A/N: And here is chapter 3! A bit of a slow chapter this one, but interesting stuff will start happening soon! I just want to extend another thankyou to my friend who betas this for me. I also want to thank everyone who reads! Especially Levy120, whose review was very motivating! Thankyou!
Barbara Kyu's house was in East Venice, an area consisting primarily of small houses and apartment buildings. She had a nice house on the canal, the entire building and accompanying garden was distinctly oriental, complete with a mini pagoda-like gazebo. Edgeworth pulled up at the curb and climbed out, heading up the cobblestone pathway to her doorway with its dog-head door-knocker. He knocked loudly and then folded his arms, waiting for someone to answer.
'Time to see what Mrs Kyu knows about this.'
Admittedly, Miles was suspicious; after all it seemed awfully coincidental that an attack should happen on Phoenix after he'd recently employed a new secretary. The prosecutor made a careful mental note not to be to judgmental without evidence, remembering all too well the hot water it had landed him in so many times before. Cases involving Wright were never black and white.
He heard her voice well before she answered the door; she seemed to be baby-talking to someone, gushing about how great it would be to have visitors. When she finally opened the door she seemed a little surprised.
"Hello, how might I help you?"
She was an Asian woman, not that many generations back either, and was very beautiful. She was wearing a very smart red dress embroidered with golden swirls and thick red-framed glasses. A German shepherd stood beside her, watching him intently.
"Pardon me showing up unannounced Mrs. Kyu, but I have some questions regarding your employer Mr. Wright," he kept his voice as polite as possible, offering a slight bow to her as he explained his purpose.
Barbara blinked several times and tilted her head slightly before offering him a warm smile. "Audy and I never mind having guests," she offered, scruffing the dogs head reassuringly before stepping out of the way. "I am a little confused though, I was expecting Mr. Wright himself to come calling today, he's usually always on time."
'Seems she does not watch the news regularly…' Miles mused as he thanked her and moved inside. "I suppose it is safe to assume then Mrs. Kyu that you are unaware of what transpired at the Wright and Co. law offices last night?"
Barbara pressed a hand to her mouth, looking shocked. "What happened?" she asked. "I was beginning to wonder if something had held him up."
Edgeworth took a seat as she offered it to him, waiting for her to lower herself into the ridiculously floral armchair opposite him. Her apparent obliviousness was either a well practiced act or circumstantial proof that she wasn't involved with the attack, not enough to please Edgeworth of course. "Mr. Wright was attacked by an unknown assailant last night. He is currently in Intensive Care at the Hotti Clinic," he explained, not caring for any comforting tone that he maybe should have adopted.
"Oh no, poor Mr. Wright!" she exclaimed, looking genuinely stricken. "I told him he was going to walk into trouble, but he wouldn't listen to me!"
Edgeworth leaned forward in his chair, intrigued by this comment. "I am the prosecutor in charge of the investigation into the attack, and I was hoping you might help me better understand Wright's recent activities. I am ever hopeful he's been working on something that might help me catch the felon who did this to him." He laced his fingers together just beneath his chin, fixing her with his notoriously discomfiting gaze.
Barbara seemed hesitant, almost unwilling to trust Edgeworth. "How do I know I can trust you? Mr. Wright was a very private man you know, I'm lucky to be privy to his activities!" She seemed quite avid about defending her employer's private life.
'An admirable, though unnecessary service. I can't honestly believe that Wright is a 'private man' in any sense of the word,' Miles thought with mild amusement as he geared up his response. "Wright and I have been associates for some time, and we have often worked quite closely on cases together. My name is Miles Edgeworth." He produced a business card and offered it to her, as if to support his claim with evidence.
She eyed up the card suspiciously for a moment before offering him an almost teasing smile. "So you're the famous Edgeworth. Mr. Wright always spoke quite highly of you," she winked, a gesture that made Edgeworth feel as though he might actually be missing something about her comment. "He was always saying how much easier it would be if you were around."
"I want you to tell me what Wright has been doing recently. Maya Fey told me that he's been avoiding her lately, and that he has been very busy despite not working a case," Edgeworth explained steadily, not breaking the eye contact once.
"Please, call me Barbie," she replied, resting her chin on her hand, the long red nails curling up to tap thoughtfully at her lip. "Mr. Wright was very secretive. I know he was working on an unofficial case of sorts. Not the kind he should really have been working either, he was always asking me to talk the local precinct into letting him see certain files, though he never told me what they were about or what they were for."
Edgeworth tried not to scowl as she spoke, 'I suppose I now know the real reason why Wright hired a new secretary, leverage.' He made a mental note to berate the District chief for unprofessional behaviour. "So you know absolutely nothing about what Mr. Wright was doing, then?"
Barbie paused for a long moment, her expression locked in deep recollection. "Well… there was that phone-call a few nights ago…"
Edgeworth jumped on the bait quickly, urgently wanting to know what it was she knew. "A phone-call from Wright?"
"Yes," Barbie replied, nodding casually, "he told me not to come in to work for a few days, but he didn't say why."
Miles exhaled with disappointment; he knew a dead-end lead when he heard one. 'Though perhaps this means he was expecting hostile company…?'
Barbie shook her head now, an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry I can't offer you more, Mr. Wright only employed me to bring him coffee and manage the phones. He kept track of his own schedule." She flicked at her lip with a fingernail, dark eyes peering off pensively at an undefinable spot in the distance. "Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever seen a man keep such a meticulous personal organiser."
Miles seemed surprised at this, as he was certain that this was a new habit of Wright's. Previous experience had taught him that organisational skills were not one of Wright's finer points. "Wright kept an organiser you say?"
"Yes," Barbie replied immediately, straightening a little and twirling a lock of her long dark hair with a finger, "he wrote down every meeting, phone-call and important date quite fastidiously."
Edgeworth tapped his forehead with a forefinger as he pondered this new information, 'Wright's organiser might provide some clues about what he's been doing lately." He looked up again and dropped his hand back into its folded position with the other, "Where might I be able to find this organiser?"
The secretary seemed a little hesitant, one of her hands rising to clutch her throat gently. "I don't know Mr. Edgeworth. Mr. Wright trusted you a lot, but I don't know whether he would appreciate me letting you go through his personal things…"
"Barbie," Edgeworth said, leaning forward, using her first name as she'd requested earlier, "I am trying to bring Wright's attacker to justice, but to do that I need to understand what sort of things he's been doing lately. This will help me uncover what sort of people he's been rubbing shoulders with, because it's obvious that this was no regular home invasion." He decided to turn up the charm, letting a captivating smile leak onto his face, his voice softening until it oozed so thick with sweetness he felt almost sickened to have to stoop so low. "I need your help, without your assistance I doubt I can catch this criminal."
It did the trick; Barbie blushed hotly and recoiled in a shy manner, stroking a lock of her long black hair anxiously between two fingertips. "Well when you say it like that, how can a lady refuse?" she giggled, shifting restlessly in her armchair. "Mr. Wright keeps all important files and personal effects locked in the top drawer of his desk. He keeps the key under the lamp on his bedside table." She fluttered her eyelashes as she began to gnaw on the tip of a fingernail.
'It's been a while, but I've still got it,' Edgeworth thought rather arrogantly as he sat back, content with that particular part of his investigation. "I have one last question, Mrs. Kyu," he offered, angling his head downwards and peering up at her in a slightly intimidating fashion. "Where were you last night between 9pm and midnight?"
"I was at dinner with a friend of mine at about nine…" she began, folding her arms and rocking them from side to side as she thought back. "I got home at about ten-thirty and had a bath…" Her voice dropped instantly into something far less friendly, her expression following suit, "and then I spent a good hour on the phone to my good-for-nothing husband working out the divorce."
'Seems solid enough,' Miles thought, scratching his chin. 'I'll have Gumshoe look into this husband and see if he can confirm her claim.'
"Thankyou for all your help, Barbie," he mused charmingly as he stood, taking her hand and giving it a quick kiss to finish tying the knot that held her securely around his little finger, "you've been most helpful."
"Everything Mr. Wright used to say about you is true," Barbie replied as she withdrew her hand and escorted him to the door. "You are very smooth." Her grin made Edgeworth realise she was more than aware of his manipulation, but didn't really seem to care so much.
"You're too kind," Miles accepted graciously, giving her a slight bow before he stepped out into the front yard. "Please keep yourself available for further questioning should I require your help again."
"You can question me any time you like, dear," she quipped, giving him a flirtatious wink before pulling the door closed.
Relieved to finally be in private Edgeworth shuddered, subconsciously brushing the shoulder of his suit-jacket as if trying to be rid of what he'd just done.
'I can't believe I'd stoop so low for Wright of all people…'
There was a large ruckus at Wright and Co. when he returned, and the white van with its many aerials and satellite dishes told him immediately that the media was to blame. The story of Phoenix's attack was about to hit the big news all over California. They accosted him the moment he climbed out of his car, an immediate forest of flashing camera bulbs and microphones barring his path.
"Prosecutor Edgeworth, you've worked with Phoenix Wright many times over the years, do you have any idea who would stage such a vicious attack against the attorney?"
"Mr. Edgeworth is it true that Mr. Wright's attacker was not apprehended after the crime, and might still be at large? Do you fear for the safety of other attorneys?"
"Is it true that this attack was fatal for the famous turnabout lawyer?"
This last question shook Miles slightly. 'What if I haven't been given the latest news? What if Wright has-' He shook his head, scolding himself silently for letting the foolish questions of journalists rattle him so easily. "According to my latest information, Phoenix Wright is currently in a stable state in hospital, he's expected to make a full recovery."
"And what of the criminal who attacked him?" another journalist asked, reaching desperately over the heads of her peers to get the microphone closer to him.
"A full-scale investigation is underway and you will be kept informed of any breakthroughs, now if you'll excuse me." He pushed his way through the crowd, inhaling gratefully as he was finally clear of the crowd and able to scramble into the crime scene past its flustered police guards.
"Vultures they are, eh pal?" Gumshoe asked as he joined Edgeworth in the entrance-way. "You should've seen Miss Von Karma give 'em what for," he chuckled in an amused way, obviously re-living the scene in his head, no doubt enjoying that it was someone else at whom her fury was directed.
"I can imagine, but the story will have to wait," Miles replied, holding up a hand to halt whatever the detective had planned on saying next.
Edgeworth moved into the back room of Wright's offices, snatching a pair of rubber gloves from one of the policemen working there. He put them on as he crossed the room towards the corner where Phoenix's bed was hidden by a curtain. He found the key beneath Phoenix's lamp, just as Barbie had described.
'I don't want to know how she knew where it would be,' he mused, taking the key in hand and heading back out into the main office. This area was more crowded then it had been that morning, the forensics were done with the actual crime scene, now they were just picking the whole area apart in their search for any decisive clues.
"We've already looked through all that pal," Gumshoe offered as Edgeworth moved over to Phoenix's desk. "All we learned was that he really needs to file his paper work more efficiently."
Miles smirked slightly, amused by the observation. "You're right about one thing Gumshoe, but I would vouch you have not investigated this top drawer?" He tapped the drawer in question with a knuckle.
"Uh, well… no sir, it was locked see…" the detective replied clumsily, rubbing the back of his head.
"I just so happen to have the key," Edgeworth replied, caring nothing for Gumshoe's immediate attempt to keep himself out of trouble. 'Time to see if we can find out what Wright has been hiding…'
The key fit the lock perfectly, and opened the drawer with a soft click; it was shamefully easy for somewhere that was supposed to hold all of Phoenix's more important personal documents.
'Someone ought to teach Wright about safe-locks.'
The drawer was not terribly full, there was the organiser he was looking for, a wad of fifty dollar bills equalling about $300, a photograph and what appeared to be a case-file. Edgeworth took everything out, deciding that looking everything over would probably be beneficial.
'Easy to assume that this money is simply here to hide from one young woman with expensive tastes…' he mused as he set the wad of money aside, picking up the next object. It was the case-file, and he quickly found the title labelled neatly on the spine, 'DL-6'. He felt his blood run cold. 'Why is this file in here?' he thought, almost on the brink of agitation. He threw the case-file down on the opposite end of the desk. 'No, I don't really want to know why.'
He moved on to the final object of interest, a photograph. There was a date written on the back, December 28th 2016. Frowning slightly Edgeworth turned the photo over; it was immediately familiar to him, a moment in time he'd all but forgotten, captured forever by a camera lens. Maya was there, holding a sign that read 'victory!' in large lettering, beside her was Phoenix and beside him… himself.
'Ah of course, December 2016… this was after my trial,' Edgeworth remembered with a shudder, setting the photograph aside. 'Best not pry there either, I don't want to know how Wright's mind works.' In the end he put everything besides the organiser back and re-locked the drawer.
"Find anything, pal?" Gumshoe asked, turning his attention away from a conversation he was having with one of the other investigators.
Miles waved the organiser at Gumshoe before opening it, flicking through the last few months quickly, silver eyes scanning the pages for anything that seemed out of place. Then, beginning about mid August, he found a strange reoccurring feature to Phoenix's weeks. There was no pattern to on what day it appeared, but at least once every week in August the same sequence of numbers appeared, '0113470'.
'That's not a phone number…' Miles mused, quickly pulling out his own organiser to write the number down for reference, it felt important, 'or an address… a case number perhaps? Though it seems a little abnormal…'
"Did you get those blood-results for me, Detective?" Edgeworth asked as he stood, tucking his organiser away in his jacket.
"Yes sir, all the victim's," Gumshoe replied, his face falling disappointedly.
"Blast," Miles muttered, thrusting Phoenix's organiser into Gumshoe's hands. "I want every test you can think of performed on this and run diagnostics on that number."
"Yes sir."
"Then call it a night Gumshoe, we have plenty of work to do tomorrow."
"Yes sir."
"And I want you to bring me the records for a Mrs. Barbara Kyu tomorrow as well."
Gumshoe looked about ready to cry as he scrambled to remember all of Edgeworth's instructions. "I'll make sure that's all done to your satisfaction, sir," he murmured.
"Thankyou Gumshoe, I'll see you tomorrow bright and early," Edgeworth concluded tugging his jacket tighter around his shoulders as he made to leave the offices.
"Goodnight Mr. Edgeworth."
"Goodnight Gumshoe," Miles farewelled, setting off home for what was likely to be another sleepless night.
