Dangers in the Dark

Clues, Nightmares and Truths 4.2

It took them until morning to get a report on where Zeller had been taken and killed. It led them to the old asylum, Arkham. Even under the cold morning sun, it didn't exactly look the most welcoming. Vines grew along each of the cracked buildings and practically every window was smashed in.

Jim was now standing by Bullock and Essen looking at the ashen remains of Councilman Zeller. It seems that he had been burned alive in a metal barrel of some sort.

"Two councilmen dead in as many days. Can't be a coincidence," Essen commented. "Gotta be politics driving this. He was right." Essen looked over at Jim.

"Never said he was wrong. I just wanted him to be," Harvey defended, also speaking about Jim as if he weren't there, making Jim roll his eyes. "Alright, genius. Any other insights?"

"Yeah, this is about the Arkham vote," Jim said.

"How so?" Harvey questioned.

"Arkham is more than just a land deal. It's a war between Falcone and Maroni. These councilmen were on opposite sides of that war," Jim explained.

"So who did who?" Harvey asked.

"The way I see it, Maroni struck first. He had Jenkins killed to change the vote his way. Then Falcone retaliated. Had Zeller killed to change the vote back. Burning the body was Falcone's way of sending a message," Jim elaborated.

"I'll have guards put on other councilmen and the mayor until this plays out," Essen said before taking out her phone and walking away.

Confused by Jim's sudden knowledge of the topic, Harvey approached him.

"So you wanna tell me? Come on. Falcone, Maroni, Arkham. How the hell do you know so much all of a sudden?" Harvey asked him.

Rather than answering Harvey, Jim's eyes trailed over to the right of Harvey's head and saw Ed waiting to speak with them. Eager for the topic to be changed, Jim nodded over to Ed to tell him he was fine to come over.

"Ed, what you got?" Harvey asked, realising Jim wasn't going to give in that easily.

"I have a paradox for you," Ed told him.

"What?" Harvey asked.

"Well, a paradox, detective, is when you—" Ed began, but Harvey interrupted him.

"I know what a paradox is, smart-ass. What paradox?"

"These are the medical examiner's reports on the murders..." Ed trailed off, readjusting his grip on the reports. "...of Councilman Jenkins and his aide. Both victims sustained fatal puncture wounds to the skull via the eye socket. The weapon was some kind of metal spike."

"Okay, so?" Harvey encouraged Ed to get to the point.

"Councilman Zeller... also has wounds from a metal spike. It's an extremely unlikely coincidence, don't you think?" Ed questioned them with a smile.

"You're saying Zeller, Jenkins and the aide were killed by the same person?" Harvey guessed.

"It would appear so, wouldn't it?" Ed agreed.

"Same killer working for both Maroni and Falcone? That's nuts," Jim said, as him and Harvey walked away from Ed.

"Heh-heh," Harvey chuckled humourlessly. "Only in Gotham. Come on."

"Where we going?" Jim asked.

"To go see a friend of mine," Harvey said.

The first person that came to Jim's mind was Fish Mooney, but somehow he had a feeling she wouldn't be getting involved with them if it involved going against Falcone.