a covert breach into the courthouse software by Barbara, she was able to get her hands on a bounty of security footage. A clandestine meeting between Adonis and Sophie emerged from the digital fog three months before the first victims death.
"Damned traitor," Jess seethed.
Adonis materialized from the gloom, a smirk etched on his face. "Amusing how this place has become your second home," he observed.
Jess hastily concealed the photos under a pile of folders, her pulse pounding in her ears. "Jesus…"
"I knew I'd find you here."
She didn't meet his gaze, offering him only a slight nod. "What do you want?"
"I came to say sorry about what happened at your apartment." He folded his arms defensively. "It was out of line."
Jess resumed her work. "That's an understatement." She snapped the manila folder shut, adding it to the growing pile. "I'm on the edge of a major lead. I'm not in the mood for distractions."
A low hum emerged from his throat. "Clearly." He shook his head slightly. "Laura's death has spurred you on, hasn't it?"
Jess stopped cold. Was she imagining things? "What did you just say?"
"What?" Adonis feigned surprise. "I know you and Laura were close."
Her fingers brushed the cold metal of the gun at her hip. "How did you know that?"
A look of confusion crossed his features. "Jim told me."
"Jim only told the people at the crime scene."
The room was suddenly heavy with dread. Adonis's face twisted into a chilling, cruel grin. "Ah shit…" he chuckled darkly while scratching the back of his head. "You're fucking smarter than I thought."
Danger loomed ominously creating a sheen of sweat to cover Jess's forehead. "What the hell did you do?"
A laugh bubbled up from Adonis, his thumb tracing his lower lip. "Well, Laura was quite a catch, not my usual type, but… I did what was necessary." He took out the picture from beneath the folder. "It broke my heart when she left your place, to see how you were touching her… so I took matters into my own hands." His laughter echoed around the room as he outstretched his arms. "Surprise darling, your worst nightmare just came true!"