This chapter is proof that I have zero impulse control; that and zero sense when it comes to finishing my work, which is what I was supposed to be doing today. Yes, I'm updating now. Yes, it's a bit longer than usual, I got carried away. I always try telling myself when writing these things…don't make them much longer than three to four thousand! I used to write eighteen thousand a couple times. Murder for me, murder for the reader. This is about over six thousand.

Yes, I updated without waiting for a review.

I own nothing having to do with the Ace Attorney franchise. ~Finalage

+~-VA -~+

Chapter Three: Poisoned Hourglass

+~-PADR-~+

May 19th, 2027 – 6:30 AM, Wright Anything Agency.

It was bright. I felt alive. One moment I was on stage and the next, flying without wings. No, I was a dove….but then, shot down. Spinning, falling, diving…out of control, I had no direction. I was a person once more; reaching out to grab a hand, any hand…a thick fingered lanky one grabbed mine. It was weird, how a hand could tell you about the person it belonged too.

This one had thick, honest fingers, but the hand itself was thin, veined, a shadow of what it once was, but still strong, if a different kind of strong. It was "daddy's" hand that held me, kept me from falling.

It's easy to call him "daddy", and no matter how old I get, no matter how weird it'll feel…I'll continue calling him that…because he deserves it…no other title will do…and "Dad" is too impersonal for me. I'm still his little girl after all…though the kind of bond we share is different…it's no less strong.

I once went to a store, near father's day. I wanted to buy him something…anything. We were tight on money, and customers were few in the Wonder Bar…he was working hard…harder the normal. He had taken another "second" job at the grocery…he worked in stocking produce…

There was a tiny plaque on sale. It was a beautiful wooden thing, about three or four inches wide and tall, with a lightly tinted blue glass for a plate. In gold writing, it proclaimed:

"Anybody can be a Father, but…it takes someone special to be a DADDY!"

Zak Gramarye was indeed my father, I know that, but he never taught me as much as Phoenix Wright did. The time spent with both is almost equal now. When I was little, my mother took care of me, Father stayed out of it. When I could perform magic, Grandfather taught me the basics and then the more advanced. Father was there to offer his advice, to be the figure I could shower affection on, pride. He was a good father, but a distant one. He was more an addition to my mother. I called him "Daddy" too.

Wright though…

…It was far too expensive, that plaque... I wanted it so badly. When a magician wanted something, they took it with both hands…but I left the store. "Daddy" had taught me to be too kind. Where a simple sleight of hand would have sufficed, I let it drift away.

I ended up not getting anything. He didn't notice. No, he came home and cooked just like he did any other day. Cleaned and played with me, then saw me too bed before putting on his hoodie and hat, and stepping out…to the Borsht Bowl.

Eventually, a new employee, a high-school kid with more time and energy, replaced him at the grocery, and he took to the streets, looking for something…anything. As a lawyer, he had been too kind, too weak in his words. He often had clients slip away without paying, or leaving a token grace.

He always said that I was his light…but I never understood how. I always "lied" to him, gave him a hard time, hid behind a fake smile…made him worry…he was the one who knew my secrets, saw through the lying smile, the flicker of eyes. If anything, the light shining was his, not mine.

I lay there, in my bed, half awake, still dreaming. That hand held me tight…but then I did something I never expected myself to do. I reached for Mr. Hat, maybe even to give him something else to grab unto…but my hands were too fast, even for me to see. The next I saw, there was a knife in his hand, right through that very support I was held in. Bleeding, he still held on…I couldn't see…but there was too much red.

He let go, haltingly, grudgingly. Surprised, I fell, crashing into the ground…

The sheets tried to restrain me to the bed, but they flew off from my flailing. I was silent, eyes wide. It was…just my room. My pillow was across the room, and I had knocked my hat from the bed post to fly and land on the doorknob to the hall. Music, sad and low, made my ears perk up. Did I…kill him? My mind wasn't moving right; I flew out of bed and down the hall, into the living room, where I stopped.

It was clean, something I still wasn't really used too, but I hadn't unpacked all my things yet, so it wasn't unusual. The table was set for three, and the bubbling of water told me the tea pot was on. Daddy was dressed in navy pants, a light baby-blue button up was tucked in, and the top two were loose, showing his two necklaces, the big green one prominent. (Was it periwinkle, that shirt? She was never too good with colors.) He was playing the piano.

He had said he had improved. He hadn't been lying. His fingers moved rhythmically, not fast, but not too slow either. Each note was full. Daddy was a pounder. Some pianists liked to play smoothly, keeping a finger on one note and only letting go when they pressed the next, sliding from beat to beat. Others liked to double tap; tipping the key slightly before committing to pressing it…Daddy was a pounder. One press and let go, on to the next key.

This song was sad, and his head was down. She didn't recognize it…but then she did. It was that song. The one he had made up, years ago. He had never gotten to play it right, and he always would be frustrated. Can't even play his own melody; that had to be the most pathetic thing he'd ever seen.

I shook my head, this tune was almost criminally sad. My sake must have alerted him, because he turned around and looked at me, a bit somber. He smiled once he saw it was me, but frowned a bit at my pajamas. I had the same type I had given him; it was a matching set…

"You don't have to be in school until nine, but here you are, up. I was trying to play softly…I woke you though…no? Okay then, but you're up, so explain that too me."

I had shaken my head unconsciously. Now I was left without anything to say. I could just say that he did wake me, get "caught" in a lie, but Daddy was smarter than that…and he already saw through her trying to stall. She had seen it in picture, but when you face down Phoenix Wright's game face in life…it was an incredible thing.

He had his first day of trial today, and he was ready…his entire being seemed to radiate "ready". Apollo was never like this. He was normally nervous, or he would be confident…but the energy coming off her father was unreal. It was like he was going to burst, but he still managed to play a soft, sad song. This was a legendary attorney?

I couldn't help but smile. He was infectious. His own smile just widened a bit to match mine. It didn't matter if he was going into this blind. He was going into it. The court room was his dream, and it was about to be made real again.

"Come on, what's the matter? Tell me. You don't want to go to school or something? You've been away long enough as it is. I can tell you about my trial later on."

He knew that wasn't it. She could tell that. He was giving her a way out.

"Nah. My history teacher adores you. They're going to televise your trial, and she wants us to sit and watch."

Phoenix blinked at that. He thought the crazy old bird hated his guts. Although, making children sit and watch his performance in trial was a bit much, still…

May 19th, 2027 – 10: 50, Justice Venitri Courthouse, Lobby

"Well, it's been a while, huh lobby? …Damn, I'm talking to room now. Guess I didn't take my meds today. Still, I'm psyched! Unhealthily pumped up too I might add, I've got to be careful about walls and my fist connecting…what…is that…? Guilty Love? Wait…if that's playing, and Trucy's not around with her player, then that means…Gavin."

Indeed, Klavier Gavin was hanging around, and snapped his phone shut at the mention of his name. His face was harsh and blank. He was in prosecutor mode. He looked Phoenix up and down before he spoke.

"You look different from the last time, Herr Wright. You'll be needing these."

He handed Phoenix the court record and the autopsy report, as well as a photo of the crime scene, and a picture of the murder weapon. He also held up a picture of the bullet removed from the victim. He gave Phoenix a measuring look.

"Last time, you lost on account of my brother. This time however, I know your client is guilty, Herr Wright. Unless you can perform miracles, this case is solid. Do you believe she is innocent? I need an answer."

Phoenix blinked; his smile at being in the lobby fading. It became a poker face, but he answered truthfully.

"Yes…and I'll give you the fight of my life to prove that, Klavier Gavin. Believe me…have you given any thought to my offer?"

"Ach…about that…I suppose I have time. Nein, I do have time. Keep the door open for me."

"It's a park; the doors being open goes without saying."

Gavin smirked at that one, but the next moment it was gone, and Viola came through the door, led by guards, not her own of course. Her attorney took one look at her face and knew this wouldn't be easy. He gave a smile though, just as he had been taught by Mia, all those years ago. A lawyer always smiles, for their client's sake.

"Ready?"

"…Would It be kind to say…no?"

"Will the defendant and defense attorney please make their way into the courtroom? The trial will start soon."

Phoenix still held his smile, and cocked his head a bit.

"Well, ready or not, here they come. So act it. Fake it till you make it."

May 19th, 2027 – 11:00, Courtroom B

"The court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Cadaverini, Viola. Are both parties ready?"

Well, wow. Would you look at that? It's a new judge! He's beardless too! …I wonder how this will go…and where's the old judge?

"The defense is ready your honor."
"The prosecution is also ready."

No poetry from Gavin? I've heard from Apollo that he's fond of big greetings…

"Very well, then allow me to summarize the case for the court and jury. This is a murder trial; the victim is one Bruto Cadaverini, aged 86 at time of death. The defendant is one Viola Cadaverini, charged with the first degree variant of this charge. The alleged murder weapon was found at the crime scene, a large weapon that uses fifty five caliber bullet slugs. The defendant was apprehended at the scene of the crime, approximately two to thirty minutes after death. Defense, what does your client plea?"

Damn. So far, he runs a pretty straight ship. This could go to my advantage, or could bite me hard.

"Not Guilty Your honor."

Nodding, the judge snapped his head towards Gavin.

"If there are no opening statements, I would ask you to begin your case, Mister Gavin."

"Yes, Your Honor…This case is simple. A murder weapon was found at the scene of the crime, the victim's bedroom. The defendant was the only one to enter that area in the entire span of the hour, as she was called to his room, and only her. The gun found at the scene of the crime has already been shown, and I would like to present the bullet found lodged in the victim's skull, here."

"I see. This is accepted by the court as evidence…do you wish to call your first witness?"

"…Yes your honor. The prosecution calls Bone-eye to the stand."

The judge raised an eyebrow, but offered no comment. Bone-eye? Well, it was a gang after all…

When the witness made it to the stand, Phoenix could see why he was called Bone-eye. He was a big, gruff man with short cropped hair, and one of his eyes seemed to have been damaged badly in a fight. It was a pure milky white, and stared unfocused…if you could find out where it was staring at all.

"Name and Occupation."

"Bone-eye, Muscle."

"Do you have an actual name, or must we indulge you?"

"Who's asking?"

"I am, the judge."

"…It's Bone-eye."

"Indulge we will then. Please testify."

As the witness opened his mouth, Phoenix took this time to open the court record and begin scouring what evidence he had been given. The murder weapon, a large 55 caliber specimen, had been shot twice, which went along with the testimony from Viola he had heard. There was a picture of the victim, with a bullet hole in his head, along with a picture of the bullet they found in there, and once again, even though it matched everything, Phoenix had to agree that the hole looked awfully small to house that behemoth. The autopsy report claimed Bruto had died somewhere between 9:00 – 10:00, yesterday night.

He then took a close look at the gun, all the while listening to the witness on the stand. The gun would barely fit in Viola's small grip, and the thing would kill her with knockback…he was reminded of the case Apollo had taken defending Machi Tobaye. He poked his fingers around a bit more, inspecting everything in their plastic bags before he heard the judge clear his throat.

"Mr. Wright. I see you have been familiarizing yourself with the evidence. Are you prepared to cross-examine now?"

"Yes, of course your honor."

"Witness, repeat your testimony for the defense now."

Bone-eye fixed his gaze on Phoenix and began again, meanwhile, Phoenix watched…

"I was stationed in front of the doors to the boss's room. He was expecting a deal today, so he wanted beef around the doors while his granddaughter would handle the fire…"

"So, you're saying he expected trouble?"

That was uncharacteristic of me…didn't I used to yell "Hold It?"

"You don't expect trouble when it comes to a rival gang, you're killed before you're born…anyway, I was there the whole time, the deal was supposed to go down at twelve in the park, so the boss called his Violetta to get her prepared. He wanted to give her somethin'...Violetta was the on-"

At that moment, Phoenix slammed his fist unto his podium.

"You say he wanted to "give her something"?"

"Yeah, what?"

"What is this "something"?"

The judge looked to Phoenix.

"Mr. Wright, do you believe this is an important detail?"

"The witness is obviously keeping details from the court our honor!"

"…Fair enough. Witness?"

Bone-eye looked bored, and fixed the judge with a stare that would make a lesser man back off, but the judge stayed rooted.

"Testify."

Furrowing his brow, he turned back to Phoenix.

You know what? I think I like this new judge.

"I said it was something, because I don't know what it was. It was supposed to be something to make a point."

Make a point?

"Anyway, as I was saying, only Violetta went in there the whole time. Then I heard a gunshot and came in, the officer guy came not long after me-"

"So you're saying you heard one gunshot, and then rushed in, the police came right after?"

"Yeah."

"Those details aren't in your original testimony, your honor!"

"Yes, please be concise, witness."

"That's Bone-eye!"

Shaking his head, the judge looked down on Bone-eye.

"Accuracy in court precedes over all. If you won't give me your given name, I am forced to call you witness. Please testify."

Phoenix couldn't help but smile here. Spine, in a judge, was a new thing. He just hoped that spine wouldn't go against him too soon. Here it comes…he knew just what he needed to do. The contradiction was right here, staring him in the face, and he was ready for it…come on!

"Alright, as I was saying, I heard a gunshot and ran in-"

Slamming down both his hands, Phoenix let out a bellow that even surprised himself. Hell, it sounded like seven years' worth of pent up energy was fueling this one undulating protest. HE reminded himself of Furio Tigre, and then he had to grin…no. He was louder.

O-B-J-E-C-T-T-I-O-N

"OBJECTION!"

His finger was pointing straight at an empty witness stand. It took him a bit to realize that the witness had gone into hiding. Gavin and the judge were still standing, but Gavin was noticeably perspiring…the judge looked a bit peeved.

"Mr. Wright! Do you want to make us all deaf?.! Woe be unto the person who was watching this trial with headphones on…and why are you grinning like a fool whose found what he thinks is gold? Please enlighten the court as to your discovery…with your inside voice please.

"…Sure thing your honor…I apologize. I got carried away."

Somewhere, somehow, he was certain his daughter was laughing at him in this moment. Swallowing, Phoenix held up a picture of the gun.

"Your honor, this gun was indeed fired recently…twice."

"Yes…ahh I see where this is going. The witness claimed to only hear one gunshot, is that what you're getting at?"

Good judge, smart judge…I make it sound like he's a dog…

"Yes your honor. This gun was loud enough for the police to hear, stationed outside the building. It has no silencer and is quite large. Yet it was fired twice, and this witness only heard it once…either this witness is effectively deaf, or he's lying. I'd go with lying."

"Hey, I ain't no liar!"

"Then explain the single shot you heard!"

"I didn't hear the other one okay?"

"You were right there! In front of the room! This gun is huge! It was heard all the way outside! How could you have not heard it?"

"I'm telling you I heard one shot!"

"Well then, somebody here had better do some explaining quick or-"

"Objection! Your Honor, Herr Wrigh-"

"Order! ORDER! Mr. Wright! Do not turn this court into your sandbox argument over who stole the cookies!"

Phoenix and Bone-eye both looked at the judge. So did Klavier. Oh yeah, he was still here. He didn't look happy either. With another bang of his gavel, he pointed the hammer at the witness. Klavier hadn't even gotten to say anything yet. His objection was squashed by the judge himself!

"Witness, please explain to the court why you did not hear a second shot that night, and do not leave anything out! Mr. Wright, as enthusiastic as you are, hold your energy in! You're not the only one who's making debut's here!"

Well, he's got that right, just take a look at himself…wait, what if that's what he meant? Well, he certainly is a lot younger than the other two judges I've seen…

"I told yah, I was stationed there the whole time. It had been a while, so I was leaning against the wall… Viola went in, I heard the gunshot, and rushed in to see a bunch of people, then the police came-"

"HOLD IT!"

"Mr. Wright! Indoor voice!"

"Your honor; that detail wasn't heard before! Previously, the witness claimed that "only the defendant had gone through the door"! Now he's claiming a bunch of people followed her not long after, or were there before! No one has heard of these people as of yet! Any one of them could have fired off the gun!

"Objection! Herr Wright, what are you suggesting? That the fraulein is an accomplice by way of keeping silent? You said yourself, these people entered after her; if that's the case…then she would have seen the shooter and is withholding information from us!"

He gave quite the point at that statement, but Phoenix was ready for him there too. This was where he actually had a foot he didn't have.

"OBJECTION! Who said anything about her withholding information? I spoke with her last night in the detention center, and she told me a series of events that well fits this scenario quite soundly, if you believe the witness is lying on one point."

"..."

"Achtung! We have already gone over the point of the witness "lying" about hearing a single shot-"

"OBJECTION! Who said anything about the number of shots? I just said that my client had told me a story that fits this witness's account to a "T" if we believe the witness is lying on one point, and that point is the state he was in while guarding-"

"Objection! Herr Wright, I fail to see where you are going with this."

Shaking his head, Phoenix gave a simple smirk.

"Then let me explain. Bone-eye! How long had you been guarding there?"

"A couple hours."

"How many hours?"

"At least three, maybe up to five."

"Did you have any form of entertainment during that time?"

"Objection! Relevance…what is the relevance to this in relation to the trail at hand?"

"Your honor, just give me a moment, I am trying to ascertain in my head this witness's state at the crime scene."

"…Objection…Overruled, for the time being, and only because I believe I can see the relevance. Make your point quickly Wright."

"Thank you your honor. Bone-eye, answer please!"

"…Yeah. I had some music playing. Only in one ear though, and not loud, I hate loud music in one ear."

"I see. It had been a long day right? Did you just happen too…nod off at one time?"

"What? No! Hell no! I was as sharp as a tack, the entire time!"

Phoenix held up the autopsy report.

"With my indoor voice, I say, Objection. If we are to believe this witness, and the evidence at hand, then we are to believe that, while this guard was as sharp as a tack and listening intently, a very, very loud and powerful gun was shot twice, and he only heard it once. Not only that, but he claims to have been there for hours, and yet he only saw Viola enter the room, when he now clearly tells us there were other people present in the room when he got there…if I'm to believe this, then I have to tell you…"

Phoenix pointed with that demonic finger of his right at Bone-eye.

"Your guarding stinks, and so does your lying!"

"Gah!"

"Objection! What does it matter about the other people in the room? The witness heard the shot when the defendant stepped in, not while the others were present. It could have been a meeting between family-"

"OBJECTION! Prosecutor Gavin, I would have thought better of you! Do you really think someone of my client's stature could simply walk into a room full of thugs and shoot their boss just like that, and everybody simply waits for the police to pound up the stairs?.! It hardly goes without saying that they would have tried to kill her-"

"Objection! She is the granddaughter of the crime boss! She has authority over them! They would have been held back by-"

"Objection! She had no authority over them; the boss had yet to give her any! To besides, don't you find it strange that someone is shot almost as soon as she walks in, if that is the case? It could have been a framing! Her walking in at the perfect time to be pinned."

"Proof Wright. I need proof! Convince me they shot him at that moment to frame her, and if so, why she hasn't said so up to now!"

Phoenix shook his head and shrugged a smile on his face.

"Ha ha. I can't Gavin."

The judge's eyes widened a bit. And Klavier looked pissed. He was bluffing the entire time? Why, that deserved a…

"Mr. Wright, we are not here to play games! This is a murder trial and we should be serious in our accusations! I think that you know the punishment for this!"

"Of course your honor, which is why I said from the beginning that this is not what happened."

"Achtung! Hold It! What did you say Herr Wright? W-what do you mean-."

"Hold it there. I already told you what I mean. I said that my client had a story that meshes perfectly to what the witness is saying, if we believe he was sleeping or otherwise distracted. I took the liberty to record our conversation, with her permission of course; so that I could review it for details later on. If I may submit it to the court?"

"…Do so. I believe this evidence has not been cleared by the police…but you are submitting it under…?"

"The relevancy law of evidence your honor."

"Of course. Let's play it and see."

The voices, familiar and empty, floated out from the device as the judge pressed play:

+-Evidence-+

"First off, why threaten me if you really are innocent?"

"…I didn't know any other way to get your attention. I had to…make sure you would answer my call. The soft voice… is most often ignored."

"When did you find he was dead? How was he positioned? Why did you go there? I going to need a scene, so describe it too me. I know you don't speak much, but I need details to work with."

"I…I found him at around ten…this night. He had called me to him today when I was in Tender Lender, around eight thirty. He wanted to discuss some business. I was to meet him as soon as the convenience arose. I finished my work at Tender Lender and closed shop and drove to my grandfather's residence. I must have arrived after nine thirty. …I was held up by a member of the family in house for about fifteen minutes. I remember thinking there was a scuffle in the house, I thought it was between two hot headed muscles at the time. I believe the time was past nine fifty when I made my way to my grandfather's room. As he hardly leaves his bed now except for business…

"Upon arriving in the room, I remembered smelling something burning. …That and fresh green tea leaves... I came up to the bed and saw my grandfather, a bullet hole in his head, and a gun in between his legs, as if for support. I found that odd…

"I don't remember screaming, but members of the family on duty rushed in, so I must have made some sound. I remember one of them mentioning the police being right outside, which I found strange at the time…

"One of the members by the door came up to me and grabbed the gun from my grandfather's legs. At that time, it discharged by accident and knocked him back. Not even a few minutes later, a detective barged through the door, obviously drawn to the sound. At that time, I was apprehended and arrested. It was an easy arrest, which troubles me further…"

"Are you sure you arrived in that room around ten o clock? Not before…? Minutes matter; and your "testimony" has quite a lot of wiggle room there."

"I arrived in the room after ten. I remember seeing the clock say ten o clock, but I don't remember the exact minute it was... It was in the single digits however. …Of the other times, I cannot give you a clearer picture than I already have, I don't own a watch, and I do not normally look at my phone… unless I need to make a call."

"Duly noted. Okay, you said you found a number of things strange. What was your reasoning behind them? "

"…The gun, the smell…police…the sound. The gun was large, a fifty five caliber slug slinger rifle. It's not our standard issue… a gun like that is too big to work effectively under pressure. Also…the bullet hole. The gun was too close. In between his legs…but the hole was average sized. If that gun was used so close to my grandfather…"

"…It would have blown his head clean off, almost."

"…Yes. The sound too, bothered me, because, as the cause of death confirms, grandfather died while I was in the house…but nobody heard the gun go off…but at the same time…"

"This gun was loud enough to alert police stationed outside."

"…Why were they there? The police never interfere with the Cadaverini…they were not there when I arrived."

"…Why would the police hang around a powerful gang establishment when they never dare go near there ordinarily…?"

"Yes. That was my thought."

"Incidentally, the bullet. Did they…?"

"It matches the gun found at the scene."

+-Evidence-+

"I believe that proves the point. The members this witness saw standing around were the family that had rushed in when Viola had seen the state of her grandfather, and the gunshot he heard was obviously the discharge from the second shot the gun fired, when one member had grabbed the gun from his legs…incidentally, if we look at the crime scene photo taken by the police…we can all see that the gun is on the floor here, not in between his legs-"

"Objection! Herr Wright, this does not prove that the gun was there to begin with. It could have been there the whole time, and this detail and elaborate detail thrown in by the defendant to explain why she fired twice-"

"Objection! I'm not done yet, look at the bed itself, the sheets specifically…right…there!"

"Ahh. Is that a bullet hole? It's quite large…frighteningly so."

"Indeed your honor. That is a bullet hole. Its position and size fit the idea of the gun being at an angle and distance similar to being in-between the victim's legs-"

"Objection!"

Phoenix turned to look at Gavin, who was smiling lightly. This didn't bode well. The defense attorney simply blinked at his opponent's apparent ease.

"Herr Wright. This is all very interesting. It does not, however, change the accusation of murder. All you've done is rearrange the crime scene a little, but you have yet to give any evidence that clears your defendant! I am still waiting…for me, the legendary turnabout attorney has yet to rise!"

"Prosecutor Gavin holds a valid point, Mr. Wright."

Ooh, freezer-burn. He was correct in his own way, but Phoenix wasn't out of ammo just yet, and he'd prove it. He presented his recording once again, that, and the crime photo, along with the gun. Pushing all of this evidence in front of him, the judge gave him a surprised mask.

"Where is all this evidence coming from?"

"I object. Let me reiterate my point, and then maybe you can see where I am coming from, Klavier. Now, according to this crime scene photo, we see what kind of damage this gun can do at close range, yet if we look at the victim, the bullet hole is barely big enough to fit the bullet itself, it's something that my client has noticed too, via this recording. Now tell me, this gun is quite large, and is quite loud. How can it be that if was used twice and only heard once? How is it that the wound is so small on the victim? I have a proposition to make. I believe this gun…

…is in fact, not the murder weapon.

"Objection! The bullet matches the gun-"

"OBJECTION! I refuse to believe this bullet is the one that killed this victim as well!"

"W-what…?"

"The facts are right here! If this is the murder weapon, fired at the proposed range, within this small room, the resulting impact from bullet to skull would have dashed his brains out and left his head half on, if on at all!"

"Mr. Wright; that did not leave me with a good image…"

"I'm sorry your honor, but it is the truth. I believe this gun was fired off scene, perhaps with a silencer equipped, or not… the bullet harvested and then switched. The gun could have been left behind possible silencer taken-"

"Objection! That…that scenario is…too elaborate! Why would someone go through all that trouble-"

"OBJECTION! We are talking about the death of a crime boss, and the conviction of his only proper heir. Observing this, we must look ahead. If there is a motive for someone else to have taken this man's life it is obviously because they believe that, with Viola gone, they may be able to capture the control of the mob. Money and power, ripe for the taking, and not just any kind of money; dollars, dollars ranging in the millions, power to be near untouchable by the police! My client commented on this too. The infiltration of the police into the mansion, the fact they were there to begin with…it was too easy, too convenient!"

"Mr. Wright, if I am hearing correctly…you are suggesting that there is unrest and plotting in the ranks, am I correct? You are suggesting this is a multilayered incident, a scheme concerning more than one individual, an execution?"

Am I suggesting an execution? Of course! This was all planned, and it had to happen today, on the day Viola would receive something, and would be sent out on a job that would put her in direct danger, the line of fire. It had to be now, before she proved that she could be the boss! That's my opening!

"Of course your honor. I'm suggesting opportune malice aforethought; Bruto was laid out like a Christmas Turkey and shot in cold blood, not by one hand, but by a weapon guided on the schemes of many!"

After I made that claim, the court wouldn't calm down. I had almost literally raised the roof, and it wouldn't be coming down for a long while. The judge ended proceedings for that day, instructing us both to make sure to look into every possibility, and if our cases needed to change, that time would be in opening statements tomorrow.

Me though…I was feeling way too good. Should have known it wasn't going to last too long.

+-~E~-+

Gah! Me and my boring trials. My failure to make it interesting shocks me. Ahh, I wanted to say something, but I forgot it, so you forget it too. Ahh, I wrote this in one sitting, and now I realize that it's after four…and I haven't had lunch yet. Throughout most of the first part, I was listening to "Forgotten Legend" Recollection. It sets quite the feeling I tell you.

That saying "Anybody can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy." is a real statement on an actual piece of father's day merchandise. I know because I gave one to my own father. Just giving credit where it's due. I was thinking of it while writing for Trucy.

Ahh well. I felt like I wasted a lot of time on scenes in this chapter, but the trial was sparse, not good. Gavin seems dangerously out of character too.~ Finalage.