A Serial Killer in Duckburg

Chapter Seven

Gladstone was in the hospital with Claire, and Scrooge.Scrooge was outside while Gladstone sat with Claire.
"Is Mommy going to be okay?"Claire asked Gladstone.
Gladstone didn't say anything.
'Okay,Gladstone.This is a real parenting situation.What you have to say is something encouraging, but not something that'll make her hate you if Emilie ends up dying.'
"I'm sure she'll be okay."said Gladstone tentatively.Gladstone wasn't used to being the responsible parent.He was used to being the fun parent.But Emilie wasn't here,so he had to be the responsible parent.
"Where's Uncle Scrooge?"questioned Gladstone,suddenly noticing that Scrooge wasn't there.

-

Scrooge was outside on his phone,trying to get in contact with Emilie's family,the first being Annebelle.But Annebelle wasn't answering.
Finally,at long last,she picked up.
"About time you picked up!Emilie's in the hospital!"screamed Scrooge into the phone.
"Why is she in the hospital?"asked Annebelle.
"Because the Richie Rich Serial Killer attacked her with a chainsaw!"
"Oh,that's a shame.I'll be there after my date."
"Seriously!? Your sister is in the hospital, and you're more worried about a date!"
"Uh-duh-I can visit her anytime, but this date is only happening today!"
Scrooge hung up the phone in frustration.
"Whatever!Emilie's got other siblings!" yelled Scrooge to nobody in particular.
Scrooge dialed Danielle's number on his phone.Like with Annebelle,it kept ringing.Scrooge was certain that Danielle would pick up her phone eventually, but it eventually went to voicemail.
"Danielle, I don't know what you're doing, but when you hear this,come to the hospital!Emilie was attacked by the Richie Rich Serial Killer!"said Scrooge before hanging up.
Scrooge had no idea what Danielle was doing.He knew she ran a comic book store,so perhaps she was busy with customers?It was the only thing that Scrooge could figure.
'Thankfully,Emilie has more than two siblings.' thought Scrooge as he dialed Izzy's phone number.
Scrooge knew it was a long shot with Izzy answering,with her ability to see into the future, and whatnot, but it was still worth a shot.Much to Scrooge's surprise,Izzy answered.
"Izzy!You answered!You have to get to the hospital!Emilie was-"began Scrooge.
"Attacked with a chainsaw?"Izzy continued for him.
"Yes,how did you know?Did you predict this?"
"No. I predicted her recovery."
"Oh.So,she's going to be alright then."said Scrooge,calming down.
"Yup.Unless you count the random scar here, and there."said Izzy.
"Should I tell Gladstone, and Claire?"
"Do whatever feels right.That's what I do.Bye!"said Izzy before hanging up.
What felt right to Scrooge?That was a difficult question.He could easily call the rest of Emilie's siblings, but what would be the point?He'll just be taking them away from their jobs.Scrooge could tell Gladstone, but he might not believe him.
'I should keep this to myself.' thought Scrooge,although he still felt like he should tell somebody about this.But who could Scrooge tell?
Scrooge walked back into the hospital,still uncertain about his decision to keep what Izzy told him.
"Well?"asked Gladstone.
"Uh-they're all busy."said Scrooge,hoping that Gladstone was too upset to question Scrooge.Thankfully for Scrooge,Gladstone didn't.
Scrooge began to pace in the waiting room.He couldn't help but wonder if this would happen if he just listened to Emilie in the first place.Emilie told Scrooge that Gladstone didn't like people using him for his luck.Scrooge even knew this about him,but instead of listening or trying to find an alternative situation, he insisted that he used Gladstone's luck.Even worse,he wanted it to use the Richie Rich Serial Killer,which they did.
Just not in the way Scrooge had hoped.
Scrooge's train of thought was interrupted by the Calisota prosecuting state attorney,Judy Loon.
"Hi,how's everybody doing?"Judy asked Gladstone,Claire, and Scrooge.
"Worried."said Gladstone,holding onto Claire.
"Scared."said Claire,clinging onto her father.
"Guilty."said Scrooge.He was still uncertain if he should tell somebody,anybody,what Izzy told him.
"Oh,well, I have....news."said Judy,looking nervous.
"Good news,or bad news?"asked Gladstone.
"It's....depends on how you look at it news."
"Just tell us."said Scrooge, who stopped pacing.
"Well,the police need to look over all the evidence that Darkwing, and Dr.Gearloose had collected to see if it's credible."started Judy.
"Anything else?"
"Emma's attorney offered me a deal that would be beneficial for future cases of the Richie Rich Serial Killer, but I wouldn't feel comfortable taking it without talking to you first."
"What is it?"asked Gladstone.
"I reduce the attempted murder to battery."said Judy.
"But what if Emilie dies?"
"And what does 'battery' mean in a legal sense?"asked Scrooge.He may be smarter than the smartest,tougher than the toughest, and sharper than the sharpest, but he wasn't a lawyer.
"It means intention to harm physically, and succeeding at it."explained Judy.
"But what if Emilie dies?"asked Gladstone. "Then it wouldn't be battery,it'll be murder."
"Okay,good point.Call me if she lives so you can tell me if you want me to take the deal or not."said Judy,leaving her card with Gladstone before departing.
"Lawyers."said Scrooge bitterly. "They're so apathetic."
Gladstone wasn't listening,he was looking at the card that Judy gave him.Something Scrooge just noticed.
"Listen lad,I'm sure Emilie will pull through."said Scrooge as he sat down next to Gladstone. "She's a tough lass.She's faced death before."
"Yeah."said Gladstone,sadly.
Scrooge was right.Emilie had faced death before,multiple times before.
'What if she dies this time?' Gladstone thought to himself.
What would he do?It was hard to believe that Gladstone only knew Emilie for 8 years, and it felt like she was part of his life much longer.He honestly didn't know what he would do without her in it.Presumably the same thing before she came into his life, but his life changed so much.Can he really go back to the way things were?
"Excuse me,are you Emilie Gander's family?"said a duck in a doctor's outfit.
"Yes."said Gladstone,standing up a bit from his chair.
"Good news,she's fine-"began the doctor.
"Really?!"
"Yes.But she has a few scars, and will have to stay in the hospital for a while until she recovers."
"Can we see her?"asked Scrooge.He couldn't believe that Izzy was right-Emile survived her attack.
"Of course.Follow me."said the doctor.
The trio followed the doctor down a hallway until they reached a room.
"Now,be careful-"began the doctor, but Claire didn't listen, and simply rushed into the hospital room without any consideration.
"Mommy!"yelled Claire as she jumped onto Emilie.
"Oy!"yelled Emilie in a groggy voice. "Pain!Lots of pain!"
"She's in a lot of pain."the doctor continued in a flat voice.
Scrooge, and Gladstone followed Claire into the hospital room.As Gladstone took off Claire off of Emilie,Scrooge noticed that Izzy was right,that there were a lot of scars on Emilie.Thankfully,Gladstone, and Claire didn't seem to care.
"Is she going to have those scars forever?"Scrooge asked,hoping he didn't sound insensitive, or shallow.
"Not all of them.Call me if you need anything."said the doctor before leaving.
"How are you feeling?"asked Gladstone.
"I am stronger than death itself."said Emilie in a dramatic voice.
Gladstone laughed.He wondered if now would be an appropriate time to mention the deal with the Calisota state prosecutor mentioned.
"Well, I can't put it off." Gladstone thought.
"Emilie,the Calisota State Prosecutor came by while you were getting fixed up-"
"You mean that looney bird,Judy Loon?"asked Emilie.
"Um-yes."said Gladstone,realizing that the conversation wasn't going in the direction he hoped it would go. "And she said that Emma Hummingbird's lawyer wanted to make a deal.She pleads guilty to battery for what she did to you, and she'll tell the prosecutor everything she did during the murders."
"Okay."said Emilie.
"Okay?"
This wasn't what Gladstone expected.
"Yes. I want to get back to my life.I'm sure the families of her victims do too.Even if it'll take a while."
"Okay.I'll go call her."said Gladstone,kissing Emilie before leaving the room.
Scrooge smiled,it seemed like things were slowly getting back to normal.
If only it was that easy......