Phoenix stood right outside the door of Grande Azurro, already sweating up a storm. The building was a small one, concrete, but with sapphire blue windows and a big Italian flag hanging above the carved wooden door. It was 5:30 p.m., he knew dinner would not be until 6 p.m., but he would not take any chances. Not with Viola Cadaverini.

He had even gone out and bought himself a new black suit and green tie with the precious little money he had squirreled away for emergencies. He had expected that he would not need the cache for another two or three years, and that the emergency would be a fire or a blackout or an earthquake…something a lot less dangerous than meeting the princess of the Cadaverini crime family one-on-one.

Before Phoenix could compose his greetings, the owner came bouncing up to the door and punching it open, just barely missing the attorney.

"Eep!"

"Buna serate, amico!" It was a tall, rake-thin woman, her left eye blue and her right covered with an orange-tinted monocle. Her long blonde hair hung to her waist. Her clothes were off, too; a chef's hat topping her head, a black waiter's smock wrapped around her torso, and two worn leather gloves, the kind worn by construction workers. Not the strangest-looking person in town, but…

"The name's Phoenix." The attorney forced a smile. "Phoenix Wright. I'm here to meet…"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The woman clutched her arms with a squeal. "I know! You are here to meet the bello Ms. Viola Cadaverini!"

"Bello…?"

"Beautiful!" The waitress-chef-laborer exclaimed. "You surely don't want to keep your beautiful date alone! I, Ms. Pane, shall lead you to her."

Ms. Pane grabbed Phoenix's hand, practically yanking him into the establishment. The hapless newcomer customer was dragged past the counter and into the first dining room. Normally, Phoenix would be shocked by the sheer lack of customers. But his attention was immediately swallowed up by Viola Cadaverini.

She was standing near a small round table, eyes shining, a sweet smile on her face. She was dressed in an elegantly long black dress that left her shoulders and neck exposed. She wore dainty red slip-on-shoes, a blue ribbon in her hair, and just a touch of rouge on each cheek.

She…is really pretty….Phoenix was still for a moment, only half-aware that Ms. Pane had left the two alone. Finally, Viola came forward, pulling Phoenix by the hand into a chair at the table. He had expected her to sit in the chair across his. Instead, she grabbed it with two thin hands and dragged it next to his before taking a seat. Before Phoenix could ask, Viola laid her head on his shoulder. Phoenix was not just sweating now, he was blushing too.

Still, he had to break the silence. "So, um, um, Viola, I…I'm glad to see you're here early too…"

There was a chuckle from her. "Yes," she said, almost dreamily. "I knew you'd come early too, so I thought I'd match wits."

She knew?! Phoenix almost fainted. But, just like in court, he knew that the only way forward in a date was forward.

"So…Viola. How can I be of service to you?"

Viola shifted slightly, her head still on his shoulder. "This is nice, for now." She reached out a bit, grabbing his hand. "This would be the first time…I've gone out with a man like you."

Man like…oh. Oh. Tigre. The memories came flooding back into Phoenix's head. Furio Tigre. The big frame, huge snarl, the hairdo that looked way too similar to his own. The murder. The plot. Viola being used for the loan shark's scheme. Him telling her the truth.

Is that what this is about? Phoenix thought. Did she really want to go to all of this trouble because of what I did then?

"Yes…" Viola said dreamily. Phoenix gulped. She read my mind. There is no other explanation.

To his eternal gratitude, Ms. Pane walked right up. "Oh-ho! What can I get you lovebirds?"

"Plain spaghetti, tomato sauce, plain water." Phoenix said without thinking.

"I would like one glass of Amarone and an acquacotta, ma'am." Viola looked Pane in the eye, and the waitress skipped off. Almost too quickly. The young woman finally relinquished her grip on Phoenix and sat back up.

"I know you are thinking that my interest in you is not purely romantic," Viola sighed. "And, regrettably, it is not. There is some business I would like to discuss with you. It is the reason I seek your skill as an attorney. Perhaps a bit of talk about the case would not hurt…"

Phoenix could breathe a little easier now. "That is alright, Ms…Viola."

"It is a man my family is familiar with. A Mr. Napoli Salsa of Villaggio, California. He has been accused of murder. I will tell you straight away that he is not an innocent man in the sense that you would understand. He does have a record. You can confirm as much if you look through the police database. The prosecution will almost certainly bring it up in the trial. But you have my word of honor that he is not a murderer."

"I see." Phoenix cleared his throat. "May I have some details about the murder? For starters, where did it happen?

"Oh, right here in this restaurant."

"What?"

Viola nodded to her right. Phoenix's eyes followed, and his bowels immediately turned to ice. The tape outline of a grown man was set up between two tables. It had been there the whole time.

Unghhh….

This chapter took a little longer than intended because of the ongoing situation. I hope everyone is ok!