Phoenix Wright / Gyakuten Saiban, its settings and characters, are property of Capcom, and are being used here without permission. This fic is rated R.

Well Frogs

Chapter 10

Odoroki got up early the next morning, and took to his routine with the most serious dedication. He still felt a bit guilty about having attended the scene the night before so casually, and he wanted to make up for it with perfect composure and preparation. Whatever people had to say about his choice of hairstyle, he did feel better knowing it was properly arranged.

He stopped by the office first, dropping off Naruhodou's PaPa hat. With Minuki at school for her quiz he would have to tackle the rest of his investigating by himself, at least until Naruhodou showed up. Since there was no telling when that might be--or if Naruhodou was even awake at this hour--Odoroki left him a note with his cell phone number and headed out.

The gun and the snack, Odoroki thought as he hopped on his bike. I need to explain those two before doing anything else, and the only one who can do that is Mr. Kitaki himself. I just hope they haven't been interrogating him all night.

When he reached the detention center he was just in time to see the doors being opened for a group of men on their way out. A glimpse of bright gold made Odoroki wince, and he quickly dragged his bike off the sidewalk. He stayed off to the side and out of the way as Yuuri Katagi and his friends were released.

"So wha'd'we do now?" one of the men asked. They didn't seem to notice Odoroki at all as they passed him. "Wait around 'til they release the kid?"

"Are you crazy? I'm not doing anything until I change this goddamn shirt." Yuuri heaved a sigh that was half whine. "'Sides, he's got fucking Akagami with him. We'll have to suit up proper to take them on."

"Cops said they were gonna toss your place, too," another reminded. "Good thing we smoked the rest of your dope the other day."

Yuuri snorted. "Whatever. Let'm do what they want--we'll get our own 'justice'."

Odoroki chewed his lip. They're going to go after Takita? I know they're yakuza, but still… He chained up his bike and hurried into the building, making sure his attorney's badge was perfectly positioned for when he would have to show it off.

It was as he was describing his situation to the guard on duty that a door behind him opened, and out walked Takita and Tsudzuo. They both looked exhausted, with dark circles under their eyes and their clothes rumpled from having been slept in. When Takita spotted the red-suited lawyer he scowled. "It's about damn time you got here."

Odoroki cringed as he moved to meet the pair. "Sorry. I would have come last night but visiting hours were already over." He straightened his tie self consciously. "They, uh…did they file charges yet?"

"Yeah, last night." Takita scowled again and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's damn ridiculous. They're even holding my mom over as an 'accomplice'! If the cops are gonna pull this shit Dad shouldn't've gone straight in the first place." He made a face at the guard over Odoroki's shoulder.

"Well…there is a lot of evidence," Odoroki admitted hesitantly, anticipating the glare it earned him. "If it wasn't your father, someone is really trying to set him up."

"Of course someone is!" Takita poked him hard in the chest. "I'd bet anything one of the old man's own lackeys offed him. They hate each other as much as we hate them." He nudged Tsudzuo with his elbow. "Isn't Yuuri enough of a punk to knife his own pops in the back?"

"Yes," Tsudzuo replied obediently.

"Speaking of Yuuri Katagi…" Odoroki glanced to the building's entrance, almost expecting Yuuri to charge back in…having changed his shirt. "I overheard them leaving," he warned in a low voice. "They're planning on coming after you. Will you be all right…?"

Takita waved dismissively. "We've handled them before. In fact? Let'm come." Takita shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and turned to go. "Might be a good stress reliever."

"H-Hey, wait!" Odoroki quickly followed so he could get in a few last words. "I'm going to stay here to get the full story from your father, but can I come by later? I want to hear from you…and Mr. Akagami…about where you were last night."

"Us?" Takita shrugged uncomfortably, actually trying to avoid Odoroki's gaze. "We were out." When Odoroki continued to watch him, expecting something more, he scowled and elbowed Tsudzuo again. "Tell him."

"At a shooting range," Tsudzuo explained succinctly. "The police cleared our alibi."

Odoroki was relieved, but at the same time it did sound a little suspicious. "Is that why you had the gun on you last night…?"

Tsudzuo glared down at him, and Odoroki nearly took a step back. There was no telling if the intimidation was intentional or not. "Yes."

Takita poked Odoroki in the chest again as he stepped between the two of them. "I know what's goin' on in that lawyer brain'a yours," he accused. "And you can lay off! Tsudzuo checked that gun out in the morning and was with me all day. He didn't even leave the mansion until we went to the range. Anyone will tell you."

"Okay, okay," Odoroki quickly surrendered, this time taking his retreat. "I'm just trying to find an excuse for the gun being at the scene."

"Well find another one." Takita scowled and turned to leave again. "We're countin' on ya."

Odoroki didn't try to stop the pair again. As hard as he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was still more going on that he didn't know about. Takita has lied to protect someone before, he recalled, frowning to himself. But if he's right and the police confirmed his alibi… He turned back to the guard to ask for his turn in visitation. And if it was one of Mr. Kitaki's men, why would they try to pin the blame on their boss?

It turned out that Tsunekatsu was still in questioning, so instead Odoroki took the opportunity to speak to his wife. She looked inordinately pleased to see him as they were seated across from each other, safety glass between them. Though she appeared just as tired as her son, she had managed to keep her hair and kimono impeccably maintained.

"Oh, I was hoping you'd come!" Koume said as soon as they were settled. "You have to do something about this, Odoroki. These cops don't know anything about how to treat a delicate woman like me." She flashed a glare at the guard on duty, who flinched.

"I'm going to do my best," Odoroki promised. "That's why I came to hear your account." He thought back quickly to the night before, and all the things they'd discovered. "Your husband said that you both came to the restaurant that night because Shouri Katagi was interested in a truce, right?"

"Yes, that's right." Koume leaned forward eagerly. It was quite a relief to have a client that was so willing to cooperate, for once. "He wanted the Boss to call, and then they would decide from there if they felt good enough about meeting in person. But it never got that far…." She sighed, but then abruptly tensed up once more. "I can't say I'm sorry the bastard's dead, but it wasn't us! We're finished with that nonsense!"

Odoroki glanced around quickly in fear of them being overheard, though he knew well enough that nothing Koume told him was admissible anyway. "Then…someone's trying to frame you," he told her carefully. "Not only with the murder weapon, but I…er, the police discovered one of your home made snacks near the scene."

"The monoka?" Koume rolled her eyes. "I tried to explain that to the police, but they wouldn't listen to me! We weren't the only ones with those snacks at the restaurant that night."

"You weren't?" That took Odoroki by surprise, and he pressed his hands flat to the table as he edged closer. "Who else had them? The victim?"

Koume shook her head, looking caught up in his sudden eagerness. "It was her!" she said in a quick, conspiratorial hiss. "That awful woman Kanako--his wife! Remember how I told you she caused a fuss in the restaurant? Well, I gave her one of our monoka to shut her up." Koume leaned back suddenly and folded her arms indignatly. "She didn't even try it, that skinny wench."

Mrs. Katagi? Odoroki's mind began to race as he thought back to his encounter with the woman, as…unhelpful it had seemed at the time. "You told her to have a pleasant evening," he murmured, remembering that much at least. He shook himself. "You don't think it could have been her, do you?"

"Oh, well…" Koume suddenly looked unsure as she considered. "She's always been a shallow, despicable woman, but she's also a shameless coward. She's no kind of wife for a boss, really." She harrumphed as if taking personal offense on behalf of all yakuza wives. "But that's not why Katagi married her anyway."

Her remarks reminded Odoroki then of another of his questions from the night before. "She's not Yuuri Katagi's mother, is she?"

"Lords no." As irritated as Koume had looked a moment ago, her features became even more enraged at the mention of the boy's name. "The first 'Ms. Katagi' was even worse! She bred a monster out of that boy." With a sound of disgust she continued. "Kanako married in about ten years back. Every time I see her it's like she's wasted away even more. Sooner or later she's just gonna disappear. And good riddance."

Odoroki wasn't sure what to make of the descriptions, but he tucked Koume's story to the back of his mind for the moment. It was important information: Kanako had the means and the motive to plant evidence implicating Tsunekatsu. Whether she had the means to pull the trigger, however….

"Mrs. Kitaki," Odoroki said carefully. After seeing Takita's reaction he wasn't sure how Koume would take what he was about to ask. "I'm sorry to have to say this, but…the police confirmed that the murder weapon belonged to the Kitaki. Right?"

Koume frowned, but she seemed to have anticipated this line of inquiry. "I know what's going on in that lawyer brain of yours," she said with almost humorous similarity to her son. "And it's true: only the Boss, Takita, or Mr. Akagami could have taken out one of those guns." She pointed her finger at him. "But I promise you, not one of them used it."

But someone did. "I thought the police confiscated all your weapons last summer," Odoroki remarked, maybe stalling a little.

"Not all of them," Koume replied. She couldn't quite keep all the mischief out of her answer. "Every fox den has a secret hole. We may not be criminals anymore, but we're not stupid--we're still prepared to defend ourselves."

Here's hoping they don't need them soon, Odoroki thought, cringing with the memory of Yuuri and his lackeys leaving the detention center earlier. "But the gun did end up at the scene. It had to have gotten there somehow. Takita said that Mr. Akagami checked one out in the morning, but…he still had it when they went to the range."

Koume considered, and to Odoroki's dismay came up without an answer. "I'm sorry," she said regrettably. "I just don't know. We were all home that afternoon. I don't have to tell you that--you and your friend were both here!" She hesitated uncomfortably. "I know how it looks. But the Boss didn't bring anything like that to dinner, and Mr. Akagami was with Takita most of the day. Neither of them could have passed off a gun to anyone even if they wanted to."

"That's what it looks like…." Odoroki rubbed his forehead--he needed to clear up that mystery if he hoped to stand a chance in trial. "I guess I'll have to investigate a little longer."

Odoroki's cell phone suddenly began to ring, and he jumped in surprise. "Ah…excuse me a moment." The number on the display was Naruhodou's; with a slight frown, he answered. "Hello?"

"Mornin'," Naruhodou greeted lazily. "You got off to an early start, huh?"

"Likewise." He glanced to Koume, who was still watching him with unnerving scrutiny. "Um…what is it? I'm in the middle of talking to Mrs. Kitaki."

Naruhodou's voice took on a slightly more serious tone. "I'm not sure it can wait."

"Okay…um, hold on." Odoroki glanced up to Koume. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"That's really all I know," Koume admitted. Her eyes narrowed. "But if you ask me, I'd bet it was that Kanako. All that crying of hers couldn't have been more fake, you know?"

Odoroki's brow furrowed, but he nodded. "I'll look into it," he promised. "If anything new comes up, I'll be sure to come back."

Koume nodded in return. "Thank you. We appreciate it so much."

Odoroki bowed his head, and as the guard escorted Koume out of the visiting room, Odoroki headed out of the building to finish his call with Naruhodou. "What's so important?"

"I thought you might want to go back to the crime scene," Naruhodou explained, sounding his careless self again. Odoroki was afraid that would be the only clue he was getting, but thankfully the man continued. "I was reviewing the footage from last night, and I think I spotted something interesting. You might want to get to it before the cops do."

"The…wait, what?" Odoroki held the phone with his shoulder as he unlocked his bicycle. "What footage? The restaurant had cameras?"

"No, you did." Naruhodou chuckled, and his young companion caught on just before he explained. "You were wearing my hat last night."

Odoroki wasn't sure if he should grin or scowl. "You could have reminded me of that before you gave it to me," he muttered, pulling his bicycle to the sidewalk. "Were you planning that all along? And here I thought you were being generous…."

"Don't be like that--I didn't remember myself until I got home." He chuckled. "Actually, it was Trucy who thought of it. I wasn't trying to trick you."

Odoroki still felt a little miffed--maybe more irritated that he hadn't thought of it at the time than the fact that Naruhodou hadn't mentioned it. "Well…I guess it's fine as long as you turned up something," he relented. "What am I looking for?"

"The pond." Again Naruhodou sounded a bit more serious as he related clearer details. "When you were talking to Prosecutor Garyuu in the garden you passed over the pond the murder weapon was found in for a second. You can't really tell until you zoom in, but it looks like a stone is out of place on one side. You might find something."

Odoroki closed his eyes and tried to recall a memory of the pond, but he honestly hadn't noticed any kind of misplaced stone. Guess I'll just have to see for myself. "All right, I'll check it out. I'll give you a call back if I find anything." He frowned. "Um…thanks."

"Sure thing. Good luck."

Naruhodou hung up, and Odoroki gave the phone a long stare before slipping it into his pocket. With a shake of his head he started off down the street.

Akane stifled a yawn as she ducked under the crime tape and into Tranquility Gardens. By now the entire restaurant and park had been sectioned off by the police, with only officers and related personnel allowed on the premises. The owners had been none too happy with the interruption of their business, but on such a high profile case precautions had to be taken.

The detective wasn't in so great a mood herself. She had spent the entire night at the station, grabbing sleep where she could, and had only stopped off at her apartment once early that morning for a shower and a change of clothes. It hadn't occurred to her until she overheard a few officers, but she was wondering now if Kyouya had been granted even that much. He had elected to stay at the scene for the rest of the investigation that night, promising to get a ride home with one of the patrolmen.

A chat with Detective Beni proved that not to be the case. Akane slipped away from the main floor to the VIP room, which Kyouya had been using as an interrogation room for potential witnesses through the night. Sure enough he was still there, slumped across three chairs and deeply asleep.

Akane crept forward even though she knew she would have to wake him anyway. He looked horribly uncomfortable, half falling off his makeshift bed: he was draped across the chairs on his stomach, one arm hanging down and the other twisted beneath his head. She wished she could have seen his face. Everyone always said that even the most obnoxious person could appear angelic when they slept, and it would have been nice to see if Kyouya proved the concept true.

After a moment Akane finally crouched down near Kyouya's head and gave his shoulder a gentle shake. "Hey, Prosecutor. Rise and shine."

Kyouya grunted and tried to swat at her with his dangling hand. But it was that movement that roused him suddenly to waking; he hissed and gave his hand a shake, doubtlessly trying to combat pins and needles. Akane winced a little in sympathy. "You said you were going to get a ride home," she reminded him gently.

Kyouya twisted onto his side, gradually trying to straighten out his limbs into a more comfortable position. "I was," he mumbled. He wiggled his fingers to try and get the feeling back in them. It seemed to take him a while to regain full coherence, which was unexpectedly endearing. Akane had never seen him quite so sleepy. "Took longer than I thought to get through all the customers and staff…."

"Well I hope you managed to catch a few winks at least, because they're looking for you down at the detention center." When it looked like Kyouya had settled on his back she reached out, nudging a few locks of hair into a tidier arrangement. He smiled and didn't try to stop her. "They have Mr. Kitaki in questioning now, and they want your input."

Kyouya sighed, closing his eyes. The way his brow furrowed made her wonder if he had a headache to go with his numb fingers. "I guess I gotta, considering he's the defendant and all."

"Yeah… You'll want to hear his excuse for the monoka at least." Akane chewed her lip, and finally lifted a second hand to his hair. With slow movements she spread her fingers through his bangs, smoothing them away from his face and scratching his scalp lightly with her nails. Her sister had done this for her when she was younger and feeling sick or achy. I'm taking the pain out, Tomoe's voice rang through her mind. It was a little embarrassing, but it wasn't as if Kyouya could hear her. From your mind, into your hair…all out through the tips until it's gone…

Kyouya remained very still, and though he gave little indication of what he thought of her treatment, the loosening of his brow was an encouraging sign. Like the afternoon before, Akane felt there was something uncommonly intimate in the fact that she might have been taking care of him, if only in a simple way. Growing up she had always been the young one, needing attending and advice. It felt satisfying to be able to look after someone else for a change.

"Thank you," Kyouya murmured at last. "That feels good."

"Good." Akane smiled, rather pleased with herself. Just because he was looking so cute and sleepy at the moment, she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Kyouya returned her affection with a gentle hum, tilting his head chin up ever so slightly. When she pulled back he was smiling. "Take a few more minutes," she offered. "Detective Beni is here, he said he'd give you a ride to detention when you're ready."

"Mm, all right." Kyouya peeled open one yet-lazy eyelid. "Will I see you later?"

The butterflies in her stomach were fickle little things--starting up with such a simple invitation. "I'll find you for lunch," she promised. "My treat. Then we can make sure we're both caught up on the case."

"Sounds good." Kyouya closed his eye again and smirked, making a beckoning motion with his finger.

Though Akane hated to be prodded like that--or at least, was telling herself that she hated it--she obliged him with another kiss. It doesn't make him my boyfriend, she thought as she at last rose to her feet. That would be…silly. "See you later."

Akane left the room, taking a moment outside the doorway to straighten her hair and lab coat, just in case. The brief reassessment absorbed her so much that she didn't notice until having finished that there was someone standing just beside her, waiting outside the room with stiff, perfect posture. In fact, it was a familiar antennae-haired lawyer with a rather embarrassed blush on his face.

Akane's cheeks quickly followed suit. "You…you saw that, didn't you!?" she accused.

Odoroki jumped and quickly shook his head. "No! I didn't mean to see anything!"

"You…!" Akane shuddered and scowled. Logically she knew it wasn't a big deal, but she still had her pride to consider, and she didn't like the idea of everyone knowing about her and Kyouya just yet. Whatever it was between them. "Who let you in here? This scene is off limits!"

"I uh…told them you were expecting me," Odoroki confessed with a sheepish grin. He rubbed the back of his neck. "One of the officers recognized me from last night."

Akane rolled her eyes. She certainly had nothing against Odoroki personally, but having him show up at a scene was starting to turn into a nuisance. She started away from the room in hopes that they wouldn't disturb Kyouya while he caught a few more winks of sleep. "I thought I was pretty generous last night already. What are you doing back here?"

"Generous?" Odoroki frowned at her. "You only gave me fifteen minutes. Just last month you let me come in and out of Makoto's studio freely."

"That…that was different. This is a very important case for us." Akane chewed her lip - she wished she had remembered to bring some snacks with her, as they always helped to keep her occupied when she was irritated.

"For me, too," Odoroki persisted. He almost seemed to be chasing her as she wove through the restaurant's tables towards the back. "I only need a few more minutes, really. There might be more to see now that it's daylight."

Akane hummed doubtfully. "We've had officers here all night. If there was anything left to find, we would have found it already."

"Then there's no harm in letting me look, right?"

Akane slowed to a halt, and finally turned to face him properly. Something about his tone was setting off her paranoia: he had something in mind. "Just what do you think you're going to find at the scene anyway?"

"It's not the crime scene I want to see," Odoroki said hopefully. "It's the pond in the back garden."

Akane started to refuse just because he was starting to annoy her, but then she paused, glancing around them: they were already standing right at the restaurant exit that led into that very garden. There was even an officer holding the door open for them, having noticed her progress across the room. With a sigh of resignation she waved for him to go through. "Okay. Go ahead."

Odoroki grinned. "Thanks, detective." He hurried out the door before she could change her mind.

Akane offered a nod to the officer and followed Odoroki outside. The garden really did look different in the early light, though it didn't have the life and glamour it usually had. Many of the shrubs and flowers had been trodden on by the officers, and with the pond drained it resembled little else but a muddy hole in the ground. After taking a brief look around to make sure that everything was in order, she turned her attention back to Odoroki.

He seemed to be retracing his steps. After moving over to the pond he stopped, turning about several times until finding a position he approved of. As she came closer, she could hear him muttering under his breath. "I was standing right here, and I turned my head…" He made a slow sweep of the garden with his eyes.

Akane folded her arms. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to remember…" Odoroki glanced down at his bracelet with a frown. "Too bad this thing doesn't work on rocks."

"Rocks?" Akane repeated, by now completely baffled.

"Yeah, he said…" Odoroki trailed off, staring down at the collection of rocks that surrounded the base of the small pond. Abruptly his eyes narrowed, and he moved around to the side closest to the restaurant. Akane quickly followed, and when he crouched down she followed suit, determined not to be left out.

"Look at this rock," Odoroki told her, pointing a fist sized, blue-ish rock that helped make up the pond's border. "See how there's a line of dirt on it, where it was pushed into the ground? It's raised up a little, as if the rock's been moved."

Akane followed his pointing finger, and now that she was right next to it she noticed as well. "I guess so. But it's only like an inch - how did you spot that?"

"I…kind of knew where to look," Odoroki admitted.

He reached down to lift the rock, setting it behind them. Once it was out of the way the cause for the move was rather obvious: the muddy earth packed beneath had been recently disturbed, and something metallic was sticking out of it.

When Odoroki reached for their latest clue Akane gave the back of his palm a quick slap. "Don't get your prints all over it," she admonished. She reached into her satchel for a fresh evidence bag. "That's evidence."

"If someone went to the trouble of burying it there, there probably aren't any prints," Odoroki argued, despite also looking embarrassed by his mistake.

Akane used a handkerchief from her bag to nudge the object out of the ground: it was a long, cylindrical metal tube with screw-like threads. She recognized it immediately. "Damn it." With a sigh she slipped it into the evidence bag.

"What? Some kind of tool?" Odoroki tried to get a better look at it, and nearly tumbled into the pond in his attempt. Akane had to steady him with a hand on his shoulder.

"It's a silencer," Akane reported. She pushed to her feet and glanced around, suddenly wary that Kyouya was nearby, but there was no sign of him. He's not going to like this. "I guess that explains why no one heard the shot."

Odoroki frowned between her and the pond. "But the gun was found in the pond. Why would someone go through the trouble of separating them?"

"I dunno. Maybe one is more incriminating than the other?" Akane wasn't liking the direction this conversation was headed, so she kept her mouth shut for now. The Kitakis don't own any silencers as far as I know.

Odoroki stood as well, quickly dusting off his knees. He looked like he had more questions, and Akane was relieved when he was interrupted suddenly by his cell phone going off. As he greeted whoever was on the other end Akane took the opportunity to call her discovery in to the station. She wasn't sure yet what it meant, but if her instincts were on, it meant things were about to get a lot more complicated.