Riddle 028: What always comes too late? Answer - Regret (Backdated to the Day After Port West)

[puzzlerprince]

[A - 726 Anderson Lane - Family / Neighbors / Stalkers

Edward’s back from Port West. Not that he feels any more comforted by this abrupt return back home. Sure, he isn’t trapped in the basement any longer, but he’s not exactly ready to come to terms with what he’s done. And what he tried to do.

So, of course, Eddie’s got to head out. Try and leave

Comments

c

[strike_you_out]

[It's been nearly two days since Slugger has last seen his "father". The note left in the kitchen was the only sign Edward had been there at all. Slugger, being terrible at deciphering riddles, was successfully thrown by the clue.

Leaves? Branches? There were plenty of those in the park especially now that it had become a jungle overnight. So Slugger had been looking there for most of the day. Then, realizing that the answer to the riddle may have had more to do with books than with plants, he searched the comic book store followed by the library. But by that time, Edward had long since left. He gave up for a while after that until he spotted a strange, green vehicle decorated with Edward's favorite punctuation mark parked outside the diner. Now there was a clue he couldn't miss.

As Edward sits at his table in the diner contemplating his puzzle, the chair across from him creaks lightly. Someone has joined him.]

Found you.[Slugger grins. The shadows beneath his cap's visor seem unusually dark for this time of day and in this type of

[puzzlerprince]

[Oh, terrific. More company. First Harley, then Johan, now---wait. That voice. He knows that voice. His pen slips out of his fingers as he glances up at the boy.]

S-Slugger. [He swallows.] Harley had said you were looking for me.

[strike_you_out]

Yep.

[Leaning forward, he rests his elbows on the table and his chin comes to rest atop clasped fingers. He doesn't appear upset or angry as he peeks curiously at the puzzle and then at Edward's notebook. Somehow, seeing you all crazy like that has made him feel oddly closer to you on some bizarre level.

He gives his head a tap.]

Does it hurt still?

[puzzlerprince]

[That's so sweet, Slugger. Really, it is. He shakes his head.]

Not really. [That much is true.] The pain's mostly gone away.

[strike_you_out]

[He's still pretty pissed about the fact that you were considering killing Susan even before you completely lost it, Edward, but he isn't going to mention that now. Slugger nods toward the notebook.]

More riddles?

[puzzlerprince]

[He nods before snapping the book shut. He doesn't want to let him see the answers just yet.]

[strike_you_out]

[His heavily shaded eyes are trained on Edward now.]

For who?

[puzzlerprince]

That's none of your business.

[A pause, before he changes the subject.]

Did Susan send you to find me?

[strike_you_out]

No. I came to ask you---

[Slugger leans forward on the table even further until his chest is resting against it and his elbows have slid up to the edge of Edward's newspaper.]

---what was so funny?

[puzzlerprince]

[Eddie freezes. Closes up the newspaper. Then fixes Slugger with an incredibly sour look. He speaks in a hushed, discreet manner.]

You remember when I first told you about Arkham, don't you? About some of the monsters I'd met there?

[strike_you_out]

[Story time! He nods.]

The guy who eats people.

[puzzlerprince]

Before I'd... well, before I'd snapped, I thought I saw some of them. The town had made me think they were really there with me.

[strike_you_out]

Delusions.

[Clearly fascinated yet confused.]

And they were... funny?

[puzzlerprince]

No. No, they weren't.

Question: Have I ever told you about the Joker?

[strike_you_out]

The Joker?

[That's a No.]

[puzzlerprince]

I suppose not, then.

Of the many monsters I've come to know over the course of my criminal career, he is, by far, the worst of them.