A/N: This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but that's because I realized that not having the testimony and the cross-examination in the same testimony is disorienting. So next chapter will be little longer to compensate. Enjoy, my readers!

Juniper studied the testimony to see if anything stuck out. After ruminating over it, she did find a vague point that she wanted to have clarified. "For the sake of the record, could you give a summarized version of what you did this morning?"

"First thing I did was take out the trash, after which Detective Smokes ordered a piece of chocolate that I delivered. The Chief Prosecutor and Prosecutor Gavin came to visit, so I attended to them," Bailey explained. "Klavier in particular talked to me about the sealed case file, which I planned to give to him."

"I was very pleased with how accommodating that Fraulein Courte was to my request. I always planned to return the case file," Klavier said, a pleasant smile on his face. "However, I never had a chance to get my hands on the file, because the blackout occurred before she could retrieve it."

"This has never been clarified, so I will take this chance to establish something," Mrs. Newman said. "The case file was in my possession, for safekeeping. That's why it was never found in the manor- it was at my office."

"That is where we found it, now that I remember," Juniper said thoughtfully. "Me and Prosecutor Gavin found that case file in a drawer of Mrs. Newman's office."

"Which raises a curious question: how did Fraulein Courte plan to furnish me with the file if it was nowhere in the manor?"

On the witness stand, Bailey bowed at the waist. "My apologies, Prosecutor Gavin. I was not aware that the file had been moved out of the manor. I fully intended to ask Detective Smokes for the file later."

"But as it turns out, he never had it." Mrs. Newman tutted at Bailey. "Was the fact that Tony didn't have the file the reason you stabbed him?"

"OBJECTION!" Juniper slammed her hands on the bench. "Remember, it's been established that Detective Smokes may have been dead before Bailey entered the room. You can't suggest that a conversation happened between them without proof!"

"The defense's objection is sustained," The Judge said. "It seems we have established that the defendant's actions are supported by the testimony of the people around her."

It may be good to get further corroborating statements, then. "HOLD IT! What did you do while waiting, Prosecutor Gavin?"

"I poked around the manor on my own, to see what I could find. Alas, my search turned up empty," Klavier explained. "I stuck to the east side of the manor until the blackout, which is when I decided to guard the door."

"As has been previously established, no one passed by Klavier until the body was found," Mrs. Newman said, smiling smugly. "This is the main evidence that points to the defendant's guilt."

"I suppose it cannot be denied that this has been the main sticking point for the defense in this case," Edgeworth said, his arms crossed. "It has not been proven how a third party could have accessed the crime scene."

For the longest time in this case, we couldn't figure out how to get past the locked room mystery. But now we've got evidence to suggest an alternate route. Question is, what's going to happen once I present it?

"OBJECTION!" Juniper slammed her palms onto her bench. "The idea that only Bailey could have accessed the room and couldn't leave is what the culprit wants us to think. But the reality of the situation is different."

"We've retread these facts several times already: only Bailey was at the crime scene, and several people blocked her route out of the room," Mrs. Newman said impatiently. "There's no way a third person could have been in there with her."

"That's where you are wrong, Mrs. Newman." Juniper took a deep breath, then kept talking, "While investigating the east side of the manor, something was discovered in a storage closet."

"Ah, I remember this! I'll explain it," Ema said, taking out a file from her carrier bag. "The back of the closet has a hidden door that opens into a tunnel. The other end of the tunnel opens into the wardrobe in the victim's room."

"If I am not mistaken, I believe the wardrobe in question was locked," The Judge said. "And no one could locate the key."

"Funny you should mention that, Your Honor. The wardrobe key was left inside the door itself," Juniper said. "That's why no one could open it- the key was effectively inaccessible to anyone that didn't know about this tunnel."

"So effectively, you are arguing that only the defendant could have used the tunnel," Mrs. Newman said. "After all, as the maid of the house she's the only one that could have known about the tunnel."

Juniper flinched, because she knew that would be the most reasonable conclusion. "I would dispute the idea that only Bailey could have known about the tunnel. Detective Smokes must have known, as the owner of the manor. Which means that at least one other person could have known."

"Of course! My mother was Detective Smokes' closest friend, so she could have heard the tunnel from him at any time!" Robin exclaimed. "And she was at the east side of the manor, so she could have used it!"

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Newman giggled delicately. "To poke holes in my account, despite being your mother. You really are a prosecutor to the core of your being, Robin."

"Ah!" Robin drew her arms close to herself, a shocked expression on her face.

Mr. Newman looked over at Robin from his place at the witness stand. "You claim you're done with being a prosecutor, but you can't deny your calling. It's who you are."

Robin didn't verbally respond to this, but she clenched her arm, squeezing her proof of friendship.

"Did you have a response to the accusation by the defense, Mrs. Newman?" The Judge asked.

Mrs. Newman grinned confidently. "Only a question. Do you have any proof that Tony told me about the tunnel?"

You didn't deny that you knew about it… but you also know I can't prove that. Juniper shook her head. "Unfortunately, I can't say for sure that Detective Smokes told you about the tunnel. However, I can prove that Bailey didn't use it."

"Ah, I understand what Fraulein Woods is driving at. It's to do with the wardrobe key we just discussed," Klavier said, running his fingers through his hair. "It was locked within the wardrobe itself."

"Which means that it is impossible for Bailey to have locked the wardrobe door, because she was in the room itself. The only person that could have left the key inside the wardrobe door is someone that used the secret tunnel." Juniper drew her arm back, and pointed at Mrs. Newman. "And that is conclusive proof that a third person was at the crime scene!"

Mrs. Newman drew both her arms close to her chest. "That's really all the proof you have to show? The key being inside the wardrobe? That's barely proof of a third person, and it's certainly not proof that I had anything to do with it!"

"Even this proof alone shakes up the case against Bailey. If someone else could enter the crime scene, they could have stabbed the body before she even entered!" Juniper declared.

Mrs. Newman smacked her palm against her bench, and her icy aura flared up. "The opposite also applies! Even if a third party was at the crime scene, Bailey could have stabbed the body before they entered!"

The Judge slammed down his gavel. "Enough. It's clear that neither side has conclusive evidence to support their conclusion. As such, I would like them to make their current positions clear."

"I see no reason to change my case. The defendant remains the only person with both the means and the motive to stab the victim's body," Mrs. Newman said. She slowly raised her hand, then slammed it down quickly on the bench. "The defense has yet to conclusively disprove this."

Juniper shivered as she was hit with an icy blast of air. "However, now we know that the people at the east side of the manor don't have an alibi. I would like to return to the cross-examination!"

"Now that other suspects are possible, I certainly can't hand down a verdict until everything has been cleared up," The Judge said. "I will grant the defense's request."

Okay, I managed to hang in there. Now to draw out the rest of the information in this testimony. Juniper nervously grasped her hands together, knowing what she needed to ask next. "Mr. Newman, you are under oath. As such, the court needs you to answer this honestly- were you and your wife together the entire time?"

"Yes. I was making a meal for my wife, but then she heard our daughter talking with the chief prosecutor," Mr. Newman answered. "And she went to check on the situation. I believe you were there at the time."

"I was there, yes. But I remember something a little different," Juniper said. "Mrs. Newman did show up, but you didn't. So you can't say you were with her the entire time."

"You're nitpicking. I was still in the kitchen, which is why you didn't see me," Mr. Newman said, tugging at his safety vest. "But that also means I certainly couldn't have snuck past you."

I suppose there's no way to prove otherwise, at least right now. Juniper decided to focus her attention elsewhere. "HOLD IT! During your earlier testimony, there wasn't a chance to discuss your actions at the manor in detail. Can you tell us now?"

"I suppose I don't see why not. I spent most of my time waiting for Detective Smokes. While waiting, I called Miss Newman to discuss her recent conduct," Mr. Edgeworth explained. "Which devolved into the argument that Miss Woods walked in on."

"Now that I think of it, it's weird that Detective Smokes never called you back!" Robin said, clenching her fists. "What could he have been busy with that made him not meet with you?"

Edgeworth pushed his glasses up his nose. "Now that, I cannot say. It's not as if I knew what Detective Smokes was doing in his own house."

*snap snap snap*

When the snapping noise filled the air, Juniper grew curious. "HANG ON! It looks like you just remembered something, Prosecutor Gavin."

"Das Chief is right, there's no way of knowing what might have occupied Detective Smokes' time," Klavier said, still snapping his fingers. "However, there did appear to be pending business that demanded his attention."

"Your account tugs at a memory deep in my mind," Bailey said, absentmindedly tugging at her dress. "Almost as if I should know what you're talking about."

"It's something that happened before Fraulein Woods and her entourage showed up," Klavier said. "A sight that struck me as odd: Detective Smokes went to retrieve the mail."

"I have caught onto your thread of logic, and will answer the unspoken question. Yes, I am normally the one that gives Detective Smokes his mail," Bailey said. "I am unsure of why this would change on that specific day. Did you see what he did after he got the mail?"

"That's when Herr Smokes told Das Chief and I that he would excuse himself, and he retreated to his room," Klavier said. His expression grew serious. "However, that's where the knowledge I can offer ends."

"I believe I can explain it from here," Mr. Edgeworth said, crossing his arms. "When Detective Smokes' body was found, I immediately had the crime scene sealed off. After Prosecutor Newman took over the case, I requested that she check everything there. So she knows what became of the victim's mail."

"The Chief Prosecutor is correct. When the cause of death was believed to be the knife in his chest, I collected all the mail in case there was a letter from his alleged murderer," Prosecutor Newman said. "And I gave it to Detective Skye to check for evidence."

"OBJECTION!" Juniper smacked her palms on her bench. "Why is this the first time that the defense is hearing of this?"

"Because I did check the mail, and I found nothing related to the case," Ema said, putting her hand on her hip and glaring defiantly. "I even double-checked the crime scene for a suicide note, but I didn't find one."

"To clarify for the Judge, a second check of the crime scene found that there was dried ink on his desk," Mrs. Newman said, reading from a paper she was holding. "Which is why I had the detective check the mail a second time."

The Judge closed his eyes. "I would be remiss to not express some concerns at this point. Earlier in the trial, it was revealed that Detective Skye had withheld evidence in a previous case. Have there been measures to avoid a repeat of this?"

Detective Skye shuddered, scratching her neck nervously.

"I personally supervised Detective Skye, and she did nothing she should not have," Mr. Edgeworth said firmly. "In fact, I trusted her to check every piece of evidence for this case, to make sure no forgeries were slipped in. I standby all her findings."

"Chief Prosecutor…" Ema said softly, looking at Edgeworth with admiration in her eyes.

"If the Chief Prosecutor gives his word, then that is enough for me," The Judge said. "It seems that the victim's mail has no relation to this case."

"Even still, something else important has been proven! We have an idea of when…" Juniper had to push through a lot of anxiety to get the next part of her assertion out. "Of when Detective Smokes took his own life. It was right after the conversation with the Chief Prosecutor and Prosecutor Gavin."

Klavier's legs buckled out from under him, and he had to support himself on the witness stand. "Yet the Herr Detective told us he would talk with us again. So then why…?"

Mr. Edgeworth abruptly slammed his palm on the witness bench. "I believe this cross-examination is over."

"OBJECTION! You forget your position, Edgeworth!" Mrs. Newman yelled. "You're but one of many witnesses right now. You don't get to decide when a cross-examination ends!"

Edgeworth crossed his arms. "At this point, there is no reason to continue this line of questioning. It will not answer the question of 'who stabbed the victim's body'. Unless you have proof that this testimony has further details relevant to that point?"

Mrs. Newman reared back, glaring at Edgeworth. "No, I suppose I don't have proof at the moment."

Edgeworth turned towards Juniper. "As a reminder, the current suspect for this crime besides the defendant is none other than Mrs. Newman. She definitely has a reason to keep the trial from exploring that point as much as possible."

Juniper considered this. "If the cross-examination has proved anything, it's that everyone had an alibi during the period before the blackout. So no, it doesn't seem like we're going to find out who stabbed the victim's body through this line of questioning."

"Then the next course of action would be to discuss what happened during the blackout," Edgeworth said. "While that had been discussed yesterday, now we have the knowledge of the secret tunnel."

Mrs. Newman was sweating up a storm, waving her hand at her face. "Looks like the Chief Prosecutor truly can't stand anything outside his control, can he?"

The Judge shook his head. "It seems the prosecution has no counter argument. In which case, I will put an end to the cross-examination, and ask that new testimony be presented in regards to what everyone was doing during the blackout."

Klavier was still supporting himself on the witness stand, his expression troubled. "Detective Smokes' actions before he died… just what could they mean?"

Even after all this time, it feels like Tony Smokes is as much of an enigma as he was when we first met him. If I figure out who stabbed him, will that finally shine some insight into the kind of man he was?

A/N: All the information presented in this chapter has been mentioned in a previous chapter- except for the discussion about the victim's mail. This is the first time it's been brought up, hence Juniper's reaction. However, evidence added earlier in the story does contain a crucial clue related to that mail. I would like people to mull that over and check the Court Record while I write the next chapter. See you next time! Please review.