Detective Comics #726 p.04 by Brian Stelfreeze

Description

Batman is working on a case related to an Arkham Asylum ex-con who kidnaps a little girl. Batman learns that the abductor committed suicide and he decides to search for clues in the only place that might hold answers; Arkham. Upon arriving, Batman learns that the released inmate cell was the one nearby the Joker’s cell and then he decides to question the clown in order to get some answers about the little girl’s whereabout. Joker starts playing mind games with Batman and the dark knight learns that the abduction was a Joker plan from the beginning and that the ex-con was just used by the Joker. Batman deduced that the Joker planned it all along due to the date, which was the anniversary of death of Jason Todd. After a while, Batman refuses to play the Joker’s game and simply asks him the location of the girl, and the Joker, realizing that the “fun” has ended, gives the exact place to Batman.

Batman rushes to the given address and fights his way through several henchmen to finally save the little girl who was trapped inside the truck of a car in a drowning boat.

After all was said and done, Batman asked the Joker why he gave away the place without any hesitation or double-crossing intentions, and the Joker told Batman that knowing him as only the Joker does, he knew that Batman would expect to find the girl dead but after the events of that night, Joker knew that Batman would always think twice before assumming the worst in a hostage situation.