Midnight Visits ¹ ☾𝐃𝐂 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐒☽

Chapter 1: Dear Heidi

Bruce has been sitting at the Batcomputer for what feels like hours and is no closer to solving his latest case.

A series of robberies has occurred in the homes of the wealthy by unknown assailants. And while Bruce doesn't pay much attention to the rest of Gotham City's upper crust unless it's in the interest of keeping up his persona or using their wallets to do some good, the news is all over The Gotham Gazette and Gordon called him in as a personal favor.

And what really intrigued the world's greatest detective was one oddity: strangely, by allegedly sheer coincidence, one of the only homes not burglarized were the Lenore's.

Omar and Aisha co-owned a jewelry store in the heart of Gotham's shopping distract for more than 40 years and specialize in diamonds. Their daughter, Heidi, who has just turned 30 and by all accounts is known for her renowned beauty and generous heart, is a socialite who moonlights as a fashion model.

Some online forums and certain circles speculate that the Lenore family is involved...or maybe even started the operation themselves, to get back at former business partners or scorned friends.

But right now, Bruce has hit a wall. Whoever is terrorizing the most rich and powerful in Gotham has covered their tracks well.

Just then, the grandfather clock upstairs rumbles to life interrupting Bruce's focus. Moments later, the tell tale quiet footsteps of Helena Wayne can be heard as she hums a nonsensical tune on her way down the stairs.

"Hi dad." Helena says once she eventually makes her way over to her father, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Helena, I am working." Bruce emphasizes, attempting to appear annoyed at the interruption but his lips quirk up into a small smile, betraying his true feelings.

Helena, with her mother's perceptive green eyes, spots Bruce's cowl on the desk and gives a once over of the bat suit that he has yet to take off.

"I can see that." She says dryly before smirking at him mischievously. "So what is this case you're working on that has caused you to not say hi to your kids coming back from college—"

"You and Damien are only here because I asked you to come for the gala tonight." Bruce interrupts pointedly. Helena rolls her eyes in response, disentangling her arms from her father's neck so she can lean against his desk instead.

"Just admit that you missed us already. Honestly, Jason had a better welcoming for me than this."

Bruce wants to interrupt again to point out that Jason adores Helena but decides against it. Helena has her father's smarts and her mother's wit—she would probably figure out a way to argue against that too.

As Helena eyes the screen intently, she quickly changes the subject.

"You didn't answer my original question." She points out. "Although perhaps I shouldn't encourage it. You could always work a little less."

Helena says the last part without a hint of irony, as if she knows any better. As if she doesn't prowl Gotham's streets at night while perusing a law degree and isn't verging on being a workaholic herself.

But for the sake of arguments, Bruce instead (finally) answers her original question. Helena listens intently, eyebrows furrowing in concentration.

"Well...you could always go to the source." Helena suggests once he's finished. "Heidi Lenore seems to be as good as a start as any. Just...I don't know...strike up a conversation with her at the gala or something. Her family is coming to the gala tonight, right?"

"I believe so."

"Then I think I just solved your latest case!" Helena beams and Bruce lets out a small and incredulous snort.