A Storm Rising

Chapter 23

Oswald

I approached the bar as Gordon was harassing Gabe at the bar. I could tell that something was up. Gordon never gave me the pleasure of a personal visit. I always had to visit him. What made me even more concerned was the fact that he had also brought his partner, Detective Bullock, with him.

"Jim, old friend, to what do I owe this rare visit?" I smiled warmly at him.

Gabe however was the one to speak,"Oswald, these men were just telling me that they have not seen Mr. Nygma for three days."

What?! I ran events back in my head as I tried to hide the shock as I absorbed this information. Three days ago was when Nygma had called to cancel our dinner date... I figured that some big case had come up at work, and I would hear from him again when he was next available. I then got busy with some family matters and couldn't call Nygma.

"So what are you suspecting Detectives? Why come to me?" I asked.

"Well since even against my wishes, Nymga and you have become...close." Jim Gordon paused thinking of the word he wanted to use.

"What are you insinuating, Detective? That we are fucking? That I convinced him to come here to my club and I have him locked away in my secret sex dungeon somewhere? Jim, old friend, you make me laugh!" I threw back my head and laughed to go with my act. "We are not as close as you it appears to you. Yes, we owe each other favors for saving the other's life, but nothing more. I also owe you one, Jim for the Crane incident. Are you cashing yours in now?"

Jim just glared at me, "Cobblepot, this is a serious matter! I have checked everywhere I can think of! It is not like Ed to disappear like this..."

But it's like Riddler... I thought stifling a shiver trying to go up my spine. My inside were all a mess of nerves, wondering what had happened to Nygma.

"I have not heard anything from Nygma in a quite a while. I will still help you find him since you have come to me. However, I will need information from you Detectives, understand?"

During this whole exchange, Detective Bullock stayed quiet, shocked at my sex dungeon comment I assume.

In response to my request for information, the detectives simply nodded.

"Good, now that I have a your cooperation. I smile at them,"Can you tell me what case Nygma was working on before he disappeared?"

Jim shook his head,"I don't know...that's why we came to you. I thought you may have heard something different."

"I am sorry I can't be more helpful, old friend." I frowned,"The last time I heard from him was three days ago. He left me a voicemail stating that he had to cancel our dinner plans because something had come up at work. Which is why I was asking you what he was working on!?" I said this bit louder than I was intending betraying my feelings about the situation.

It was then when Detective Bullock spoke up. "I just remembered something. Ed came to me about three days ago, asking about information on the Crane case. He seemed obsessed with it. I told him that we had traced the Crane victims to a fear support group that met three nights ago. Could that be helpful?"

I turned on my heels and approached Bullock. Rage was boiling inside of me. I grabbed Detective Bullock by his lapels pulling his face close to mine.

"Helpful, you say Detective?!' I spat at him, my spit hitting him square in the face. "How long were you going to wait before divulging this information?!"

I pushed him away from me slamming his back into the bar. I was just about to land a punch square in the jaw when I felt a resistance pulling at my arm.