Annie nodded nervously and shifted her weight again.
"I'm pretty sure.." she murmured while running her right hand thought her brown hair.
Maya, meanwhile, was stretched out on a white sofa nearby, reading her favourite magazine. She did not seem too nervous, that was for sure.
"All right." Phoenix said in a firm voice while he adjusted his tie. The judge was supposed to be impartial, but it was wise to make a good impression anyway. "That means that we're ready." Phoenix said in his tough voice, despite himself being everything but ready. But it was better being nervous and making a tough impression than just being nervous, Phoenix thought for himself. He tugged lightly at his tie for the last time, made sure it looked well and turned his head toward Maya, who still was lost in her own world.
"Maya, we are ready. Are you coming?" He called out.
The seventeen year old looked up, her face bore a surprised expression. "Now?" She asked. "Yes, of course, Nick!" She replied. "I've only got ten pages left to read…" she mumbled and changed her attention to the magazine again.
"Maya…" Phoenix sighed. He doubted that she was making a very good impression on Miss West this way… Phoenix found it hard to imagine that the Maya sitting on the couch, calmly reading, was the same as the one who had sworn 'to do everything she could do to help'. "The judge is not going to wait for you to finish reading those ten pages." He said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. When Maya didn't react to that either Phoenix just began walking toward the doors of the courtroom and asked Annie to followed him.
"By the way, Mr Wright…" Annie scratched her chin. "How am I supposed to behave in court?"
"Um… yeah…" Phoenix murmured. It was the first time a client had actually asked him about this. The attorney thought back to his time in law school, he was sure that they had learned something about that too.. He brightened when he finally remembered. "I think it's best if you don't say anything at all. Just say yes and no if you're asked about something. All right?"
Annie nodded. "Thank you Mr Wright. I'll do that."
"Wait, wait! " It was Maya. The look on her face told that she was slightly irritated. "Nick, you know I wanted to come with you!" She got up and hastily stuffed her magazine into her grey and pink 'pink princess' bag she had brought with her.
Phoenix waited until Maya had caught up with him and Annie, swallowed and entered the courtroom. He prayed silently that Winston Payne was the prosecutor. Out of the prosecutors Phoenix had encountered so far, Payne was by far the easiest to beat. Please, let it be Payne… Phoenix thought to himself. Please…
District courtroom 14
Phoenix glanced nervously around the courtroom. It was quite impressive. Almost everything inside it was made out of dark brown wood, and a red carpet floor decorated the ground. The judge was the same as in all of Phoenix's cases so far; a bald man with a white beard wearing a dark overcoat, that all judges usually wore. Despite being old and bald, he still looked quite imposing sitting up in his judge's chair. Phoenix was still praying silently inside. Please, let it be Payne.
If it was Miles Edgeworth, Phoenix was sure that he would faint. He had been up against him in two trials before and barely won the first one. In the second trial, Miles had actually helped in the end because he realized who the true murderer was. But relying on something like that to happen again, Phoenix though to himself, would be to push his luck way hard.
It could not be Manfred Von Karma, because he was in jail. Von Karma was the toughest prosecutor Phoenix had faced so far. He was experienced and good at prepping his witnesses. Occasionally, he hid evidence or falsified it. But Phoenix had managed to win with Maya and Mia's help.
"Nick?" Maya's voice brought Phoenix back into reality. Instinctively, he looked in Maya's direction, and that was when he saw who the prosecutor was. He gasped when he recognized the person standing behind the desk on the opposite side of the courtroom.
It was the woman who had yelled at him at the crime scene.
Phoenix recognized her immediately. There was no way of mistaking her. The red jacket she wore today gave off a slightly more formal air than the grey one she had worn at the crime scene, but the white top underneath it was the same. Phoenix guessed that she was wearing a skirt today too, even if there was no way he could see it, because the desk in front of the woman reached to a bit over her waist. Her hair was a similar colour to Edgeworth's and was parted on the right side. It was cut in a way that it did almost reach her shoulders and was neatly combed. A portion of hair hung down on each side of her face, and ended an inch or so above where the rest did. Phoenix assumed that she had just been making her final preparations, because her case file still lay on her desk.
As before most trials, the air was filled with murmurs and whispers, but they calmed down once the judge had slammed his gavel.
"The court is now in session for the trial of Miss Annie West." the white-bearded man declared.
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honour." The woman said and crossed her arms in front of herself, readying for the coming battle of wits.
"The defense is ready, Your Honour." Phoenix said in the most normal voice he managed to.
"Come on, Phoenix, I know that we can win!" Maya whispered to him. Phoenix glanced over to Annie, who was sat in the defendant's chair and nervously tapped with her right foot on the ground. She noticed that Phoenix was looking in her direction, and smiled faintly. I'm her only hope, Phoenix thought to himself. Somehow, that gave him strength. Yes, he was going to fight today, no matter how good the prosecutor. No matter how unprepared he was. He clenched his fists and readied for the coming battle.
When it everybody in the room had fallen silent, the judge started speaking. "Ms Edgeworth, your opening statement." The he said and nodded his head in the woman's direction.
E-d-g-e-w-o-r-t-h. The name passed trough Phoenix's mind.
"Whaaat!" Phoenix cried out in surprise. Then he looked to he right and met the judge's annoyed gaze. Not a good start, not at all. "I'm sorry your honour, it's just…" Phoenix began. He could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. How was he going to explain this one? Luckily, Maya came to his aid, just in time. "Your honour, Phoenix didn't know the prosecutor's name –because nobody told him!" she explained.
The judge seemed to consider Maya's words. Phoenix held his breath. He remembered what Mia had told him once, one mistake in court could cost him a whole case. But before the trial even really had started? Phoenix hoped that he wouldn't be penalized for his inappropriate behaviour. The time seemed to grind to a halt while the judge was lost in thought. Phoenix was relieved beyond words when the judge finally nodded slowly.
"Now, I guess that is… a feasible explanation, Mr. Wright." He said.
The woman behind the prosecutor's desk nodded slightly as well. "I see. My name is Naomi Edgeworth." She stated. From the tone of her voice, she seemed pretty confident. Phoenix hoped that the confidence just was acting from her part; then they would be equal.
"Where was I…" The judge scratched his head. Phoenix couldn't really blame him for losing track of things, he was the cause.
"The opening statement, I believe." Naomi said, her arms still crossed in front of herself.
"Right.." The judge nodded again. "Well then, your opening statement, please, Ms Edgeworth."
Naomi opened the case file and put one hand on her desk. "The victim, Laura Sanderson, was murdered in her studio on Sunday the 17th of august. She died of poisoning at 14:32. The only person inside the building around the time of the murder was her manager, Miss Annie West. Logically, the killer could be nobody except Miss West." Naomi stated. Phoenix had to admit, seemed like a pretty solid case. He swallowed hard as he saw Annie's despaired gaze directed at him. She didn't look like a murderer at all! But then again, was there any rule about how a murderer was supposed to look? No. Phoenix told himself. Annie couldn't be a murderer. She was innocent. And therefore, he would fight for her sake.
"Objection!" Phoenix shouted and pointed his finger at Naomi. There was a possibility that she seemed to have conveniently 'forgotten'. "How can you know that it was not suicide?"
Naomi snorted. "Mr Wright…" she began and lifted one hand in front of herself as to show her disagreement while the other one rested on her desk. "Do you really believe that a person who commits suicide would leave behind a note with a name on it, just for fun? In most suicide cases there is either a letter.." She paused and put her other hand on her desk too. "..or nothing. Besides, by the way the body lay it was clear that the victim had discovered that something was wrong, and tried to reach the door. When she realized that she could not possibly make it, she grabbed a piece of paper.."
"Hold it!" Phoenix shouted and slammed one hand on his desk. "Where did she get that piece of paper?"
Naomi shook her head and sighed. "Mr Wright, I beg you, let me speak to an end before you ask meaningless questions. The paper was from a notepad that was also found on the floor. There you have your precious answer, Mr Wright." From the tone Naomi said "precious" in, it was obvious to Phoenix that she was mocking him.
"So, your honour, what is your opinion on this case so far?" Naomi asked.
The judge nodded slowly. "From I have heard, the logical conclusion is that Miss West is guilty."
The beads of sweat on Phoenix's forehead had grown into small droplets by now. Things were not looking good… "I… object!" He cried out. Heck, were they going to declare Miss West guilty without even calling a single witness? "The prosecution has not called forth any witnesses! How can you say that Miss West is guilty without even having a witness?" Phoenix shouted.
Phoenix glanced over to Miss West to see how she was doing. Her fists were clenched, and drops of sweat glistened on her forehead.
"I understand your logic." Naomi said while she scratched her chin. Phoenix sighed in relief. Naomi put her hand down again. "But.." The word 'but' caught Phoenix totally off-guard. It could only mean that Naomi had bad news – for Phoenix. "..There were no witnesses to the murder!" Naomi continued. "And when there are no witnesses evidence means everything."
Maya's eyes widened. "No… witnesses?" She gasped. In the previous trials there had always been at least one witness. In fact, the reason Phoenix had won all those cases were due to inconsistencies in the witnesses' testimonies. But how did you find an inconsistency in the non-existent testimony of a non-existent witness?
Phoenix looked helplessly at Maya, who appeared to be thinking. Yes, right, he needed to think now. But quick. If there were no witnesses… and Annie West indeed was innocent… there would have to be an inconsistency in the whole case!
"Wait." Phoenix clenched his right fist. "Do we know anything about what happened before the murder?" He might be able to gain some time this way.
Naomi nodded. "The detectives found a recorded song on tape in the studio. Apparently, the recording ended at 13:42."
"Can you prove it?" Phoenix challenged.
"Of course I can." Naomi almost smiled. "I talked to her producer yesterday. He confirmed it." She lifted up her cell phone as if to demonstrate the truth of her last statement.
"But what did he do after that?" Phoenix continued asking and leant forward onto his desk. Maybe, just maybe this would prove to be the right approach.
"He went home, of course. I have a recording by the security cameras that shows him leaving the building at 13:47. Do you maybe want to see it?" Naomi offered and slipped her cell phone back into her briefcase.
"No thanks." Phoenix declined the offer. It seemed like he wasn't going to get any further this way. He also doubted that the videotape might contain valuable clues..
"So?" Naomi gave Phoenix a questioning look. "Does the defense have any more questions?"
Phoenix ran his hand through his hair. If he didn't think of something soon, Miss West would be declared guilty for sure! He was so lost in thought that he did not notice Maya tugging at his sleeve. When Phoenix didn't respond, Maya gave him a small jerk.
"Phoenix!" She whispered. "We haven't heard anything of a possible motive so far! Why don't you ask her about that?"
Of course, the motive! Phoenix almost wanted to smack himself for overseeing a thing as elementary as the motive. Still, he did not do it. In court, it would only have made him look silly.
"I do have another question!" Phoenix declared and raised his hand. "What was the defendant's motive?" Phoenix sat his arms in his sides and smirked triumphantly. But in place of the shocked expression Phoenix had expected to see on his opponent's face it was the opposite – a completely calm expression.
"Oh, of course. The motive." Naomi smiled in a way that told Phoenix that he had no chance. "I guess that you still remember that the victim was recording a song that day?"
"Yes." Phoenix replied. "But what has that got to do with anything?"
"The victim was a rising pop star." Naomi explained. "She was famous and earned millions with her songs. But what would happen if she suddenly died? Most likely, her last song, or CD for that sake, would be hyped up like none of the previous ones. Her fans would surely buy it, but people touched by the tragic story might buy too. And the result would be a reasonable amount of money."
Phoenix shook his head. "I still don't see what that has got to do with my client."
"Mr. Wright, how can I make a point when I'm interrupted by you all the time?" Naomi snorted and set one arm in her right side. "Your client, who is also Miss Sanderson's manager would have the right to claim the money because Miss Sanderson was an only child, and her parents are both dead. She has no relatives that could claim the money. Therefore… that money is her motive!" Naomi nodded and made a gesture toward Annie.
"Nick?" It was Maya again. The look of determination in her eyes gave Phoenix back some of his strength. "There was a note, wasn't it? But something's strange; I didn't see any pen at the crime scene!"
A bell rang in Phoenix's head. Of course, this was just the chance he had needed.
"Wait. Ms Edgeworth (Phoenix silently wondered if that woman might be a relative of Miles), you said that there was a note. Can you show it?"
"The note? Yes." Naomi opened the briefcase standing beside her desk and pulled out a piece of paper that was inside a small plastic bag. "Here." She held plastic bag containing the note up so Phoenix could see it. The note appeared to be written with a pen, but the text was scrawled quickly and you had to look twice to make out that "Annie" was written on it.
"Nick!" Maya whispered. "Ask her about the pen!" Phoenix nodded and replied; "In fact, I'm going to ask her about it now."
"Objection!" He shouted and pointed his finger at Naomi in his trademark fashion. "There was no sign
of a pen at the crime scene!"
"He's right! He's right!" Maya yelled and jumped up and down beside Phoenix. Annie smiled faintly at the girl's reaction.
Maya cringed as the judge slammed his gavel. "Would the defense please calm down a bit? This is a courtroom, not an amusement park."
Phoenix grinned stupidly and apologized, even if he didn't quite understand what Maya's jumping and an amusement park had to do with each other.
"I object to the defense's claim." Naomi said calmly. "A pen was found at the crime scene. In the pocket of the victim's jacket!"
Her words hit Phoenix like a kick in the stomach. "Gack!" Phoenix cried out. He began to sweat again. If the trial continued this way he would be dehydrated before the end of it. "But… but…" he began. Wright, think logically. There has to be something… not quite right. Phoenix thought to himself.
"Well, then it seems like the defense has nothing more to say." The judge said. "Then, looking at the state of things…"
"Wait! Wait!" Maya shouted. "How can you be so sure that the note was written by Ms Sanderson? Prove it!" She clenched her fists and shouted at Naomi, ignoring the who's-the-lawyer-here-look Phoenix sent her.
"How can you prove that it was not?" Naomi challenged.
To both Phoenix and Naomi's surprise, the girl dragged a CD-cover out of her bag. "Look at this!"
Naomi sighed, and crossed her arm in front of herself. "And what relation does that have to this case?"
"Look here!" Maya smirked and pointed to the right corner of the CD-cover. Something was written on it. "This CD was signed by Miss Sanderson personally!"
Phoenix's eyes widened. "Maya, you're an angel!" He whispered. He snatched the CD from Maya, who protested for a short while but then gave up, and held it up. "The writing here clearly differs from the writing on that note you presented!"
If Naomi was surprised now, she did not show it. "Right…" She muttered. "But then again, why would a dying person care much about her handwriting?" Naomi asked.
"Urk…" That was something Phoenix had not thought about. However, Naomi's question made him notice a contradiction. "Ms Edgeworth, you told that the pen was found in the victim's pocket, did you not?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes." Naomi replied. She did not seem to be aware of the trap she just had walked (or in this case talked) right into.
"Then, why would the victim scrawl a note and then put the pen neatly back into herpocket?" Phoenix shouted and pointed his finger dramatically at Naomi.
"Wha-" Naomi appeared shocked for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "So you are claiming that somebody else did it?" She asked.
Phoenix nodded. "That is the only way."
Maya smirked. "Maybe you missed a clue or two!"
"This indeed is a complicated case." The judge said. Those were his first words in a long time. He scratched his chin in thought. Then he slammed his gavel. "Therefore the trial will be prolonged to allow for a day of further investigations."
District courtroom 14 – waiting lobby
"Thank you, Mr Wright." Annie smiled.
"Well…" Slightly embarrassed, Phoenix put one hand behind his head. "But you still are the main suspect."
Annie nodded. "But still, you proved that Miss Sanderson could not have written the note."
"Yeah.." Phoenix began, but then he noticed the angry glare that Maya sent him. "Actually, Maya did a lot of it too." Maya's expression brightened at the mention of her name.
"That's right! I and Nick, we're a team!" She beamed at Annie.
Annie looked a tad confused. "Nick?"
"Oh, that's just what I use to call Phoenix." Maya explained.
Annie smiled again. "Then, I would like to thank both of you."
Maya smirked. It seemed like she was beginning to get cocky, Phoenix thought. "I've helped Nick in all his cases so far –and we've always won. Maybe I should start working as a defense attorney too when I get old enough…"
Phoenix sighed. "Anyway, we will do your best to find out more tomorrow, Miss West. Goodbye!" He said. Two police officers were approaching, probably to bring Miss West back to her cell in the detention centre. She smiled sadly as she waved goodbye to Phoenix and Maya.
"We should be heading back to the office then, Maya." Phoenix said and looked at the black-haired girl beside him. "By the way, Maya… where are you staying?"
Maya looked strangely at Phoenix. "At your place of course! And I think that I deserve something for helping out in court today!"
Phoenix sighed. "Like what?"
"A burger!" Maya grinned happily.
Phoenix smiled faintly. It seemed like his money would be going on vacation again… like it always seemed to do when Maya was around. Phoenix looked at the her again, she was smiling happily at the thought of the promised burger. Maybe Maya cost a bit of money to have around, Phoenix thought to himself – but it certainly was worth it!
To be continued…