Her silhouette stood before him, forever out of his reach. No matter how fast he ran, he never came close. He called her name, but she never turned around, and the act of extending his hand out to her only caused her to fade into nothingness.
Edgeworth stopped for a moment, catching his breath. Something was in his other hand, and he raised it up. It was a small photograph from years past; presented within was a teenage boy and a young girl. Neither smiled in the photo, but then, neither had much to smile about back then. At least, he never found a reason. Still, the girl in the picture was someone precious to him, the closest thing he'd had to family for many years of his life.
Holding the photo firmly, he resolved to try again. He looked in the direction she had disappeared, hoping to come upon the clues that never arrived. Two strange arcs suddenly flashed in the distance then, like the headlights of a car, beckoning him to follow. He took off after them, but soon found himself sinking in the darkness...
When the light returned, he opened his eyes, simultaneously scanning the top edge of a newspaper and the surroundings of a cozy study. It somewhat resembled his office at the Prosecutor's building. He was sitting in a chair with comfortable leather cushions, a desk of fine oak before him. Across the way, there were windowpanes stretching from floor to ceiling, and just to the left of that was a stone hearth with a modest fire. All around him, there were hardbound books on shelves, as well as several fancy trinkets that might have been far too expensive for the average person to consider a casual purchase.
Edgeworth lowered the paper onto the desk, setting his sights on the teacup sitting there. He picked up the saucer with one hand, holding the handle of the cup with the other. Slowly, he raised it to his lips, breathing in the gentle spice of the black tea, which seemed to have a hint of peppermint. He sipped carefully, pondering the hopeless chase after Franziska. There had still been no definite clues. He needed something. If anything, he wanted something to discuss when he met with that other woman. Progress was important, even if it seemed slow.
He sighed and turned his head, staring off into the distance. A different, faint scent invaded his nostrils. He wasn't sure what it was, only that he had smelled it before. That fact alone sparked his curiosity, and he set down his tea. Getting up from the chair, he slowly walked around the office, trying to pinpoint the source of the scent. Finally, he came upon the door, where the scent was growing stronger. He opened it, revealing a vast field of red and white tea roses. For a moment, he nearly balked; no doubt the flowers alone would make his allergies go haywire, nevermind their overwhelming scent. Curiously, neither event seemed to happen. No pollen attack on his senses, nor was the roses' scent stronger nor weaker. In fact, aside from the flowers, all that the field presented to him was a wide dirt path between the rose bushes.
Something compelled him to follow the path. He left the cozy cottage at a steady pace, passing clusters upon beautiful clusters of flowers. The dirt road went down slightly, winding around once to the right, and then straight ahead. Toward the end, the rose bushes began to thin out, and he arrived at the coast of a nearly pristine bay. That's when he noticed he was not alone. A woman was staring out toward the waters, looking deep in thought. Dressed in black, she wore an old fashioned dress with a long skirt, form-fitting sleeves that were flared at the wrist, and rounded, almost puffy shoulders. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a half-ponytail, a black velvet ribbon holding it in place. Acknowledging his presence, she turned around and looked at him, hair flowing in the breeze.
Edgeworth didn't have to ask. He knew why she was there.
Their journey would soon begin.
The familiar sounds of street construction pulled Edgeworth out of the dream. He was back in his apartment, lying on the sofa, still wearing the same clothes as the previous night. This was no unusual event. He often worked late into the evening, sometimes falling asleep in the middle of preparing an argument or arranging his notes. Last night, however, he had not been working on a case. Some time after he had stepped into his apartment, yet another aftershock occurred. He had been passing by the sofa when it happened, so he simply stumbled back onto its cushions, curling into a ball like a frightened child. When the episode was over, he'd had no desire to move. General exhaustion, as well as repeatedly battling his demons, had quickly carried him off into slumber. He was certain another quake had struck while he was sleeping, but thankfully, he could not recall.
Edgeworth also could not remember his dreams, but for some reason the smells stayed with him. A strange tea blend of Earl Grey and peppermint...of course. It was still on his cravat from last night. Adrian had spilled it on him when she accidentally bumped into him. But there was something else...something he did not remember her spilling on him-a faint scent of tea roses. He thought about it, and knew he had not come into contact with roses before he had arrived at Lordly Tailor. It bothered him, but only because it was all over his cravat, his shirt, his jacket, and even parts of his sleeves.
That's when he remembered the second episode he'd had at that department store. Unable to control his actions, he had grabbed hold of anything he was certain would keep steady. He had not planned on that 'anything' being Adrian Andrews. The perfume she had been wearing had not been terribly strong, but somehow still lingered.
None of that mattered, though. The only thing that these scents pointed to was the fact that he desperately needed to get back to his grooming schedule. Today, he would go back to Lordly Tailor-or more specifically, the restaurant there-to meet his friends. They would discuss any new developments in this strange mystery that had brought them all together. Of course, that was not the only reason Edgeworth wanted to go. He needed to see her. He wanted to speak with all his friends, but before he left the restaurant, he absolutely needed to speak with Adrian. What was once a strong possibility was now absolute-there was no avoiding it at this point. Their fates were once again entwined, but this time, it was he who required her help.
Edgeworth took off his jacket and loosened his cravat as he left the room. He was ready for a nice, long shower.
"Your tea, sir." The waiter set down the white ceramic saucer and the cup, which was nearly full with a rich, reddish-brown steaming liquid.
Edgeworth looked up at the man and nodded. "Thank you."
"Would you like to order now, sir?" the waiter asked, pulling out a small notepad and pen. "We have several specials today."
"Not yet, actually. I'm still waiting on several people."
The waiter tucked the items away into the pocket of his front apron. "All right. I'll come back and check on you in a little while, then."
"That would be good. Thank you."
As the other man left, Edgeworth picked up the saucer with his left hand, staring down into the cup. The tea only reminded him of the events of the previous night, from the awkward greeting with Adrian to the discussion with the others, then following Adrian into the elevator, where...
He almost scowled. How could I have done that? We should have just taken the stairs...but then, if events had played out as they had later that night, I might have carelessly put her life in danger a second time. Edgeworth was glad he hadn't driven off at that point, not just to ensure the woman's safety, but to also ensure his own. Phoenix had been correct in that if it hadn't been for Adrian forgetting about the letter, Edgeworth likely would have been exposed to some greater danger on the road when the earthquake struck. Although, something about Phoenix jumping in to ease Adrian's worries when she had actually been addressing Edgeworth bothered the man on some level. It was probably nothing short of childish, but it still grated on his nerves. After all, I could have told her that. Fighting the urge to grumble to himself, he picked up the teacup and brought it to his lips, taking a sip.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Edgeworth."
At the sound of the woman's voice, Edgeworth set down his tea and stood up. "It's no bother-" He stopped midsentence when he saw her, startled by her appearance. "Uh...M-Ms. Andrews. Er, Adrian."
Adrian seemed embarrassed by his reaction. "Um...sorry. You're...probably wondering about this." She was wearing a black dress with a skirt that nearly touched the floor. It was an old-fashioned style, with a laced-up bodice and sleeves that flared at the wrist. Half her hair was tied back with a black ribbon, the other half flowing down her back. "I had to dress the part for the museum tour. I was running late and didn't have time to change."
Edgeworth was getting a strange sense of déjà vu. "That...that is fine," he replied, regaining his senses. He walked over to the opposite end of the table where Adrian stood, and pulled out the chair. "Please, have a seat."
"Oh. Thank you." She slowly sat down as the man scooted the chair in beneath her. "So...anything new?"
"Unfortunately, no," he said, returning to his seat. "I wanted to go Criminal Affairs this morning, but I was running late myself."
"Are...you okay?"
"What?"
"Uh...well, with the other tremors this morning, I just thought..."
Edgeworth sighed inwardly. Yes, of course, you thought. After all, you, too, know my secret. "I...managed to sleep through most of that, fortunately," he told her. It wasn't exactly a lie, but he didn't care to get into too much detail. If she pried a little too much, he would be tempted to embellish rather than omit. It was time to change the subject. Luckily, Edgeworth saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. "By the way, there's something very important that I need to discuss with you."
"Oh...with me? Why me?"
"Well, due to your past, it is almost a guarantee that you will find out about it, anyway," he said. This will certainly reopen some old wounds, but it is best she discovers this now. "It's...regarding a case I'm working on. I truly need your help. Of course, this isn't to pressure you in any way; I still have other resources open to me, but the truth is, you are the first and best choice in this situation. Still, given the nature of this case, I will completely understand if you refuse, but-"
"Mr. Edgeworth." She was staring at him fearfully, as if she had already known.
But that's impossible. This case has been kept under a tight lid for a while. "What is it, Adrian?"
"What you just said to me...those are the same words Franziska used...the night before she disappeared. I mean, almost exactly."
Edgeworth stared at her, the words not registering. "What?"
"I told you this last night, but Franziska was working on a case and told me she needed my help. She...also she said she would understand if I didn't want to do it."
It was coming back to him. Edgeworth sank back just a little in his chair. "I...see. Yes, you did mention that." What could this mean? he wondered. Could it just be a coincidence that he and Franziska were both given cases calling for Adrian's involvement? There was only one such case that he knew...the one he was currently in charge of.
"Did something happen?" Adrian asked, looking more sad than frightened now. "Yesterday, you spoke of an appeals case. Is it...is it Matt Engarde?"
"Adrian..."
"Please...tell me. Is he trying to get his sentence overturned?"
It seems she has prepared herself for this, at least mentally. "It...it is as you say. Officially, I cannot speak of the case to those not directly involved. But you played a big role in getting that man locked up, so it is only natural you should have a role in keeping things that way. And...truthfully, chances are good that your role in the Nickel Samurai case will come up in the appellant's arguments."
The woman sighed. "All right. Please tell me everything you can."
"Well, almost three weeks ago, I was in the middle of a case in Germany when I received a call from the prosecutor's office here. They told me of an upcoming case that would most likely have my interest. It wasn't supposed go to court until after the new year, so I wanted to take my time to think about it. But then, Franziska disappeared, and...well, anyway, as far as the case goes, Matt Engarde is indeed in the process of filing for an appeal. He claims that the punishment does not fit the crime, and therefore was not given a proper sentence."
Adrian could not hide her shock and outrage. "No one is going to buy that!"
"Indeed, most will not. However..." He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table, enveloping one fist inside the other. "Something bothers me even more than his flimsy basis."
"What is it?"
"It is the simple fact that he is going through this process at all."
Adrian started to shake her head. "I don't-" She stopped, the confusion quickly fading. "Oh. Wasn't it said that the assassin in the murder wanted to make Matt his next target? That as long as Matt remained behind bars, he was safe? Then..."
"Then we can only assume the situation has changed and that Matt Engarde is no longer the target of Shelly de Killer."
"But how? How could it have possibly changed? Unless that man died and left no heir..."
"...or was finally arrested!" exclaimed a man's voice not far away. "Take a look at this, pal!"
Edgeworth and Adrian turned as an energetic Gumshoe rushed over, holding a newspaper out to them.
"Detective," said Edgeworth. "What is it?"
"De Killer, sir! They finally caught him! Just last night, in fact!" Almost happily, Gumshoe dropped the paper onto Edgeworth's side of the table, the front headline glaring out.
De Killer Captured! the title read. Shelly de Killer, longtime professional assassin, was arrested yesterday around 7PM at the Bay Mansion Hotel. Officers Padrick Locke and Heidi Keyes seized the wanted de Killer in an undercover operation, according to Police Chief Cormac Grayson. 'As the public knows, we have been looking for this man for a very long time,' said Grayson. 'We are pleased to announce that the citizens of this city can sleep just a bit more soundly tonight as we work to ensure that one of the most dangerous criminals in Los Angeles stays behind bars.' De Killer, a third-generation assassin of the infamous de Killer family, has targeted and succeeded in murdering scores of people, leaving a simple card with an image of a shell as proof of his misdeeds. As many recall, he assassinated rising movie actor Juan Corrida at the Gatewater Hotel last year, following the orders of Corrida's rival and fellow rising star, Matt Engarde. With an already overwhelming number of calling cards in the possession of the police, de Killer is facing a heavy fate. He has been charged with numerous counts of murder, as well as several counts of resisting or eluding arrest and, most recently, committing perjury in a court of law. If convicted, he most undoubtedly faces the death penalty. More details to follow soon.
"They arrested...Shelly de Killer..." murmured Adrian. She had gotten out of her chair and was looking at the paper over Edgeworth's shoulder. "Then...this must be...Matt's reason. But...I don't understand. How could he possibly have known? Does such information easily pass through the police?"
More often than you know, Edgeworth thought reflexively, almost scornfully, but held his tongue. "There are times the news gets around," he told Adrian quietly, "but something like this...would have been kept tightly under wraps. There is no way he could have known about this, unless he was specifically getting information on the inside."
"Is that amazing or what?" Gumshoe gushed. "There's no better team on the force than Locke and Keyes. I didn't get to work on the case, but I'm so proud of those two for nabbing that guy! I helped train them, you know!" His grin faded as he noticed that no one was sharing in his joy. "Hey, what are you guys whispering about?"
Edgeworth nearly flinched. "Wh-what? Oh, uh...it's nothing." He cleared his throat. "By the way, Detective Gumshoe, just out of curiosity...you haven't noticed any detectives paying special attention to any criminals of past cases, have you?"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Well, for example...if there was a criminal tracking Shelly de Killer's moves, would anyone in the police department be available to pass along information to that criminal about an undercover operation to capture de Killer?"
"Technically, any of us could," Gumshoe said. "I haven't seen or heard of anyone going to the prisons recently. But the Chief tends to be strict on what we can and can't talk about when it comes to special cases, so I wouldn't know, anyway."
The Chief, is it? Interesting. "I see."
"By the way, is Mr. Wright here yet? I've got some news for him."
"You do?" Phoenix Wright's voice jumped in, its owner walking up to them a moment later. "I'd certainly love to hear it." He looked at Edgeworth. "Hey there. Sorry I'm late. Maya wouldn't get off the phone for the longest time. She's here, though...still checking up on things in Kurain." He briefly turned around, pointing at the young woman who was standing by the entrance, pressing a cell phone to her ear. "So, what's been going on here?" he asked, turning back to the group. He stopped when his eyes fell on Adrian. "...The museum having you play dress-up again, Adrian?"
Adrian let out a sheepish chuckle. "More or less. Next time, I'll be sure to meet you guys on a nondress-up day."
"No, it's fine," said Phoenix with a smirk. "I think it suits you. You look beautiful, Adrian. I'm tempted to dress up myself so that I could ask you out. It's just too bad I'm broke. Hahaha."
The woman blushed. "Oh...Mr. Wright."
Edgeworth's mouth tightened slightly. A single man need not pursue every woman in his sights simply because he is without a lover. Not that Edgeworth particularly cared who Phoenix chose to date, but something about him talking to Adrian like that, shamelessly, while she was in that dress, especially while Edgeworth was there...
Phoenix turned back to Gumshoe. "Oh yeah, Detective Gumshoe, what was the news?"
"It's about Gourd Lake!" the detective replied. "Or, more specifically, the car that you escaped from, the one that drove right into the water. We're in the process of fishing it up."
Phoenix's face lit up. "Really? That's great! But...I'm a bit surprised your boss approved that. Wasn't it him who wouldn't budge on the investigation?"
"At first, yeah. But after that statement you gave them yesterday, Mr. Wright, about what happened at Gourd Lake, as well as what Mr. Edgeworth witnessed, they couldn't deny that they had something to follow."
Which they would have, had they been at Gourd Lake in the first place, Edgeworth thought bitterly.
"So if we find any clues in the car, we'll let you guys know!"
"Hey, guys!" called Maya. Waving her hand, she hurried up to the group. "Oh..." She stopped for a moment, catching her breath. "Sorry. I had to check up on Pearly and everyone else."
"That is fine," Edgeworth told her. "Wright here has already filled us in."
"Oh, okay. By the way, what did you guys think of the paper this morning? About Shelly de Killer getting arrested? It's crazy, isn't it?"
"Yeah..." murmured Adrian. "Just crazy..." Though Edgeworth was not facing the woman, he could hear a slight twinge of pain in her voice.
"I remember when he kidnapped me last year!" Maya went on. "He was so...ugh...just creepy. I was so glad Nick and Mr. Edgeworth managed to save the day."
"And it wasn't easy!" said Phoenix. "Especially when I finally caught on that my client was guilty. But Edgeworth knew practically from the start...which, looking back, I'm glad he did. It forced me to look for a real solution rather than a temporary fix, and because of that, I managed to get a true criminal locked up." He turned his gaze to Edgeworth. "Hey, that reminds me, Edgeworth. What's going to happen with Matt Engarde now that Shelly de Killer is behind bars?"
It figures he would approach this topic. "Why are you asking me?"
"Uh...well...you just seem to have eyes and ears all over the place. I figured you'd know."
"Hmm..." Edgeworth sat back slightly, arms folded, looking deep in thought. "Well, we know that Matt Engarde pled guilty to his crime and went to jail in order to escape punishment for his betrayal to de Killer. Now that de Killer himself has been sent to prison, and will likely be found guilty of his crimes in his upcoming trial, we can assume that Mr. Engarde no longer views the outside world as unsafe. Also, with de Killer behind bars, it is less safe for Mr. Engarde to remain there. Naturally, he will desire to return to the outside world in the near future."
"Ugh," Maya groaned. "He'd better not. He's so slimy and cowardly. He doesn't care who he hurts as long as he can get away with it."
"Yes. It is most unfortunate news. If he finds a way to leave now, it will be no greater justice than if de Killer were still out there."
"Do you know something, Edgeworth?" Phoenix asked. "About what Matt plans to do?"
More than you realize, Wright. "I cannot say much at the moment," Edgeworth replied. "Not to parties who are not directly involved. Please understand. There will come a time I can speak freely. However, that moment has not yet arrived."
Phoenix shrugged. "Eh, if I wasn't used to it by now, we wouldn't still be friends," he said. "So, anything else come up since yesterday? Any bad news?"
"No."
"Good. Let's eat."
An hour passed, and the group had finished their meal. Phoenix and Maya departed shortly afterward, agreeing to keep in touch over any new developments. Detective Gumshoe had received a call from the police station, and had taken it to the restaurant lobby. The only two left at the restaurant table were Edgeworth and Adrian, who were back at the discussion of Matt Engarde's appeal.
"When you mentioned that my 'role' in the Nickel Samurai case would be brought up," Adrian was saying, "what, exactly, did you mean?"
"Just that they will likely argue that Matt Engarde's arrest only happened due to your framing him for the murder," Edgeworth responded. "Basically, they will do what they can to make Mr. Engarde's arrest and incarceration appear bogus and unjust. Though I won't be actually prosecuting, I must be present to counter their arguments. I must show that the judge's ruling was fair, and that the defendant in the Nickel Samurai case was guilty of his crime, regardless of who forged evidence, and did indeed deserve his sentence."
"What about de Killer? Will they argue that he was the only culprit in the case?"
"No. There's no denying the link. After Matt Engarde was finally locked away, they confiscated his phone. I looked into his phone log and directory, and de Killer's name comes up quite a bit. I also requested records from the cell phone company, and up to several days before the murder, Mr. Engarde is clearly shown as making several calls to de Killer. Not to mention that tape and spy camera we found, where de Killer was caught in the act. Mr. Engarde was also shown to have been in possession of those."
Adrian sat back in her chair, uttering a sigh. "I thought I had put all of that behind me, but speaking about it now, it's as though it happened only yesterday. I'm...I..." She crossed her arms over her chest, as if preparing to cower before her demons.
No, Edgeworth thought. Don't do that.
Sure enough, whatever fear the woman had been feeling had passed, and she brought her arms down. "Why...why does the past come back to haunt us when we least expect it? I'm happy with my new life. I don't want this...to threaten that in any way..."
Adrian... "Demons...can be difficult to face," he told her, "even after you've cast them aside. Sometimes the only way to deal with them is just to deal with them. Do everything you are capable of doing, even if your efforts are tantamount to sitting there and taking in the horrors. Whatever you do, don't keep running away."
Adrian gazed at him for a moment, studying him intently. Suddenly, Edgeworth became very aware that they were the only two people in the restaurant who were sitting at an actual table. "When you say 'taking in the horrors,' are you referring to your fear of earthquakes?"
"Well, in a way. I was referring to all situations traumatizing and terrible. But yes, my fear, too, would fall under that category."
"Yes. You're...quite adamant in facing these types of horrors, as well as forcing others to face them. You are...truly unlike anyone I've met before, Mr. Edgeworth."
They must have switched the building's heating unit switch from 'cycle' to a permanent 'on,' he thought. Despite this inward complaint, as well as the rising temperature beneath his jacket, he picked up his teacup, which had recently been refilled, and took a sip. "I'll take that as a compliment," he replied coolly. "And please, call me Miles."
Adrian showed him a timid smile. "All right...Miles."
"I suppose it is a little hypocritical to draw a comparison between your situation and my own, though. It's easy for me to sit here and tell others to stand strong against a past which haunts them, but when it comes down to it, I myself cannot even do that."
"But...you at least have a good excuse. That traumatizing event, when you were made to witness the murder of your father...it's perfectly understandable. I'm sure anyone who had to go through that would bear the same fears."
"It doesn't matter. Some are able to get over the terrible things they witness, things far worse than what I have witnessed. I have failed in that manner."
"Mr. Edgeworth...I mean, Miles," Adrian corrected herself, before staring off in the distance. "You...you've always been hard on yourself, haven't you? And just as hard on everyone else."
"Do you find that strange?"
"Not at all," she said, looking back at him. "I think...that I would understand that better than anyone else. After all, I was the same two years ago. Well, sometimes I still am hard on myself..."
"Ah...y-yes," Edgeworth stammered, setting down his tea. This time, he was sure the building's heating unit wasn't responsible for the fact that his face was growing hot. It isn't that what she says hasn't crossed my mind. It may very well be the reason I was hard on her during that trial...and partly the reason I fought so hard for her. But strangely, it's not something I have been able to easily admit. "I...suppose you would know a thing or two about that."
Seeing his expression, Adrian laughed nervously. "Oh, I'm sorry. There I go again, just rambling about unimportant things. Lunch is over, so I'd better get back to the museum."
"I thought you said you were done for the day?"
"Y-yes, well...if you can keep a secret...it'll probably take another three hours just to get out of this dress."
"...Truly?"
Adrian chuckled again. "I'm just kidding! I have other errands to run today. This dress is just a cheap imitation, but it's still museum property, so I have to return it." She pushed her chair back and stood up, Edgeworth following suit.
"All right, then," he said. "I'll be heading to Criminal Affairs shortly, myself. The minute you find out something new, do get in touch with me."
"Of course," Adrian said, stepping forward. "The minute I hear anything, I'll-oh...!"
Edgeworth caught the woman as she tripped on her own skirt, his hands grabbing a hold of her upper arms. Slowly, he guided her back to a standing position, but didn't immediately release her. Instead, he found himself looking at her as though he were in a trance. Time seemed to freeze as traces of the outside world faded from Edgeworth's sights, and soon, he and Adrian were the only ones remaining. Trying to get an understanding of what was happening, Edgeworth continued focusing on Adrian as if to demand the answer from her. As the woman lifted her face, their gazes locked, and Edgeworth's hands delicately wandered the span of her arms, stopping only when they reached her elbows. He then let go, forcing himself to return to his senses. "You...should be careful."
What appeared to be an appalled expression on Adrian's face was accompanied by rosy cheeks. "Ah...y-yes, of course," she quickly said. "Being carefully careful will be my top priority. Goodbye." She promptly whirled around, only to slam full-force into a waiter carrying a tray full of clean, empty dishes. Plates and glasses spilled onto the carpet around them, and silverware scattered everywhere. The impact was not enough to knock either one of them off their feet, but Adrian was just as apologetic as ever. "I'm so sorry, sir! Please, let me help you!"
"Ms. Andrews..." grumbled the waiter. "Fine. It's the end of my shift, anyway."
When it comes to being accident-prone, she may give Detective Gumshoe a run for his money, Edgeworth thought in amazement, watching the two collect dishes, which were thankfully all intact. He looked down to see that some of the silverware had landed near his feet. He bent down and retrieved the pieces, returning them to the tray. "Here. I found these."
"Thank you, sir," the waiter said.
Once the dishes were all accounted for, the waiter headed back to the kitchen. Adrian had walked off as well, but turned around briefly to give Edgeworth a courteous wave.
When they were gone, Edgeworth returned to the table, hoping to partake of at least a few more sips of tea. He was only halfway through the first sip before he was interrupted again.
"Phew," said Gumshoe, pulling out his wallet. "Everyone gone already, Mr. Edgeworth?" He pulled out a couple of wrinkled dollar bills, wedging them underneath his empty drinking glass.
"Yes," Edgeworth replied, lowering his teacup. "Did you have an investigation to tend to, Detective? That seemed like a rather long phone call."
"Huh? Oh, no, not right away. Actually, the phone call from the department wasn't that long, but just as I hung up, Maggey called me."
"Oh. I see."
Gumshoe stood there a moment as though he were pondering something. Then he slowly sat back down in his chair, expelling a long, deep sigh.
Uh-oh, thought Edgeworth. It sounds as though he has something on his mind.
"I just don't know what I'm gonna do, Mr. Edgeworth," Gumshoe said. "Our six-month anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I really want to take Maggey somewhere special. Problem is, I don't know any special restaurants, and Très Bien holds bad memories for her. But I need to think of something."
"Why not just ask her what type of cuisine she enjoys? And then pull up the city restaurant review to narrow down your choices."
"No way, Mr. Edgeworth! I can't just flat-out ask her when it's supposed to be a surprise!"
Edgeworth did his best to suppress a groan. "I simply meant," he started, "that you should approach the topic in a subtle way. Sneak it into the conversation. Steer the topic toward your favorite foods when you're eating lunch at your usual place, or talk about some new restaurant that you happened to hear about in the paper, and make a decision based on her reaction."
"Hmm..." Gumshoe took a moment to mull over the suggestion. "That's not bad, Mr. Edgeworth! I think I might do that. Gee, you sure are good at this sort of thing. Does it work on all the ladies you take out?"
"Wh-what?"
"With your salary, you probably treat them to all the fancy places!" the detective continued cheerily. "I bet you have ladies for every night of the week, and then they all trade notes, talking about what a cool guy you are. You sure get around a lot, don't you, Mr. Edgeworth?"
Edgeworth nearly spit out his tea. "I do nothing of the sort! What on earth gave you that idea?"
Gumshoe sank a little in his chair. "Oh. So I guess you don't like women, after all?"
"That is not what I was implying, Detective!" Edgeworth knew he was turning beet red, but he couldn't help it. "I simply meant, I am not this playboy you have made me out to be. I don't believe in 'getting around,' as you have so crudely put it. I find the idea of such an experience to be petty and meaningless, if I even had the time for it. Besides, a woman's heart is not some simple plaything for men."
"Oh, I get it! So what you're saying is that you're a one-woman guy."
"Errh..." No matter how hard he tried, his face would not stop feeling hot. "I can honestly say it's not something I've thought about much lately...but...if it came down to a choice between the two...then yes. I believe there is more meaning in getting to know one woman intimately, than there is in skipping from woman to woman on a nightly basis."
Gumshoe's grin returned. "I thought so! Hmm. Oh ho ho ho! I see. So that's why..."
What is he babbling about now? "What?"
"I thought it was strange that you and Ms. Andrews have been hanging out a lot lately. I mean, sure, Ms. von Karma is pretty important to the both of you, but I kept thinking there was something else, and now I know why." Just when the man's smile couldn't grow any wider, it did. "You're getting to know Ms. Andrews...so that you can 'become intimate' with her!"
Edgeworth was horrified at how easily Gumshoe had twisted his words. "Detective! You... I meant... on a personal... level... an emotional... i-it is not that at all!"
"I think it's exactly what it is! You two looked pretty close earlier... you know, during that little conversation you couldn't tell me about?"
Arrrgghh. Edgeworth's fist tightened beneath the table, but Gumshoe was too far out of range. "It was about a police case that she has special interest in. That's it!"
"Or maybe it's you she has special interest in," Gumshoe teased.
I somehow doubt that. She couldn't wait to get away from me earlier. "It really doesn't matter," Edgeworth said, finally calming down. "For the duration of this investigation, we will be working together. That is all."
"Come on, Mr. Edgeworth. She's a real pretty lady. I can't think of any guy who wouldn't like her."
"That's because you rarely think past the surface, Detective. There's a lot more to a woman than just looks. The true test begins when you encounter their true personality."
"Then...what kind of woman do you like, Mr. Edgeworth?"
Edgeworth sighed. The tea was getting cold, and the detective showed no signs of relenting. "I...cannot say," he admitted. "If I really thought about it, I would hope to encounter someone true to herself. And, perhaps, a woman capable of looking beyond the surface, one who can appreciate and respect a man for the person inside, rather than for the person who wears expensive jackets and drives luxury cars. Looks fade, and appearances change, but kindness, wisdom, and strength, and so on...those are true constants. I...realize that is asking much...but if a woman can place her faith in such qualities over her own illusions of what a relationship with a man would grant her, then she is worth keeping by my side for a lifetime."
Gumshoe sniffled, looking rather teary-eyed. "Wow, Mr. Edgeworth. That's really deep! I kind of know what you mean, though, about looks not mattering. It took forever for Maggey to come around and decide she liked me! I mean, in that way."
"Then you should finally understand that I am not one to fool around." Edgeworth took one final sip before pushing aside his cup. "I would appreciate it if you did not approach this subject again, Detective. There are presently more important things to tend to." He stood up, and slid his chair underneath the table. "Well, I'm off to Criminal Affairs. Good day, Detective Gumshoe, and...thank you for showing us today's paper."
"No problem, sir," Gumshoe replied. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
"You, as well." With that, Edgeworth departed, a rather urgent stride in his step. He wasn't sure why, but all of a sudden, he felt like he needed to get out of there. His heart skipped a beat as he encountered the elevator, but he braved the ride to the parking lot with no problems. It was only after he had climbed into his vehicle and shut the door that he allowed himself to pause.
'The true test'? he thought, displaying a tiny but rather sheepish smile. 'Someone true to herself'? 'Worth keeping by my side for a lifetime'? Now, why did I say that? It isn't as though I am actively seeking such things. Shaking his head, he pulled out his keys, inserting the largest one into the ignition. Although...
He stopped again, recalling more of his conversation with Gumshoe. It is rare for me to show such interest in anyone. I always thought it was because I was too busy, or because work was too important, or even that pursuing a relationship would get in the way of this lifestyle to which I have grown accustomed. But now, I wonder...am I avoiding that kind of relationship because I have no interest in anyone, or...
...is it because I haven't yet found what I truly want?