"You claim you tripped while trying to run, but why were you lying on your back when we arrived, instead of lying face down?" Batman squinted, staring at Willard.
Willard paused for a moment, then said, "I just tried to turn around, but I didn't succeed, I initially fell on my side, but I tried to shift backward, so I ended up landing on my butt."
"So, if you had turned around and saw the creature after hearing the noise, why did you nearly faint while screaming when we arrived?"
"Uh... because that creature was really terrifying, and... and when I just turned around, I didn't really see what it looked like. After you arrived and lit up this area with a flashlight, I got to see it in detail, and it was indeed rather horrifying, wasn't it?" Willard explained.
"The most suspicious part is..." Batman stepped forward, looking at Willard and asked, "Why are you standing here, taking my interrogation, instead of pulling out a gun from the car beside you, holding it to my head, and telling me not to waste your time? Are you really a driver in Gotham?"
Willard's face turned cold, and then he revealed a cold and cruel smile that Batman found somewhat familiar. He slowly took two steps back, looking at Batman and said, "You truly live up to your reputation, Batman."
"To act as a vigilante in Gotham, you indeed have to have some skills." As Willard continued to back off and was about to bump into Tim behind him, Batman drew his Batman dart. However, Willard calmly said: "I suppose you wouldn't want to see the young master of the Drake house turn into a part of my delightful piece, would you?"
"Bam!"
"Argh!"
Willard, who was smirking just moments ago, fell to the ground clutching his shoulder. Behind him, little Tim, looking rather mischievous, held a shotgun completely disproportionate to his size while watching Willard howl and roll on the ground in pain.
Dick and Bruce both looked astonished, while Tim calmly put down the gun, looking at Willard and said, "Don't you think you could go unnoticed, do you? You may be able to fool my dad, but not me."
"You deliberately staged a car accident, killed my dad's original driver, and took over the job of ferrying me to and from school."
"One night, I saw from my upstairs window a shadow, looking quite suspicious, crossing the garden to the garage. I instantly recognized it as you because your left step is always a bit bigger than your right."
"The next day, on my way home, there was a car explosion. You risked your life to save me, earning the trust of my father."
"But what you don't know is that I've been familiar with various types of cars from a young age, learning their structure and parts in detail."
"When you pushed me to the ground, I happened to see that there were signs of the vehicle undercarriage being tampered with. You are the only one with the key to the garage and suspicious enough to commit the crime."
Tim smiled, reached out a hand, tapped at the car window with two fingers, and said, "I nagged my dad to buy this car, not because I really liked the color of its coating, but because there's a gun hidden under the back seat of this car... A gun I hid."
Willard hit the ground hard, his face reddening and veins bulging. Clenching his teeth, he said, "You damn brat!"
The next second, Tim picked up his gun again, aiming it straight at his head, shouting out loud, "If you don't want a hole in your head, choose your words carefully, you piss-weak foreigner!"
Dick was astonished at the scene unfolding before him. He couldn't understand how things had taken such a turn,
The seemingly innocent, kindhearted, chubby driver turned out to be the suspect, and Tim, a young child, hardly able to hurt a fly, had effortlessly pulled out a large gun and shot Willard. Furthermore, he seemed prepared to blow his brains out.
Batman reached out a hand to stop Tim, and as he was about to step forward to pick up Willard, the seemingly motionless puppet on the ground suddenly flipped over and pulled out a smoke grenade from his chest and smashed it on the ground.
In an instant, smoke filled the air, Batman was a step slow. A figure emerged from behind the wall to the right of the alley. Willard stumbled to the wall and was hoisted over by the figure. The puppet disappeared.
By the time Batman went after them, they were already gone. He had thought about giving chase but realized that leaving the two boys alone in the alley could put them in danger if this was a diversion tactic. After thinking for a moment, Batman decided to return.
By now, Tim had opened the car door and tossed the gun back on the car. Turning to Batman and Dick, he said, "Let's go. Let's use my car."
Batman took the driver's seat, with Dick and Tim in the back. As soon as the car started, Tim turned to Dick and said, "Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, isn't he?"
Dick instantly froze, but Tim just shook his head and said, "It's not that hard to guess. The moment the smoke grenade burst, you posed in a defensive stance, quite similar to the Robin boy who often hangs around Gotham with Batman."
While Batman was driving and listening to their conversation, he didn't deny it, but Tim chattered on: "Don't worry, I will absolutely not tell anyone. You're so lucky, you know?! Getting to be Batman's aide, I've dreamed of doing that!"
Having said that, he leaned over the front seat, looking at Batman and asked, "Can't I really be your assistant? I really admire you!"
"No," Batman replied instantly, without thinking, "I am taking you home now."
Tim immediately looked down dejectedly, yet his words made Batman reconsider. Because Tim began to speak:
"I've been interested in murder cases since I was a child, and when seeing crime scene photos and how the incidents unfolded, I would simulate the murderers' actions in my mind. When the mystery is solved, I find that what they did was quite similar to what I had predicted."
"Sometimes, I really get anxious about those police officers. They can't figure out such simple clues. Sometimes, I really wish I could take the field myself."
Batman was about to respond, but Tim's next sentence left him and Dick breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Sometimes I think, with these stupid cops, if I were to take the field, I could probably execute a perfect murder case!"
In a flash, the car made a sharp turn, Tim was jolted and hit the car door. Then, clutching his head, he glanced out at the street and asked, "Why did we turn? Aren't we going to my house?"
"Your house is too far. Let's stay at Wayne Manor for tonight and I'll contact your father to pick you up tomorrow morning."
"Alright, but I really can't be your assistant?"
"... We'll talk about it tomorrow."