Inside Grande Azuro…
Phoenix sighed, putting his hand to his forehead. Before he could completely regain his composure, Viola took the liberty of grabbing his hand and pulling him across the room, up a short flight of stairs, and through another door, this one left open.
It was a small room, occupied only by a desk, a bed, and a wardrobe closet. Viola scanned the room quickly, then shot a glance back up at Phoenix.
"It would seem that this is Ms. Pane's personal quarters. We should search this place and see if there is anything worth examining."
Phoenix gulped air for a couple of minutes. "But...but….did you really tell the limo driver to trash Ms. Pane's car? Just so we could come here?"
Viola kept her stare, looking innocent. Too innocent, as a matter of fact. "I do not know what I did wrong. I just asked him to get some water straight away, and as fast as possible. It is nothing I cannot smooth over with Ms. Pane."
Phoenix sighed. "Let's start investigating," he said glumly. He started by walking over to the desk. He studied it for a moment. "She seems to keep everything in order here…"
"Indeed," Viola applied. "Just a lamp, some papers, a folder, and a notebook. It was actually a gift from the family for one of her birthdays. It's a pocket phonebook." She watched Phoenix as he picked it up. It was no bigger than a human palm, and it was bound with blue imitation leather. The Cadaverini symbol, a trio of golden balls, was stamped on the front cover. Phoenix began to look through the pages.
"Timothy Gill….Angelica Domino...Viola Cadaverini...Bruce Cadaverini…." He recalled Ms. Pane's connection to the man, then flipped a page. Napoli Salsa was written down too, the only name written with blue ink instead of black. Right above his name was Formaggio Salsa. Phoenix took out his phone, copying each of the six names he had scanned. Then he turned and walked over to the bed. It was just long enough for Ms. Pane, was covered with a green blanket, and had two pillows. Only one had a cover, with a case the same color as the blanket.
"The blanket and the pillowcase were from Formaggio, I think," Viola spoke behind Phoenix. The lawyer paused, then put his hand to his chin. This room was...just too sterile. Dull. Spartan, even. What would normally be a refuge from the troubles and tribulations of work seemed...so thoroughly joyless.
As if she had read his mind, Viola spoke up again. "Ms. Pane's a frugal person. Nearly all she earns goes into this restaurant. Maintenance, supplies, you name it. And the restaurant being a restaurant saves her the issue of food." She giggled.
Phoenix breathed deeply. It seemed like another dead end, but nonetheless he made note of the bed and its accessories on his phone. He nodded at Viola. "Let's go."
As the two walked down the stairs and reached the open entrance, a voice reached their ears. It was Ms. Pane.
"That's right, Angelica. It's okay. Things happen, they're unpredictable. No, not like last December. Yes? Yes."
Viola walked forward first, while Phoenix had stumbled out behind her. Ms. Pane, to their right, had just finished putting her phone in her pocket. A few meters away, a towman was putting the blue truck on a rack. The limo was not far, but with the front crunched beyond foreseeable repair. The proprietor flashed a smile as she saw her guests, and Viola gave a magnanimous bow.
"I do apologize for this."
Ms. Pane kept her smile on and waved her hand. "Don't worry, Ms. Cadaverini. Things happen. I'm just concerned that you may not have a way back home…"
"Oh, it's no problem at all, Ms. Pane. I can call. And you will certainly be compensated for this mishap. You know who to call." Viola pulled out her own phone with a cheeky smile. She tapped the keys, asked someone or other to come for a ride, and put her phone away. Then she turned and looked back at Phoenix, who had not moved an inch since leaving the restaurant. He was standing completely straight, his face frozen. As Viola looked at him with concern, a single word repeated itself in his mind.
December….
December...
December...
At the Detention Center…
"Don't know why that boy sent youse back here, 'cept to make more fun of me. Wasn't that ruckus in court enough for ya'll?" Napoli Salsa sat back in his chair, defiantly staring back at Detective Dick Gumshoe from across the wooden table. The interview in this small, gray-tiled room had just begun, and to such a terrible start, too.
"Hey, there, pal!" The scowling Gumshoe almost bolted up from his own chair. "I won't have you badmouthing Mr. Edgeworth like that! I'll have you know he's twenty-seven years old!"
"And you're, what, forty?" Napoli scoffed. "Mangy dog followin' babyface. What do youse want from yours truly?"
Gumshoe swallowed hard, then thought better of what he was thinking of and settled back into his chair. Napoli could see the quizzical look return to his face, but he knew better than to let his guard down.
"Fact is," Gumshoe began, "We have another witness. Says she saw you running out of the restaurant on the night of the murder."
"So what?"
"And that you had the bloody coat in your hands."
Another scoff. "Talk, talk, talk. Angelica's not hard to jerk around, especially with that motormouth o' hers."
Gumshoe was shocked. "How'd you know we found Angelica Domino?"
"Please. I know her, and I know her ties to Grande Azurro. And I know she won't last a straight minute up against Mr. Wright."
Gumshoe tapped his forehead, a poor imitation of Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth that did not escape Napoli's eyes. "Listen, pal. I know the situation. Mr. Edgeworth knows you have something to hide, you know you have something to hide, and even I know you have something to hide. Just fess up already. Let the secret out, you know? You know you'll get a plea deal ready if you come clean."
"..."
"And if it's the Cadeverinis that you're afraid of, don't worry. We can keep you safe. Come on. It's a good deal, but a limited-offer one, if you catch my drift."
Napoli sat quietly for a moment, then leaned forward. "Think I'll be takin' my chances, pardner."
"Well, then," Detective Gumshoe got up from his seat. "Good luck. You'll need it."
Hi! So sorry for the wait...coming up with the last trial section was harder than I thought. I hope that this chapter is a good enough transition to that, and I hope the rest of the fic runs more smoothly:)