Author's note:
My apologies, I just realised my blunder on the concert venue's name and made the necessary edits in the previous chapter. It's supposed to be "Sunshine Colosseum", not "Gatewater Stadium".
Review response:
iridescentP - I'm not sure if you made it this far yet, but I jut wanted to say that I really appreciate your review and your praise! I'm glad you took the time to read my fics and the fact that you're enjoying my darker take on this game? Totally epic! Hopefully you get here soon enough to read this reply lol. Please continue supporting "House of Cards"!
House of Cards
By Dark Interval
Chapter 12: Trial Day 1, Part 3
"WHAAAAAT?!"
This was a joke. It had to be, right? Apollo felt his whole world crumble, his beautiful, painstaking defense, gone. A tearful breakdown, a dramatic love confession, Interpol secrets revealed, four cross examinations later; and Crow of all people (maybe he should have seen this coming) decided to throw a bloody monkey wrench into the works. Brilliant. Fantastic.
"Dude, what the hell!" Daryan demanded and jabbed the tip of his outrageous pompadour at his friend; hurt and frustrated. "I carried you for seven years, man! Back when you still had that stupid stage fright. First Val; now you… Why would you… why won't any of you idiots believe me? "
"Chill out, D," Crow replied discomfited, "no need to be so dramatic..."
"Dramatic? I'm the one in handcuffs with a life sentence hanging over my head – and you just accused me of murder! How else am I supposed to react?!"
"Honestly, dude, you should've thought of that before you pulled an Adele and set fire to the–"
"Are you seriously throwing me a fucking pop reference?!" Daryan looked three seconds close to punching Crow square in the face. "And it's setting fire to the rain , you idiot. This is a person we're talking about."
"Aha! So you admit you did set the brat on fi-"
"I DIDN'T SET ANYONE ON FIRE!"
"Mr. Crescend, Mr. Kusanagi! This is a court of law; can we please focus? " The Judge looked like he was severely close to being done with this case.
At that moment, muffled whispers transpired through the audience. Some fangirls pointed at Crow and giggled amongst themselves; others blushed; and said target of their amusement began making strange gurgling noises at the back of his throat. Crow was cringing so hard, he looked like he was fighting against a bad case of diarrhea.
"Eeeeeeeehhh! Uncool, judge dude! It's Crow! Not Kusanagi, not Karasu – Crow! Aw maaaan… why'd you have to kill it, gramps?"
"I'm sorry for, uh… killing it?" the old man replied, confused and blinking rapidly. "Wait, what exactly did I kill, Mr. Kusanagi?"
Crow cringed again.
"Argh! Forget it. Why'd you have to be so… so old? "
The Judge looked like he was about to cry.
"Hast du remember some important fact, Crow?" Klavier reminded the younger man impatiently. Normally, he would have brushed off his drummer's less-than-helpful, entirely skeptical opinions; after all, it was Crow: the guy tended to sprout rubbish most of the time. But something told him that there was a gem hidden somewhere in his earlier statement. He didn't know what good it would do driving Daryan into a corner like that, didn't know what compelled him to go against his best friend's cries for help; but the seed of doubt this case had planted was still there, insecurities sprouted, and it kept growing with every passing minute.
"You're damn right I did! D's been lying through his teeth. He's fooled us all – but not me!" He folded his arms with a wide smirk. "Bet you didn't count on my awesome memory saving the day, aye, leader?"
"Du hast terrible memory, Crow," was what Klavier wanted to say, but decided against it and went with a neutral, "Ah" instead. For the sake of eliminating his doubt once and for all, he needed to confront his fears and see this whole thing through. Phoenix's words continued to play in his head: 'This is something only a best friend can do.' He just hoped he wouldn't live to regret this.
"Herr Judge, das prosecution would like its new witness to attest to das defendant's guilt."
"Hold it!" Apollo yelled, banging the table so hard the force of it caused Kristoph's necktie to give a slight shudder. "Weren't you the one who said that Crow has 'daily amnesia'? Why should we trust his testimony now and not before?"
"Nein!" Klavier refuted, abusing the poor wall behind him with his first. "I implied he has poor memory, not a wild imagination. That doesn't make him a liar!"
"W-Well, what if he remembers things indiscriminately?" Apollo protested, raising his voice. "The melted sunglasses could very well be unrelated to this case. The witness' memory is unreliable and so is his testimony!"
"Well, that memory came from somewhere, Herr Justice. I'm going to find out where, and not even your glaring forehead kann stop me," Klavier countered, matching his rival in intensity. "Sunglasses kann only melt from high heat – in other words, fire. I will piece together Crow's testimony, even if it kills me!"
BANG.
"Objection! An unreliable witness shouldn't be allowed to testify!"
BANG.
"Objection! Not unreliable, just confused!"
BANG.
"Objection!
BANG.
"Objection!"
SLAM.
"Objection!"
SLAM.
"EINSPRUCH!"
"Order!" The Judge boomed, slamming his gavel repeatedly against the stand until he was completely sure both men weren't going to bite each other's heads off. Goodness, these two were as bad as Wright and Edgeworth back in the day, if not worse.
"It appears a new fact has just been revealed to the court that I simply cannot ignore…"
While Kristoph patiently awaited the Judge's decision, unfazed by the trial's sudden turn, Apollo struggled behind the defense table, desperately leafing through his papers. No, no, no… He wasn't prepared for this. Crow told him no such thing when he questioned him yesterday, not even a peep. If those sunglasses meant something, Daryan was a dead man; the drummer would ruin everything. Was Klavier so desperate for victory that he would place his trust in a man who – to quote him – 'can't remember if he remembers anything'? The Judge too couldn't seriously be entertaining this blind lead, could he?
"B-But your honor… an unreliable witness… he shouldn't…!"
"Overruled, Mr. Justice. As the defense, your cross-examination would eventually reveal if the witness is as unreliable as you claim," was the Judge's response before turning to face Klavier who appeared more nervous than smug. "You have my permission, Mr. Gavin. The witness will now tell the court about these mysterious sunglasses and its connection to the crime."
"Aw yeah! In your face, lawyer dude!"
Apollo honestly doubted Crow had any idea how serious his current position was, much less understood what was going on.
"So, like, after I prove D did it and he goes to jail and stuff, does that mean we get to chill until he comes back out? Leader, I want to go to Hawaii!"
"Nein, Crow. It would mean The Gavinners are over."
"Oh… But what about Hawaii?"
Klavier suppressed a loud, painful sigh. It's just like handling a child, he told himself. A very dense, highly distracted, retarded child. With pampers. But pooped everywhere except on the pampers. And then rolled around in it.
"Ach! Just tell das court what happened during intermission – he quickly interrupted himself when Crow looked like he wanted to say something – then we will discuss Hawaii."
"Cool!"
"Stay focused, Apollo," Kristoph reminded as he scrutinized his brother's new witness. It was obvious he was skeptical of both the Judge and Klavier's decision. "Klavier has regrettably and hilariously chosen to wield his short end of the stick. Nonetheless, it is still a stick and you shouldn't be complacent. A rudimentary cross-examination should reveal this poor insight in time." He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and they gleamed under the light. "Make it quick."
Apollo gulped and hurriedly passed his gaze over the updated court record.
[Type: Profiles]
Daryan Crescend
Age: 24
Gender: Male
The defendant, an Interpol agent, and The Gavinners' second guitarist. He claims to have spent the break looking for the victim and reportedly saw him outside Trucy Wright's dressing room. He was on an undercover mission to apprehend the smuggler and had suspected Machi. During intermission, he noticed signs of struggle fabricated in Lamiroir's dressing room.
[Type: Profiles]
Kusanagi Karasu (Crow)
Age: 22
Gender: Male
A traffic warden who dreams of becoming a policeman, and is also The Gavinners' drummer. He's known for his terrible memory and unreliable testimonies. Claims that the only thing he remembers is staying in The Gavinners' dressing room for the entire break. He injured his back two days before the concert when he broke Trucy's fall, leaving her with only a sprained ankle (?!). During intermission, he claims to have spotted Daryan in the hallway holding the victim's sunglasses.
[Type: Evidence]
Daryan's Cell Phone: contains recorded conversations between himself and Interpol at approximately 7 p.m. every day over the last seven days. Only the call on concert night was made at 9.30 p.m.
[Type: Evidence]
Machi's Sunglasses: a pair of small, half-melted sunglasses that supposedly came into the defendant's possession during intermission. They belonged to the victim.
'Make it quick? But how? ' Apollo worried his lower lip. 'If Crow's memory turns out to be true, Prosecutor Gavin would make quick work of me instead!'
"Name and occupation?" said the Judge.
"Crow, 22, traffic warden and The Gavinners' drummer," he answered.
"But it says here that your name's Kusanagi-"
" Argh! Judge dude, it's Crow, ok? Say it with me: C-R-O-W."
"But-But-"
"Abuhbuh- Do you wanna be cool or not? "
"Yes, yes! I want to be cool!"
Suddenly, Apollo felt rather bad for the Judge. The poor man was being bullied left, right and center.
"Ok dudes, here's what really went down that night," said Crow as if he was gossiping around a campfire instead of delivering a witness account in court. "My memory's pretty fuzzy, but I'm totally sure I heard this outrageous 'BANG!' and I was like, "Woah!" and sprang to my feet. The noise was super loud, dudes; I wasn't sure where it came from, so I opened the door a crack and stuck my head out to check. That freaky piano was in the hallway and so was D – holding a pair of busted sunglasses for whatever reason, and with the dumbest expression on his face haha!"
"First, you accuse me; now, you insult me," Daryan muttered to the side, positively miffed.
"You know, like, when a camera suddenly flashes at you and your face goes all durrrr… "
"Crow, your testimony's a crime!"
"Like this." He demonstrated and even topped his hair with a random baguette he snuck into court earlier. "Look, look! It's like D's hair – he took a bite out of it – only tastier."
"Are you even listening?!"
Apollo collapsed across the table in agony. That was the worst testimony he ever heard. As soon as Crow started talking, he could already pick out a ton of things wrong with it, namely the fact that every statement was devastatingly disjointed, full of gaping holes, and the guy kept rubbing his arm; his neck; nervously darting his eyes everywhere... God, his wrist hurt; his eyes hurt; all his senses were screaming at him to point out all the bloody inconsistencies. The only time Crow seemed relatively normal was when he talked about the piano and sunglasses. At first, Apollo felt sorry for Klavier – this was his witness after all – until he remembered he was the defense attorney here and the burden of this cross-examination fell on him. "Have fun, Herr Justice," Klavier's taunting smirk seemed to say and Apollo mentally cursed the flamboyant blonde to hell and back.
"Sir, what do I…" But he sweatdropped when he noticed Kristoph was busy taking some aspirin.
The gavel struck the stand; the cross-examination was underway. Apollo spared a quick glance at his idol on the witness bench and saw that Phoenix had inclined in his seat and pulled his beanie over his eyes, but the light smirk playing across his lips indicated that he wasn't asleep. Had the ex-lawyer figured out something? What would his idol do in his situation? How would Phoenix Wright navigate through this sea of chaos and flash out the truth?
He looked at Crow's expectant face, down at his papers, back up at his face, raised a finger in a bid to point out something, only to drop it and released a long, despairing sigh. This could take a while.
"Before I get to your… uh… testimony," he began, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "let's start with something simple: where were you that whole time? Specifically."
"Gee… Good question, lawyer dude," the drummer answered with a nervous chuckle. "Wait, wait… it's coming back to me… Uhhhhhh…"
That was the longest "uh" Apollo heard in his life. His head scratching intensified. Was it that hard to remember something so simple? And why did Crow seem so disoriented about this particular incident, more so than usual standards went?
"You were in The Gavinners' dressing room, ja?" Klavier reminded Crow helpfully with the patience of Buddha. "According to das police report, mein drummer spent all 10 minutes in there and never saw another soul. Perhaps that loud bang startled him and he saw das defendant outside as a result; but it doesn't change the main facts."
"And they are?" asked Apollo with a frown.
"Niemand entered das dressing room, and Ihr defendant still has no solid alibi."
"Yeah! No one entered the room, lawyer dude. I'm sure of that. As sure as I was when you first asked me yesterday."
"In that case," said the Judge solemnly, "please add that statement to your testimony, Mr. Crow."
"Sure thing, judge dude! When I heard the loud bang, I jumped to my feet. There was no one else in the room with me at that time."
Apollo's head pulsed and he felt his bracelet tighten. Crow was rubbing his arm again. He's not sure about something.
Klavier chuckled and flipped his hair. "Ihr move, Herr Justice."
Apollo bit his lower lip so hard he nearly split the skin. It was obvious what Klavier was trying to get at: if no one had entered the dressing room to steal the lighter, the last person who had it – Phoenix – must've kept it on him and found a window somewhere in-between songs to pass it back to Daryan. Also, without any proper witness to Daryan's precise actions during intermission, they could not completely deny the possibility of murder. Anything could have happened; the only person who knew the whole truth was Daryan himself; but those incriminating sunglasses changed everything for the worse. He had only two options at this point: discredit Crow's reliability as a witness like he did with Ema, or find out if Daryan secretly had a guardian angel watching over him during those 10 minutes.
He decided to go with the first.
"Crow, I noticed you were fidgeting a lot when you talked about that loud noise. On top of that, it took you an unnaturally long time to recall where you were when it happened. Why?"
Said man nervously drummed on the railing with his drumsticks, but there was no distinct beat and his playing sounded incredibly disordered. "Uh… Uh…" His gaze flew everywhere.
"Objection!" Klavier interrupted with a wary scowl. "Did Herr Forehead forget what he said about das witness' poor memory? Or is Ihr memory lacking too?"
"Objection! My memory's perfectly fine and here's why," Apollo growled, presenting Crow's profile. "When I questioned Crow yesterday about his activities during the break, he confidently told me he spent it in The Gavinners' dressing room, alone – this fact isn't new. However, it was left out of his statement and only after prolonged coaxing was it then added into his testimony. As I said, and as the prosecution is surely aware of, these facts aren't new. So, why the dodgy recollections? Crow claimed he 'just remembered something' when he brought up Machi's sunglasses; I'm wondering if he 'just remembered' something else too that he's not telling us, which brings me to my next question..."
He pointed an accusing finger at the young drummer. "When you told me yesterday that no one else was in the room with you, you were sure; now, you're consumed with doubt. You're nervous; sweating; and can barely keep your voice from wavering. What else did you just remember, Crow? What are you unsure of?"
Throughout the brunette's speech, Crow kept tugging at one of his lip piercings, rolling the stop-ball occasionally with his tongue. "Heh… y-you're just trying to trick me like those lawyer dudes on TV. Well, you ain't getting nothing else from me. I saw what I said: no one else came into the room – and D's a criminal!" He rubbed his nose and flashed Apollo a smug grin. "Trying to discredit me, aye? Think again!"
Apollo fought down his anger and mentally took a step back. Ok, what did he know so far? Crow had spent the entire intermission in The Gavinners' dressing room, but seemed to have an extremely fuzzy recollection of the whole experience. The only thing that left a solid impression on him, despite his poor memory, was a loud "BANG". So, what could have distracted his consciousness so much that he failed to register where he was at the time he heard the loud noise? Apollo thought back to his and Clay's visit to The Gavinners' dressing room and constructed a quick cognitive map of the place. It was a terribly cluttered space without any tall, obscuring structures/objects around – impossible for any person, big or small, to stay hidden. It was also soundproof, as were all the dressing rooms, which meant that the loud noise Crow had heard…
His eyes widened; all the bits and pieces were coming together. I know what happened.
"Crow?"
"Yeah?"
Apollo resisted facepalming.
"Were you asleep?"
"..."
It was terribly anticlimactic. A great, impenetrable silence descended upon the court. All eyes gazed expectantly at Crow, save a certain ex-lawyer whose knowing smirk remained curled across soft, pink lips. He had to hand it to the kid: he was pretty sharp. If he had still been a lawyer himself, the rookie could very well give him a run for his money.
Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.
Crow released a nervous chuckle. "Eheheh… Heh… Umm… My bad?"
Apollo heard the distinct sound of something slamming repeatedly against a wall; but instead of Klavier's fist, it was his head. Kristoph meanwhile, had run out of aspirin. That last observation left Apollo feeling rather disappointed because he had wanted to ask his boss if he could have some too.
[Crow's profile updated: asleep during intermission, but awoke from a loud bang]
"The witness was asleep during intermission when a loud "BANG!" woke him up," Apollo reiterated the facts. "Considering how each dressing room is soundproof, the loud noise couldn't have originated from outside the room, but inside. That's weird, isn't it? Especially when the witness claimed he opened the door to check where the sound was coming from. Why did he head to the door instead of searching the room?"
"Because the sound he heard was from das door slamming," Klavier concluded effortlessly, only to double over the table and break into a nervous sweat when he realised what his rival was getting at. "Nein… You don't mean…!"
Apollo nodded solemnly. "Exactly, Prosecutor Gavin." He struck out and pointed at him. "Someone entered The Gavinners' dressing room and stole Daryan's lighter. And this mysterious visitor could very well be the true killer!"
[Daryan's lighter details added to the court record: stolen from The Gavinners' dressing room during intermission by an unknown visitor]
Yes! Got you now! But Apollo's triumph was short-lived. Klavier recovered quickly and his shoulders were shaking, his cerulean eyes carrying a mocking leer. He was laughing.
"Ah Herr Justice, you make mein job so simple…" He pointed at his rival in return. "And who do you think stole that lighter? Das defendant was the only one in the hallway, and with das victim's sunglasses no less! There's your true killer: your own client!"
"Urk!" Apollo visibly flinched and a bead of sweat rolled down his face. Shit, walked right into that one.
"T-That's not necessarily the case! The killer might have run down the hallway while Daryan was still in Lamiroir's room, thereby missing each other." He quickly returned his attention to Crow. "When you saw Daryan, did he just come out of Lamiroir's room? About to go in?"
"Eh… Actually, no, I think," Crow replied, sticking his tongue out as he struggled through the murky fog of his memory. "He was outside her room, sure, but his back wasn't turned to it like he'd just come out the door. D was standing right smack in the middle of the hallway with his back to me."
'In other words, his back to the corridor outside The Gavinners' dressing room,' Apollo concluded, but it really wasn't much to go by. The prosecution could still easily argue that Daryan had killed Machi in Lamiroir's room and then walked out with the evidence clutched in his hand. It was time to hear from the man himself.
"Your honor, since my client neglected to mention the victim's sunglasses before, the defense requests to continue Daryan's cross-examination with this new information."
"Hm… A reasonable request, Mr. Justice," said the Judge with a nod of his head. "Does the prosecution have any objections?"
"Nein. Let das defendant validate Crow's claims."
Apparently, there was still an undeniable part of Klavier that hoped for the truth to favor Daryan as well.
"This is the first time I've seen anything like this," Kristoph marveled in slight surprise, though his expression remained impossibly serene. "Normally, when a cross-examination reaches its conclusion, there's no opportunity for amendment. Lady Justice must favor you, Apollo."
'Or the Judge is as confused as I am,' Apollo added as an afterthought.
Crow happily skipped back to his seat while Daryan resumed his place on the witness stand, the deep scowl across his brow especially telling of his resentment. " What now? So I have to defend myself against that idiot too?"
"Sorry, Daryan," said Kristoph with an apologetic smile, right eye twitching involuntarily from repressed frustration, "but we are doing the best we can under these… hapless conditions." Then, he dropped his voice to a whisper and breathed into his understudy's ear, "As a professional attorney, our client's best interests come first. If a wall comes between your defense and Daryan, break it. If you can't find an exit, make one. I never fail my clients, Apollo." There was a dangerous glint in his eyes beyond that smile. "Neither should you."
Apollo visibly shook and grasped the court record a bit too tightly in his hand until it crumpled. What do I do? This case was impossible.
"The defendant will now tell the court about the victim's sunglasses."
"... Alright." Daryan ran his fingers through his pompadour in annoyance before continuing, "It happened after I left Lamiroir's dressing room. I was about to find somewhere private to contact Interpol, when I stumbled upon a pair of sunglasses in the middle of the hallway. I picked them up and saw they were ruined, so I planned to just toss them out. That's all that happened – I didn't kill anyone! Why do these things keep happening to me?!"
No inconsistency there, Apollo thought, only a series of unfortunate coincidences. Unfortunately, coincidences weren't enough to prove anything in the court of law.
"Kann you prove that was 'all that happened', Daryan?" asked Klavier solemnly, not wanting to question his best friend, but having no choice. "Out of everyone involved in this mess, you're the only one with a real motive. Ihr bruder has Incuritis ; Herr Tobaye had das cocoon; I don't think I need to elaborate any further."
Daryan turned desperate eyes to his lawyer, but Apollo remained silent and refused to lift his head. He felt his heart plummet and knew what that meant: the rookie, for all his show and confidence, had given up on him too. Fear began to eat at his heart and Daryan scrambled for purchase on the railing, gripping the wood so tight his knuckles turned white.
"Bro, please! We've known each other since we were kids! I know this looks bad, but I wouldn't kill for that – I'm no murderer! Klav, please! " Tears filled his eyes and his voice dropped to a helpless whisper. He felt so alone. "Please… Why won't anyone believe me?"
The air in the courtroom turned oppressively solemn. Reporters ceased writing and the sound of camera shutters faded into nothingness. In the audience, Lamiroir clasped her hands in apprehension; Trucy fought back a sob; Olga's jaw clenched in disappointment; and Clay stared blankly at his best friend in disbelief. Apollo… lost? Behind the prosecutor's table, Klavier stood silently, guiltily, his silken bangs shielding his eyes from the world. The Judge closed his eyes in silent deliberation, before opening them once more when it became apparent no one else had anything to add. The defense had been tamed. There was no need to prolong this trial any further.
"The prosecution has presented a compelling argument against the defendant, while the defense has failed to present any evidence to substantiate Mr. Crescend's claims. I'm ready to deliver my final verdict." He slowly raised his gavel. "The court finds the defendant –"
"OBJECTION!"
The Judge's eyes widened and he stopped himself before the gavel hit the stand. The gallery was abuzz with confused and excited chatter. Daryan's heart skipped a beat and he released a shaky gasp. Klavier frowned and slowly lifted his gaze. Kristoph smirked and adjusted his glasses. And Phoenix finally pulled back his beanie to allow his proud smile to reach his eyes as he gazed at the man that burned with so much passion and conviction, it reminded him so much of his younger self. Way to go, kid. Now, turn this trial around.
"If that's the motive the prosecution insists on, then I just have one question for you, Prosecutor Gavin!" Apollo shouted, the confrontational tone of his voice effectively driving the blonde rock star into a corner. "Where is the cocoon now?"
That question took Klavier by surprise and he struggled to answer him, "W-What…? I… Well, that's… Das police are still looking into it…" He snuck Ema a panicked stare and said woman tried to deny all responsibility by frantically waving her hands. "Fräulein Detective… Ah…"
As the pair desperately tried to coordinate between themselves, Apollo shook his head and flipped through the court record until he found what he was looking for.
[Type: Evidence]
Cocoon: A single cocoon that was smuggled from Borginia into the country last weekend. It's small enough to fit into the palm of a child's hand. The cocoon has medicinal properties capable of curing Incuritis, a deadly disease. It is still missing.
"Let me ask the prosecution again: where is the cocoon now?" When Klavier still couldn't answer, Apollo saw it fit to question him. "If Daryan really murdered Machi to steal the cocoon in order to save his brother, then why is it still missing? Why hasn't it appeared before the authorities yet? Daryan was in the detention centre for four days and no such cocoon was found on his person. It's not in his house; it's not at the concert venue; the Chief Justice himself doesn't have it and his son is still in the hospital dying. Despite these facts, Daryan's supposed to be guilty? Doesn't this sound funny to any of you?"
Daryan gazed at his attorney in awe and hope filled his eyes. "Apollo…"
When none spoke up against the brunette, many stumped themselves, his confidence flared and he delivered the final punch. "Someone else murdered Machi. Someone else stole the cocoon. And while we sit here convicting an innocent man, the real killer is out there laughing at our foolishness." He slammed his fists on the table. "Daryan Crescend is innocent! You're making a big mistake!"
The silence persisted, but the one to eventually break it was Klavier.
"… Das prosecution concedes to Herr Forehead's argument. It looks like that wide forehead of yours actually houses quite a brain."
His uncharacteristic geniality took the Judge by surprise. "Mr. Gavin, are you saying that you were wrong?" But what he got for an answer was a mere chuckle.
"I said das defense's argument makes sense. I never said I'm taking back mein words." Klavier snapped his fingers and pointed at the rookie. "Achtung, Herr Forehead! If Daryan's as innocent as you say, and someone else – für whatever reason – murdered Herr Tobaye, then prove das defendant's actions were checked during intermission. Prove that Daryan didn't kill anybody!"
It was clear to Apollo what his rival was really asking for. Klavier was in pain; this trial was hurting him and putting great strain on his relationship with Daryan. There was only one way to free him of all doubt and that was to end this trial in the only way Apollo saw fit: his client's complete innocence.
"I understand, Prosecutor Gavin," he said with a determined nod, "and I plan to do so." He then directed his full attention to Daryan on the witness stand. "Daryan, I need you to think very carefully: was there anything you left out? Anything that works as an alibi? A feeling like you were being watched?"
"There's only one thing, dude, but you already know this." Daryan shook his head in despair, he too knowing how ridiculous his story sounded. "During intermission, as soon as I came out of Lamiroir's room and picked up those sunglasses… I saw Machi. And Machi saw me."
The courtroom erupted into protest and outrage. Many yelled and accused the guitarist of being a shameless liar; some even went so far as to criticize Interpol on their choice of candidates. How far would Crescend stoop to deny his guilt? Headlines exploded everywhere: "Can We Trust Interpol with our Secrets?", "Corruption Begins in the Blood", "Trial Calls for New Chief Justice", "Interpol: Agents of Truth or House of Liars?" And at the center of it all, Daryan remained completely still, alone in the darkness and forced to bear the burden of the world's cruelty.
Apollo was at a loss. Like before at the detention centre, he didn't sense anything off about Daryan's statement; the man must be speaking the truth; but how could this be? Everyone thought Machi was missing; the truth was he was dead. So, how could Daryan have seen him? Was it possible for a body to be at two places at once? Was it a ghost? What did Daryan actually see?
"Apollo, remember the advice I gave you at the start of this case?" said Kristoph all of a sudden as he flashed him a mysterious smile. "Not everything is what it seems. It's your job to separate the truth from the lies. Just like magic."
"Magic?"
He stopped short, eyes widening to the size of saucers.
Magic… That's it!
He remembered the photographs Clay took of Trucy's dressing room; all the costumes stored there because Phoenix had needed a place to work on them; Trucy's own magic props scattered about. He remembered everyone saying how close Trucy and Machi had been, always playing; remembered the fall and her sprained ankle; remembered how Daryan told him the Machi he saw during intermission walked with a limp. There had been plans for a new finale; Klavier only talked to Trucy about it. Machi was 12; Trucy was 15. Their heights weren't that different. Trucy had only been backstage for less than five minutes – she wasn't lying, not exactly; because during the break she had performed one of the greatest tricks in the book and had managed to fool them all.
"Daryan… I think you're telling the truth."
The court sounded their displeasure once again. The Judge demanded for order. The gallery fell silent, each and every one of its audience members awaiting the young attorney's explanation with wild eyes and bated breath. Even Klavier resisted interrupting his rival in favor of hearing what he had to say.
"I think," Apollo continued, swallowing nervously, "I know who you saw. And I think… this person is the missing link that can help clear your name once and for all."
Daryan frowned and approached the subject in trepidation. "W-Who?"
"This person sprained their ankle a few days before the concert, which explains why the Machi you saw seemed to walk with a limp. This person had access to the real Machi's costume and was close to his physical size and height in order to be able to fit into it. Both Machi and Lamiroir were needed for the finale, but the former was presumed missing. By consequence, this person was the only one other than Prosecutor Gavin who knew about the change in finale, which might then explain the need to dress up as the victim at all."
"But what reason would they have to do so?" asked the Judge, perplexed and wholly intrigued.
"To pass off as Herr Tobaye's double," Klavier answered on Apollo's behalf as realization finally hit him. "Niemand would notice the difference – the perfect magic trick."
"Exactly. And for some reason, this very person decided to keep quiet about their involvement in this case from the very beginning," Apollo finished and with a determined gleam in his eyes, turned and pointed at a certain costumed individual in the audience. "Trucy Wright! As Daryan's sole alibi, the defense would like you to tell the court what you witnessed during the break."
In the center of the crowd and subject to the world's scrutiny, Trucy's mouth fell open in shock, her big blue eyes blinking rapidly, and all she could manage was a soft and confused, "Huh?"
The sea of bodies parted as Trucy Wright tentatively, apprehensively made her way down the steps and onto the main floor. Her hands shook; the cape around her neck suddenly felt a little too tight; and her palms inside her gloves started to feel clammy. As she walked, she could feel hundreds of eyes on her – both physical and imaginary – and quickened her pace. Olga and Clay had been kind when they offered to accompany her, but rules were rules; she didn't require any physical or lingual assistance, and the defense had singled her out. Amaranth got out a crate and placed it on the witness stand, and she climbed on top of it. This was the first time she stood before the Judge in front of the whole court. In the past, she had only been an audience member when she was eight years old: the day her old life ended and her new one begun. Everything looked, everything felt so different from where she stood, and it was terrifying. She was so frightened, she even forgot about her hatred towards the very lawyer who dragged her out here in the first place.
Her eyes desperately sought out a familiar face. "M-Mr. Gavin…"
"It's alright, Trucy. Just speak truthfully, and we'll take care of everything," Kristoph assured her in the same comforting voice he used whenever she got upset, and she felt herself calm down. "You want to help Daryan, don't you?"
"O-Of course!"
His smile of approval quelled the butterflies in her stomach; she trusted Kristoph with her life. But why didn't her daddy look too happy about this?
"Don't worry, my dear. I swear on my gavel I won't let these evil lawyers bully you," said the Judge in a kind, grandfatherly manner, oblivious to the nasty looks Klavier and Apollo were shooting him. 'Who you calling evil?' they thought, insulted; but the sight of Trucy's miserable face made Klavier's heart soften and he spoke up.
"Fräulein, why didn't you tell me about this?" he asked gently, like a concerned older brother reproaching his little sister's mistake. "This is a serious matter that concerns people's lives."
"Sorry, Uncle Klavier…" Trucy trailed off guiltily, lowering her gaze to the side. "But daddy told me not to say anything, since I didn't do anything wrong anyway." She turned to face Phoenix at the witness bench. "Sorry, daddy…"
"It's ok, sweetie. Apollo's just really sharp. It's not your fault."
"What?! Mr. Wright! " The Judge frowned at him disapprovingly. "Intentionally withholding information from the police is a serious offense! I thought you knew this."
Phoenix laughed the matter off. "My bad, Judge; it's been seven long years." He flashed the old man an innocent smile. "Just let me off with a warning this time?"
"Hm… I suppose. But don't let me hear of this again."
"Wouldn't dream of it, your honor."
Apollo however, wasn't buying any of his idol's ignorance. Phoenix knew about his daughter's involvement the whole time and chose to play with fire. Since he met the ex-lawyer, he got the impression that the man was dangerous. Phoenix was smoldered with mystery from top to toe; and the way he handled his relationships like the way he played poker ought to have cued Apollo in on his guile and propensity for seduction. But this Phoenix was a broken man; he believed the old Phoenix was still in there somewhere, and he wanted to help him. He understood how his idol's disbarment must have traumatized him, caused him to doubt and perhaps resent the law as a result, and drove him to keep his daughter safe and close. You can't make a suspect out of someone who wasn't even there. No one understood the system better than Phoenix Wright. He had lost far too much already. But this was wrong.
Mr. Wright really is cunning.
"Mr. Gavin?" Both brothers turned to face the Judge curiously. "Erm, the younger Mr. Gavin…" Klavier raised his eyebrow in question. "Why does Miss Wright call you 'Uncle'? Are you two related?"
"Ah… Something like that… Ach! Kann we please continue, Herr Judge?" said Klavier with an impatient blush across his cheeks, not at all comfortable discussing his brother's private matters in public.
"Oh, yes – ahem," the Judge cleared his throat and directed his attention to Trucy. "Name and occupation?"
She hesitated. "Occupation?"
"Just answer the question, my dear. We have to ask these things. It's all part of the formalities."
"Oh, ok!" She visibly perked up and bounced on the spot. "Morning, everyone! My name's Trucy Wright, I'm 15 years old, and I'm a professional magician. I do parties, private gigs, and I perform at the Wonder Bar on weekends. I take cash, cheque, and pasta-"
Kristoph coughed and she immediately stopped herself, flushing pink. Right, this wasn't the best time or place to promote herself. She didn't want to end up embarrassing her guardian, especially since he was quite the prominent figure in society. And if she made Kristoph look bad, she would make her daddy look bad too.
"Oho! Magic shows? My grandchild loves those!"
Well, at least she didn't have to worry about leaving a bad impression on the judge. She kind of liked him actually; he was funny.
"Miss Wright, I'm sorry to have to push you, but whatever you saw during intermission might be extremely important. I don't know what Mr. Wright told you, but keeping quiet and running away isn't going to help anyone."
This guy on the other hand…
"Look, Polly-Wog," she sneered at the young attorney and the way her innocent enthusiasm quickly shifted to open disdain took him by surprise. "I'm only doing this for Mr. Daryan. And don't talk about daddy like you know him. He loves me! You don't know anything!"
Apollo gulped and wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his palm. Urgh… Who gave him these witnesses? And why the heck did this girl dislike him so much? What did he do?
"A friendly reminder," said Kristoph all of a sudden as he turned to smile at his understudy, a dark foreboding aura lurking just beneath the surface. "You might want to restrain those Chords of Steel of yours. If you frighten Trucy, I will be quite cross."
Apollo felt his knees go weak. Frighten Trucy? But what about me? Was there no love for the rookie?
The Judge's gavel fell against the podium.
"Miss Wright will now testify to her activities during the break." The Judge's tone softened when he looked at the child. "No need to be nervous. Just tell the court what you witnessed, be it of Mr. Crescend or not. Take as much time as you need."
"Teehee! I'll do my best, Mr. Judge!" Trucy winked and tipped her hat.
Apollo leaned over the table in anticipation. Alright, Justice. This is yours and Daryan's last shot. Make it count.
"As soon as The Gavinners finished their last song – it was My Boyfriend Is The Prosecution's Witness , my favorite! – Uncle Klavier sent me a text. He wanted to meet in my dressing room to discuss something important. He asked if there was any way I could use my magic to cover up Machi's disappearance – there wasn't enough time to come up with something totally new for the finale." She giggled and stuck out her tongue innocently. "Daddy always said I'm a fast learner, and I've heard Uncle Klavier practice The Guitar's Serenade many, many times, so I decided to pretend to be Machi. I used a wig from my own props and borrowed one of his spare costumes that daddy kept in my room. But when I entered the hallway, I felt something in one of the pockets…"
That was when Trucy paused, an apprehensive frown creeping across her pretty little features. It was as if she was starting to see those past, seemingly insignificant actions of hers in a different light.
"And? What was it?" Apollo was leaning forward so much, Kristoph had to grab him by the collar and yank him back before he fell off the table.
"I'm getting to that, stupid pointy-head attorney!" she snapped and Apollo cowered from her rage.
Maybe I shouldn't say anything...
"Anyway, it was Machi's sunglasses, but I couldn't use them because they were so badly damaged. I was in a hurry, so I just tossed them aside… That's when I saw Mr. Daryan come out of Lamiroir's room. He looked really stressed out and his face was all pale... Honestly, I think he looked even worse after he saw the piano in the hallway. I don't think he noticed me at first, until he picked up the sunglasses I dropped. After that, I rushed out the staff door leading to the concert floor."
Suddenly, Trucy stopped talking. Memories of the previous week lived out in carefree bliss flashed through her mind; and in a blink of an eye, it was all gone and here she was in a cold and silent courtroom, straight out from a nightmarish past. First her papa disappeared; now Machi… and they always ended here. She gazed at the judge tearfully, hiccuping as she willed herself not to cry. Behind the defense table, Apollo watched the telltale signs of an emotional breakdown. Perhaps this was what Phoenix had feared and was trying to prevent. Trucy was too young to cope with the pressure.
"I… I really had n-no idea how important… those sunglasses were at that time. I just… I thought they were trash and… and now, M-Machi's d-dead…"
The severity of the situation finally hit her after four days. Machi was dead; she lost a friend. The thought made her sad and she found that she couldn't go on anymore. The guilt was too much. She hated to admit it, but Apollo was right: she shouldn't have kept silent about her involvement in this case. What if her testimony could have helped the police catch the culprit sooner? She hated how the homewrecker was giving her second thoughts about her daddy's integrity.
'That's… one damn comprehensive testimony,' Apollo marveled inwardly; the best he heard all day in fact. There was a ton of information in there, something the prosecution would no doubt have benefited from if they had gotten ahold of it sooner. But more for him. It was his turn now, and if Trucy wanted to save Daryan as much as he did, then he trusted her sincerity and conviction.
"Miss Wright, I'm going to cross-examine you now," he spoke patiently, considering her emotionally fragile state. "If I say anything that makes you uncomfortable, I apologize in advance. But I'm doing all I can to help Daryan and you're my last hope."
"I… I understand." She sniffed, collecting herself, and flashed him a sweet smile. "Don't worry, I'm a Wright! I can handle anything!"
Her sudden amenity took him by surprise, but he wasn't complaining.
[Trucy Wright's profile added to the court record]
[Type: Profiles]
Trucy Wright
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Mr. Wright's daughter, a self-proclaimed magician, and was close friends with the victim. She was put in-charge of the concert's magic tricks and pyrotechnics. Her task was to stage Lamiroir's disappearing act at the concert's opening, as well as design the finale. During intermission, she posed as Machi's double and witnessed Daryan's actions in the hallway. For whatever reason, she hates my guts.
[Machi's sunglasses details added to the court record: already damaged before intermission]
[Trucy's dressing room photograph added to the court record]
[Type: Evidence]
Trucy's Dressing Room Photo: a room shared by the Wrights. It is filled with stage costumes and magic props. The floor of a section of the room is badly charred from a fireworks explosion, which occurred before the start of the concert. A few crates and props were damaged from the accident.
"Ok, first question: how long did you and Prosecutor Gavin spend in your room discussing, and how long did you take to change into Machi's spare costume?"
"Mm… Less than five minutes. It was really quick," she replied. "Uncle Klavier left at 9.23 p.m. and I finished changing by 9.27 p.m."
Apollo blinked. "How are you so sure of the time?"
"There was a clock on the wall," she answered, giggling and bouncing on the spot. "As a magician, show times and the exact timing for magic tricks are veeeeeery important! I gotta know these things!"
'Why can't we have more witnesses like you?' Apollo's inner self sobbed grateful tears.
"That means everything you witnessed – from the moment Daryan left Lamiroir's room, to him picking up Machi's sunglasses and noticing the piano – happened in the span of three minutes." He did the math in his head. "That wouldn't give him much time – actually, that wouldn't give him any time after that to do anything else."
"Yup! 9.30 p.m. He'd have to rush back to the stage for the second half of the concert."
Klavier hadn't said anything until this point and Apollo hoped to keep things that way. So far so good. Trucy's attention to time really helped ground them. God bless her.
"In your testimony, you mentioned that Daryan looked really stressed and pale when he came out of Lamiroir's room. Why's that? Did something happen to him?"
Trucy frowned and thought hard, lips pursed in concentration as she tapped her chin with a finger. "I think… it had something to do with a phone call. I couldn't really make out what he was saying, but he was on the phone with someone."
'Must be Interpol,' Apollo thought as he went through the information in the court record. So far, everything checked out.
[Type: Evidence]
Daryan's Cell Phone: contains recorded conversations between himself and Interpol at approximately 7 p.m. every day over the last seven days prior to the homicide. Only the call on concert night was made at 9.30 p.m.
"And you said he looked even more stressed when he saw the piano?" Kristoph followed up on Apollo's question.
"Yeah, probably because it wasn't supposed to be there – even I was shocked!" Trucy answered with wide, excitable eyes. "I mean, I was supposed to pretend to be Machi, right? So, I needed that piano. That's why I ran off by the way. I went to inform Uncle Klavier."
"And inform me you did, Fräulein," Klavier interrupted the cross-examination, finally speaking up after what felt like hours and twirling his finger in the air. "Round and round, and we're back at the beginning. I suppose Herr Forehead would like to claim das defendant didn't kill anyone during intermission and thus, implicate a third party?"
Klavier flashed him a beguiling smile. Apollo gazed at him warily. Was the blonde prosecutor finally convinced? He waited. Klavier didn't say anything. He waited some more, but Klavier kept smiling at him. So, he opened his mouth.
"Ye–"
"Objection!"
Apollo nearly lost his shit. Damn bastard was waiting for it! God, he hated this guy so much.
Klavier tsked, "You're forgetting those unaccounted seven minutes. I was with Fräulein in her room; she changed after I left. Niemand saw das defendant or witnessed his actions then. Herr Tobaye died in Lamiroir's room; Daryan was only witnessed leaving it at 9.27 p.m."
"But he didn't open the piano; he didn't even touch it!" Trucy protested, holding on for what it was worth. "Mr. Daryan didn't kill anyone – I saw him! Please, Uncle Klavier, you have to believe him! Why are you doing this? You're his best friend!"
"That's right," Apollo chimed in after her. "Machi was murdered and the killer moved the body into the piano. But Daryan never even went close enough to touch it!"
"Nein, again you're forgetting those unaccounted seven minutes. What das defendant did then, we will never know." Klavier straightened up and casually hooked his thumbs in his pants pockets. "A wonderful performance, Herr Justice; der Bravoruf! But it has failed to fully convince me. Daryan is still guilty until proven innocent."
But the sorrow in his eyes betrayed the stern indifference of his words.
"Goddammit!"
Apollo fell forward and held his head in his hands; tortured, miserable and close to tears. He couldn't do this anymore. Nothing worked. Who the hell was this criminal mastermind? Why was this so hard? He had exhausted his last lead; failure left a bitter taste on his tongue. He couldn't save Daryan. He couldn't save anybody.
"Raise your head, Apollo. Where's your pride?"
But Kristoph's displeasure and the underlying threat behind his words didn't move him. If he lifted his head, he would see Daryan's sorrow and disappointment. He didn't know if he could handle that.
Is this… the end?
He felt himself slip further into the darkness.
I… lost.
It's over.
"Get up, you idiot!"
His eyes flew open at the sound of that familiar voice. Clay? Slowly, he raised his head and true enough, there Clay was: standing out from the crowd, fists balled in determination and eyes set ablaze. The young astronaut didn't care if the scary bailiff decided to toss him out or if the whole world was watching. What mattered was that his friend needed him, and he was the only one who could kick that self-absorbed bastard in the ass and back on his feet.
"Remember those old courtroom videos we used to stay up and watch when we were kids? Remember what Wright's mentor used to say? The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over!"
Apollo's breath hitched. "When it's all over…"
Meanwhile, on the witness bench, Phoenix stiffened and a pang went through his heart. The faces of his old mentor and Diego Armando flashed through his mind; people from his past who had inspired him and whose presence he thought he'd buried away for good. They came back to haunt him, criticized him for the way he was living his life, and he felt ashamed for letting them down. What would they think if they saw him now?
Mia… Prosecutor Godot… Maya…
"It's not over yet!" Clay yelled, shaking from his emotions. "It doesn't matter if you win or lose. I didn't come here to see you give up!"
Clay…
"Don't give up!"
But I...
"You're fine!"
That final yell did it, and Apollo remembered his propose. The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over. A fresh wave of determination seized him, more powerful and consuming than ever before. Always believe in your client; always seek out the truth. Apollo's eyes shone bright and resolute, his aura choking, and Klavier couldn't help but take a nervous step back when the air got hard to breathe. All this burning passion… His heart hammered in excitement and he felt the flames of hope rekindle in his breast.
"Herr Justice…"
"It's not over yet!" Apollo echoed Clay's words as he slammed the table so hard it shuddered from the force of his strength and conviction. "Not until I say so!"
Klavier shut his eyes momentarily, a relieved smirk making its way across his lips. He's not giving up on Daryan. And he too felt the fire return.
"Achtung, baby! Let's rock!" He struck his signature pose and his guitar soundtrack was back in full force. "Herr Judge, how many chances does das defense have left?"
"One," said the Judge gravely. He raised his gavel and brought it down in a final, resounding strike that shook the courtroom and penetrated bone. "Mr. Justice, I'm giving you one last chance to prove Mr. Crescend had no part in this homicide. If you fail to present adequate and relevant evidence, I will declare your client guilty immediately."
"Yes, your honor."
'Good luck, Herr Justice,' Klavier silently wished him and watched as his brother helped lay all the evidence from the court record onto the table.
"I want you to consider every piece of evidence carefully. Anything could prove vital, even something insignificant or ordinary," Kristoph explained in calm, even tones as he made a sweeping indication at all the papers. "Time, faces, object placements; look for inconsistencies; what's missing; what should be there but isn't. If no one's lying, where's the source of the confusion? There is no such thing as a perfect criminal, only imperfect investigations – what did the killer leave behind?"
Apollo felt like he was racing against an invisible clock, the seconds, minutes ticking away, growing louder, rattling his skull. Images flittered through his mind, replaying what could have been: Machi going up in flames; the lighter and kerosene container; Trucy in Machi's costume running down the hallway; Daryan bending down to pick up the sunglasses; a door opened and Crow saw everything; Valerian leaves the piano in the hallway and sneaks away; Daryan just missing him after coming out of Lamiroir's room; he leaves to call Interpol just as Phoenix enters the hallway from the other side; Amaranth watching him as he discovers the body; the arranged crime scene; photographs of Trucy's room; an unforeseen explosion; Ema turning her back to an ordinary scene that would quickly become the center of one of the biggest mysteries to date. He pulled up evidence after evidence, desperately trying to reconstruct the night's events in his mind's eye.
The source of the confusion…
[Type: Evidence]
Concert Piano: Was moved from stage to hallway by Valerian during intermission as some keys were spoiled. Bears Phoenix's fingerprints, supposedly from the moment he found the victim's body. The piano was in the hallway before the start of the concert as well as during intermission. It emitted a foul odor during intermission.
What did the killer leave behind?
[Type: Evidence]
Machi's Sunglasses: a pair of small, half-melted sunglasses that came into the defendant's possession during intermission. They belonged to the victim. According to Miss Wright, they were in the pocket of the victim's spare costume and were already damaged before intermission.
[Type: Evidence]
Daryan's lighter: The defendant's lighter bearing his and Mr. Wright's fingerprints. It was stolen from The Gavinners' dressing room during intermission and found at the crime scene.
[Type: Evidence]
Kerosene container: Was moved by the defendant from Miss Wright's room to under the stage a week before the concert. Found at the crime scene. Victim was believed to have been doused in kerosene. Bears defendant's fingerprints.
What's missing?
[Type: Evidence]
Autopsy report: Victim was burned from head to toe with a rupture at his right side. No traces of chemical residue were found on the epidermis. Estimated time of death is between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
[Type: Evidence]
Trucy's Dressing Room Photo: a room shared by the Wrights. It is filled with stage costumes and magic props. The floor of a section of the room is badly charred from a fireworks explosion, which occurred before the start of the concert. A few crates and props were damaged from the accident.
What should be there but isn't…
[Type: Evidence]
Crime Scene Photo 2: There is a kerosene spill on the floor next to the dresser in Lamiroir's room. The victim was believed to have been murdered at that spot. The defendants's lighter was found on the dresser next to the spill. Signs of struggle in the room were fabricated by an unknown visitor.
He paused all of a sudden and did a double take. Over and over, he compared the findings of his investigation against each other, against what they all knew until this point; and the more he went over his annotations and the pictures, a glaring inconsistency began to take shape – one that dramatically turned this case in on its head and changed everything. No wonder it was so hard to pinpoint the true culprit; no wonder every lead brought him to a dead end; no wonder he couldn't stop thinking about that piano; no wonder the motive didn't make any sense. Something insignificant or ordinary… Of course! It was so obvious. How on earth had they missed that?
I know how the killer threw us off, Apollo realised with a dawning sense of horror. I can prove that Daryan's innocent.
"Your honor, we've been going about this case all wrong. Everything we know about the crime is nothing but an elaborately constructed lie."
"How do you mean, Mr. Justice?"
Apollo was shaking so much, he had to take a deep breath in order to steel himself. This accusation was huge and the knowledge of it terrified him (to think Daryan would end up in jail for life if he hadn't noticed this tiny, seemingly insignificant detail), but he was never more sure about anything else in his entire life.
"Machi Tobaye wasn't murdered during intermission," he answered confidently, presenting the victim's autopsy report. "He was murdered before the start of the concert – at 7 p.m. to be precise!"
"WHAAAAAAT!?"
The entire courtroom seemed to tremble from the impact of Apollo's statement. The reporters were in a frenzy; The Gavinners were having a massive freak out session; and both Phoenix and Trucy had twin expressions of complete and utter shock across their faces. Ema's jaw dropped and a piece of snackoo fell out from her mouth; then she dug out her cell phone and proceeded to yell at her team of police officers for their incompetence; called the forensic department for further clarification. Kristoph didn't appear at all fazed and was as sure and reserved as he was when he had first stepped foot into this very courtroom; Klavier however, looked like he had just survived a serious heart attack and was struggling to remain standing.
"Mr. Justice, this is a serious accusation! You're accusing the prosecution for oversight."
"I get that, your honor. But anyone could've easily made this mistake. It was all part of the killer's plan to confuse the police." He turned to Klavier and leveled him with his stare, silently seeking his cooperation. "I know this sounds crazy, but I have proof – irrefutable proof that Daryan couldn't possibly have murdered Machi, motive or no."
"And what is this proof, Mr. Justice?" The Judge implored.
Apollo indicated at the autopsy report in his hand. "First, let's look at the time of death: the range given by forensics was approximately 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Everyone was so focused on the time of intermission, which was at 9 p.m.; but why didn't anyone consider the time before that?"
"Simple," Klavier interrupted with a smirk, "because das konzert started at 8 p.m. Niemand would have time to kill, much less do so without drawing attention."
"But what about before the concert?" Apollo arrived at his point with a smirk, folding his arms. "7-8 p.m.: that's an hour long window. If I were a killer as careful and meticulous as this one, I would give myself more time to cover up my tracks. Rather than rushing everything in 10 minutes, why not one hour?"
Klavier paused to consider the brunette's theory. There was no denying how extremely plausible it sounded, but there was still one thing – or rather, two things that still bothered him.
"Das lighter and kerosene: they were found at das crime scene during intermission, or did Herr Forehead forget?"
"Then let me offer a second theory on top of my first, Prosecutor Gavin," Apollo countered by presenting the second crime scene photo, the one of Lamiroir's room. "Let me ask the court this: if the victim burned to death in this room, why are there no burn marks where he supposedly stood? Why wasn't anything else affected by the fire? If the mess in the room was arranged, what makes you think that the kerosene spill on the floor wasn't all part of the arrangement as well?"
"Ach!" Klavier flinched as if wounded.
"Let me see that!" The Judge scrambled for the photo, scrutinizing said spot long and hard. His eyes bulged. "My word, you're right! There really are no burn or charred marks… but, uh, Mr. Justice, what does this mean?"
"What my understudy is trying to assert, your honor, is that the crime scene was fabricated through and through," Kristoph explained simply. "Lamiroir's room is a sham. The victim was murdered somewhere else."
"Objection!" Klavier yelled, pounding the table with a fist. "Somewhere else? I hardly think it necessary, bruder. Why would das killer go through all that trouble to change das location? If their intention was sabotage, why not frame das defendant in that room instead?"
Tension in the courtroom spiked and by this point, everyone was restless, including the judge. All eyes were on the defense, eager for an explanation. It was Apollo who broke the silence with a calm severity he didn't even know he possessed.
"Because the killer was trying to hide the time of death." Everything was beginning to make perfect sense to him now. "Because the original location the victim died would have immediately established the exact moment the crime took place. I would like the court to take a look at this."
He replaced the crime scene photo with the one of Trucy's dressing room and drew everyone's attention to the damaged crates and charred flooring to one side.
"At approximately 7 p.m. last Friday, an hour before the concert, an accident occurred: Miss Wright's fireworks went off in her room. This eventually led to the discussion of a change in the concert's finale." He turned his gaze to his rival, who appeared to have already grasped the basis of his argument. "Am I right, Prosecutor Gavin?"
"Ja," the blonde relented. "Fräulein Detective rushed over as soon as she could to access das damage, but we couldn't find das culprit. In the end, Fräulein Trucy guessed some switches must have short-circuited."
"But what if Miss Wright was wrong?" said Apollo in a rhetorical manner as he recounted the facts carefully. "Machi was declared missing before the start of the concert. The defense would like to argue that he was already dead and that he died in Miss Wright's dressing room at the time of the explosion. Those fireworks – that was no accident."
He presented Machi's sunglasses.
"Miss Wright found the victim's sunglasses in his spare costume during intermission. Note that both her and Prosecutor Gavin were in that room for most of the break, and Miss Skye was patrolling the hallway throughout the first half of the concert. This means that the murder could have only taken place before the concert when that room and hallway were empty. Furthermore…"
He presented the autopsy report again.
"No traces of chemical residue were found on the victim's body; yet, the prosecution argues that he was doused in kerosene. This contradicts the findings of the forensics department!" Apollo slammed the report on the table. "In other words, the kerosene container and lighter were meant to throw us off from the real murder weapon – Miss Wright's very own fireworks, which I'd like to remind the court again, went off at 7 p.m.!"
On the witness bench next to her father, Trucy shuddered and buried her face in his chest, taking comfort in his protective embrace. Machi… died in her room? She whimpered and Phoenix held on tighter, shushed and soothed her as the trial went on.
"Achtung, Herr Forehead! Das victim's body was found in das piano during intermission. If Herr Tobaye died at 7 p.m., how does a dead body go missing für two hours?"
"It wasn't missing, and it didn't need to be moved either! In fact, it was right where the killer left it: in plain sight."
Apollo presented the information about the piano in question.
"Mr. Wright's cross-examination revealed that the piano was already in the hallway before the start of the concert, and was then moved onto the stage for the opening number. The killer wrapped the body in Lamiroir's cloak and hid it in there because…" He felt bile rise up his throat and suppressed a shudder. "What better way to prevent a detective backstage from finding it than having it on stage?"
Klavier thought he was going to be sick. "You mean… das whole time The Gavinners were performing… in front of all those people…"
"Exactly. A dead body was rotting in there for two whole hours."
The Judge looked queasy and had gone exceptionally pale; audience members gasped in horror and many appeared uncomfortable in their seats. Trucy cried; Phoenix tried to soothe her despite how disturbed he himself was; while Ema had a strange glint in her eyes, a mixture between disgust and morbid fascination. However, none could rival the reactions of Crow, Daryan, Valerian and Amaranth who had all gone deathly silent and were shaking from top to toe. A corpse on stage the whole time as they played… a mangled body next to them and no one knew…
"No way, dude! That's sick! That's sick! "
"Jumalauta… That's fucking messed up. Fuck! "
"Holy shit… This sure beats CSI!"
"For fucks sake, Crow!"
The one most traumatised was Valerian. The poor keyboardist was trembling so much, murmuring gibberish, that Daryan had to lightly slap his cheek a few times to check if he was alright. But Valerian was far from ok. If he had chosen to use that piano instead of his keyboard… and then he touched it during the break… Oh gods! He clung onto Daryan and screamed.
"M-Mr. Justice! You're aware that what you're saying is… is… incredibly disturbing," the poor Judge stuttered.
"I'm aware, your honor," he replied, "but what I care about is the truth, and the truth has led me this far."
"Do you have evidence to further substantiate your claim?"
Apollo and Kristoph shared a meaningful stare, before the latter highlighted a particular statement in the concert piano data and threw it on-screen for the entire court to see.
"Valerian mentioned in his cross-examination that he had moved the piano backstage because some of its keys weren't working," Apollo read off the projection before turning to the prosecution. "Prosecutor Gavin, as a musician, I'm sure you know how a piano works. If the keys are spoilt, what could be the reason?"
Klavier hesitated, his reply wary and unsure. "Well... each key is connected to a chord inside das piano, and each chord is connected to a hammer that strikes the chord when a key is pressed, which produces a note. There kann be many reasons: hammers could be broken… or das tuning pin is loose… or –" He stopped abruptly and his hand flew to his mouth in a horrified gasp. "Nein… Nein! Ach mein Gott…"
"Or," Apollo concluded for him gravely, "something heavy was lying on the strings… something like a body."
"E-Einspruch!" Anyone could see that the blonde prosecutor was struggling to cope with these disturbing facts, especially the one frightful thought that it happened during his concert.
"Has-been talked about das displeasing odor. If Herr Tobaye really died before das konzert, and his body was in das piano that whole time, then why didn't any of us smell anything on stage?"
That's… a really good question. Apollo had nothing. If he couldn't prove the body was inside the piano from the very beginning, his entire defense would crumble and he could kiss this case and his courtroom debut goodbye. So, deciding to slow down a bit, Apollo mentally took a step back and considered Klavier's words.
What happened to the smell? How to resolve this inconsistency?
He remembered there was something in his conversation with Valerian during his investigation, but for the life of him he couldn't quite remember what it was. Whenever he tried to think back, it fell past his fingers like sand. It was something small and insignificant; mentioned in passing perhaps; and that made it that much harder to recall. What did they talk about? His bracelet being too tight; Trucy's fall; Phoenix and Machi's fight. No, back up. Rewind. He had just climbed onto the stage and slipped on a puddle of water.
Water…
'Careful. The smoke machine tends to leak.'
Got it!
"Smoke machine."
Klavier blinked at him quizzically. "Wie bitte?"
"The concert's smoke machine," Apollo repeated in excitement as all the pieces finally came together and clicked into place. "All that smoke would've easily masked any odor – and I bet it was switched on throughout the entire first half of the concert!"
An off-key wail of a guitar. Klavier gripped the sides of his head and shook it in hopeless denial. "Nein… Nein! I refuse to believe this… Herr Tobaye… Ausgeschlossen… Mein konzert! "
"It's the truth, Prosecutor Gavin, and you know it!" Apollo waved his finger at him in an accusatory gesture. "Machi Tobaye died at approximately 7 p.m. and the killer used the time between his death and the concert's opening to steal the cocoon and hide the body. The only thing they didn't count on was for Valerian to move the piano backstage during intermission. Whoever this person was, must've known that Machi was the smuggler as well as Daryan's identity as an Interpol agent. The person panicked; the piano was backstage; there was a bad smell and someone would discover the body. So, in order to conceal the true place and time of death, the killer used the 10 minutes provided by intermission to change the scene of the crime and frame my client."
"But why was das killer so determined to cover up the original time of murder? Who would frame Daryan?" Klavier demanded as he slammed his first against the table.
"Someone whom the victim knew and trusted," Apollo replied, his eyes making quick work of all the profiles in the court record. "Someone… who doesn't have an alibi an hour before the concert."
"Impossible. The Gavinners and I were rehearsing."
"Then you see my point how it's impossible for Daryan to commit murder," Apollo concluded with his own jaw set in determination. "Machi Tobaye was murdered before the concert. All five Gavinners were accounted for and have solid alibis. Witnesses were identified and chosen based on the assumption that the crime was committed during intermission. The real killer is therefore someone who isn't on the witness bench, but should be."
He straightened up and delivered his final statement to the court, "There's your proof: someone else killed Machi Tobaye! Daryan Crescend is innocent and has been innocent all along!"
The court was abuzz with excitable chatter as audience members gushed about the 'cool young rookie' who managed to turn this whole trial around. A few reporters felt gutsy and attempted to cross the courtroom with their cameras and notepads, but were stopped by Amaranth who only needed shoot them a cold, hard death glare to strike fear into their hearts and earn their obedience. The prosecution meanwhile, was silent with Klavier slowly coming to terms with the truth and the miraculous outcome of this trial. Herr Justice did it. He really did it. He felt as though a tremendous weight had been lifted off his chest. Daryan's name was as good as cleared; the doubt was gone; and he could believe in his best friend again. Never mind if Daryan hated him for everything he'd put him through during the trial; never mind if he failed to earn the man's forgiveness. As long as Daryan was safe and could throw down his chains and walk out those doors a free man, that was all that mattered.
"Order, order!" The Judge struck the stand repeatedly with his gavel in his excitement. This was like reading a crime novel with a missing last page. "Mr. Justice, don't leave us hanging! If I don't know who the real killer is, I just know I won't be able to sleep tonight."
Apollo balked and his tie suddenly felt way too tight. "I… I… Ah…" Honestly, he hadn't thought this far.
"That's an impossibility at this point, your honor," Kristoph intervened smoothly as he stepped in to defend the brunette. "Unfortunately, your sleep would have to wait. As my understudy has pointed out, the situation has changed: the witnesses present today do not accurately reflect the truth of the crime. Neither the prosecution nor the defense have the necessary evidence as a result of this fabrication. I would thus like to request for another day to carry out our investigations proper," he paused to smirk at his brother across the room, "as I'm sure the prosecution desperately requires as well."
Klavier bit his lower lip and grimaced. That was an insult, he knew it. But any assault to the ego would have to wait. This case came first; Daryan was off the hook so long as they caught this mysterious third party; the clock was ticking and they were wasting precious time.
"Mr. Gavin's right, your honor!" Apollo chimed in with urgency. "The cocoon is still missing and the killer is out there! If anything, this very trial might've spurred their movements forward. Four days have already passed; we need to act quickly before it's too late."
"Indeed," the Judge agreed, urgency swimming in his own eyes. "But I should remind the prosecution and defense that each trial only lasts for a maximum of three days. If the suspect isn't apprehended and the defense presents insufficient evidence by the end of the third day, the defendant will be declared guilty." He turned to address the prosecution, "How many days does the prosecution need?"
Klavier narrowed his eyes in determination. "One."
"Very well." He slammed his gavel on the stand with a resounding boom. "The police and defense have 24 hours to conduct their investigation. It is clear at this point that a great injustice has been done onto Mr. Crescend, but until the real killer is caught, I'm inclined to reserve all judgment. Mr. Crescend?"
Daryan stood upon the witness stand. "Yes, your honor?"
"I confess: I had my doubts as much as your father did. But you're lucky to have Mr. Justice as your lawyer."
Apollo blushed from the Judge's praise.
"Yeah," Daryan replied and flashed the brunette a grateful smile, "I know."
"Court adjourned."
As soon as the gavel struck the podium for the final time that day, Apollo closed his eyes and released a great sigh of relief. I did it. All around him, he could hear the excitable chatter of the audience as they rose to their feet; sounds of applause; the media rushing to report the latest results of the case; heard his name uttered repeatedly on people's lips – Apollo Justice, Apollo Justice – and was overwhelmed by the attention. Just then he heard shouting, the cheering increasingly loud; and when he finally looked up, he couldn't help but crack a wide grin. There, in the center of the gallery stood Clay and Olga, the pair punching their fists into the air and screaming their lungs out.
"'Atta boy, Horns! My bet was on you the whole time!"
"I knew you could do it, Apollo! I knew you had it in you! Yes! YES!"
They hugged each other in their joy, only for Olga to shove him away after realising what she just did. Clay crashed into the benches; she blushed and walked away with a huff; Apollo suppressed a laugh and shot his friend a knowing smirk, the kind that said he wanted the full deets later. But Kristoph's hand on his shoulder reminded him that it was too early to celebrate just yet.
"You and Terran better hurry to Sunshine Colosseum. Leave Daryan to me."
"Yes, sir."
By that time, Klavier was already at the stairs. 24 hours. I have 24 hours. But what surprised him was that Ema moved faster and she was already out the door by the time he started up the steps. Never had he seen her so on-the-ball before. He pushed past the crowd and media that had gathered in the lobby and called out to her.
"Fräulein Detective! I want all eyes on this city and all manpower looking für that cocoon."
"Way ahead of you."
He caught up to his partner and matched her stride as she phoned the station.
"This is Detective Skye. The killer is still out there and they have the cocoon. I want all units dispatched to Sunshine Colosseum and throughout the city; call reinforcements if you have to. Get the undercover ops on standby; I want an insider eye on the Black Market. No one leaves this country in the next 24 hours. Borginian law's riding on this one and I have Interpol breathing down my neck – let's move, move, move!"
Amidst the chaos and seated quietly on the witness bench, Phoenix remained where he was, a worried frown on his face. This wasn't part of the plan. He looked to the spot where Lamiroir had sat, but it was empty, the siren having vanished without a trace.
It was 10 May, 12.30 p.m.
To be continued...
Author's note:
And thus marks the conclusion of Trial Day 1 (phew, that was long).
I hope this case has been keeping you on your toes and at the edge of your seats. But it's not over yet. Who is the real killer? What could their motive possibly be? The clock's ticking. Daryan's still in chains. Will Apollo and Klavier be able to solve this mystery before it's too late?
Stay tuned for "Turnabout Serenade - Investigation Day 2"!