A Foolish Grave

Chapter 3

Devyn's POV

Placing the cigarette between my lips I flick the lighter, taking a drag. The lighter goes back in my pocket, the view of the grounds of the manor is breath taking, 

"Is this a new habit of yours?"

Tilting my head to the side I see Alfred walking towards me, 

"Coping mechanism, I suppose"

Alfred doesn't say anything more on it, 

"I think I've fallen for him Alfred.."I blurt, 

"You think so or you know so?"

Turning my head to look at him I sigh and put out the cigarette, 

"I really don't know.."

"If you didn't would you of left your job and friends, spending 2 years looking for him?"

"I..no I wouldn't...I almost told him that night that I loved him.. but was that wrong?"

Gently he places a hand on my shoulder, a soft smile upon his face, 

"It all depends on what he said, his actions..and your feelings. Only you can ever know for sure what you feel for the man, but be patient it might not be as straight forward as you think"

I nod and smile, 

"Thank you"

Waving me off we walk inside, leading me to the kitchen, 

"Coffee?"He asks, 

"Please"

I jump as a stack of files are dumped next to me, snapping my head round I look Bruce, 

"Every file and piece of information on the Joker from that night till now is in that stack"

Picking the papers up I flick through them quickly,

"Thank you so much Bruce!"I exclaim, 

Leaning down he hugs me slightly, pressing a kiss to my forehead, 

"Becareful Devyn, you're welcome here at anytime"

Turning I hug him one handed, letting go quickly, 

"Alfred can I have some coffee?"

"Yes of course, sir, I'll bring it up"

Bruce shakes his head and slowly takes a seat next to me at the counter, walking stick rested against the chair, 

"I'm staying down here, thank you"

He sips at his coffee as I look through the papers, most just timestamps of possible sightings or minor robberies last year, however one stood out. A CCTV shot of the same post it note I had however on it instead of "Hide and seek" been written on it, it had "Ha-Ha" written next to the house. Pulling my post it note from my pocket comparing the two, 

"Where did you get that?"Bruce asks me, 

"I went to the warehouse he took me to when I was taken by him and this was on the wall"

"He knows your looking for him"

Looking at Bruce, a smile creeps onto my face,

"Have anymore of these got any other post it notes on it?"He suggests, 

Spreading out the paper we search for anymore. An hour later and we've gone through all of the pieces, scanned all photos and read each word. Sighing I put my head onto the table,

"Nothing. We found nothing."

"Maybe its not here, maybe you need to find it somewhere else?"

"Like clues?"

My head snaps up. Running to my coat I grab my keys and run outside to my bike. Rumaging through the bag on the back of the bike I pull out Jack's waistcoat. I put my hands in the pockets, nothings there. Flipping it inside out I couldn't see anything, 

"Argh!!"I shout, 

Walking back inside I drop the clothing onto the table, 

"creepy much."Bruce chuckles, 

"No, Jack left it in the warehouse, the only thing of his left there-"

"Wait did you just say Jack?"

I freeze, turning my head slowly to look at him, 

"yes.."I sigh, "thats his name, his actual name."

Bruce's mouth drops open, "he told you his name?"

"yes..?"

"Do you know how much he trusts you? No one knows his name, no records can be found of him, no dental record, clothing recepts, nothing, you got his name like it wasn't anything huge.."

My heart pounds in my ears, hands shaking. I stand up, taking my coat and go outside. Walking round the side of the building. Sliding down the wall I fist my hair, everything spinning. Pulling a cigarette from my pocket I light it up, beathing deep. Slowly the spinning and pounding subsides, 

"why are you doing this to me? why can't I find you"I say, voice breaking, 

Pulling on the cigarette I close my eyes, feeling the warm smoke fill my mouth and lungs. As I let it out some residual smoke hung in the air, shifting like ghosts in the breeze. The smoke wasn't completely opaque, but its long grey wisps seemed to curl with others that were much darker, some near black. These stretching entities would show themselves in short, dramatic eclipses,

"Devyn! Devyn?!"Bruce's voice rings, 

Standing up I walk back round and see him run back insdie once he's spotted me. Running after him I meet him in the kitchen, pulling the waistcoat across the table he shows me the label, 

"there was no label before, look at the stitching," He turns it over to show  3 letters and a number, "It is another clue."

"but what does "cie 2" mean?"I sigh, irritated, 

He pulls the picture with the post it note to him and points at the number 1 after the letters,

"If ypu put them two together, in the order of the numbers it reads-"

" Ha-Hacie..but why?"

Bruce looks at me, hope in his eyes, "I think there's still one more clue out there". 

I felt like every fiber of my being was vibrating with anticipation. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. Hands trembling and eyes blown wide. 'This is what a cat must feel like waiting to pounce on a mouse,' I think.