BAE Chapter 21

Barbara deletes the footage and audio. It was always Bruce’s policy not to keep this kind of thing unless there was damning evidence, and that much Barbara and Bruce could agree on.

“Alfred. The District Attorney is having an affair with Riley Beaumont. They’re both Seed victims like me,” Barbara says, getting to her feet.

“Dear me. How salacious.”

Barbara grapples down to ground level and hops into the Car. The cockpit closes and fires it up, loading the map of the city. She speaks to Alfred as she studies it, lit up by its green glow.

“It’s a bit of a coincidence, don’t you think?” she asks.

“Difficult for me to say, Ms. Gordon. My compliments on the business with Mr. Nygma. The police are extremely pleased, and I would venture that public opinion of the Batgirl is on the rise.”

“Thank you, Alfred. Let’s take a closer look at Ms. Beaumont.”

“I’ve already done so, Ms. Gordon.”

“I don’t deserve you, Alfred.”

“She’s working as a physical trainer.”

“Explains a lot. She’s in great shape. But that’s a nice apartment for someone like that,” Barbara notes. “Did Carl Beaumont take good care of his ex-wife?”

“I’m not certain, but the facility where Ms. Beaumont is employed is upscale.”

“Upscale enough for a DA to be a member? Could explain how they hooked up,” Barbara muses. If that’s what happened, then there’s nothing sinister at work.

“I would say so.”

“Who’s Viti Saxena married to?”

“You don’t know?” Alfred sounds taken aback.

“Why would I?”

“Because she’s a member of Wayne Enterprise’s board of directors.”

“She? Riley told her to go back to her husband,” Barbara says.

“Ms. Gordon, I can assure you that I know the members of the board and to whom they are married,” Alfred says, miffed. “Mrs. Saxena is not married to a man. She is married to Aki Aramaki. You might ask Lucius about her; I believe that he considers her an ally. She shares his interest in technology.”

Riley’s error can be explained two ways: that she’s seen Viti’s ring and made an assumption, just like Barbara has. Or she knows everything and just wants Viti to think that she doesn’t. The behavior that Barbara has witnessed can be interpreted either way. She needs more clues to figure out if this is a simple affair or something more complicated.

“They kept their maiden names? Whatever. If Aramaki’s on the board, that gives me an easy way to check her out. What about Riley? If this gym is upscale enough for a DA is it a place that an intern at Wayne Tech might work out?”

“I should say so,” Alfred replies.

“Can you set it up?”

“Consider it done.”

“Before that, what do we have at the docks?”

Gotham is home to several substantial harbors. Over the years, Bruce cracked down hard on the various contraband that came in by sea. He succeeded in reducing it, or at least making the criminal element more careful. Barbara is guessing that care has eased in his 3-month absence. Bruce has cameras set up all over the harbors to keep an eye on things.

“Let’s see,” Alfred says, and Barbara drives east as he looks through the feeds to find anything that stands out. It’s late, but business never stops. The mere presence of people and vehicles around the harbor isn’t suspicious. “There’s a particularly expensive car approaching Slip 10 at East Haven,” Alfred reports.

The docks are no place for luxury cars at this hour.

“I’ll check it out,” Barbara says, accelerating. The Batmobile roars as she blows through a light.

“Ms. Gordon, for your appointment with Ms. Gleeson tomorrow night, what sort of costume would you like prepared?”

Barbara’s mind is on other things. She frowns as she drives.

“For something like that, Barbara Gordon should look…” she begins.

“Beautiful,”

Or

“Professional,”