Batman: The Long Halloween #7

The issue opens with two overlapping scenes. Batman is reviewing the Holiday evidence in the Batcave. At the same time, the Falcone’s are questioning the Riddler to get his input into their own investigation.

The Riddler initially proposes that Catwoman may be the perpetrator. He suggests that the small .22 handguns that Holiday used would be ideal in a woman’s hands. He reminds them of the ledger stolen from the Falcone safe after she broke in, and the subsequent million dollar bounty on her head.

Riddler then suggests Maroni. He illustrates how the earlier slayings all favored Maroni, and reminds them that Maroni would have had ample opportunity to shoot Alberto on New Year’s Eve. He then comes up with the theory that Carla Viti is responsible. The theory is that when her son had been considering testifying that he would have implicated her. In retaliation she killed him and then flew into a rage and began killing other members of the various branches of the Gotham mob.

Batman is becoming increasingly frustrated with the case. Alfred mentions that there is one possibility that it seems the caped crusader has been intentionally ignoring. Batman realizes that Alfred is speaking of Harvey Dent. Batman focuses on Dent as a suspect and realizes that he would have had ample time to commit any of the murders, and that the district attorney’s attitude toward the slayings has always been a little odd. Batman is forced to face the fact that his friend Harvey Dent may in fact be a murderer.

Meanwhile Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent decide to move forward with their attempt to prosecute Bruce Wayne for his possible relationship with Carmine Falcone.

The Roman grows tired of hearing the Riddler give him nothing but conflicting theories. His daughter Sofia puts the squeeze to Riddler’s head and Carmine demands to know the identity of Holiday. The name he gets is his own, as Riddler implicates Falcone himself. The Roman laughs it off and has Riddler sent away. As Riddler is ejected into the night a shadowy figure is waiting for him and opens fire. Instead of being killed however Riddler is only outlined in bullets before Holiday leaves the gun and an umbrella. Riddler muses “When does a killer not kill?”