I just have to say something right now. This little story of mine currently has 21 favorites, 32 followers, and 99 reviews. Wow. Just… Holy crow, I just can't believe it. Thank you all so, so much. It means so much that anyone would even look at something I wrote, and you've all been so kind and helpful. Every word of encouragement or advice makes my day. A lot of the people that reviewed are writers I've admired for their stories, some before I even started Turnabout Sparks, which just amazes me. I can't even tell you how grateful I am.

I'm talking to all of you, by the way, not just the people that review. I smile every time I notice the number of views has gone up. So please, let me know you read this so I can thank you personally. In the meantime, have a cookie! :D

Oh right, a quick little thing about this chapter. It's completely optionally, but when Maria says, "Objection!" you might want to play Bad Apple! Orchestrated version. I mentioned it last week, right? The only extended version for the song I've been able to find is 10 hours long on YouTube, but naturally you don't have to play the whole thing. Or you can play whatever Objection theme is your favorite. Or nothing at all if that suits you best. It's just a little suggestion. : )

Okay, I'm done talking now. Thank you to the moon and back, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

"Bless You, Laine," Ema said, her voice acid. "Now what was that you just put in your pocket?"

"Relax, Detective Skye. It was nothing," Laine said.

"Let's see this 'nothing' then," Ema said, throwing a Snackoo at Laine. "Empty your pockets. Now."

Maria could see the policeman was wincing behind his surgical mask. Slowly, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out a syringe. Ema covered her mouth with her hand, surprised.

"I can explain," Laine said.

Why would he put such important evidence in his pocket? Wait a minute, didn't Skye said something about an officer before?

"Detective Skye, that footprint you found. Exactly whose was it?" Maria said.

"It was Officer Rover's," Ema said softly.

"Quite a coincidence," Maria said, tapping her binder against her arm. "But then, maybe not. You have no good reason to place such valuable evidence in your pocket. Even a child can figure out that evidence belongs in an evidence bag."

"I said I can explain," Laine said.

"Detective Skye, I'd like you to have that syringe examined again," Maria said. "I take it you know what to look for."

"Yes, Ms. Coldstare," Ema said, walking away.

"Can I explain now?" Laine said.

"I'd love it if you would," Maria said. "But don't leave anything out. I'm sure you understand your current situation."

"I know it looks suspicious, but there's a perfectly logical explanation," Laine said.

Argument

Okay, I'm not going to dance around it. I didn't kill that woman.

The fact that Skye lifted my shoeprint is just a coincidence. I've been walking around here all day.

Besides, wasn't there a witness that said the victim's death was suicide?

He didn't see anyone with the victim, so how could I have anything to do with this?

I put the syringe in pocket. Not my brightest idea, sorry. But don't think I killed someone because of it.

"Achoo!" Laine sneezed into his surgical mask.

"Bless you," Maria said, out of habit as opposed to sympathy. I suppose he makes a good argument, but it seems a little too convenient. And he knew exactly what to say when he was confronted. I wonder what he'll say after a little interrogation.

Rebuttal

Okay, I'm not going to dance around it. I didn't kill that woman.

"Hold it!" Maria said. "I'm glad you're willing to cut to the chase, I dislike it when people waste time."

"Like you are right now?" Laine said.

Maria glared at the officer, her jade eyes cold and penetrating. "I just find it interesting that you'd immediately assume I suspected you of murder. There are many criminal reasons for putting evidence in your pocket; tampering for example. Or perhaps just stupidity."

"Hey, making mistakes is not punishable by law," Laine said. "In fact, making mistakes is the best way to learn."

"That's beautiful, now you were saying?" Maria deadpanned. He's quite cheeky.

"Right, well as I was saying I'm not a criminal," Laine said.

The fact that Skye lifted my shoeprint is just a coincidence. I've been walking around here all day.

"Hold it!" Maria said. "It is quite strange that out of all the people here to leave a mark, it was you. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, it is strange," Laine said. "But I left that mark in the ground when I got here with everyone else."

"That print could've been made at any time between the victim's death and when it was discovered by Detective Skye," Maria said.

"Well, that's the space of time I was walking around here," Laine said, making a finger gun.

Besides, wasn't there a witness that said the victim's death was suicide?

"Hold it!" Maria said. "That theory has yet to be solidified."

"Or maybe you just don't want to accept it," Laine said. "I overheard some of your 'this was a murder' arguments. Are you sure you don't just want to believe the victim was murdered?"

"I personally investigate all potential scenarios until I reach a definite conclusion," Maria said. "I've considered the possibility of suicide and found errors that could be explained if the victim was murdered."

"And what about the contradictions in the murder theory that can be explained by suicide?" Laine said. "Here's a pretty big one, the witness."

He didn't see anyone with the victim, so how could I have anything to do with this?

"Hold it!" Maria said. "There's an explanation for that. Obviously the murderer would've been out of the witness' line of sight."

"Hold your fire there," Laine said. "The victim was injected with poison, that's how she died. So if the syringe really is a murder weapon, and not a method of suicide, it's still a short range weapon. The witness would have had to see a killer."

Maria gritted her teeth. He has a point. Was I wrong, did the victim actually commit suicide? But it doesn't seem right, where would she have even gotten her hands on the poison? Well, I suppose that's rather obvious. If they found a blade in that one woman's broom, who knows what other tools of death are hidden in that mansion. Did I make a rash decision in suspecting this man?

She looked at the officer, who had his arms in his pockets in a reserved manner. He irritated her, his confidence was boundless and he always knew what to say no matter what Maria threw at him. Despite thinking of everything she could, he had a way to say she was wrong. It didn't feel like he was right, though. It felt like he was winning.

I don't trust this man, but is that enough to suspect him of murder? I can't let these emotions cloud my judgment. Yet I wonder, why do I have them in the first place? What reason do I have for loathing this man? She looked into Laine's dark brown eyes, shadowed by his shaggy, blonde hair. In them she saw a glimmer of pride, along with the self assured smile he kept hidden by his mask. She didn't have to see it to know it was the kind of smile she had seen many times before. The smile of a criminal who thinks he's beaten everybody.

He's lying to me. And every lie is a flaw, a flaw that I can expose. I just need the right proof. She considered every piece of evidence she had, searching for the answer she needed. This may be my last chance. Any mistakes I make from here will only serve to weaken my credibility. If I want to accuse an officer of the law of murdering a young woman, I need proof that it was him. Before I can even do that, I need to prove how it was possible. If the witness didn't see a second person with the victim, it means that person was out of eyesight. Ergo, they killed the victim from a distance. The question is how could someone use a short range weapon from far away?

Maria twirled the short stick in her left hand with her fingers as she thought. The prosecutor looked at it in mild surprise; she hadn't realized she had been holding it this whole time. Huh, I didn't notice it was hollow… Suddenly, everything fell into place.

"That's it!" Maria exclaimed.

"What's it?" Laine said, a bit started by Maria's sudden outburst.

"Officer Rover, repeat what you just said a moment ago," Maria said.

"Did you forget or something? Alright," Laine said.

You'd have to be right next to a person to inject them with poison, but there was no one in sight.

"Objection!" Maria said. "Officer Rover, take a look at this."

"That stick you've been playing with?" Laine said, unimpressed.

"Actually, this is a tube," Maria said. "I found it over by the river."

"Achoo!" Laine sneezed. "And?"

"Must I spell it out for you?" Maria said. "Very well then. The syringe is rather narrow, wouldn't you agree?"

"Sure, I guess," Laine said, brushing his bangs over one eye.

"I'd say it's narrow enough…" Maria held the tube up to her eye. "To fit inside this tube."

"So let me get this straight," Laine said, looking completely unfazed. "You're saying that I used that stick like a blow tube and shot the syringe out like a dart? That's a little far-fetched."

"Objection!" Maria said, lightly streaking across her glasses. "I disagree. First of all, by shooting the syringe from a distance you made it so the witness did not see you. Anyone who saw a girl standing by herself with a needle in her would instantly assume that she had injected herself. Later, their memory might have even changed so that they 'remembered' seeing the girl put the needle in by herself."

"Achoo! Hey, hold your fire there," Laine said, closing his right eye and pointing his finger gun. "You know, there's a reason you don't see people out hunting with syringes. Even if you shot it right at your prey, you'd still need to be there to inject the stuff into the body."

"Fair enough, but let's think a little outside the box for a moment," Maria said. "Or rather, outside the syringe."

"Excuse me?" Laine said. His left eye twitched.

"The poison used to kill Ashi Kitaki was incredibly potent. So much so that just a little bit would be enough to weaken or even paralyze you when injected into your body stream," Maria said, reading out of her binder. "By coating the needle of the syringe in poison and shooting it into the victim's neck, you turned the syringe into a blow dart!"

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!" Laine sneezed sharply.

That sneezing just now sounded fake. The prosecutor slammed her binder shut and looked Laine in the eye. "You weakened the victim enough to fall to the ground, and when no one was looking you approached the victim and finished what you had started!"

"No!" Laine exclaimed. He breathed heavily, clutching the empty gun holster by his hip. "You… You don't have any proof that it was me. Let's say it was a murder, where's the proof that it was my fault? That's what being a prosecutor is all about, right? Presenting evidence."

"The job of a prosecutor is much deeper than that, Officer Rover," Maria said coldly. "But yes, evidence is important."

"Then where's yours, huh?" Laine said. "The first thing you learn about firing a gun, 'never pull the trigger if you've got an empty magazine.' So go ahead, Ms. Coldstare, show me your ammo!"

Maria folded her arms, tapped her organizer against her arms. "Hmph, perhaps I was a bit hasty."

"That's what I thought," Laine said, straightening up. He pointed his finger gun and smirked.

"I thought I was saving us time, but perhaps if I had just waited a few minutes this could've been over by now," Maria said.

"Eh?" Laine said.

"Well, it can't be much longer now," Maria said. "Fingerprint tests usually don't take too long."

"Fingerprints?" Laine said. She could hear the concern in his voice.

"On the murder weapon, of course," Maria said. "If those are your prints on the syringe, I believe it would qualify as evidence that you murdered Ashi Kitaki."

"No!" Laine exclaimed. He glared at Maria. "Grr… I'm innocent! I didn't kill anyone!"

"So then you're saying those aren't your prints on the syringe?" Maria said.

"I'm not admitting to anything until I see some actual proof, not just a flimsy guess!" Laine said, gripping his empty holster.

"Very well then, I suppose there's nothing to do but wait," Maria said. "In the meantime, I'm sure you understand that we'll need to handcuff you."

"Do what you want, I'm innocent," Laine said.

Stubborn, how foolish of him. He knows he's been beat; he should just admit it and get it over with.

Another officer walked up to Laine with silver cuffs in her hand. Without looking him in the eye, she secured one of the cuffs around his wrist and other around hers. Laine said nothing, he merely glared at Maria with harsh anger and pride burning in his gaze. The prosecutor calmly looked down at her organizer, flipping through the pages.

Time crawled forward in awkward, suspenseful silence. A few of the policemen went back to organizing evidence or wrapping things in police tape, but none strayed very far. Finally, a woman in a lab coat came into view.

"Detective Skye," Maria said, closing her binder.

"I got the results," Ema said.

"And?"

"The unidentified set of fingerprints…" Ema said. "Are Laine's."

"What?" Laine said. "But my prints can't be on there!"

"I believe they can, and they are," Maria said. "Laine Rover, you are under arrest."