Ace Attorney Novel
By: Benjamin Plante
Concept by Capcom
000. Prologue
Miles Edgeworth, Larry Butz, Mia Fey, Maya Fey, Pearl Fey, Dick Gumshoe, Ema Skye, Trucy (Last name omitted… well it's a surprise, alright! They're my memoirs, I'll write it how I want) and Apollo Justice... these are just some of the individuals that I owe my entire life to. They all played a part in making me what I am today. There is no way I can express my gratitude towards them… and for one of them, who sadly went before their time, I mean that literally.
My name is Phoenix Wright, and I am an Ace Attorney. … No no, sorry, I mean, I'm a defense attorney. … But I'm totally an ace, heh.
I have many stories to tell, and what better way to start than with my first case, in June of 2017. I was defending one of my saviors, Larry Butz, on a murder charge. At that time, I worked for Fey and Co. Law Offices, run by my mentor, Mia Fey. She stood beside me during Larry's trial, but ultimately, it was I who had to prove myself. I couldn't be an apprentice, I had to become a true defense attorney. This was a frightening prospect, as I was only 24 at the time.
001. The First Turnabout
Standing there with my blue suit and spiky black hair (I don't care if it's improper courtroom style, I don't gel it, that's how it really is. … Get off my back!), I made a promise to myself that there would be a NOT GUILTY verdict handed down by Judge Whatshisname to Larry. Larry Butz was not a murderer, and considering what I owe him from childhood, it's the least I could do for him.
Larry has been accused of murdering his girlfriend of the week, Cinder Block- I mean, Cindy Stone. It would seem that Larry was spotted leaving Cindy's apartment by a witness, a newspaper salesman named Frank Sahwit. Sahwit checked the door, which had been left ajar, and saw Miss Stone's body, blood pooling out of a wound from her head. I'm terrified because my enemy in court today is some bald bespectacled fellow named… I think Mia said his name was Winced in Pain. Is he going to make me wince in pain? … He might, as he's brought in Sahwit as a witness.
If I can't somehow convince Judge… erm. Judge whatever his name is, I am fighting a losing battle. BUT, no matter what, I'll fight for Larry until the bitter end. He'd do the same for me, I know it.
"Wright, please relax a bit."
It was my boss, Mia Fey. "Mia! I mean, chief, I am relaxed, I'm calm, I'm cool…"
"Your legs are shaking, you're sweating bullets, and you basically look like you're an inch away from a nervous breakdown", Mia said to me.
She was right. I couldn't hide it. But it wasn't 'first case nerves', it was because I couldn't fail Larry. It simply wasn't an option. Back in elementary school, Larry and another boy… well, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Just having Mia Fey here helped my confidence. She had long brown hair, giant boobs, wore black, had giant boobs, had giant boobs, bore a cute mole under her lip, and had giant boobs. But despite her giant boobs… and I mean it, GIANT… her most beautiful quality was her smile. That smile would always relax me. Loving without being flirtatious. … Maybe a little flirtatious. … Well it might've been! Get off my back!
Actually, while she's here, I may as well ask. "Mia, what's the judge's name?"
She laughed a bit. "I'm not sure anybody knows, Wright. He sometimes hands out business cards, but the name is always smudged. Everybody I've met has the same story, they're afraid to outright ask him because it seems rude not to already know. We all just call him 'Judge'. He's also a bit scatterbrained," she said, though not unkindly. I sensed that she had respect for the man, with her 'scatterbrain' comment being tongue in cheek. But I wasn't going to ask about it if she wasn't going to tell. I have better self-control than that.
… No I don't.
"Despite being a bit nutty, you find him to be a good judge, don't you?" I said.
Mia smiled that beautiful smile. "Yes, in my entire career from working with Di- I mean, Mister Armando, and Marvin Grossberg from Grossberg and Co., I've never seen the Judge hand down an incorrect verdict. He trusts his prosecutors and defense. He is a wonderful man."
Mia began saying something about how getting a murder trial as a first case was admirable, but my thoughts were elsewhere. You see, if she were a bit younger, I could easily fall in love with Mia.
That thought seems absurd now, as she was only three years my senior, not much older than me at all, but given how I held her in such high esteem, she certainly seemed much older. Maybe I was intimidated.
…
I wonder if she has a younger sister. Heh, no, I'm just jok-
"IT'S ALL OVER FOR ME! RUINATION! JUST KILL ME! KILL ME NOW! I WANT TO DIE!"
Oh, Larry's here it seems. I should hire that man as an alarm clock.
As Larry ran towards me, I took in his appearance. As usual, he didn't bother to think anything but casual. Messy hair, an ugly orange coat… the sort of thing you might expect a frat boy to wear while just hanging out. But then, I guess Larry isn't too far off from that.
"NICK!" he screeched, grabbing my shoulders. "DON'T EVEN BOTHER DEFENDING ME, LET THEM GIMME THE DEATH PENALTY, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE ANYMORE!"
I might be concerned for his sanity if I thought he had any to begin with. How does this guy get models as girlfriends?
Oh, about the name 'Nick', it comes from Phoe-NICK-x Wright. Maybe. My middle name is Nicholas, so maybe he got it from that. I don't try to apply logic to it anymore. I'm Phoenix and Nick, I accept that.
Oh, he's still yelling.
"I CAN'T LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT MY PRECIOUS CINDY! WHO, NICK! WHO TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" he yelled, tears almost comically pouring down his cheeks.
Unfortunately, I found it hard to find words to comfort him. In the 23 years I've known him, we had a saying. 'When something smells, it's usually the Butz'. … And it's often true.
But in all seriousness, I won't let him take the fall for this. "The media may say that you are 100% guilty Larry, but I'll prove them all wrong. This Pain guy, and this witness… I'll find a hole in their story somewhere, and you will be free at the end of this trial!"
"Nick… I… I don't know what to say…" he said through his tears.
I wonder if it'd spoil the mood if I told him that I honestly felt no confidence in myself at the moment…
August 3, 10:00 AM
District Court
Courtroom No. 2
"Rabble Blah Rhubarb Watermelon" said the crowd in its infinite wisdom.
BANG went the Judge's gavel.
"ORDER! Court is now in session. We will now begin the trial of Mr. Larry Butz, accused of murder," said the Judge, in a firm yet kind voice. He was an old bald man, though what hair he lacked on his head, he made up for in his facial hair; a magnificent gray beard and moustache. He'd be a pretty good Santa Claus. … Ah, damn, I went off in my own world again. Focus Phoenix, focus.
"Is the prosecution ready?" Asked the Judge.
Having read the court record, I now see that the prosecutor, 'Winced in Pain', is in fact named Winston Payne. … He had cruel parents. I would describe him in detail but the man was… forgettable, to say the least. Gray suit… balding… glasses I think? I think I may have even met him somewhere before, but he was terribly… generic. The only thing I'm sure of is the tone of his voice…
"The prosecution is ready, your Honor," he squeaked. Yes, squeaked. I'd swear he'd been kicked in the balls one too many times judging by his voice. Do I have a reason to be afraid of this guy? … No, don't judge a book by its cover. I think Mia once told me a story about how he put up a good fight against her once, and that he was known as a 'Rookie Killer'. I'd better keep my guard up.
"Ahem."
Ah! It was the Judge. "Erm, yes, your majesty… I mean Honor!" … Good save.
"For the third time, 'Is the defense ready'?"
"Ah, um, erm, yes. Yes he is. I mean, yes I am." So embarrassing, I didn't even need to look at Mia or anyone else in the room to see that they were all glaring at me with a pitying gaze, so I directed my attention to the walls and ceiling of the courtroom. … Wow, this is a beautiful building! Gold colored walls, a domed ceiling… I almost feel like I'm not worthy of being in here. … What's that? There are many bags attached to the ceiling. What are they for, what are they filled with? They kinda look like bags of confe-
"Mr. Wright, will you please save your inner monologue for another time?" the Judge bellowed.
"Ah! Y-yes, your highness… I mean, HONOR! Honor, sir! This is my first trial, I'm just a little nervous…" … Another good save. Maybe he'll take pity on me.
"Every lawyer has a first trial, don't expect any pity, Mr. Wright."
Damn.
"But since you are… quirky, to say the least, I'd at least like to test your mind before we begin," the Judge said, slowly, as though I wouldn't be able to understand unless he spoke one syllable at a time. It's not like I'm autistic or have OCD… damn this golden room is beautiful… NO! Test. He's about to test me. I must focus.
"These questions may seem remedial… do you know that word, son? But I need to know that you know the basics here. This is a murder trial, the life of your client is in your hands."
If the Judge was an asshole, I'd think he was making fun of me, but I honestly believe he's trying to be nice by making sure I know his vocabulary. I guess you could say I like the guy.
"I understand sir, please ask away," I said, staring calmly at him. I needed to look more confident. No matter how scared or unsure I am, this is one of my closest friends I'm defending, and I will not fail him. I must look the part of a 'hero'. … I've stopped shaking. I've stopped sweating. "Ask away, sir!" I repeated, and even I was surprised by the booming confidence in my voice. Maybe, just maybe, this Phoenix has risen from the ashes of fear, and can bring a Turnabout to this situation.
"Very well then, Wright," the Judge said, and I detected a hint of a smile, and even a gleam in his eyes that may have been pride. "Question one: Answer quickly, who is the defendant, your client?"
"Larry Butz," I said, surprised by my own quickness and tone of voice. Yes, confidence. Confidence will lead to the miracle turnabout I need against Payne's no doubt solid case.
"Correct. Question two: Who is the victim in this ca-"
"Cindy Stone, Larry's girlfriend," I answered.
"Excellent. One more question and I think you'll be ready. This will prove that you've studied the court record if you can answer correctly…"
"OBJECTION!" screamed Winston Payne, the prosecutor. I had to stifle laughter, as it sounded more like a parakeet than an angry outburst. "Aren't these things he should be expected to know? Why question him now!"
The Judge's answer made me officially respect him. He said, "Mr. Payne, I don't care what goes on in the courtroom when I'm the presiding judge, whether it be courtroom antics, unpredictable behavior, or anything unconventional, so long as I know both sides are competent, and I MUST know that the competence is there, so that I can deliver the correct verdict in the end."
Payne had no response.
"I told you," Mia whispered to me, "He is perhaps the greatest judge in the world."
If he really is as great as he appears… maybe, just maybe, Larry will be proven NOT GUILTY, as this is a Judge that clearly seeks the truth, no matter what stands in his way.
"Now then, question 3: How did the victim die?"
"Blunt force trauma to the head," I answered confidently.
"Correct. Now we shall begin the trial in earnest," the Judge said.
I now felt strong. I can do this. Let's go, Winston Payne!
"Now then, I have a que-", the Judge started.
"OBJECTION!"
"… Wright, wait until something worth objecting to is said. … Or at least wait until something is said at all," Mia said to me.
"Sorry, sorry. I was just practicing."
Mia rested her face in her hands and said, "I feel a migraine coming on…"
"Ahem, as I was saying, I have a question for the prosecution. Mr. Payne, the autopsy report shows that Cindy Stone was killed by a blow to the head. What object was used?" the Judge inquired of the wimp.
"Pay attention Wright," said Mia, "Record all new information in the court record."
I listened intently, not wanting to miss a single thing I could exploit for Larry's sake.
Payne explained, "The murder weapon was a statue of 'The Thinker', which apparently belonged to Miss Stone. She was killed instantly with one blow. It was found on the floor next to the victim, with her blood on it. Please enter this statue into the court record as evidence."
"Very well. Now then, the prosecution may call its first witness," the Judge said.
"We would like to call the defendant himself, Mr. Larry Butz, to the stand," Payne said, smirking.
Mia whispered to me, "While this isn't unheard of, it's rare to call the defendant himself or herself to the stand, at least not immediately. Payne will likely try to goad Mr. Butz into incriminating himself. Listen carefully, and let's hope he doesn't say anything stupid."
Larry Butz, not say anything stupid? You ask for a miracle, Mia.
Larry calmly took the stand. Does he even realize the trouble he could be in? His face is completely emotionless.
Payne's first question was, "Mr. Butz, is it not true that Miss Stone recently dumped you?"
NOW Larry showed emotion. "HEY! We were like Romeo and Juliet, damn it! Cleopatra and Marc Antony! Eternal love!"
I didn't have the heart to say it aloud, but I'm sure everyone in the room was thinking the same thing: Didn't they all die?
"She didn't dump me," continued Larry, "She just stopped returning my calls… and stopped seeing me… at all. … WHAT'S IT TO YOU!"
Payne said what we were again all thinking, but there was an additional twist in his next sentence. "What you've described is what is generally considered 'dumped'. But that's not all, Mr. Butz, she had not only completely abandoned you, but was also seeing many other men! She had even just returned from overseas with one of them the day before her death!"
"LIES! LIES LIES LIES! I won't believe it! Cindy wasn't that kind of girl!" Larry shrieked.
Payne unfortunately held the proof. "Your Honor, I am entering the victim's passport into the court record. Proof that she had indeed returned from overseas the day before the murder," he said, smiling cockily.
"Yes, this does seem to confirm that much," the Judge said, viewing the passport.
"Furthermore, Mr. Butz," Payne continued, "the men Miss Stone dated were all nothing but sugar daddies to her. Older men who she would use to acquire money. While she was a model, she wasn't a famous one, and her income was below average."
Larry began to sweat, and could only softly mutter "No way…" I was afraid he would scream or cry again any moment. Something which Payne was about to use to his advantage.
"We can now clearly see what kind of woman Cindy Stone was. Knowing the truth, what do you think of her now, Mr. Butz?" Payne said, showing his biggest smirk yet.
"Wright, now might be a good time to stop Larry from answering that…" Mia whispered. I agreed.
"HOLD IT! My client had no idea the victim was seeing other men, whatever he currently thinks of her now that he knows is irrelevant to the murder charge, Mr. Payne!" I yelled.
I guess that did the trick, because Payne's smirk vanished, and he clearly, if you'll pardon the pun, winced in pain at having his first attack destroyed. I was prepared to savor my first tiny victory, when…
"DUDE, NICK, WHADDA YOU MEAN IRRELEVANT! THAT CHEATING BITCH! WHEN I DIE, I'LL SEE HER IN HELL AND GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS!"
I could only sigh. My nerves were returning, I didn't feel as solid as I did before.
"Clearly the court can see a potential motive," Payne said, his shit-eating grin back, "Now, onto the next question. Mr. Butz, you went to the victim's apartment on the day of the murder, correct?"
Larry gulped before answering. "Heh, well, maybe I did, and maybe I didn't."
Crap. He went. I thought it would be better for him to be honest this time, so I used a series of hand gestures we used to use back in school, between Miles, Larry, and myself. TELL. THE. TRUTH. I said.
"Oh, uh, yeah, I went there that day. But she wasn't home, man! I didn't see her," Larry answered.
"OBJECTION!" yelled Payne. "Mr. Butz, you are lying. Your honor, I have a witness who can testify that Larry Butz exited the apartment just after the murder occurred!"
"That simplifies matters. Please call this witness to the stand," the Judge said.
Don't panic Phoenix, you know Larry didn't do it, witness or no, don't panic, stop shaking, stop sweating, STOP PANICKING!
Payne continued. "The prosecution would like to call newspaper salesman Frank Sahwit to the stand."
I watched the man approach the stand. Odd looking fellow, very short, oddly shaped hair, a creepy smile, and a large mole in the center of his forehead. I immediately didn't trust this man.
The Judge spoke first. "Now then, Mr. Sahwit, you sell newspaper subscriptions door-to-door, correct?"
"What? OH! Oh, yes, of course," Sahwit replied, rubbing his hands together obsessively.
"Very well," said the Judge, "Please give us your testimony."
TESTIMONY: FRANK SAHWIT'S ACCOUNT
"I was going door-to-door, selling subscriptions when I saw a man fleeing an apartment. I thought he must be in a hurry because he left the door half-open behind him. Thinking it strange, I looked inside the apartment. Then I saw her lying there... A woman... not moving... dead! I quailed in fright and found myself unable to go inside. I thought to call the police immediately! However, the phone in her apartment wasn't working. I went to a nearby park and found a public phone. I remember the time exactly, it was 1:00 PM. The man who ran was, without a doubt, the defendant sitting right over there!"
No… Larry, you did it. Why didn't you just confess, how can I defend you against that witness testimony? … We're going to lose…
"Why wasn't the phone working in the victim's apartment?" the Judge asked.
"There was a power outage in the building from noon until 6 PM. Some cordless phones do not function in such an event. Allow me to add the Blackout Record to the court record," Payne explained.
"I see. Well, that explains that. Now then, Mr. Wright, if you will," the Judge said, looking at me.
"… Um… if I will what?"
"Your cross-examination of the previous testimony of course!" the Judge said, sounding a bit baffled at how little I knew.
"Cross-examinations are your chance to strike back, Wright," said Mia.
"Cross-examine the witness… but he proved it! Larry is the ki-"
"Wright, do you honestly believe that Larry is the killer?"
She knew the answer. Of course I didn't.
"If Larry is not the murderer, then Frank Sahwit LIED somewhere in his testimony! This is a defense attorney's time to shine, Wright, peruse the court record and look for contradictions between it and the testimony! Prove the witness to be a liar, or at least uninformed or not credible!" Mia said firmly.
CROSS-EXAMINATION: FRANK SAHWIT'S ACCOUNT
Thinking back to one thing he said…
"HOLD IT! You said that you didn't enter the apartment, however, you claimed you tried to use her phone…"
"Ah, well, the cordless phone was located on the shelf near the door. I was able to easily reach inside," Sahwit said.
Simply pressing what he said here isn't going to be enough… Okay, examine the court record. There are currently five pieces of evidence in it. I have to find something in one of those pieces that can expose a lie in Sahwit's account.
The first piece is… my defense attorney badge. Well, that's useless.
Passport… no… Miss Stone's autopsy… it only tells me what we already know, that she was killed by blunt force trauma, and the time of death was… was…
!
"Mr. Sahwit! What time did you say you discovered the body?"
"It was 1 PM, I'm positive…"
"OBJECTION!" I yelled, pointing at the witness dramatically. … Oh that felt good, like I'd cornered him psychologically just by pointing with my left index finger. … I think I'll make that my signature move. … Oh right, a trial's going on.
"1 PM you say? Frankly, I find that hard to believe Mr. Sahwit!" I bellowed. I'd found it. A contradiction.
Sahwit began to sweat a bit, "Why do you say that?"
It was my turn to smile. "According to Miss Stone's autopsy report, her exact time of death was 4 PM! She hadn't even been killed yet at 1 PM! Explain that, Mr. Sahwit!"
"Ah… I… um… I was sure it was 1 PM… how, how strange…"
"OBJECTION!" yelled Payne, "This is trivial, the witness was merely mistaken about the time!"
The Judge shook his head. "The witness repeated several times that he was positive it was 1 PM. Well, witness?"
Mia whispered, "Well done, now you've hurt his credibility, and furthermore, if he deliberately lied, he'll lie to cover up his lie. Just keep finding contradictions and unravel Sahwit's web to find the truth!"
If Sahwit can't think of a second lie, then I will have already destroyed his credib-
"Ah! I just remembered something! I remember why I thought it was 1 PM!" Sahwit yelled.
Damn it.
The Judge sighed. "Very well, please revise your testimony."
Damn it damn it.
"There was another way to know the time!" Sahwit said.
Damn it damn it damn it.
TESTIMONY: THE TIME OF DISCOVERY
"You see, when I found the body, I heard the time. There was a voice saying the time... It was probably coming from the television. Oh, but it was three hours off, wasn't it? I guess the victim must have been watching a video of a taped program! That's why I thought it was 1:00 PM! Terribly sorry about the misunderstanding..."
"HOLD IT! You'd… you'd better be sorry about the misunderstanding!"
::silence::
"Wright," Mia said, "That's not helping. Rather than clowning around, the contradiction here should be obvious."
"You're right, it is" I said. I felt my courage returning.
CROSS-EXAMINATION: THE TIME OF DISCOVERY
I immediately looked to the blackout record in the court record, and verified the time of the blackout as…
"OBJECTION! Mr. Sahwit! Be frank with me!" I yelled, pointing again.
"I'm always Frank, that's my name," Sahwit sneered.
"The courtroom is no place for jokes!" I bellowed. I thought I saw Mia about to say something to me, but instead she just rubbed her temple a bit. "According to the blackout record which your ally, Mr. Payne, so generously made official evidence, all power was out in the building between noon and 6 PM! Neither the television nor the VCR could've been playing a recording!"
"Oh… erm… urk, that's right! … AH! Now I remember! No, for real this time!" Sahwit yelled, sweating bullets and rubbing his palms even faster.
"Mr. Sahwit," the Judge said firmly, "This court demands accurate testimony from the start, otherwise your credibility will be damaged and all you've had to say will be inadmissible."
"AH!" Sahwit screamed, I was sure his obvious hair piece bounced for a moment. "Of course, your honor, of course. Here's the absolute true testimony!"
"This is your last chance," said the Judge, "make it count."
TESTIMONY: HEARING THE TIME
"Actually, I didn't 'hear' the time... I 'saw' it! There was a table clock in the apartment, wasn't there! Yeah, the murder weapon! The killer used it to hit the victim!
That must have been what I saw."
CROSS-EXAMINATION: HEARING THE TIME
I didn't even need to think for one second to spot this lie.
"OBJECTION! The murder weapon was not a clock, Mr. Sahwit! It was the statue of The Thinker that was entered into evidence. How in the hell is THIS a clock?"
Sahwit stopped smiling and rubbing his hands at that point. He was clearly very agitated. "Y… You with your… your objections and your evidence, who the hell do you think you are!"
I thought that was my job. "I'm an attorney, those are my weapons. Common sense, Frank. Now answer my question, why did you think the statue was a clock?"
"I just know, damn it!" he yelled.
"Excuse me, your honor," Payne interrupted. I'd almost forgotten he was there. Not much presence, that one. "This statue is, in fact, a clock."
…..What?
"This is an audio clock. It looks like a statue, but if you tilt its neck, it says the current time out loud. I was not aware of this, so I simply submitted it into evidence as a statue. My apologies," Payne said.
Damn it. So it is a clock… but wait, how would Sahwit know that… unless…
The Judge spoke. "It seems the statue is also a clock, Wright. Are you satisfied with this explanation?"
"Absolutely not," I said, loud and clear, "There is a major hole in this testimony now. The only way the witness could've known it was a clock is if he'd held it in his hand. However, he said earlier that he'd never entered the apartment! Clearly, another contradiction!"
"Hmm, indeed. Do you have any further theories, Mr. Wright?" the Judge asked.
I've done it. I've learned who the killer is, and it isn't Larry! "Mr. Sahwit, you were in the victim's apartment that day. I don't know the reason why, maybe you're one of her sugar daddies or something, but in any case, you were there. When Miss Stone came home unexpected, you reacted and hit her with the clock statue. Upon impact, the clock activated, giving the time as 1 PM. THAT is why you were so sure about the time of death, because the inaccurate clock said so!"
"OBJECTION!" Payne squeaked, "This is all baseless conjecture!"
"Well, witness? Did you see the time? Hear the time? Get the time from the statue? What's the true answer?" the Judge said.
Sahwit stammered, "I… no look, I… I heard… I mean… saw, SAW! … The time… the statue spoke, but- GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
As he screamed, I saw his hairpiece flying into my face, and then fall to the floor. Lovely, just what I wanted. But he wasn't done.
"Look, I know it was him damn it, the defendant, he killed her and he should burn for it! BURN IN HELL!" Sahwit screeched.
The Judge was forced to use his gavel to calm the court following that outburst.
"These are still baseless accusations!" Payne insisted.
"Would the prosecution please be silent for a moment," said the Judge, "Mr. Wright, these allegations all depend on the statue clock being 3 hours slow. Is there any way you can prove this to be the case?"
"Easy," I said, and held up the clock, tilting its head.
'I THINK IT'S 8:25' said the clock's voice. It thinks? Well, it is The Thinker I suppose. "Now, Mr. Payne, what time is it right now?"
"What? Time?" Payne checked his watch. "It's 11:25. So, what does… AAAH!"
It's over. "A three hour difference, just like Mr. Sahwit's incorrect information. Can you talk your way out of this one, Frank?"
"… … Ha… hahaha! You have one more thing to prove, defense attorney! Sure, the clock is 3 hours slow now, but can you prove that it was also 3 hours slow on the day of the murder? You may think it's unlikely someone would alter the clock after it was used as a murder weapon, but it's not impossible!" Sahwit yelled, his smile back.
"Indeed," said Payne, "The law deals in absolutes, you must provide a reason why the clock would be 3 hours off to begin with, Wright."
I simply stood in stunned silence. They were right. It was impossible to prove that the clock had been slow on the day of the murder.
"Wright, I am truly sorry," the Judge said, and the look in his eyes meant it, "but you cannot indict the witness. Mr. Sahwit, you are excused. Again, I am so sorry, Mr. Wright…"
So am I. So… am I. Larry… I've failed you.
Sahwit scoffed, annoyed, "I knew it, all lawyers are scum! I come down here to help identify that Butz guy as a murderer and this is how I'm treated! I'm leavi-"
"HOLD IT!"
I quickly turned to my right. Mia? Mia just yelled 'HOLD IT!'?
"Are you really going to let it end like this, Wright?" she said.
"But I can't prove the clock was wrong on that day, nobody can!" I said.
"Then instead, look at it another way… WHY would the clock be wrong? Provide a suitable reason, and you can still win! In court, if you can't prove your theory outright, then you must look for a 'why'! WHY is your theory sound? That is the key, Wright," Mia said. From the look in her eyes, she already knew the answer I needed, but I would have to figure it out myself, otherwise I don't deserve my defense attorney's badge.
…
Wait a minute… there's one piece of evidence that has been innocuous until now. Showing 'that' evidence would provide the reason I needed! This is it, my last chance.
"Wright," the Judge spoke, "Can you prove after all that the clock was slow at the time of the murder?"
The confidence was back 100%. I felt… invincible. I slammed my hands on the desk in excitement. "Yes I can, your honor. The evidence that confirms my theory is… THIS!" I yelled, holding out my trump card.
"TAKE THAT! Cindy Stone's passport! As we established earlier, the victim returned from overseas, here to Los Angeles from Paris the day before the murder. Not only that, keep in mind that this clock does not announce AM or PM. We believed the clock was saying it was 1 PM at the time of Miss Stone's death, but it was in fact saying 1 AM! The time difference from LA to Paris is nine hours! This clock isn't 3 hours slow, it's 9 hours fast! The victim adjusted the time on her clock to Paris time, and as she was killed almost immediately after coming home, she had no time to reset the clock to Los Angeles time!" I yelled, suddenly feeling like a hero of justice.
Mia, the Judge, and Payne had nothing to say, though Sahwit began hyperventilating. After a moment, he began screaming like a madman…
"Aaa… AAAH… AAGLURBLE," he screamed in mental anguish, and then proceeded to pass out on the floor, foaming at the mouth.
"Frank Sahwit. More like Frank Did-It", I muttered. I think Mia may have rolled her eyes at me then. I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY! GET OFF MY BACK!
"Well," said the Judge, "This case turned out differently than we expected. Mr. Payne, where is your client, Mr. Sahwit?"
Payne looked on the verge of tears as he said, "He has been arrested and confessed to the murder. It seems he was nothing more than a common burglar, and Miss Stone chose an unlucky time to come home…"
"I see. I'm warning you Mr. Payne, be less biased in the future," the Judge said. Payne winced. "Oh, and this may be unprofessional of a judge, but Mr. Wright, I have to commend you. This is your first time in a courtroom, and at the start you looked like a real wreck. However, you not only crafted a defense from nothing, you also identified the true guilty party. Quite admirable. I look forward to seeing you work again."
That made me feel good, hearing that… even though he clearly just showed bias right after telling Payne not to do so. But I wasn't gonna say anything, I just put my hand on the back of my neck and thanked him. … I also didn't feel it was particularly necessary to point out that this wasn't my first time in a courtroom. Luckily, Mia didn't say it either, but that's a story for another day. … AH! Now I remember Winston Payne! He was… ahem, erm, like I said, story for another day.
The Judge spoke again, with a more booming voice than usual, "Well then, to make it official, the court finds the defendant, Mr. Larry Butz… NOT GUILTY. And with that, court is adjourned."
… Holy crap, those ARE confetti bags on the ceiling!
Mia and I exited back to the lobby. I was about to thank her, but as usual, she knew me too well.
"Don't even think about thanking me. That was your battle, Wright, your victory. It's not often that a defense attorney gets to see a trial end on a happy note. Congratulations!" she said, smiling that smile of hers. Man, if she's this happy, Larry must be—
"My life is over".
…upset? "Larry, what are you talking about? We found your girlfriend's murderer, you're a free man!"
"Even so, I'll be dead and gone soon," he said, waterfall tears staining his shirt.
"Good, you see, that's better- no NO, bad! What are you talking about?"
"Nick, she… she took me for a chump! I was just used by her! I thought I'd finally found a girl who truly cared for me, but… once again…"
The rest of what he said was indecipherable through his blubbering. I wasn't sure how to cheer him up.
Luckily Mia interrupted the awkward silence. "Congratulations Harry! I can see the headline now, 'Harry Butz, Innocent!' Good for you!"
I think she did that on purpose.
"Heh, thanks, I really owe you one, you know?" Larry said to Mia, overlooking the joke. That's how Larry is with pretty women. Even though I'm the one that got him off the hook, but whatever.
"Oh? Isn't this evidence?" Mia suddenly said. I snapped out of my inner thoughts and saw Larry presenting a gift to Mia, and it looked to be The Thinker statue/clock!
"No no, I made both this clock and the one for Cindy, this is mine. I'd like you to have it," Larry said, flirtatiously.
Mia laughed a little. "I see, well then, I'll gladly accept."
Where's my present? … No no, don't think like that, your present is the satisfaction of serving justice. … Really, it is. I'm not jealous.
Now Larry turned his attention to me. To complain. "Well, Nick, wasn't I a chump? That girl played me like a fiddle! I meant nothing to her! Isn't that sad? Makes me wanna cry!"
He had been crying already.
"Are you sure about that?" Mia said. "I think Phoenix and I can prove to you that she really did care for you."
"Heh, naw, you don't have to sympathize or try to cheer me up, it's okay," Larry said. This time I saw genuine sadness on his face, rather than the comical blubbering from before.
But Mia was right, and seeing that true sadness, I had to show him 'that' thing. "Take a look at this, Larry! Proof-positive she felt something for you!"
Larry looked at the object I was holding. It was the statue/clock from the trial. "This is the clock from the trial, the one you made for her. She took this clock with her as she traveled."
Larry only half-smiled and said, "She probably just needed a clock, that's all."
"You think so?" I responded, "It's a pretty heavy object to lug around just because it's a clock. If all she needed was a clock, why not a watch?"
As what I said sank in, Larry's subtle facial twitches made me wanna give him a big hug. … Hell if I would, but still.
Finally, he spoke, "Nick… I made the right choice. I'm very glad to have you as a lawyer, and more importantly, as a friend."
Larry shook my hand, said his goodbyes to Mia and myself, and quickly left. I saw him wiping his eyes as he walked out the door. … He never paid me, but that was okay with me.
Mia broke the silence after that, "Wright, I hope you see the importance of evidence now. Things change depending on how you look at them. People too. We won't always know if our client is guilty or not, but all we can do as defense attorneys is believe in them, and do our job, DEFEND. And to do that, first you must believe in yourself. Listen, learn, and grow strong, Wright. Never let go of your beliefs… bear conviction behind your profession."
I will never forget those words. Ever.
Mia and I went out for dinner that evening to celebrate, and I promised her that one day, maybe over drinks, I'd explain to her exactly why I owed Larry Butz since childhood. I did tell her that not only did he help me, he's one of two people responsible for making me decide to be a defense attorney. Larry Butz… and… Miles Edgeworth. A man who I would meet soon enough under unexpected circumstances. Mia wanted to hear the story so badly, but I didn't want to share it, not just yet. Someday, I promised her.
Little did I know then that the clock statue would soon be at the center of another incident… and my promise to Mia to tell her the story… would be an impossible promise to keep…
001. The First Turnabout – The End
Next: 002. Turnabout Sisters