Summary:
Arguments ensue. What really happened?
Notes:
Another long chapter. Very mentally taxing to write and possibly mentally taxing to read. I spent a lot of time editing for clarity - but if things don't make sense let me know. Thanks!
Rebuttal
Thursday August 11th 2016 – 8:09 PM
With not much left to discuss on the outside of the offices, Miles, Phoenix, and Missile entered the building. Gregory heard them and met them in the hall immediately. "Miles! The police called here a short while ago. They said that your car was damaged, and I could not – ah. Phoenix."
"Good evening, Mr. Edgeworth." He smiled pleasantly.
"This is your 'guest'? And you brought him here?" Gregory was not pleased with this. He sighed and eyed Phoenix in suspicion. "What happened? How did you make it here without your car?"
"We called a taxi." Miles answered, "Father. I apologize for what happened and not fully explaining myself on our last call. We were in a hurry . . . White showed up and immediately made himself threatening. I – there is a lot to tell."
"You are alright, though, Miles? Did he hurt you at all?"
"I am fine. . . . Phoenix navigated us out of danger." Miles confirmed and attempted to reduce the scrutiny on Phoenix.
"Thank goodness for that. Though . . . Phoenix . . . I cannot say that I am very welcoming of fugitives." Gregory folded his arms.
"I have not been officially named," Phoenix explained, "A warrant for my arrest hasn't been made, though I will be taken in if I am recognized."
"How do you know that?" Gregory asked.
"I looked it up today – the most wanted adverts."
Gregory slid back into his office and said, "Come in. The police may stop by to follow up on the car. It will not be long before you are caught, so I suggest you have your case presented by then."
"I understand." Phoenix said, then followed Miles and Missile in. Phoenix took the plush toy from Missile and the laptop bag from Miles.
"Woah!" Larry sprung from the couch and Missile hopped up with him, "Took you long enough!"
"Took a few bouncy back roads to get here. I have to ask, though, why are you here? Are you the coffee boy?" Phoenix asked.
"He is mooching," Miles corrected. "Although making him do some work around here might be beneficial. Thank you for the idea, Phoenix."
"Hey! You don't gotta say it like that! Ignore Miles, he can be so mean."
"I know!" Phoenix, the betrayer, agreed with Larry. "He insulted Ghost!"
"That's a plushy? Dude, why you have that? You gonna give it to a girl?"
"Nah." Phoenix shook his head, "Ghost is mine."
"Don't you mean that toy is Verrier's property?" Miles asked.
"DUUUUDE!" Larry cut in with nothing important, "Don't tell me you're accepting gifts from a guy!"
"I probably should just let that question slide." Phoenix shrugged.
"If some of your earlier remarks were genuine, I would." Miles nodded.
"Eh? You two already keeping secrets?" Larry pouted.
Phoenix looked on the edge of Gregory's desk by chance, seeing the photo album he sent as a joke, and said, "I thought I told you to hide that! Mr. 'I am good with keeping incriminating evidence on full display'. If the police do show up here, you might not want to keep something like that so obviously out in full view."
Miles shouted back, "Because of you, I haven't had time to think about it!"
"Anyway, it is late." Gregory said, putting the album in his desk and sitting down. "Miles. you said that doll belongs to Gervais Verrier?"
"Jarvy?" Larry repeated poorly.
"Wow. That isn't even close to being right." Phoenix laughed.
"That doll came from his bedroom . . . Phoenix took it with him." Miles still had no idea why, though. Phoenix set down his laptop and began to charge both his phone and computer, with some maneuverability issues. Miles explained in full detail what happened – the lawn ornaments, the bedroom, White, and the escape.
"You guys escaped through a window?" Larry asked.
Gregory added, "And then you avoided the police once they arrived. I am not sure that I like these tales. Phoenix, I believe it is time to thoroughly examine your actions."
"I understand." Phoenix nodded, standing in front of Miles' desk. He expected this.
"Your innocent smile will not work on me, Mr. Wright. Let us begin with Gervais Verrier. You do know that he is a Bluecorp employee, correct?"
"I do." Phoenix nodded.
"Oh, that's right! The French dude!" Larry said to himself. A look from Miles told him to remain silent while they 'discussed' things.
Gregory continued after Larry's outburst, "And you have access to his house, correct? But the Frosts also had access to your apartment. Tell me about that living situation – it seems peculiar."
"I rented my apartment solely for a place for the Frost sisters to lay low. I lived at the house, however, before I met the sisters." Phoenix said.
Miles asked, "You rented it for the sister's sake, then?"
"For their safety, yes. They did not want to go to the police after what happened to Ursula and that rookie detective. Since then, Ruby worked herself to death trying to find dirt on White . . ."
"Then you know about Ursula Frost." Gregory nodded, "When we investigated the apartments before the murder occurred, that unit hardly had any furnishings. They were not living in those conditions, were they?"
"Ruby slept there if she needed to, I think. I don't really know where she stayed. Hotels, maybe? For the most part, though, we used that apartment to meet clients."
"You are saying they took on clients? Is this the photography business?" Gregory asked.
"There were reports of suspicious people coming and going. This would make sense." Miles said in agreement.
"Yes. Ruby did."
"Did you take on clients as well?" Gregory asked.
"No. I kept to the same jobs."
"Phoenix." Miles hated to do this, but he refuted, "Frost asked me when we first met if I was one of your 'clients'. You were meeting people at that location."
"Interviewing targets of White that came forth in privacy. A few of them were willing to speak with me, as long as their identities remained concealed. They were not clients, technically; rather, informants."
"They were the victims, then." Miles said.
"Bluecorp is the face for a very extensive blackmail organization. The people who came forward felt trapped. Like their lives were ending either way. I had those testimonies catalogued, though I cannot do too much with them."
"Do you have those testimonies?" Miles asked. Phoenix took his plush and snapped open the back panel. He then unzipped the toy and pulled out a binder. It's a bag? Phoenix opened the toy and pulled out a binder, though he had to use Miles' desk to flip through it because of his bum hand. Phoenix was more organized than he let on, and his binder was alphabetized and sectioned.
"Here are the testimonies." He gave a few written documents; they were organized by victim type details. Reading through them, Miles found out to what degree White destroyed lives.
"This is . . . exceptional. Then how did you make money? Were you buying and selling these testimonies?" Gregory asked.
"No. I only used those for perspective . . . the bulk of my income came through the name 'Verrier'."
Through the name? that is an odd phrasing.
"You directly benefited from Bluecorp, then?" Gregory observed.
"In a way, yes. A necessary evil." Phoenix admitted.
Gregory paused, then asked, "Then is it possible that, with Verrier being a Bluecorp employee, that you gained the Frosts' trust to then relay that information directly back to White?"
"And why would I do that?" Phoenix asked, though he rephrased his point. "I suppose that is possible. Do you have any proof that I did or that I would do something like that?" Phoenix asked. Miles narrowed his eyes. Proof, huh?
"I might." Gregory answered, which puzzled Miles even more. Phoenix even seemed surprised momentarily, before asking.
"Then what is this proof?" Gregory showed him the canister marked as PW/GV. Phoenix then asserted, "I'm not sure what this film is."
"Miles found it in that darkroom of yours. Your initials and Gervais' are one the canister and I know that you do film work as well. It is entirely possible that you were meaning to develop this roll for the intention on delivering the photographs to Verrier, and thus to White. You have been active on Bluecorp's grounds – this might be why."
". . . Interesting. The initials really do match up. I wonder why it exists?" Phoenix retrieved a wooden contraption from the ghost's backside and presented it. "This reads negatives, so you'll be able to see what's on that roll." Phoenix explained how to slide in the negatives through the box and warned, "They will come out red and gray . . . but you should get a clear idea of what's on this."
"You must not fear what is on this if you are so willfully giving us an apparatus." Miles said.
"No, actually. I have no idea what's on this film roll and I worry about what we're about to discover." Phoenix replied.
"Oh? Why is that?" Miles asked.
". . . Just a feeling." Gregory, Miles, and Phoenix hovered over the apparatus and the first picture came out with a white smear down the middle. "Go to the next one. This one might be damaged. Film is fickle . . ."
The first ten were equally damaged, but the few pictures after were clearly of Phoenix at Bluecorp, the parking lot of the prosecutor's offices, and Verrier's house. The next was of Phoenix and Larry at the courthouse. Each picture had a smear, and Phoenix's expression went a bit dark.
"What does this mean?" Miles asked, "Obviously, Phoenix could not have taken these but . . . that leaves the Frosts. Why were they taking pictures of your daily activities?"
"Hmm." Phoenix stepped away from the photos. "I will have to . . . think on that one." Liar. You already figured it out. If Ruby or Fiona took these pictures, that could only truly mean one thing.
"These pictures were meant to use as blackmail against you, is that it?" Miles asked.
". . . It's possible." Phoenix admitted.
"Why would she do that?" Miles asked.
"Ruby never did trust anyone, but I didn't think I ever gave her reason to . . . I will have to think on that some more. Do you mind if I store that film properly? I don't want any more deterioration to it in case I need it later . . ." Phoenix requested.
Gregory nodded, "Yes. Preservation of evidence is a must. We will take a small break."
Phoenix took the film and went into the kitchen / bathroom area. Miles and Gregory both looked at each other in shared apprehension. Gregory said, "It's pretty clear that either or both Frost sister were readily willing to let him take a fall. Regardless, we must continue our questioning."
"It will make tomorrow difficult if Ruby meant to blackmail and betray Phoenix." That realization angered Miles more than it probably should. It's not like he was the one who was betrayed – but he could not help but feel it by proxy.
"Our focus should be determining who committed the murder and determining motivation for all parties involved. Phoenix might be the one who gives us perspective, but we can't make the mistake of trusting him wholly."
"I do trust him, though." Miles admitted in earnest, then defended his position. "He admitted to no prior knowledge of the film roll but readily gave us a way to verify its contents. He does not seem to be holding anything back now. Let's be careful when we bring that film roll back up, agreed?"
"Then I will continue to be the skeptic party. There was something else I noticed about that roll." Gregory said, "It did not contain any photographs on Verrier – so why is it marked as such?"
"Oh?" That is a good point, "Maybe he was on the damaged ones? Or maybe he was the one who hired the photographs from the Frosts. We do not know much about him, I suppose; he is seeming to be more involved than we originally thought."
"Yes, I think so." Gregory said. When Phoenix came back, his smile and eyes were less bright and cheery, but he wore it all the same. Gregory asked, "The living situation still seems amiss to me. The Frost sisters had their own individual homes, so was there any need for this arrangement? You lived with Verrier?"
"I live at that house. White terrorized Ruby and Fiona after Ursula's murder. He did not know my name, so he could not trace them." Phoenix answered.
"Then you are saying you felt the need to protect them? What motivated you to become involved in the first place? Your roommate?" Gregory asked.
"White came under my radar before I met the sisters. I met them after my investigation already began."
"Because of Verrier, I take it?" Gregory reiterated.
Phoenix's face went neutral, "What do you know about 'Verrier', anyway?"
"I did look him up after Miles left." Gregory pulled a file from his desk, "A French immigrant who moved here in April 2015, then became employed at Bluecorp in December of 2015; the same time as when you rented that apartment out. Before Bluecorp, though, his employment records are also restricted, so we know very little about him."
Verrier moved in April. Phoenix moved in December. That is an inconsistency. He mentioned it earlier in the taxi.
Miles asked, "So, then you did not move here with Verrier. You boarded with him to jointly learn more about Bluecorp? What was your goal? What did you want from Bluecorp?"
"I really did just want to help the sisters."
Miles answered his vague statement with, "Really? Because you said earlier that 'you were investigating before meeting the sisters'. That statement contradicts the one from earlier."
". . . So it does." Phoenix blinked a few times, "Sorry. Before I met them, I had my own reasons for wanting White exposed."
"And those reasons are?" Miles asked.
"A job." Phoenix said.
"And does this job come with a contractual agreement of some sort?" Gregory asked, "Your employment record is quite barren."
"Yes, but it was never made public."
"Then it was an illegal contract?" Gregory pushed.
". . . Hmm. It was a quiet negotiation. One to gather information in preparation for a full-fledged investigation."
"So, it was entirely illegal." Miles concluded. "Just say that and we can move on."
"Rude." Phoenix said.
"Who was your employer? Verrier?" Gregory asked.
"No. Lana Skye." Phoenix answered.
"Phoenix! I sincerely doubt that!" Miles yelled, slamming a hand on the nearest desk. "Lana Skye is the chief prosecutor in this district. Why would she illegally write a contract for you to – ah!"
"Unless it wasn't illegal, she needed a private investigator, and the negotiations were kept quiet due to the nature of the job?" Phoenix chuckled. "Sometimes not even prosecutors can handle petty cases like this without outside help. Luckily, my skills fit what she needed. That's all, really."
Gregory stated, "Even if that's all true, then proof of this contract should exist."
"It does at that." He handed the Edgeworths a signed contract detailing his tasks from the binder now out in the open. Employer as Lana Skye and the contracted as Phoenix Wright. The terms were to not take anything from the property, but to analyze business exchanges.
"Business exchanges?" Miles asked.
"If you think there's something funny about a large-scale organization, analyze the money flow." Phoenix answered.
"I see. If this document is legitimate, why did you not go to Chief Skye?" Miles asked.
"Look at the disclosure clause. It basically says I'm royally screwed if I get caught. She has no plans to intervene on my behalf. Lovely woman, she is."
"That is a crude paraphrasing, but it is stated." Gregory nodded, "Why would you sign a contract like this?"
"I have no sense of self-preservation. And I wasn't planning on getting caught, either. I did have a 'if things fall through, do this' plan, though. So, I wasn't entirely unprepared."
Miles asked Phoenix, "And this contingency plan is . . . us?"
"Yes."
"Why would she hire a Liberal Arts major for something of this nature?" Miles questioned.
"Hey! I didn't just study theatre, y'know?"
"And what did you study, then?" Gregory inquired.
"Criminology and Crime Scene Investigation." Phoenix answered.
"We only found the Liberal Arts Associate Degree." Gregory shook his head.
"I have multiples degrees. Just because you found one but not the others, doesn't mean I'm not telling you the truth." Phoenix argued.
". . .Well, this contract certainly proves your connection to White could have started with a job. This job might validate with that type of degree." Gregory admitted, "You might consider your options more wisely in the future, though. That is, if you truly had nothing to do with Miss Fiona's murder."
Phoenix retrieved the contract and claimed, "Why would I have either Frost sister killed in my own apartment? So, I could potentially indict myself later on?"
"Let us assume that you knew about the film roll canister," Gregory said, "If you found out the sisters blackmailed you; would you call for their silence?"
"Father, what are you suggesting?" Miles interrupted. "I thought we were going to handle that topic gently?"
"White is involved with Phoenix's movements, that much is certain now that we have seen his contract. But we cannot dismiss any possibility. We cannot afford to make any mistakes, and that includes trusting old faces." Gregory argued.
"I do not mind." Phoenix stated, regaining his own confidence. "I am still trying to figure out what I want to believe about that film roll."
"You said something a moment ago that caught my interest, Phoenix." Gregory said, "About the right people coming to Frost's aid. Is it possible that you coming to Miles' rescue now gives you access to this office and a way to shut down our defense of Frost? If you don't manage to spin a tale to your own liking, will you threaten us with violence?"
"Father! That is insane!"
Before Gregory could react, Phoenix shook his head, "I didn't kill anyone and I won't threaten you, either. We now know the contents of that film roll, but that changes nothing. It's irrelevant."
"It is a possible motive for you." Gregory hypothesized. "It shows that you were at the prosecutor's offices, even. You were transferring your findings and, if shown to White, you would be in real danger. That is what is happening now, isn't it?"
"This theory only works if two things are true. One – that I knew about it, which I didn't. And two, even if I did learn about it, would I go as far as to murder a sister to set up the other? This theory also doesn't mind the fact that White is very much involved in my life right now, in more ways than I care for." Phoenix replied.
"We found it in the darkroom. If you and the Frosts utilized the same area for development, you could have discovered it before us." Miles pointed out. I do not think that is what happened, though.
"Beyond a hypothetical." Phoenix demanded. "The picture of Larry and me at the courthouse was the last of the sequence, taken yesterday at 2:30 PM. I know that because that was when Larry and I visited. I was entirely unaware that someone took my picture then or that I was followed. That means I could not have known before 2:30 yesterday afternoon."
Gregory answered, "The murder happened a few hours after that. The murder site is also in your name. The death of Fiona benefitted you, depending on how you factor that film roll in."
"I went back to Bluecorp immediately after Larry and I parted ways. I stayed until 5:30 PM. I called Ruby moments after learning my operation was compromised. I knew that White would look for me at the apartments and so I told Ruby to vacate. What followed that should never have happened. Ruby told me the apartment was vacant . . . clearly, that was not the case."
"Father, the fire alarm and Bluecorp was pulled yesterday at 5:30. I suspect that it was probably Phoenix."
"But you do not know for sure that it was Phoenix." Gregory argued.
"It is a timestamp. And it fits directly with what is likely the established timeline and corroborates with Ruby's version of events. It is consistent."
"I am the one who pulled the fire alarm. White would do no harm to me with witnesses around." Phoenix declared.
"That does still leave unaccounted hours." Gregory said, "The hours leading up to the fire alarm and the hour after. How do we know for sure that you are telling us the truth, Phoenix?"
"That means either White or I went to the apartment and killed Fiona. Ruby is innocent in this scenario." Phoenix concluded. "I am fine with that."
"You are?" Gregory took a step back.
"I am. Regardless of what Ruby may or may not have done to me, I know she did not kill her sister . . . and that is the only point that needs addressed: who killed Fiona? The rest is less important." Phoenix stated.
"Father. We may need to rethink this argument." Miles suggested, seeing both side's points. "Phoenix's version still matches up with Ruby's. They are both in agreement that it was White who killed Fiona. And remember Mr. Yogi, as well. The more likely party who went to the apartments is still White."
A witness saw a man who looked like White after he committed the murder. We are chasing the wrong narrative if we continue down this path.
"I will rethink it, Miles. Though I am far from done."
"Thank you, Father." Father wants proof. Phoenix handed over that apparatus in good faith – I feel there is more here than we have taken the time to consider.
Phoenix smiled, trying to ease the tension. Yes, it was clear he knew all of this was necessary vetting and he was cooperating. "Without evidence, it is hard to say what happened at the apartments with certainty."
"And who is to say we do not have evidence?" Gregory asked, though by the time they arrived at the crime scene, most items of importance were sent forensics. They were getting lost in semantics and conjectures.
"If you had something more definitive, you would not be coming up with these scenarios. Also, if you truly believed I killed Fiona or was a threat to you, I would have already been hauled off. So, I have to ask, Mr. Edgeworth, I get the feeling that there is something specific you want to ask me about. I want to hear all of your doubts."
"That's . . . you are a confident one, I will say that much." Gregory stated, though it was unclear if he was put-off, baffled, or impressed.
"There's still a lot of supposition from your arguments. And I know that both you and Miles made the same false assumption. I think a different approach is called for here."
"I would love to hear this assumption, then." Gregory invited.
"Since you find me culpable, it is proper to state all that you postulate. That is how charges are normally presented, right? I imagine the answer to all your doubt lies within the same misunderstanding."
"You seem to know a fair amount about law, Phoenix." Miles picked up on that trait of his, again. Gregory nodded along to this observation.
"I know my basic rights, at the very least. So, am I right? Do you have something else you wanted to ask?"
Gregory hesitated, then said, "You are correct, though I wanted to wait to bring this up." Edgeworth the senior paused, trying to frame his question just right. Once he knew how he wanted to ask it, Gregory questioned, "Is it not a little suspect that you flew all the way from France just to take a job for Chief Skye's sake? That does not add up, either."
"It wouldn't. I did not come here for White. That just sorta happened." Phoenix confirmed.
"I believe I know just who it is that you came all this way for." Gregory said.
"Oh?" Phoenix tilted his head. Miles gave his father a similar look.
"Phoenix. Your entire adult history in the States starts in December of 2015. On December 21st 2015, the courts approved your father's plea and a yearlong parole phase began. On December 21st 2016, a full year from then, there will be a trial to determine your father's readiness to be reinstated into the real world. In only five months, your father may be released . . . And I don't believe that you came over here on a whim or a job. You came here specifically because of this."
What Gregory said put Miles and Larry both in disbelief. Miles said, "Father, I thought you said that he had not been released?"
"He isn't." Phoenix answered for Gregory. Miles looked at him. "Yet."
"I thought you might be well informed on that topic." Gregory said to Phoenix. To Miles, he said, "When I talked to you about it, Ray and I were looking into it. We discovered that the institution believes Mr. Wright the senior's mental condition has stabilized significantly over the last decade."
"And by parole, you mean he is let out of the institution?" Miles asked.
"Supervised." Gregory nodded.
"Unbelievable." Miles said. Unacceptable.
"They're gonna let a murderer out? For real?" Larry cued in.
"Murderer?" Phoenix asked in such a faux naïve way, that Miles knew instantly that Phoenix was lying about his true feelings. "Hmmm. A trial to assess the year's behavioral reactions to stimuli of the outside world. This sort of thing is only allowed because my father is not a murderer. Legally tried – and found 'Not Guilty'. There is no mistake here – he is free to seek out rehabilitation and release."
"Then . . . then you don't think your dad did it?" Larry asked. Miles began to see it, though. The nuance and the meaning hanging on Phoenix's voice, drenched in contemptible malice. Phoenix was definitely plotting something, though it was unclear what.
"Phoenix. Do you really believe that your father is not the one who killed your – your mother?" Miles hated asking, but that position had to be made clear.
"It isn't what I believe that matters. He is not the guilty party by the State's findings. And that will never change. It's a fact cemented by that verdict. He is, however, a mentally unstable being. He's just been a good little boy these last few years."
"A 'good little boy'?" There it was – the spite in his tone revealed him. "Then you have no plans on intervening or stalling the plea?" Miles asked.
"That is what I was fearing. Retaliation on your part, Phoenix." Gregory said.
". . . There isn't anything I can do about it." Phoenix answered. The air went cold. "Let it be. I have not thought about it in years, nor do I model any of my actions around . . . that man. If the courts approved his appeal, then let it be. I am not seeking him out."
Miles had a hard time believing Phoenix would do nothing. Gregory also had his doubts and began another questioning into this. "You said that you had not patterned your actions around him. Your arrival in December was prompted by this appeal, though, of that I am certain. You knew about it ahead of time, though, because of what Mr. Wright sent you in November 2015."
"Sent me? November?" Phoenix asked, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"That is a boldface lie, Phoenix. Tell us the truth so we can discern your full actions for the last year." Gregory requested as nicely as he could.
"No, I'm actually pretty clueless this time. I got no idea what you're talking about . . ."
"For the last twelve years, your father has sent a letter on the date in which he was forced into the mental institution. This is a fact that I can prove. This year, however, he sent two letters. One in October like normal . . . and one in November. If I am right, he detailed his plea to you to instigate a reaction from you."
". . . Letters?" Phoenix still played dumb. Was it an act this time?
"Thirteen in total, sent to your Aunt's house and addressed to you. Judging by how he talked to you in the past, I cannot assume that these letters were all that well-meaning. That final letter would have reached your hands before you arrived here. It may very well be the sole reasons you're here and that you have been silent all this time." Gregory said.
"Hmm." Phoenix put his hand to his chin in thought. "Even if that were true and the postal gods were in favor of fast mail that month, I do not see how this relates to any misgivings?"
"It is just one more grievance I have with your reappearance under all the circumstances that surround you. Before we learned of your contract with Skye, your lack of concrete employment otherwise suggests criminal activity. Perhaps that was a misunderstanding; and I would be glad to hear it. I do want to know what those letters said and if they prompted you to act as you have. If you cannot provide honest answers, then I will have the police escort you off my property." Gregory said.
"I will leave on my own if it comes to that."
"Notifying the police is a civic duty." Gregory stated, "I want complete honesty from you."
"Honesty? Honestly, I have no desire to talk about that man or that incident. There isn't much to say. It's over and done with and I don't want to go digging it up again." Phoenix said.
"You are distancing yourself from him?" Miles asked, also trying to be careful in his tone.
". . . Even if he didn't do it, I still had to live with him. Every time I – no. this is pointless. I don't have the letters. I am sure they exist, but I learned of my father's parole a different way after I returned here."
"That is your new claim?" Gregory asked, "Are you certain?"
Phoenix nodded, "Actually, I think I see it, now. Your problems with me lies with four things. My reasons for returning home. My allegiances while stateside. The letters– which I honestly didn't know anything about. And my motivations behind my actions for the last two years. Does that sum up your worries?"
Two years?
"Not exactly, but you have captured the heart of it. You secondarily involved yourself with White, but only to pass the time until your father's hearing. That is what I believe." Gregory answered.
"Two years, Phoenix?" Miles asked.
"More like a year and a half." Phoenix changed the timeline, but why?
Miles caught on to Phoenix's ploy, "Are you trying to include April in as your arrival date? You answered earlier that you and Verrier came to the States at the same time, but that seems false."
"Let's see. Yes. I was stateside in April 2015, long before either letter was written or sent. My aunt never told me about any of the letters these last thirteen years. If anyone had actually read its contents, it would be her."
Gregory lost his temper slightly, "There is no proof that you were ever here in April! Your state ID card was issued in December as well! It wasn't just the apartment that points to that fact. All the evidence points to that you were NOT stateside until December! And do you really, truly expect us to believe that you had no knowledge of those letters?"
"The only estate that they would route to is my Aunt's."
"And?" Miles asked.
"My aunt is notorious about hiding my mail from me. She kept a few of my scholarships hidden. I've had to threaten her with a federal level charge a few times." Phoenix laughed, bouncing back. "She doesn't really learn."
"What scholarship was this for? The theatre or the criminology and investigation?" Miles asked only partially sarcastically.
"Neither. The law one."
"Law?" Miles raised an eyebrow. I suppose it is entirely possible that he studied law . . .
"Then where are all these degrees? They never showed up in your records. Only the Liberal Arts one did." Gregory retorted.
"Ah. Looking up cross-continental documentation isn't very easy. The Liberal Arts one would be easier to find, though. Just sayin'. Was a different school and less risk material; less security. You gotta prove who you are to get the others for confidentiality sake." Phoenix said. Miles thought it sounded plausible, at the very least. "In fact, when people DO look me up, that's the first thing they notice. 'Oh, he's just a theatre kid – nothing too worrying about that!' . . . I'm pretty unassuming this way."
Unassuming? You've been flagged as a criminal by both my Father and the police. In what world is that unassuming?
"Phoenix," Miles said, "So, you are claiming that you studied theatre, criminology, crime scene investigations, and law?"
"That is what I am claiming, yes."
"That is why Chief Skye contracted you?" Miles followed up.
"Yes. I have a skillset that she decided she could use."
"Let us see that contract again." Miles requested. Phoenix handed the document over and Miles read the date. "Phoenix. This is tiring. You and Lana created this agreement on December 12th, 2015."
"Yeah. Sounds about right." Phoenix nodded.
". . . But you have allegedly been here since April 2015? What were you doing between April and December of last year?" Miles asked.
"I was on a different job then." Phoenix said, "The one I came to the States for."
"Do you have documentation for this 'job'?" Miles asked.
"Do you know who else has a 'hidden job' from April to December of last year?" Phoenix chuckled. "I do have a contract for that timeline. It's in French, though."
French? Father said that Verrier's employment records were restricted . . .
"Enough of this, Phoenix." Gregory cut in, "I do not believe you. You have nothing to prove that you were here starting from April of last year."
Oh. Oh. You have got to be joking . . .
"Objection!" Phoenix called out. "Hehe. That's what you attorneys always call out, right? Kinda fun."
Whenever asked about his relationship to Verrier, he laughed it off.
"Do you have a reason to say that, or are you shouting for the sake of it?" Gregory asked.
Every time it is brought up, Phoenix never made an established connection to just who that 'Gervais Verrier' was to him.
"I do have an objection, actually. I apologize in advance, Mr. Edgeworth, but you are incorrect. I am now prepared to issue my counterargument."
We made an assumption. I know what that assumption is.
"Counterargument?" Gregory asked.
"Yes. I do have proof I was here in April." Phoenix said.
"And I know exactly what you're about to say." Miles smiled, ready to expose his inconsistency. "I am on to you at last, Wright."
"Oh, boy. This oughta be good!" Phoenix rested against the wall, "By all means, go for it."
"The timeline between you and Gervais Verrier is similar to a fault; they aren't so much as identical, as they are symmetrical. You have no record of moving here in April, but Verrier does. You do not have an employment record, but Verrier does – only it is sealed, starting in April and ending in December. Where you were issued another ID for the states and rented an apartment, contracted to collect information on Bluecorp for the chief prosecutor. That is also when Verrier's records became unrestricted and his employment at Bluecorp also began. It is all so very suspicious. It's almost as if . . . you are Gervais."
"Wouldn't that be something?" Phoenix suppressed another laugh.
"You are, aren't you? That's the inconsistency you were talking about earlier. You provided a safe space under a name that White would not recognize and then used your alias, Gervais Verrier, to continue espionage at Bluecorp. That's the truth behind this last year and a half, isn't it?"
Phoenix pulled out his wallet and handed the Edgeworths four ID's. Phoenix Wright in French, Phoenix Wright in English, Gervais Verrier in French, and finally Gervais Verrier in English.
"You got me." Phoenix laughed but restrained it, holding in his amusement. "A little mistaken identity. Or a double one."
"This is ludicrous. Okay. So, you were here in April under an alias. But that does present another issue, Mr. Wright." Gregory said.
"Why do I have a fake name in the first place, right?" Phoenix laughed, "Usually an identity fraud like this would be a pretty hefty crime. Except, this was sanctioned."
"By whom? The Chief Prosecutor?" Gregory demanded.
". . . I think this should clear that up." Phoenix handed over a contract written in French and signed by Phoenix Wright with alias confirmation. Though Gregory could not read it, he noticed the insignia on the contract. Phoenix asked, "Well?"
"INTERPOL." Gregory said. "You are with INTERPOL."
"INTERPOL?" Miles didn't see that one coming, ". . .You are an international agent, then?"
"Nothing quite that fanciful. I get contracted regularly, though. Steady income. Good income. Anyway, my dual citizenship made me especially useful for that case. I just hope neither of you can read, or else I breached that contract by disclosing it to you."
The tension ceased and Gregory asked, "Why did you not just say so to begin with? Why go through this hassle?"
"A lot of what I am doing here is confidential. I wasn't sure where to draw the line at. I also needed to know what you knew, and this was about the best way to air everything out. If I just out and said it, would you have believed me?"
"No." Miles acknowledged, "You're too farfetched to be real."
"Ouch. But, yeah. Most of my employment records are sealed because a lot of my work is confidential. INTERPOL especially doesn't care to have their employee's data leaked."
"And that is why Ray had a hard time transferring it." Gregory nodded, "Given the context, this is starting to make a lot of sense."
"Does that mean White is an international threat?" Miles asked.
"No. Not really. Not yet, I guess. Give him time and I'm sure he'll make the cut, though. He just happened to come across in my first job. That's . . . a bit of a long story and most of it is classified. White's fair game, though."
"What to you mean by fair game?" Gregory asked.
"Anything you ask about White, I can answer to the best of my capabilities."
"How does Bluecorp end up in the crossfires of an international investigation?" Miles asked.
Phoenix drooped his head and sighed. "And you straight up ask something that borderline reaches into that deep, dark pit that is confidentiality land. Are you always this difficult?"
"Difficult?" Miles was taken aback by that, "I am the difficult one?"
"Uh. Yeah. You."
"Hold on a moment." Gregory interrupted their bickering.
"Do you still have your doubts, Mr. Edgeworth?" Phoenix asked.
"What do you do for a living? I do not believe you ever said . . ."
"Oh. Yeah. Detective work, mostly . . ."
"You claimed your job was similar to the Frosts', but you are now saying you are a detective?" Gregory asked.
"A private one. Yeah. I typically take jobs that I want and without too much police interference if I don't care for that hassle. I have my detective stuff with me too." Phoenix revealed a French badge.
"Hmm. I see." Gregory took that all in for a moment.
"I want some clarification as well." Miles said, "The detectives and the prosecutors normally work cases together. Does that mean you are Chief Prosecutor's detective in the investigation against White?"
"The investigation is non-official and falls in the PI scope. But, normally, in this backwards country, the detectives are forced to submit to the prosecution's will. I don't play that game. I share who I want to share with before officially submitting to the courts. And it will not be the people who are primarily protecting White."
"That is very illegal." Miles pointed out.
"Not in most other countries. That's a debate for later, though. As one who normally presents an opening argument, I can tell you what they will argue tomorrow and give insight on the evidence the prosecution will likely use. I understand that being a detective doesn't automatically clear me, but I can at least explain the key points of this case and you can decide for yourselves."
"You have been in court as the lead detective," Gregory acknowledged, "So you do have experience in that regard."
"Yeah. I've been to court lots of times. I am very familiar with how they operate." Phoenix nodded.
Gregory noticed how much time passed since this began and asked, "Why have the police not followed up? I would have suspected they would be here by now."
"That just means we have a little more time to discuss. Let me show you something." Phoenix pulled out a few things from the binder – an autopsy report and notes on the murder weapon.
"Where did you get this?" Gregory asked.
"The crime scene. I just put on my hat and showed that one detective my badge – he didn't suspect a thing!" Phoenix laughed, taking the beanie out from his coat's inner pocket.
"You! You just walked on to the –" Miles was done with Phoenix.
"I can't help that bluffing works, okay? I was either going to get got and taken in, or my little deceit would pan out and I'd get some answer about the crime scene. You're welcome, by the way." Phoenix defended himself with a cheeky smile. That badge: It was French, and the badge design differed from the State's. Anyone in law enforcement should have been able to recognize the difference. It was enough to fool the detective – likely Gumshoe – and made Miles worry about the state of the precinct.
"We cannot use these, can we?" Miles asked, noting that they were now in possession of illegally obtained evidence.
"Nah. You aren't presenting it, right?" Phoenix said, "That lead detective will at the start, so you'll never have to prove when you obtained such information. A little prior knowledge never hurt anyone!"
"If you are innocent, Phoenix, both you and Miles are going through the same safety training. This is absurd." Gregory said. Miles flinched, thinking about two hours of stale acting and mentally cursed Phoenix.
". . . Oops. Sorry." Phoenix flashed a disingenuous grin. Miles avoided acknowledging punishment worse than death but glared at Phoenix all the same.
"Our little fugitive is a sneaky detective, huh?" Raymond came in – eavesdropping again, apparently.
Phoenix eyed this new person and said, "I don't think we've met before."
"Raymond Shields."
"Ah. Phoenix Wright." Neither man offered their hand in amiability.
"I seemed to have put in all that legwork for nothing, eh?" He leaned against the doorframe, "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just gonna watch your next performance a little closer."
There was something about the way Shields and Wright examined each other, mentally measuring the other, that made Miles suspect those two would clash. Miles felt a previously (recently) established control starting to slip away in the chasms of teeming and conflicting chaotic energy.
Miles and Gregory examined the paperwork that Phoenix provided (illegally?) and prepared for the next wave of information to be investigated. They would participate in a mock trial and Phoenix would lead it as though he were the opposing side. Miles doubted if it would be useful, considering Phoenix couldn't possibly be all the ready to throw himself in a negative light. But, it was a way to establish the reports in argument, so to that end, they would all participate in the mock trial to come.
