Chapter 23: A Free Man (Part 2)

Inside the police commissioner's office, James Gordon began his investigation into Arias.

"As you know, the Gotham PD is in the midst of building an extremely detrimental case, and any piece of information could be of help. In exchange for a plea deal, Eric Valentine admitted that the charges he laid against you were false. Videos from the club also showed that you and Dmitri were quite friendly, and so does your history. Along with the wealth you made from gambling, the kidnapping charges that the mayor is pressing also seem bland. Finally, the car you drove away in belonged to Dmitri, and multiple witnesses saw that he was the one driving, so the theft charges are also inapplicable. You're basically a free man."

The commissioner revealed this while sighing, but Arias didn't look the least bit happy about it. His body language suggested he was upset, which the commissioner undoubtedly noticed.

"Did you find Craig and Savanna's killer?" Arias questioned bitterly, casting a vengeful glare at Commissioner Gordon.

The commissioner shook his head, grumbled, and massaged his temples. "I'm ashamed to say it, but no. Right now, no one has admitted to their murder. During our inspection of his home, we found a photo album that contained pictures in which you featured, at times with him and Savanna, so I can tell you were close. I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, but if you have more information, it could be the key to putting away these people for good and ensuring his work wasn't for nothing."

Arias briefly laughed in jest. "What makes you so sure I was his friend? He shot at me the day I had to flee Gotham, remember?"

The commissioner met Arias's gaze with a glare of his own. "That's true, but my theory is, you worked with him. Him being there was just too much of a coincidence. You, who had disappeared and had been living in Nevada, suddenly came back to Gotham to see your childhood friend while Eric Valentine was present? I don't think so."

"Something went wrong that night while you two were investigating. Craig went after you to keep up appearances and missed on purpose because, under normal circumstances, an officer wouldn't fire—that wasn't protocol. He must've been trying to maintain his cover."

"Finally, when Craig, who was the sole breadwinner for his family, died, his grandmother received a lot of money. The bank tried to claim it was always in his account, but an investigation revealed that the money was deposited that same day from a bank in Las Vegas, where you were at the time."

Arias smiled inwardly as the commissioner pieced together the puzzle. Gordon believed he was closing in on Arias, but in reality, it only solidified Arias's freedom. None of the connections were immediately apparent; they required careful digging to uncover.

"I wasn't even able to attend their burial," Arias murmured, his voice tinged with bitterness.

The commissioner, an honorable man, felt a pang of shame. "I take responsibility for allowing corrupt officers in my department to falsely accuse you. But please, I cannot give Craig the justice he deserves without more information. If not for me, do it for the son he left behind, so he can grow up knowing his father died making the city a better place. I've looked at your history extensively, Arias. You're not a bad man. I know this, Craig knew this, Savanna knew this, and Dmitri obviously knew this. But it's time Gotham knew as well, don't you think?"

Arias fell silent, dropping his head as if seriously considering the commissioner's plea. His performance was flawless, even displaying signs of emotional turmoil.

"Don't speak about Dmitri like it's confirmed he's dead. But fine, I'll tell you what I know. In exchange, I want all the credit to go to Craig. I don't want little Jamie growing up thinking his father was just the unfortunate one between us."

Arias made his offer, referring to the child Craig and Savanna had left behind.

"I apologize. We're doing our best to track him down, so any information you have regarding him could be useful as well. As for your terms, I agree, and I understand," Gordon said, his voice steady.

Arias sighed and took a sip of his coffee after receiving confirmation. Then, he began filling in some of the gaps he had intentionally left in the information he initially provided to Vicki. He didn't want to make it too obvious, so he delivered the information as a story, leaving Gordon to piece it together himself.

The conversation went on for more than two hours, with Gordon paying close attention and taking notes on anything he thought would be useful. Even so, Arias withheld certain details about a few key players, maintaining his leverage over them through blackmail. If they had nothing to lose, they might expose him as well.

After reviewing the material provided to him, Commissioner Gordon nodded. "Is that it?" he asked, noting that some things were still missing.

"No, I can't reveal everything I know. At least not yet. I won't change my stance on this," Arias replied firmly.

"That's fine. I understand, and thank you. I'll arrange for a flight to return you to Las Vegas first thing tomorrow," the commissioner offered as he stood up.

Arias immediately declined. "I won't be going back there, so that won't be necessary. Craig did his part for Gotham; it's high time I did mine. I only need a lift to a hotel—I can handle myself from there."

…

As soon as they finished talking, the commissioner led Arias out of the building, where a mob of media had been waiting like vultures.

"Commissioner? Over here? Vicki Vale here."

Commissioner Gordon sighed, recognizing the familiar face he couldn't ignore. "Just a moment, it'll be over soon," he said to Arias, who simply shook his head and followed along.

"I have some words for the public as well."