Phoenix gingerly stepped out of the door. As expected, Viola Cadverini was on his arm, clinging to him with both arms with a content smile. As expected, the sweat was already gathering on his brow.

"Good ni-ighhhhhtttt, loves!" Ms. Pane gave the pair a final wave before hanging up a "Closed" sign and shutting the restaurant closed. Viola led Phoenix around the building, and his heart almost stopped. He had not noticed it before. It was a limo. Shiny, black, long, impeccably washed. Viola giggled, leading him to the limo and guiding him into the open back door.

"I must say I enjoyed our date. But I am afraid we must leave for the Detention Center. You will have to talk to Napoli. Remember what I told you about him, and have faith." Phoenix nodded, gulp aside, and Viola came in after him. He tried to scoot to the other side, but she grasped his shoulder lightly, keeping him in place as she sat right next to him, and used her free hand to pull the seatbelt in over both of them. She was small enough for it, especially when she leaned into Phoenix and lay her head on his shoulder.

She really is cute….Phoenix thought grudgingly. His eyes drifted to the opaque panel blocking his view to the driver's seat. "Who is our driver?" Viola shifted just a little.

"Never mind him, sweetie. He's my debtor. He could not pay for his business in money, so he pays in labor. He used to try to speak French a lot. Not anymore."

"Well, alright, sweetie…" Phoenix was suddenly cold. What did he just say?!

Viola chuckled, pushed herself harder against the lawyer. The ride was twenty minutes, and neither spoke.

At the Center...

Phoenix was resigned. He had had no shortage of bizarre and colorful clients, and the three years he'd spent as a lawyer had taught him that anything, anything, anything was possible. So he was not surprised that his client was a jolly, toothy-smiled, rotund man that had more than a passing resemblance to Moe the Clown. Nor was he surprised that he was dressed in a bright tie-dye shirt, or that he had garish purple sweatpants, or that he was carrying a big red sign as big as he was, five feet even. A sign spinner.

"Howdy, howdy, son!" Napoli Salsa beamed. "Thank youse for making yourself available at such a time n'place as this!" He looked a little to Phoenix's right. "And thank youse, thank youse much, my lady, for bringin' the young'un here!"

"Think nothing of it." Viola gave a small smile.

"No problem." A few gears were turning Phoenix's head. What is that accent?

"As Ms. Viola most kindly suggested earlier, I will give youse the rundown on this case!"

Phoenix took a seat in front of the glass panel between himself and his client.

"Here's how it is…the coppers are saying I killed a man. Name is…name was Formaggio. You mighta already seen where he kicked the bucket. The Grande Azuro restaurant. He was stabbed with a pen."

Phoenix coughed politely. "A pen?"

"Yes, Mr. Lawyer. One o' them fancy pens they use at the front desk. Big, sharp tip. A good jab'll kill most anybody if hits a vein or artery!"

"I…suppose."

"Well, anyways, I'm gonna admit upfront, I was at the restaurant that day. I was there. And as Ms. Viola no doubt told youse, I most certainly do have a record in the past!"

Phoenix coughed again. "If I may ask, Mr. Salsa…what were your charges in the past?"

"No biggie. I was tried for burglary, son. That, and murder."

A moment of silence.

"…Were you...convicted of burglary!"

"Youse bet! I was caught on three charges! All them added up to 10 years! And before youse ask, I got convicted of murder too! Then I got out on appeal!"

Phoenix loosened his tie, maybe a bit too quickly. Viola's hand was on his shoulder now. "Who helped you appeal?"

"Youse did, Mr. Lawyer."

"What?"

"Ms. Viola didn't tell youse? I was prosecuted by that bastard von Karma!"

"von Karma? You mean Manfred von Karma?"

"That's the one, yeah!" Napoli made an "OK" sign with his free hand. "That man caught me on photo in the act! But it was fake! Forged! Made up! Got myself an appeal, got myself free! And I wish I coulda told youse sooner….thank youse so much for bringing that clown down!"

"You're…you're welcome."

Some silence, and then Napoli spoke up again.

"Just kinda thinking….youse sure you're up for this? I mean, I admit it, I'm no innocent. I do have a record. I know I'm some time o' crook, you know. So…if it's alright to ask…why are youse gonna defend me?"

Phoenix weighed his possible answers. He could say it was for the pay. Or he could say that he could not very well refuse a request from Ms. Viola Cadaverini. But he knew there was only the one answer. The memories from grade school were flooding through his brain again. He looked Napoli in the eye.

"Frankly, Mr. Salsa…I don't care what the legal system or the judges say. I choose to believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Beyond a doubt. I choose to believe that everyone deserves a fair trial and a strong defense. I believe that no one deserves to serve time for a crime they didn't do. No one. And I decide that all of my clients deserve my faith…as long they keep faith with me."

More silence, then Napoli spoke up. "Youse got heart, kid, I'll say that now. Youse do really got heart."

Viola giggled and grasped Phoenix's arm, almost hanging off it.

"He does."

Later...

The limo pulled up to the building that contained Wright & Co. Law Offices. Phoenix looked to his side at Viola, feeling more comfortable than he was before with her. Maybe it was proximity. Maybe it was just the determination that was indispensable for feeling ready for a case. It did not matter.

"Thanks for the night, Viola," he nodded with a smile. "And thanks for getting me in touch with my new client."

Viola giggled again before leaning forward and giving him a kiss on the check. "Oh, and, th-thanks for that too."

Phoenix got out of the limo, speedwalking over to the door. He climbed up the short staircase, opening the door to the office before closing it and letting out a sigh. Determination aside, it would be a long day tomorrow...

He didn't bother to brush his teeth or make tea. He undressed, replaced his suit with pajamas, turned off the light, and flung himself down on the futon. He put his head on the pillow, pulling the blanket over himself. He waited. Sleep didn't come for another ten minutes.

It would be an hour later that he woke up again. That was to be expected. It was usual for him to get thirsty this time of night, when he would wash his throat down with ice water.

What was not usual was for him to suddenly feel weight, and warmth next to him. Viola was curled up next to him under the blanket, her arm draped over his chest. Of course. He hadn't locked the door.

For a moment, it felt, once again, like Phoenix's bowels had turned to ice. But he took another look at Viola. She looked blissful, happy in sleep. A slight smile was curved from her lip.

Another moment, and Phoenix very, very gingerly lay his own arm across her waist. He himself did not know why he did so.

But at that moment, it did not matter. He joined her in sleep.

Chapter 3 is out! Next comes the trial! Still wondering if I should have three official trial days, like in the first game, or two...I guess I'll see.:)