A/N: I don't ownzors squat.
Here's what's coming atcha.
-x-s-x-
Chapter 1, continuation
Court Record
Evidence:
Attorney's badge
My attorney's badge. Important to my line of work.
Magatama
Imbued with spiritual power. It pulses with a soft light.
Autopsy report
Date of death: 7/24. Traces of coal found in the victim's mouth, died between 2 - 3 AM.
Coal
Leftover charcoal from the fireplace of Jeremy Barbers' study.
Crime Photo
Photo of the crime scene. Shows the victim.
Profiles:
Jeremy Barbers
Age: 35
Gender: Male
The victim. A politician and a landowner who recently acquired a great amount of wealth.
Remi Barbers
Age: 8
Gender: Male
Son of Jeremy Barbers. A witness to the alleged murder of his father. Is highly allergic to sunlight. Diagnosed with photodermatitis.
Matilda Barbers
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Wife of the victim. A kind and reserved woman of reticent sincerity.
Detective Gumshoe
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Homicide detective at the local precinct. In charge of the initial investigation.
Gimlet Limegarn
Age: 19
Gender: Female
A maid to the Barbers. A suspect to the murder.
Iris
Age: 26
Gender: Female
An elementary school teacher at Ford Elementary and is a tutor to the witness. We have a history together...
July 24
Gribble Mansion
The Master's Study
The darkness that once enveloped the room was vanquished by the sunbeams pouring into the study, seeping through the windowpanes as they illuminated the patterned red carpet and warmed the cold paneled walls. Two tall armchairs were set near the fireplace, and now that he could see better, Phoenix was finally able to take notice of the white tape spread out near the spot, tracing the victim's pose of death.
"This is it, then." he stated.
Iris turned away. "…"
"…Iris?" Phoenix's eyes fell on the small movement.
She looked back up to him. "Oh! No…it's nothing."
She smiled. Masking her uneasiness, he bet. But before he could say anything else, the door to the study opened once again, and a surprised Mrs. Barbers entered.
"Oh! Mr. Wright. You've come back, I see?" she greeted. Then her eyes fell on the woman standing beside him. "…!"
"…!" Iris collected herself. "Um…good morning, Mrs. Barbers."
"Ms. Iris! What on earth are you doing here?"
"Feenie--I mean, Mr. Wright helped me get into the courtyard." she looked away again. "…How…how are you two…?"
At once, the mother understood and sighed. "Oh dear. You needn't have to go through all the trouble of seeing to me and Remi, Ms. Iris. We're just fine. Granted, a little trapped but…all is still well in the Gribble Mansion. And the police are simply obliged to be in charge of the situation."
"Well…yes, but…"
(Iris…she really was worried about the family…)
Phoenix had to admit: Iris had not changed one bit since then.
Mrs. Barbers regarded the young teacher for a while, before suggesting with a light-hearted laugh, "Well, now that you've successfully broken in here, Remi's in the library. It's the only place he'll feel well in for the meantime. Go on now."
"Oh! Thank you, Mrs. Barbers!" Iris smiled endearingly before turning to Phoenix. "Feenie, I…"
He just shook his head at her. "It's okay. Go on. I'm sure Remi would be really happy to see you, Iris."
She held her gaze to his face for a little longer, before heading for the door, and shut it quietly behind her. Leaving Phoenix and Mrs. Barbers alone in the room.
"…Well, that's certainly something." the woman suddenly put in.
"…Huh?"
"I had no idea you were acquainted with Remi's tutor, Ms. Iris." Mrs. Barbers explained. "Who is she, your girlfriend?"
"…!" Another verbal jab at him for the day. "Uh…that's…well…actually…"
(I don't know how to answer without provoking a woman's urging to tease me about my love life…)
She cast a meaningful glance at the attorney and simply smiled. "…"
"…"
(Say something, WRIGHT!)
"So what brings you here again, Mr. Wright? Have you spoken to Gimlet already?" Mrs. Barbers asked him.
"Oh. Y-yeah. She was pretty taken with my iron will to defend her in court tomorrow."
"Ha ha ha. Of course." the older woman laughed. "Thank you very much, Mr. Wright. You have mine, Remi's, and my maidservant's eternal gratitude."
(Can I get a fat paycheck to go along with the appreciation too?)
"You're welcome, Mrs. Barbers. So…I came back here to inspect the study…hopefully come back with a good clue or two before starting tomorrow's trial."
"Ah, I see. It's alright then. Please do as you like in my husband's study. You have my permission."
"Thank you. But…before that. Mrs. Barbers, may I ask you something? It's about…Iris."
She lifted her brows in mild surprise. "Oh? About what precisely?"
"…Well…to start…when did you first meet her? Your maid told me you went to Ford Elementary where she was working. And why there?"
Mrs. Barbers thought for a minute. "Well now, for starters, Ford Elementary was just the very first school I came to look into. That was several months ago. You see, I've never felt inclined to call upon just any instructor. I know a few tutors who lacked experience in handling children. I thought, looking for Remi's teacher in an elementary school would be a splendid idea. Afterall, the teachers there handle more than one child and know how to work with them, how to teach them the ins and outs of their environment."
"Um, come again?" Phoenix was lost for a moment there.
"Oh! I mean, a teacher who simply loves children." she explained. "Yes. Basically, I wanted someone who adores them. And not some stiff tutor for Remi."
(It's just as I thought. Mrs. Barbers should write a book on child care.)
The woman continued. "So that's when I found Ms. Iris. And she was just perfect. I was watching from outside their classroom door, and she just seemed to blend in with the little darlings. One glance in there made up my mind. So I hired her. Though I was a little uncertain of whether or not she'd take up the job. And yet, she did! Without hesitation."
Phoenix felt a fond smile grow on his face. "I don't know about her, but Iris does look like the type kids would love."
Mrs. Barbers laughed nonchalantly. "So she does! Well, I'm happy, and Remi's happy. I swear my son's days are just a little brighter now with Ms. Iris as his teacher."
"I'm happy to know that."
There was a short silence that followed after, when the older woman just had to ask Phoenix, amusedly yet. "So, Mr. Wright. The history between you and Ms. Iris?"
"…W-well……" he struggled.
(I should just tell the truth…)
"…The thing is, we knew each other a while back. Six years ago, actually. And…we did date."
It piqued the other woman's interest. "Oh? And what happened? Are you two still…?"
"…No. We had to end it at one point." Phoenix sounded too short to be convincing with his story.
But it didn't look like Mrs. Barbers was going to press on the matter any further. "…I see. Well…are you two staying for a while? It would seem to be a busy day for everyone."
"Yeah…sorry for the intrusion." he apologized.
The door creaked open once more, revealing the return of a certain teacher. It was Mrs. Barbers who welcomed her again. "Ah, Ms. Iris. So, shall I take my leave now?"
"Oh, yes of course." Phoenix replied. "Thank you again for letting us look around, Mrs. Barbers."
"Very well. I'll be in the library with Remi if you require my presence. Good day to you two."
The mother left with a bow and a courteous smile. Phoenix's attention was immediately upon Iris, who gazed back at him. And she suddenly appeared shy all over again. That's when he had a really good inspection of her clothing for the first time: A light blue cardigan, dark red blouse and blue floral-printed knee length skirt ensemble. It was so strange to see her in such casual clothing. He must have seen her twice in different garments: as a temple nun, and as Dahlia Hawthorne. Iris looked quite natural, though, when he tried to block out her record as having lived up in a temple situated on a cold, snowy mountain.
"Feenie?" she began meekly, "This…this family…they're…they know me, as you must have known already."
"Y-yeah. Mrs. Barbers told me the whole story, about how you came to be Remi's tutor." Phoenix shifted his gaze from her to the door. "I heard it from Ms. Limegarn, too. So you know about Remi's condition."
Iris nodded slowly. "Yes. I wanted to help him. He…" she looked ready to cry. "Feenie…he's never seen the sun before! I couldn't…I mean, I'd never imagine…"
(Iris…)
"…Iris, I think…pitying Remi…it's just not healthy…you know?" Phoenix tried to tell her. Honestly, what he wanted was for Iris not to fuss since she cared too much. She was always so sweet, so sensitive, and so………sincere. Yes. This was the Dollie he was dating all those years ago. The Dollie that he never really knew, up until last year in court, of all places. What made him believe it was her all along? He could never say, or understand. Even now, the answer was still lost on him. It just settled there…the doubt of 'Dollie' as his Dollie, and the belief that his Dollie was 'Dollie' all along. …Though it made less sense when worded.
"Oh…I see…" she faltered at his statement, turning her attention to the carpet instead.
"W-wait! I'm not telling you not to feel on behalf of Remi!" Phoenix backpedaled.
"…Feenie." Iris looked at him attentively. "I think I can understand from the situation that you're defending Gimlet?"
"That's right…what's wrong?"
"…" she hesitated, then said, "If it's alright with you…may I…join you at the defense's bench tomorrow?"
"…Huh?" he stared.
She gazed shyly back at him. "I…I haven't seen you for so long…I thought we'd stay in touch even after my release eight months ago."
"…"
Admittedly, he and Iris did just lose contact with each other. It was…probably the awkwardness of the situation for them both. Iris was forced to drop the bomb in court, confessing her role as the double agent in her twin sister's scheme. It was even more unsettling that her strong feelings for him that time…were very much genuine. Hearing her say so back then caused a knot to be stuck in Phoenix's throat, he almost couldn't say anything to her in response. He believed, he always did. But…the part of him that doubted…doubted her honesty during the course of their relationship…
…was it still there?
"…I'm sorry I stopped visiting you, Iris…" was all Phoenix could muster on his behalf.
She formed a worried expression, her focus entirely on him. "Why…? What happened…?"
"…I guess, it was because there were so many things changing around me after that case. Mia's final farewell, Maya taking her steps forward along with Pearls, Mr. Armando's sentence, and even…Edgeworth leaving…"
"Oh…I-I see…" she understood. "Mr. Edgeworth…he was a wonderful defense attorney for me in your place. I owe him so much." she smiled, recalling.
Phoenix caught himself smiling too. "Yeah. I'm glad he was willing to help me out. I knew he'd do it."
"…Feenie." Iris suddenly said. "Do you remember, six years ago when I was pretending to be my sister…and you told me about your idea about becoming a lawyer?"
"Oh…! Well…" he muttered awkwardly.
She smiled affectionately. "Do you also remember telling me that it's because you wanted to help a friend you've known for almost a long time?"
Phoenix gave a start. "Huh? You still remember that?"
"Of course! It all came back to me, on the day we met again. And I met Mr. Edgeworth, that's when it became clear to me."
"Huh? What became clear to you?"
"Mr. Edgeworth, as that friend." Iris replied, reddening a little. "I was able to make the connection. That's why I knew I could trust him."
"Oh, Iris…"
"…" she suddenly looked away, as if struggling to say something else. "…Feenie. I understand that the time following after that has been difficult for you…………but I don't know how much." she gave Phoenix that look, a look that conveyed Iris' heartfelt want to ease his troubles. But…it only made him feel guilty.
"Don't worry about it…" he answered quietly yet with conviction. "I have all of my life as an attorney, to get a move on and learn from the past. I'll be just fine, Iris. I promise."
"… If…if you say so." she said, uncertainty dancing on her face. "But…please just…if you want to talk about something…you'll always have me. Always."
"That's…thanks, Iris."
(…………But I can't. I need to deal on my own, from now on. Mia left me with this much, so I can pick myself up without the help of anyone. I won't let what three years of law practice be wasted.)
"By the way, Iris. I've been meaning to ask you." Phoenix began. "Out of curiosity, why did you leave the Hazakura Temple? Did something happen?"
She blinked twice. "Oh, that's because…I didn't need to be there anymore."
"Huh?"
Iris smiled. "I wanted to stay there for until I could repent for my sins in the past. Against you, and other people who were affected by my actions as well…so when I was released eight months ago, I decided…to start over. Make something of myself. Become a stronger, better person. Like my sister……in a way…"
"…Iris…"
"Before I left the temple, I wanted to make sure first that Sister Bikini would be alright. So I waited for until we could recruit more nuns from the Fey branches."
"Iris, were you planning to become a school teacher?" Phoenix just had to ask.
She responded with a soft blush and a smile. "Y-yes…I really want to teach children. Even if I wasn't properly schooled."
"So what do you teach?"
"Well, I teach English. And some Math. I'm truthfully still trying to pick it up, so I read textbooks frequently."
Phoenix smiled. "That's nice. I'm glad you found something you like doing."
Iris returned the gesture. "It's all thanks to you, Feenie."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes, you saved me. You…you forgave me." she stammered, red in the cheeks.
The air suddenly felt awkward.
"Oh…that's…don't worry about it." Phoenix answered, trying his hardest not to reach up and scratch his head out of embarrassment.
"But I owe you. So thank you. And now that we've met each other again, I'd like to spend more time with you. And……make up for the things I've done to you in the past."
(…Iris…)
Things suddenly fell quiet between them. And Iris appeared to be regretting saying that last bit…
"So, Iris." Phoenix chose to break the stiff silence and initiate their search. "Let's start the investigation? That is, if you want to help."
She gave a start. "Oh! Oh, yes of course! Let's!" she smiled warmly. "I am your assistant for the day, so I'll do my best to help you in any way, Feenie."
(Alright. Now, where to start?)
(Examining the scene)
Phoenix decided on the victim's taped position first. He knelt by the fireplace for a closer look, while holding up the crime photo to his eye-level for comparison. "Hmm…nothing seems changed since the picture was taken."
"So Mr. Barbers…he was lying there facedown, his head in the fireplace…?" Iris reviewed out loud while thinking.
"Yeah, it seems that way. And with a mouthful of ashes, too."
"…"
"…Ah! Well, he was probably just trying to get the fire back up when it was starting to die down, right?" Phoenix suddenly fretted.
Iris snapped her head back up to the young attorney. "Wh-wh-what? What do you mean?" she asked, confused all of a sudden.
(…I actually don't know what I mean…I mean, what?)
"You know to be honest," he suddenly had to say, "it's a really clean kind of murder scene. You'd think there was a struggle, but…there's nothing even remotely noticeable or out of place with the picture that suggests the victim putting up a fight."
It was true; the victim's desk was as neat as could be.
"…As if…Mr. Barbers was weak against his assailant?" Iris tried.
Phoenix nodded slowly. "Something like that…but there's something else…"
(Prone, lying headfirst in the fireplace, both hands inside with his head……………hmmm…)
DING! CUCKOO! DING! CUCKOO!
"YEEAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Iris was forced to cry out along with Phoenix in fright.
"Wha-wha-what was that?" he sputtered, his heart about to fall out.
"Th-th-that was the clock, Feenie!" she answered, still distressed by his outburst.
"I-I'm sorry about that, Iris……………eh? Clock?"
"Y…yes. It's the cuckoo clock that you heard." Iris explained, and timidly pointed above the master's desk and armchair. Sure enough, a wooden timepiece hung visibly on the wall.
(Funny…I never noticed it there before up till now.)
The clock was as ordinary as the room; not out of place. Phoenix took a good look at it. The wood was aged yet sturdy; it had to be made of oak. The maple leaf-shaped pendulum swung back and forth, left to right in an unchanging pace, moving to the rate of the seconds flying by. The minute hand and the hour hand, black and ornate, following its lead. Chains looped beneath the clock held down by two pine cone weights. The dial, a bleak brown that suggested the clock having seen better years in the past. It was dull compared to the intricacy of the thin, delicate-looking vines near and curling around the face, carved with respect to the likeness of the real climbers, the leaves so small yet so detailed. Two engraved finches settled at the base of the clock face, each with wings outspread, their heads directed towards the small doors aloft, from which the cuckoo would emerge. The wooden little bird that crowed in the silence of the room had retreated back into the clock, and in its place, a small figurine (a ballerina perhaps) twirling slowly at the entrance to a distinct melody that was now playing; it was the tinkling of metal ridges, old and rusty-sounding, playing to the sequence by which they were set by the maker.
"This clock…" Phoenix pondered, rubbing his chin, "how long has it been there?"
Iris thought for a while before answering, "Mrs. Barbers said that it was from Remi's grandfather, long before he was born. It's a priceless antique. She said it's one of the oldest cuckoo clocks in the world today; a one-of-a-kind piece that doesn't have an automaton for the bird and operates just like the traditional cuckoo clocks of the eighteenth century."
"Really? That is something." Phoenix remarked.
Iris smiled. "Yes. It's a very lovely clock. That soft melody it's playing…it always feels so nostalgic to me whenever I hear it."
(A striking contrast to the racket it makes when the hour comes…)
(Huh? Hey. It reads 1:30…)
"That's funny. I thought cuckoo clocks strike on the hour." he said.
"Oh. They all sound off even at half hours." she explained. "This one does too."
(Hmm…)
"Iris? You sure know a great deal about cuckoo clocks." Phoenix decided to compliment her with a grin.
Her eyes widened in surprise and she blushed. "Oh, no! Not at all! I never knew anything about them until Mrs. Barbers was kind enough to explain the concept of cuckoo clocks to me. I actually sort of want one myself…"
"You do?"
"Yes, but…they're so hard to come by nowadays…I doubt I'd find one just anywhere. Perhaps overseas…"
"…Well, if I manage to spot one in a store," Phoenix offered, "I'll let you know and have it reserved for you for until you can purchase it."
Iris stared, then reddened while giving him one of her sweetest smiles. "………Thank you, Feenie."
(Cuckoo Clock added to the Court Record.)
"I wonder if this is all we can dig up?" Phoenix wondered to himself.
"Oh!" Iris suddenly exclaimed, catching his attention. She had stumbled upon something while poking around near the desk.
"Huh? What is it?"
"…Feenie. I found something." In her hands, Iris was holding a small circular object between her thumb and index finger, and she showed it to Phoenix, who eyed it carefully.
"This is a…………a button?"
"I found it on the floor. It appears to have been torn off." Iris told him.
The button was one of those covered types, the top enveloped in navy blue satin, with a symbol embroidered at the center with white thread. The symbol resembled the letter 'B' in loopy lettering. Puzzling. What was it doing in the study and where did it come from?
Or rather, to whom did it belong to?
"Hmmm…I wonder how it got here…?" Phoenix pondered. "Could it belong to Mr. Barbers…?"
"Perhaps but…………Feenie…" Iris spoke up. "I don't feel as if Mr. Barbers owned that button."
She seemed to be thinking deeply on the matter, so he took note of that.
(Button added to the Court Record.)
He had a funny yet clear idea of the button's owner, but the attorney just wanted to make sure that this was, in any way, tied to the case itself. Of course, it would be if his guess was accurate, according to Iris' claim.
"Iris, come on. Let's go talk to Mrs. Barbers. I need to show her this button."
"Oh, alright then." she agreed with a nod. "Let me show you where, Feenie."
-x-s-x-
July 24
Gribble Mansion
Library
Silence met the pair as they entered the library, a large room littered with tall shelves that reached the ceiling. All of them arranged around the room in a circular arrangement. Like all the other rooms in the mansion, the curtains were drawn over all the windows in the library, shielding Remi from the sun. And the aforementioned was curled up in a red armchair with his mother at the very end of the room, where a fireplace was situated. There was a fire in the grate, burning bright and casting strange shadows on the carpet and on the dark paneled walls. The two lifted their eyes from the book they were reading between themselves. It was Mrs. Barbers that spoke first.
"Oh! It's you two." Mrs. Barbers greeted, and she set Remi on the chair to rise to her feet. "Is there something you need?"
Phoenix chose to cut to the chase. "Yes, I do. Mrs. Barbers I want to show you something." and he presented the button to her. "Do you know who this belongs to?"
"Oh my." she answered, peering at the small object in his hand. "…Why…this is Gimlet's button."
"Ms. Limegarn's…?"
"Where on earth did you find this, Mr. Wright?"
"We found it in the study on the floor. It's been torn off something. Clothing, maybe?" Phoenix asserted.
"Well…yes. This button belongs on our maidservant's uniform. Specially tailored to show that she works here for the Barbers."
"I see…so this can't have been your husband's, then?"
Mrs. Barbers shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. He doesn't own that. The only two people owning such a button is Gimlet, and our butler."
"Your butler?"
(Well, of course. Every rich family has their butler.)
"Why yes. Our manservant, Vincent Egret. Though, he's out of town at the moment, I'm afraid. I can't see how this button could belong to him."
(Maidservant, manservant. Why can't they just call them plain old "butler" and "maid"?)
"Alright. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Barbers." Phoenix thanked her.
"Thank you very much." Iris chimed in.
(So this button doesn't belong to the victim. Which leaves only one other person…)
(Time to head down to the detention center.)
-x-s-x-
July 24
Detention Center
Visitor's Room
"…! Ms. Iris?"
"How are you, Gimlet?" she greeted.
Gimlet Limegarn sat there waiting for them. Phoenix wasted no time.
"Ms. Limegarn?"
"Um…" she cut in. "You know, it's okay to just call me Gimlet."
"Erm…okay. Gimlet?" he tried.
"Yes, Mr. Wright?"
"I'd like to confirm something. And please answer truthfully. On the night of the murder, you entered your employer's study to deliver him a serving of tea and left immediately, am I correct?"
"Yeah. I told you already, and it's true." she insisted. "As lame as my excuse is, I don't have anything to do with the murder. I'd never think about killing Mr. Barbers. What motive would I have?"
"That's another reason to be protected, Gimlet. Not all evidence proves you guilty." Phoenix agreed. "But some do make you out to be…"
"…! Feenie!" Iris exclaimed, startled by this indirect accusation.
The young maid jumped, unexpecting this. "Wh-what? What do you mean? Are you saying that I had something to do with the killing now?"
"Do you really feel like you have a part to play in it?" Phoenix directed a stern look at her through the glass window separating them.
"…Wha…!"
"Tell me, Gimlet. Are you certain that your role in this case is small enough to get you off?"
"…"
To other people, the silence would've been a deafening one. Iris and Gimlet were such people. Phoenix, on the other hand, dealt with the hush a little more differently. Because as soon as Gimlet answered with silence, two things happened simultaneously: strong, thick chains flew across his vision and forbade him from coming any further near his client as they bound her, followed by a single, red lock that sealed away whatever she was trying to keep from him. Now, it was his duty to unlock the secret she was hiding. Yes. This obligation goes to the one who held the Magatama in his hands.
(It's just as I thought. Better to break it now or never.)
"…Gimlet. As much as it pains me to do it, I do have to place some doubt on my client every once in a while. Especially when they don't tell me all of the truth."
She suddenly looked upset with her attorney. "But I have been telling you the truth! I never went near the crime scene!"
(Psyche Lock's still there…)
"……So you claim. But you wouldn't tell me that unless it made you any more suspicious than you already are."
"…! You…you really think I did it?" she began to sweat.
"No, I don't."
Gimlet stared. "…Wh-what…?"
"I neither think nor believe that you had anything to do with the murder. However! It's easy to point fingers at you when this is presented to the court!"
And Phoenix presented the button to her.
"Wha--th-that's…!" she stuttered.
"I can't hide evidence from the court, Gimlet. And even if I did, it would be the prosecution's move. So when this button is shown tomorrow in the courtroom, it will indeed raise suspicion on your behalf. Suspicion that I intend to cut down with my own defense!"
"…"
"I want to protect you from receiving the guilty verdict, but if you don't tell me all of what you did last night, then this is out of the question…!" Phoenix sounded almost reprimanding, but he knew he had to be firm with his client. Their loyalty was important.
"…Mr. Wright." A tear formed in the corner of her eye. "I-I'm sorry…!"
And with those words, the Psyche Lock shattered, and the chains unraveled.
UNLOCK SUCCESSFUL
"…I…I have to admit, that even if I didn't do anything wrong…………I still ended up doing something stupid." Gimlet admitted softly. A pregnant pause, then she spoke again. "I………I went back 30 minutes after I dropped off the tea set."
"Gimlet…!" Iris was taken aback by this new information.
"What made you go back?" Phoenix demanded to know.
"I don't know!" she answered, crumpling her apron in her fists. "It was a stupid mistake! I walked in without thinking. By then, the fire had died down in the grate, and…and………Mr. Barbers was lying on the floor with his head in the fireplace!"
"Oh, Gimlet…" the former nun whispered.
"So you were actually the first to stumble upon the scene?" Phoenix pressed. "And Remi came after you?"
"I guess. But…as a witness…he's going to talk tomorrow, isn't he…?" Gimlet asked quietly.
"It seems so…though I wonder how you can achieve that when the poor kid's allergic to sunlight." he thought out loud.
"…I'm sure he's going to be at the stand." the maid answered.
(Yeah. I guess that's true. He is the witness afterall. His testimony will determine my client's fate.)
Phoenix's eyes settled on Iris, standing next to him, her own gaze upon the poor maid on the other side of the glass.
(What tomorrow will bring for us all in the courtroom remains to be seen.)
(Let's just hope this case doesn't turn out to be another messy wild goose chase.)
(Still, I have to win, for the sake of my client.)
To be continued.
-x-s-x-
A/N: Subtlety is my middle name. -wink- What will the trial the following day bring? Find out on the next installment. Dibs on the prosecution! Reviews please. :)
Though some of my wording is a bit out there, that is exactly how I wanted to portray or describe the scenes.
Sorry about the very short scene with the Psyche Lock. I mean, every investigation has to involve one, right? So I shoved one in at the last minute for the sake of the storyline's usual drift. And I have no excuse for the somewhat rushed plot. Let's just say...the storyline and you guys had me on the edge. x.x
Oh, and before I forget. I have a feeling that there's something going on in your heads right now about where the case might end up, so please refrain from talking about in your reviews, or I'll be really mad. :D
And oh SNAP! Somebody draw Iris in the clothes I mentioned earlier pleeeeease! XD
