Insanity // J.Valeska

Part Twelve: The File

And just like that, the cold, fragile tether holding Jim together snapped. Jim abruptly jerked to his feet, rattling his unruly desk in his wake: "what. Did you say?"

Harvey groaned: "c'mon Jimbo, you know as well as any cop out there the survival rate of a missing minor. It's been a month. We have to be prepared for the worst."

"The worst, Harvey, is knowing that my missing niece, my grieving missing niece, is out there with some sick son of a bitch. And I am powerless, powerless to help her. So all I can do now, is hold on to the hope that she's alive and well. Because without that, I have nothing left. Nothing."

Harvey nodded solemnly, giving in; because acknowledging that Steph may no longer be breathing was worse than any case he'd ever dealt with. Harvey clapped Jim on the shoulder comfortingly, "all right then, buddy. Let's go find our girl."

Jim grinned; in his gut, he knew Steph was still alive. And he was going to find her and bring her home.

"Detective Gordon! Detective Gordon!"

Jim turned to face a rather flushed Bruce Wayne, followed by his guardian, Alfred Pennyworth. "Bruce?" He asked, approaching the boy, "what wrong? What's happened?"

Bruce, still breathing deeply, looked directly into the detective's eyes as he said, "I think I have a lead on your niece's whereabouts."

It took only five seconds for Jim to analyze what had just been revealed to him, and then he's in detective mode, pulling Bruce to his side and calling Harvey over to the duo. Jim briskly walked to the back of the department, not wanting for anything to be overheard, seeing as how crucial this case is. To him, and to the rest of Gotham City.

"Alright, Bruce, what do you know?" The detective asks.

Bruce pulled out the case file and handed it over to Jim and began his explanation: "whoever murdered Mrs. and Mr. Harlem had access to their estate, and therefore could have had a motive for breaking into their house, and killing the them."

Bruce mentally hit himself at his bluntness; Mrs. Harlem was James Gordon's sister. Jim's visibly whiter face displays how the cop must feel about his sister's unplanned death.

Harvey raised his eyebrows at the young CEO, "does all this have a point, kid?"

Jim put a hand out in front of Harvey, "no, wait Harvey, let Bruce continue. He may be on to something." He handed Harvey the file, "go on, Bruce."

Bruce nodded, "as I was saying, seeing as the Harlem's failed to release the name of Stephanie's spouse, she is unable to take her place as the head of the company. But should the murderer have found the document, they could reassign her spouse and have that released to the press. With Steph still missing whoever is listed on the paper has the potential to take over as head of the company." He finished.

Harvey stepped forward, "not bad, kid, but you forgot one important detail. We've poured over the Harlem's weird family history, especially with the whole arranged marriage thingy. There's nothing stating that the alleged spouse can take over."

"But what if her parents explicitly changed that ruling in their will?" Bruce asked.

Jim's eyes widened as an idea struck him: "and it just so happens that their will is missing. Good job, Bruce, we may actually have a lead."

"Woah, woah, slow down, Jim. That's no lead, it's a motive. Not a lead. We're still just as stuck as we were before."

Jim's mind was buzzing with new ideas, "but that's the thing, Harv, it leaves a whole new trail of suspects."

"All who we have no warrant to interrogate!"

"I need to talk to Lee, she'll have an idea about this!" Jim called over his shoulder as he rushed to the Medical Examiners office.

Harvey groaned dramatically, massaging his temples tiredly, before turning to the pair before him. "Thanks for your help, Boy Wonder, and you too, Queen of England. Just leave everything to us from here."

"Certainly, Detective Bullock," Alfred began, dismissing the insult.

"No, I can help! I can-" Bruce started, just as Harvey interrupted again. "No, listen here, kid, this is a serious case. Jim's niece is missing and there's a good chance she's dead. We need professionals here, not kids playing pretend. Get back to school, or something."

Harvey turned on his heel, intent on confronting the Chief about the newfound knowledge regarding Stephanie's missing persons case. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

*edited*