AN: Here. We. Are! The final chapter of the Turnabout Mansion arc...Hope you're ready! Cause it's a long chapter...and I worked on this for a long time. And well, I tried here... So, I really hope you guys enjoy the conclusion to this arc. Also, I got a request from Harmless Orange, asking if I could write up a BAD END if the true killer won the game. So, just for fun, I'll make a brief bonus chapter with an alternate bad ending. Thanks for sticking around on this crazzzzy trip and as usual thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting!
NNinja: Thank ya. We'll see if your theory is correct this time around. Oh, I was just waiting for us to see her in person before I added her to the profiles.
Spacegoodra: Haha, couldn't help myself. Hope it's worth the hype!
Harmless Orange: Lol I wouldn't think they'd be on the same level as Butz crazy, though I have some ideas. And yessss.
Nathen The Protector: ...You'll see. Very soon. Yep, Franz to the rescue~ Ah, I remember that blog, fun stuff. Lol have fun.
OBSERVER01: Well, everything is coming to a close right nowwwwwww!
Anervousguest: Haha we shall see. And yep Franz time! Also, this story is an AU where AAI and AAII have already happened. Let's see how she holds up...
Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Miller: Time to see how it goes down~
Jack54311: Hmmm well you'll find out soon enough. Yep, we're getting to it~
DJJ680: Hahah alright.
The Forgotten Reader: Haha, that sounds about right.
AriatheAlpha: Hahaha then that means I'm doing my job right ;D.
In the middle of the hall stood Mrs. Rothman, Finn, and Stephen in a circle. I made my way in, choosing to stand closest to Finn, across from Stephen and Mrs. Rothman.
"We're all here, so now what?" Ackerman asked not missing a beat. "We're just throwing around theories about who did it?"
I rubbed the back of my head. I hadn't reaaaalllyy thought of every detail. "What I had in mind was something a bit like a debate or discussion. Like court but more casual since there are four of us here. We'd present our ideas and establish their validity until we came to an agreement on who the killer was."
"Well, thank goodness this isn't a real court," sighed Dawson. "I wouldn't be ready at all…"
"This sounds fine," said Mrs. Rothman. "Where do we begin?"
Finn gripped the bloody towel wrapped around his hand. "It would make sense to begin with the first murder...probably."
I nodded.
Stephen folded his arms. "Alright, so we were all invited to this dinner party. There were ten of us to start: Mrs. Rothman, Noa, myself, Jamison, Irving, Dawson, Breckenridge, Edgeworth, Hardwick, and Doom. We had dinner in the dining hall. That's when Mrs. Rothman read that sick note from a psycho. After that we went to the study to hear it aloud. And then…"
"That's when we noticed that William was the only one of us not present," finished Mrs. Rothman. "After looking, he was found in the lounge, pinned against the wall with a sword."
"Um, so how do we know who killed him?" asked Dawson holding his hand up. "Did anyone notice another person missing from the study?"
I shook my head. "No, I think we were too engrossed by that letter to notice."
Ackerman grunted. "Well, then it could be just about anyone who snuck out, killed him, and came back."
Mrs. Rothman pulled down on her sleeves. "I believe this is a dead end. Perhaps we should talk of something more tangible, such as the the cause of death."
"Ha!" said Finn triumphantly pointing with his good hand. "Even I know this! He was killed with the sword, from the suit of armor, in the study!"
"Yeah, I agree with numbskull for once."
"Then it's decided. William was murdered with the sword."
HOLD IT!
I folded my arms. "I don't think that assumption is correct. The sword only looks like the cause of the death."
"Hm? You mean to say the sword isn't what killed him?" blinked the judge.
"No, what actually killed Mr. Breckenridge was this…"
TAKE THAT!
"A...wire?" asked Ackerman. "You're telling me this puny thing is what killed that behemoth?"
"When Mr. Edgeworth and I checked the body earlier, we were under the impression he was stabbed to death, that is until we saw the markings on his neck," I said pressing my glasses up on my face. "And then we discovered this wire with blood on it in the library. So, I'm pretty sure this is what killed him."
"B-but how could such a thing kill him…? It's almost as puny as I am!" Finn was frowning up a storm. "I'm sorry, but… "
I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT!
Argument
Why the Sword is the Murder Weapon
-I don't think it was the wire for a couple of reasons.
-Mr. Breckenridge was pinned against the wall with the sword.
-A wound like that would kill anyone.
-If it was the wire, why would the sword be used at all?
-Therefore, it only makes sense that the sword is the real weapon!
I felt as though, I had just been knocked back a peg. I couldn't let that happen because I knew that the wire was the legit weapon. Though, looking at Mrs. Rothman and Stephen, I could see that they were buying into the sword theory. I needed to quickly get us back on track.
Rebuttal
Why the Sword is the Murder Weapon
-I don't think it was the wire for a couple of reasons
-Mr. Breckenridge was pinned against the wall with the sword
-A wound like that would kill anyone
-If it was the wire, why would the sword be used at all?
HOLD IT!
"I definitely agree that a wound like that would kill anyone, but it wasn't the thing that killed him because there is far too little blood on the crime scene!" I pointed. "If that was the killing blow, I'd expect a river of red!"
Dawson started to sweat. I smirked, knowing that I landed a blow. I'd turn it around soon enough.
Argument
-You're saying that it can't be the sword because of the lack of blood, but…
- ...The carpeting in the lounge is red!
-The blood could have blended in!
-And besides that, if a wire did kill him…
-How was it done?
-Mr. Breckenridge was a kinda big guy...there's no way the killer could take him head on!
Damn. This was actually a good point, but I knew that it wasn't the sword. I had to focus. How was it that the killer attacked Mr. Breckenridge with the wire? He's right. He was well built for an older man, so the killer would need to one up him somehow. I went through the evidence in my head...and that's when I had a vague idea...
Rebuttal
-You're saying that it can't be the sword because of the lack of blood, but…
- ...The carpeting in the lounge is red!
-The blood could have blended in!
-And besides that, if a wire did kill him…
-How was it done?
-Mr. Breckenridge was a kinda big guy...there's no way the killer could take him head on!
I WON'T BACK DOWN!
"Mr. Breckenridge wasn't killed head on with the wire, you're right. It'd be too difficult...so, uh, the killer used a distraction!" I paused as I collected the thoughts in my head. "Mr. Breckenridge's own pocket watch!"
"W-w-what?! H-his pocket watch?" sputtered Finn, grabbing the sides of his face.
"You mean, the watch he lost earlier?" Mrs. Rothman asked.
"Wait," began Ackerman. "If you're saying that that annoying thing was a distraction, you're saying that it wasn't lost, right?"
I nodded. I was certain I was on the right track. "Didn't seem strange to you, that he would lose something so important to him? He noticed it was gone in the dining hall, so I can assume he would retrace his steps and go back to where he was prior."
"Meaning the lounge," noted Mrs. Rothman.
"And if you closely examine the watch," I said as I flipped the old watch open. "We can see the time is off by two hours. I think the killer changed the time on purpose to further distract Mr. Breckenridge, as Mr. Breckenridge was very obsessed with keeping time. During that period, the killer made his move with the wire and strangled him in the lounge."
"S-so if that's what really happened why did the killer use the sword at all?"
"Pfff. The bastard probably just wanted to screw with our heads!"
Mrs. Rothman closed her eyes. "I believe that that is a reasonable explanation. The killer has been 'screwing with our heads' for the whole evening thus far."
"Okay, so what? We know the killer strangled that old fart with the wire and distracted him with the watch," Ackerman folded his arms. "How does that tell us who this arsehole is?"
I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. "Um..."
"Patience, Stephen," said the judge. "We'll determine it once we examine all we know. Though, I do believe it is time to move onto to another topic."
"What's that? The next murder?" asked Finn.
"Obviously? What else would we do next-"
"Actually...I'd like to hold off on discussing the second murder for now," I said wiping my glasses on my skirt. "I think the more pressing matter is the third murder."
I needed a more solid footing and plunging into the second murder would muddle any sense of grounding I had, at least without establishing some other things first.
"Huh?" Ackerman cocked his head.
"Very well," said Mrs. Rothman clasping her hands together. "...Andrew was murdered third. He was found in the bathroom, which was after we had discovered Harriet's body and decided to split up to investigate the estate for clues."
"Yeah, I found him when I went to use the bathroom. Head in the toilet."
"Meaning, he was drowned," said Finn.
I nodded. "I believe that the fact that he was drowned is vital information."
The blond looked skeptical. "Why? Is that special or something?"
"Well, how was Mr. Breckenridge killed?" I asked.
"Strangled," he replied.
"Exactly," I smirked. "What does being strangled and drowned have in common?"
"Hmm...well, these are both forms of respiratory impairment," Mrs. Rothman said matter of fact. "To be more exact, both are types of asphyxiations, dying from severe lack of oxygen."
"And your point? Does the killer like as- asphyx..."
"Asphyxiations," finished Finn.
I nodded. "I believe so because of…"
TAKE THAT!
"An article about that assassin?" asked Stephen.
"Ah! I understand... I think," Finn nodded to himself. "You're saying, that you think the assassin is among us because of how their preferred method of killing is asphyxiation, right?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"Woah, woah, woah! Wait just a minute!" stomped Ackerman, who's face seemed to lose some of its color. "You're telling me that you believe that that psychopath 'J' is among us?"
I removed my glasses and twirled them around for a bit. "In this article, it says they believe the motivation behind this doctor's murder was how he botched two surgeries in the past. And to be honest, it sounds similar to why people have been killed tonight."
"Care to elaborate?" asked Mrs. Rothman. "I'm quite curious as to these reasons."
I nodded. "Before Ms. Irving was murdered she confessed to having an affair with Mr. Breckenridge and killing his wife. Mr. Breckenridge took the blame for the murder, while Ms. Irving defended him in court. She won and as a result they both got away with their crimes, scot free. That is, until tonight."
"I knew it! I knew that guy was no good!" huffed Stephen.
"Th-that's crazy!"
"H-Harriet and William conspired together? I- I can't believe it!"
"It's hard to believe, but it would make sense. The killer seems to target people who cannot be punished by the law."
The freckled face man grimaced. "W-wait. Then you mean to say that everyone that's been killed has committed some type of awful crime they weren't caught for?"
I paused. It had to be it...but Mr. Edgeworth. He couldn't have committed any crime. There must have been another reason. Yet, at least for Breckenridge, Irving, and I supposed Jamison it made sense. I couldn't be sure about Noa. And Hardwick was suspect. "It's highly likely."
"Well, it would be just as that note I read to you all said: '...You will be punished for your crimes,' " said Mrs. Rothman frowning.
"Right, and those that were 'good' would be spared, left to enjoy this sick idea of entertainment."
"Huh? T-then! Does that mean that we're the good?" asked Finn.
The blonde shrugged. "We're alive, so that has to be it. The others were the 'bad'."
"Actually...how can we be certain?" asked Mrs. Rothman. "What if that killer just changed their mind? We know that William and Harriet committed crimes, but what of the others? What about Ingrid, Andrew, Noa, and Miles?"
Stephen folded his arms. "We're alive and they're not. I think that's proof enough."
(Maybe I should show that other note…)
I presented the note that Edgeworth and I discovered from Hardwick. "While we're on this topic, I thought it'd be good to show you all this…"
"What …?"
"B-b-bomber?!"
"That air head...was a bomber?!" asked Ackerman. "Where the hell did you get this from?"
"It came from Mr. Hardwick's notes," I said. "I don't know why he had it, but…"
"That's pretty suspicious...probably."
"There is no probably!" snapped Ackerman. "This guy ! I bet this guy was the killer!"
"But...if he was the killer, how did he end up murdered?"
"Uh...someone…just figured out who it was and offed him!"
OVERRULED!
"Stephen, dear. That simply doesn't make sense. In addition to Andrew's murder...three people were killed shortly after. Therefore, Andrew cannot be the killer."
"Hmph," Ackerman folded his arms. "Fine, I guess that's true. But are we just gonna disregard that? It's a note with 'bad' people with crimes on it! Hell, the first two listed were correct so why bother doubting Jamison's listing? If he's not the killer, just what the hell was he doing with this?"
"Without a doubt Mr. Hardwick is suspicious, though he's probably not our culprit," I pushed the glasses up higher. "I think it's more likely that Mr. Hardwick was an accomplice."
"I see," said Mrs. Rothman. "You think he was assisting the real killer?"
"It's the only thing I can think of. Here," I said I presented the blackmail note we discovered in the studio.
" 'The guilt caught up to you, didn't it? But not enough to turn yourself in, right officer? But I won't have to reveal it to the world if you help me carry out my plan...' " read Finn aloud.
"Blackmailing scumbag…" huffed Ackerman. "They coerced the bastard into doing their bidding and still killed him."
"But this mentions how the accomplice was an officer," mused Dawson. "So, Mr. Hardwick was a cop before becoming a lawyer?"
"It would make the most sense," nodded Mrs. Rothman.
(It has to be. With those calls to Franziska, the guy had to be an officer of some sort. But I should keep that to myself for now. I don't want to alert the killer to the time limit... )
"Alright. So we've established that Hardwick was the accomplice. And that our killer is a crazy assassin," the blonde folded his arms. "What's next?"
"I think we can go back to the second murder," I said. Maybe it could be theorized a bit better with the info we had now.
It was Finn to start this time. "Um, so, Ms. Irving was found in the study. She was struck with a hammer, that for some reason was wet."
"And she was killed during the blackout," added Stephen.
"During the blackout…" Mrs. Rothman closed her eyes. "I was in the kitchen with Noa. Andrew, Ingrid, Finn, Stephen were out in the hall, and Lyn and Miles were in the lounge."
WAIT A SEC!
"Actually, Hardwick claimed to be under the stairwell during that time," Stephen cracked his knuckles. "And you, numbskull."
Finn turned to him. "Huh?"
"You were in the bathroom during that blackout, right?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't me!"
"Pssh. Of course it wasn't you. It should be obvious, who did it knowing what we know now," shrugged the blonde. "Hardwick. He's the accomplice after all."
I found myself nodding. "I agree. I believe the only one who could have committed this murder was the accomplice."
"On what grounds?" asked Mrs. Rothman.
"Well…" I stroked my chin. "Let's think of all the other murders. Mr. Breckenridge, strangled and stabbed, Mr. Hardwick drowned in the toilet, Ms. Jamison stabbed with a corkscrew with leg stolen, Noa face bashed in with said leg and Mr. Edgeworth stabbed/poisoned. What do you notice about all of these murders?"
"They all sound bizarre for one," said Stephen folding his arms.
"Erm...kinda impractical?" asked Finn.
I nodded. "These murders aren't straightforward for the most part. Yet, Ms. Irving's is the most simple and uncomplicated. Bashed with a hammer and done. Therefore, I find it hard to believe that this was carried out by the same person. I can only assume that the accomplice was the one to commit that particular murder as it's so different from the others we've seen."
"So, that's why Hardwick had to be the one to do it," said Ackerman.
Mrs. Rothman folded her arms, squinting as though she were scrutinizing something.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"I suppose I can accept that explanation...though I still don't understand where the water on the hammer came from."
"What does it matter? Hell, maybe Hardwick's hands were wet because he was nervous about killing her."
"No, she has a point," I said. "The only way water could be there is if the culprit came from a spot that had water, right?"
"If that's so, then the only places with water would be the kitchen and bathroom…" said Finn beginning to look worried.
Ackerman ran a hand through his hair. "So, what are you saying now? Are you saying that Hardwick went to the kitchen before killing Irving? Or are you saying that either numbskull, Mrs. Rothman, or Noa are suspect?"
I bit my lip. This was too big to overlook. I sincerely doubted that if Hardwick killed Irving, he'd go to the kitchen during the blackout. It wouldn't be impossible, but damned difficult. Plus, what reason would he have to go there, when he had a better path to the study just by being in the hall? No, it didn't make any sense. That couldn't have been what happened...but if it wasn't what happened, that would mean we were wrong about Hardwick being the accomplice.
"...I think we should reconsider who the accomplice is," I said sweating slightly. "For Hardwick to go anywhere else besides the study in that type of dark just wouldn't make any sense."
"Wait, now he's not the accomplice?" questioned Ackerman. "What about that list of bad? Just what was that about it if he wasn't helping the killer?"
I smiled slightly. I was happy to be proven wrong. "When I was finishing up my last investigation, I found Mr. Hardwick's phone ringing so, I answered it. And it was a woman who worked with the police...So it's possible that Hardwick was investigating on behalf of the police."
"That perv was with the police?" blinked Ackerman. "I can barely believe it. He couldn't have gotten much work done considering how much time he spent flirting..."
"Well, that could have been a cover, I think," said Finn pressing his index finger to his face.
"Then Andrew was on our side the whole time. Poor thing..."
Nobody spoke for a minute or so. Now that Hardwick was no longer a suspect, it could only mean one thing. Mrs. Rothman and Stephen now turned to face Finn, eyeing him with suspicion. He had turned blue in the face.
"It wasn't-"
"You bastard! You've been helping the killer all along!"
The judge shook her head. "I don't want to believe that you were-"
"Please!" Finn begged. His whole body was shaking. He looked at me pitifully. "Y-you have to believe me! I- I didn't kill Ms. Irving!"
"You liar! It has to be you! You were the closest one to the study. Hell, I bet you did you business, washed your hands, and struck her with that hammer!" Ackerman pointed.
"NO!" the brunette placed his hands on the sides of his head. "I didn't kill her! It wasn't me! I swear on my mother's grave!"
(Is he really the accomplice? It's definitely feasible, but it feels off...)
HOLD IT!
"Hey, maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions so fast."
Finn's eyes widened. "Y-you mean you believe me-"
"I never said that," I replied sharply. "You're the number one prime suspect right now."
"Then what is there to think about?" huffed Ackerman.
"Actually, Ms. Jamison mentioned that she heard music right before the blackout happened," I said.
Stephen blinked. "Hey, that's right...I almost forgot!"
"Yeah, I remember that too! We checked it out upstairs," said Dawson.
"We?" asked Mrs. Rothman. "Noa and I didn't hear the noise and only heard about it from Miles."
"Right, Mr. Edgeworth and I didn't hear it either."
"Ah, well, it was coming from upstairs. This loud music just came on out of nowhere. So, me, Jamison, Hardwick and numbskull went up to check it out," Ackerman scratched his chin.
"How long were you guys up there?" I asked.
"A couple of minutes...maybe three, I think," said Finn. "The music was coming out of that studio, I think, but by the time we got to the source, it suddenly stopped, mid song."
"Yeah, it was pretty weird," Ackerman said looking off to the side. "After that we came back down the stairs and a few minutes later that blackout began."
"So before the blackout," I pressed my glasses up on my face. "Ms. Jamison, Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Dawson, and Mr. Ackerman were out in the hall for most of the time, until they briefly went upstairs to check the music. Mrs. Rothman and Noa were in the kitchen. And myself and Mr. Edgeworth were in the lounge."
"And…?" Finn asked eagerly.
"We've held the assumption that Harriet was killed during the blackout, but that's only one way to look at it. What if she was killed prior to the blackout?" I asked.
It was Mrs. Rothman's turn to sweat. "If the four were upstairs, and you and Miles were in the lounge, it would imply that either Noa and I…"
"T-that would make one of them the most likely to be Ms. Irving's killer!" Finn said.
"Unbelievable…" Stephen shook his head furiously. "...Is that true? Did one of you really kill-"
"I've done nothing and neither did Noa!" snapped the judge. "We were in the kitchen the entire time."
(Mrs. Rothman...seems unnerved. I would be too, if I was accused of murder, but I've never seen her snap like that before.)
"That...can't be true!" trembled Finn. "It had to be one of you because I didn't kill her!"
"I would never kill Harriet! And neither would Noa. My Noa was too kindhearted…"
Nobody moved. We all stared at each other as we stood at this crossroad. There could only be two options: Harriet was murdered during the blackout or before it. If during...it would mean Finn did it. But before...it would mean that either Mrs. Rothman or Noa was the culprit.
"So how do we figure this out?" asked Ackerman brows furrowed. "How do we figure out which one of them is lying?"
I had no idea. Though, I could keep picking away at things like I had been. "Something's weird about the music. Why would it start playing like that before the blackout?"
"Like hell if I knew. Maybe to knock out the power?"
"That could be, but, remember the second blackout? We didn't hear any music then. So, why for that first time?"
He cracked his knuckles. "If it wasn't for shutting out the lights, then the only thing I could think of...is that it was meant to distract us?"
Yes. That had to be it. "Of course... They played the music as a distraction for the people in the hallway. Because after you guys heard the music you went to investigate where the noise was coming from."
"And with us out of the hallway...the killer could make a move!"
Yes. It was starting to make sense!
"So...what about the blackout?" asked Finn.
"It was probably just a coincidence," I pressed my glasses up as I presented the timer. "The other blackout was set to happen at approximately 10:20 PM with this timer found in the billiard room."
Ackerman turned his attention to Mrs. Rothman who had grown silent. "This means...that you…"
OVERRULED!
She adjusted the sleeves of her jacket. "That...has to be a mistake. You're saying that it was either me or Noa, but why couldn't it have been Lyn or Miles? They didn't accompany you four upstairs when music began to play."
HOLD IT!
I frowned. Was she turning against me? Did she really have something to do with this awful night? I didn't want to believe it. "I'm sorry, but the lounge doesn't have an ounce of water in it."
OVERRULED!
"You could have easily went to the bathroom and went to the study!"
OBJECTION!
"That would also mean that one of us would have had to have gotten a hammer from the studio, which is upstairs, moved to the bathroom, and then moved to the study to kill Harriet! And just how do you suppose, one of us went to the studio when a group of four traversed upstairs to investigate music? Even if one of us had went upstairs, prior to the music...people were standing in the middle of the hallway! They would have seen us."
"I...well...you…" she was falling apart. "You could have gotten the hammer another time. You could have lied when you said you used the bathroom!"
I looked at her wide eyed. "S-seriously? I assure, I definitely used the bathroom..."
Finn nodded. "Yeah! I can confirm that! When I wanted to use the bathroom after, I decided to wait until the air cleared because that smelled like-"
"Annnnndddd, that's all we need to know!" I interrupted, sweating. I took a second to regain my composure. "Mrs. Rothman...the second murder happened before the lights went out. So, which one of you did it? Was it you? Or Noa?"
The judge stood there holding herself, looking off with this vacant expression. She said nothing.
"Answer the question!" Ackerman clenched a fist. "Which one of you did it?"
After a while she finally spoke. "It...was me. I killed Harriet."
"I-It was you?!" squawked Dawson.
I couldn't believe it. "But...how could you?"
The judge frowned as she closed her eyes. "I never wanted to, but you saw the blackmail letter. They threatened to reveal my secrets and thus ruin my reputation and everything I worked so hard for…"
"Hey! If you're the accomplice, then you gotta to know who the killer is!" Stephen said with his fists clenched.
She shook her head hard, swinging her long flowing hair as a result.. "Unfortunately...I don't know who they are. They only ever corresponded with me through notes and letters."
"What? Are you for real?"
"Yes. I know as little as you do about the identity of the killer."
He threw his hands down exasperated. "Ugh! What a pain in the arse…"
"So, it was you who played the music coming from upstairs?" I asked.
"Yes, that was me," the older woman said.
I stroked my chin. "You guys didn't see anyone upstairs when you checked, right?"
"No, there wasn't a soul in sight," replied Dawson.
(Then that means, the music had to have been played at a distance. I wonder...)
"Mrs. Rothman, is there a remote control to that music player upstairs?" I asked.
"Oh. Yes, there is."
TAKE THAT!
"Then, I'm not mistaken in believing this is the remote, right?" I asked pulling out the tiny blue remote I had discovered earlier.
"Y-yes, that's the one…" she remarked nervously. "But how did you get that…?"
(Mrs. Rothman...you said you killed Ms. Irving, but is that true? The accomplice played the music to get everyone in the hall out of the way. I've no doubts about that. But this remote for music was found...)
"You weren't holding on to this remote," I pointed. "I got it because Noa had been holding on to it."
The judge's eyes widened. "W-what?! Th-that's absurd!"
WAIT A SEC!
"Are you telling me that Noa was the one who played the music?" asked Stephen.
"Ahh! Th-then wouldn't that make her…"
OVERRULED!
"No!" Mrs. Rothman cried. "I was the accomplice! I killed Harriet!"
"Mrs. Rothman...Noa had the remote on her when we found her body. There's no way you played music without that remote."
"I told you it was me! Why do you seek to slander the dead?" she glared at me, red in the face.
She had this look about her, that could probably set everything she looked at on fire. Because gods knew, I felt like I was melting. But I couldn't back away from this. I had to get to the truth...even if it hurt because that's what he would do. And I wouldn't let him down.
"The truth is that I did it. I am the accomplice. And thus…"
IT'S TIME TO PASS JUDGEMENT!
Argument
My Confession
-It's easy to see that I am the true culprit.
-It's as you said before. It could only be someone from the kitchen who killed Harriet.
-Before the blackout I played the music to distract everyone in the hall.
-It was then, I snuck into the study with the hammer...
-And I killed her.
-Forgive me.
Damn. I needed to find an angle of attack. And fast before this might actually be accepted by the others as truth. I knew she wasn't the killer, but boy was her argument just about air tight.
Rebuttal
My Confession
-It's easy to see that I am the true culprit.
-It's as you said before. It could only be someone from the kitchen who killed Harriet.
HOLD IT!
"What were you doing in the kitchen anyway?" I asked. "You guys spent a long time in there."
In the midst of everything she managed to chuckle. "Cleaning, of course. We cook dinner together and clean up together as well. Those dishes aren't going to wash themselves."
(I should keep going with this, since it doesn't look like she's going to burn me alive...)
"Oh, you don't use a dishwasher?"
She shook her head. "I'm a bit old fashioned. Those dishwashers don't always clean fully, so I prefer to do things by hand. Though, it was a pity we ran out of liquid soap to finish the job."
I stroked my chin. "So, you stopped doing dishes tonight?"
"Yes, Noa went to search for some soap, but came up empty."
"Do you mind adding that statement to your argument?"
"Though, I fail to see the relevance, as you wish."
(If my hunch is correct...you'll be seeing the relevance soon enough.)
-In the kitchen Noa and I washed dishes until we ran out of soap. She searched for soap, but found nothing.
HOLD IT!
"When Noa looked for soap did she ever leave the room?"
"She...left the room briefly," Mrs. Rothman was sweating buckets off her forehead. "What are you trying to say?"
"In the time that Noa left the room, she went into the study and killed Harriet."
"No, that's not right!" she growled. "Weren't you listening! I've told you it was me!"
(It's clear as day Noa was the culprit. Why can't she just admit it?)
"I'll do this one last time so you can understand."
Argument
Reasons Why I Did It
-I was being blackmailed by the killer.
-I didn't want anyone to learn my secrets.
-So I followed the killer's plan and killed Harriet.
-Noa had nothing to do with it.
-She was a good person…
I frowned. It really did seem like they cared for each other a lot. How shitty that it had come to this. I didn't want to be the one that did it, but it needed to be done. We'd have to figure everything out to get through the rest of this night and nothing would get in my way.
Rebuttal
Reasons Why I Did It
-I was being blackmailed by the killer.
-I didn't want anyone to learn my secrets.
-So I followed the killer's plan and killed Harriet.
-Noa had nothing to do with it.
OBJECTION!
"Mrs. Rothman," I began. "You cared about Noa. She was like family to you, right?"
Tenseness in her body slowly dissipated. "Of course. She was like the daughter I never had... "
"You must want justice for her, right?"
"Y-yes! She didn't deserve that."
"Then you must accept the truth of what really happened. The more you lie, the less likely we'll be able to figure it all out. I know you aren't the real accomplice."
"...Prove it." She looked down at her feet, tears welling. "Prove to me that she was really involved."
I nodded ready to make my case. " First off, when I checked Noa's body in billiard room, she had the remote on her person. If you had the remote like you claimed, why would she have it? If you were actually involved, I doubt you'd want to implicate her. Second, the location of the body was strange. She was killed in the billiard room where that timer for the second blackout was set. It's possible that she set the timer herself and was waiting to meet with the killer in there. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense for her to suddenly disappear and leave your side during the blackout, right?"
I did the quiet coyote. "And lastly...you claimed to be blackmailed by the killer, but that wasn't intended for you. You've been a judge for a very long time. And Noa, as I recall mentioned that she had been working under you for five years as she 'loved to serve'. At first, I thought it meant she just liked being a maid...but don't police officers protect and serve? I don't know why she was being blackmailed, but I'm fairly certain that note was meant for her."
Mrs. Rothman cracked as she shed silent tears. "I don't want to believe it...that she would do this instead telling me...but you are correct. Noa was a police officer before she worked for me. She would never talk about why she quit, only that she was in need of a fresh start and just wanted a simpler life. If only I had known why then…"
"You shouldn't blame yourself," said Finn quietly.
Stephen put his hands on his hips. "Don't worry. We're gonna figure out who the killer is and give em a piece of our minds!"
I nodded. We'd get there for sure because what other choice did we have? "Now, that that's cleared up, I think it's time to move on to the next murder."
"But how do we figure that out? With all the bodies we found, who knows what happened," frowned Finn.
"Well, it can't be that hard," scoffed Ackerman. "We can guess that Jamison was killed first."
"H-huh? How can you know that?"
"Idiot. Did you think she took her own leg off on purpose? The hell would she do that for, in a time where a crazy killer is on the loose?" he huffed as he cracked his knuckles. "Plus, how Noa was killed with the same leg, convinces me that Jamison was first and Noa was second."
"That makes sense," I agreed.
"Actually," Mrs. Rothman sniffed. "Before we get too far into that, can we go over where everyone was when the second blackout began?"
"I was in the dining hall."
"Ballroom."
"Mr. Edgeworth and I had just left the studio upstairs I think."
"Noa and I had been in the study, before she snuck off," Mrs. Rothman said.
Stephen was growing impatient. "Yes, yes, that's important, but it's right to assume in any case that Jamison was killed before Noa, yeah?"
The judge nodded. "It's plausible. They were most likely the first to be killed."
"And if that's true, that would mean Mr. Edgeworth was last to be killed," mused Finn. "Ms. Doom, do you mind going over what happened?"
I shuddered at the memory. "After Mr. Edgeworth and I checked out the studio and went into the hallway upstairs, the lights went out. Then there was this weird smell that we were about to investigate until we heard this thumping sound at the room at the end of the hall. We investigated the attic and then Mr. Edgeworth was attacked by this weird person in a mask and cloak. I ran trying to find someone for a bit and that's when I found Mr. Ackerman. We went back to the attic to check it out, but nobody was there. The only thing left was some blood on the floor."
"And then I found the two of them upstairs," said Mrs. Rothman. "We stayed together to search for everyone else who was missing. The lights returned and we examined the first floor. That is when we found you in the dining hall, Ingrid in the kitchen, Noa in the billiard room and Miles in the library."
"Actually, when were you attacked?" I asked.
He cocked his head to the side. "I think it was not too long after the lights went out."
I pressed my glasses up. "So, the order would be...Mr. Dawson's attack, Ms. Jamison's murder, Noa's murder and Mr. Edgeworth's murder."
"That would imply that either myself, Stephen, or Lyn is the true killer."
"Why isn't numbskull included?" asked Stephen.
"Just look at the extent of his injuries," I pointed out. "How could you murder anyone in that state? Anyone of the victims would have fought back and probably held their ground."
"...So one of us."
The three of us eyed each other with intensity. Which one of them did it? Who killed Mr. Edgeworth?
"Why don't you just confess already?" Stephen asked looking directly at me.
"What…?"
"I didn't kill him. For all I know you could have made that entire story up!" he pointed at me.
OBJECTION!
"That's...impossible! I would never kill anyone, let alone hurt someone I cared about!" I retorted throwing my hand back. "Besides that Mr. Dawson was attacked by the same person I saw fighting with Mr. Edgeworth!"
WAIT A SEC!
"Well, what if that was you?" he asked folding his arms. "When I saw the room, there was nobody in it. You could have attacked numbskull, killed the others, and then came back to put on this big show for me!"
I could feel my knees shaking. "No, that's not true! I could never…"
THAT'S WRONG!
"Huh?"
"l...while there's a chance that's true about Ms. Doom...what about you?" asked Finn holding his towel on his hand tightly.
"Me? Just what are you getting at?"
"It's just that, you were gone for an awfully long time before the blackout even began," he said.
"W-well I was in the ballroom, like I said earlier!"
"Yes...but the question is were you there the entire time?" asked Mrs. Rothman. "Perhaps you slipped out during the blackout and returned. No one would know any better."
WAIT A SEC!
"I didn't leave that ballroom!" The blonde was sweating bullets now. "And just what about you? No one saw you until later too!"
Mrs. Rothman remained calm and nodded. "That is true. I don't have a solid alibi for that time period. But I assure you I was looking for Noa."
"Ha! So you're just as sus-"
"I knew you were rattled from discovering Andrew's body. But you never left the room until sometime in the middle of the second blackout. So I must ask, what were you doing in there, Stephen?"
The blonde swallowed. "I...wasn't doing anything, alright? I was just- just sitting down."
"You're a pretty bad liar," blinked Finn in surprise.
Ackerman looked ready to pummel him. "Shut up! I'm not lying! I was just hanging out in the room to get away from all this...this crazy shit!"
"Were you planning on how to kill everyone in that time span? Did you kill Noa?" Mrs. Rothman asked growing upset.
"NO! I didn't kill anyone! I was...I was…" It was as though someone had hit the mute button on a remote control. The man held his head down and stared at the floor.
(Is he really the one…? The real killer?)
Looking at him, I wasn't sure, but he definitely had something to hide. Wait. Maybe he would know about…
TAKE THAT!
"Mr. Ackerman," I said as I held up the burnt spoon. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"
He looked up and his eyes widened. He immediately turned away folding his arms. "I-I got no idea what that ugly spoon has to do with me!"
"I found this when I was in the ballroom, stuck inside the piano," I paused. "And you were there for a long time...so just what is this?"
"I told you I got no clue!"
(I've got him on the ropes, I just need a bit more. Let's review what I know...)
I closed my eyes and thought it over. Mrs. Rothman said he wasn't always this mean. He changed after his father died. And when I got here, he and Mr. Breckenridge were having some kind of a fight. I recalled something about a pipe? After the first murder, I found a spoon was missing. The spoon was later found in the piano ballroom burnt...
Mean attitude...pipe...burnt spoon… The thoughts ran through me like an electric shock.
Wait.
He had a lighter, when we met in the hall. And right before then, there was this disgusting burning plastic smell…
Holy crap. Could it be that he was...
"Mr. Ackerman...you...were doing drugs in the ballroom, weren't you?" I asked barely able to believe it myself. "That's why there was that weird smell during that blackout."
Stephen's mouth hung wide open as his forehead was dripping with sweat. "T-that's…"
"N-no way!"
"S-Stephen...tell me that isn't true!"
He looked at Mrs. Rothman for a moment. He rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes darted to the floor. "...I'm sorry."
"You started doing drugs after your father died," I said putting it together.
"When my old man passed, that was it for me. I had to not only support myself, but my younger brother too. Things are better now, but back then...it was rough. I didn't think we'd make it...so that's when I turned to drugs," he frowned. "I've been trying to stop, but it's damned hard."
"So, earlier you took the spoon from the dining hall?"
"Yeah, that was me. After the first murder and knowing that we were trapped...I grabbed it. By the time I found that pervert in the toilet, I'd had enough. I always keep some rocks on me, so I put them on the spoon and held the flame to it, to waft it in...I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done that here."
"Stephen…" she frowned. "Once this is all over, you need to get help."
"That's if it we make it out alive," he folded his arms.
"Well...now that we know what he was doing, it can only mean one of two things," Dawson said.
"You mean, either me or Mrs. Rothman are suspect," I said grimly.
I looked at the older woman. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew I didn't kill all those people. And especially not Mr. Edgeworth. She owned the house, she'd know how to get around. She could have just been hiding, waiting for the moment to strike and kill everyone. Perhaps her care of Noa was a ruse. All fake to make her look sympathetic. Or maybe she did care and just have to bump her off...I had no idea. But this was it. I'd have to keep fighting until the police arrived, because if I lost now the killer would most definitely get all of us.
The judge's eyes who had been fixed upon me, widened. She was no longer looking at me, but rather something past me. "W-what? T-that can't be! How are you…?"
Stephen looked as though he were ready to bolt. "W-what the hell is going on?!"
Finn turned around and as soon as he did, he looked as pale as a sheet of paper. "A-ahhh! H-how is that possible?!"
I looked to see what all the commotion was about. A man was walking toward us. But not just any man. My jaw dropped. The red suit. The cravat. The grey eyes. How could it be possible? How could he still be alive? We all saw the body. Examined it. No breathing. No pulse. There was nothing to suggest he was alive. But now, he was alive and breathing and even moving. No, I should forget it for now. That other stuff didn't matter. It only mattered that he was here. That he was back.
"Mr. Edgeworth! You're alright! You're not…"
Edgeworth didn't respond. He didn't even look at me. He just kept walking at a leisurely pace until he was standing next to Mrs. Rothman.
"G-g-ghost! W-we have a ghost!" cried Finn hunching over.
"Th-this doesn't make any sense...people just don't rise from the dead!" Ackerman was turning blue, cracking every single knuckle over and over. "How are you...?"
"Mr. Edgeworth…?" I asked.
Once again, he didn't respond. Though, he was glaring at me or was it through me? I couldn't tell. I noticed his eyes were a bit bloodshot. And that...his stance was different. It wasn't the same sophisticated posturing he normally held. He looked a bit more aggressive.
"I know not of who you speak. Refer to me by my true name," he demanded.
What? True name? That was his true name. Just what the hell was he going on about? Something was definitely wrong.
Without any other choice, I decided to humor him. "Uh sorry, I don't know what your true name is...mind filling me in?"
Suddenly, he dramatically spins...an imaginary spear? And then makes some kind of fighting pose. "The defender of truth and justice, Warrior of Neo Old Tokyo, The Steel Samurai!"
The rest of us just stared at him for a really long time, not uttering a word.
(This...isn't real is it? He doesn't actually believe he's the Steel Samurai, right? Tell me this just some awful joke…)
I had no words for this. Just why the hell was he saying he was a character from a television show at a time like this? While I was glad he was back, it wasn't the time for a bloody fanboy fantasy!
Stephen ran a hand through his head. "I knew it. This guy isn't who he said he was. He's off his trolley..."
"Mr. Edgeworth-"
"To so boldly deny my name...how dare you, Evil Magistrate!"
"Wait- what?" My forehead dripped with sweat as I held my hands up. "No, I'm not the Evil Magistrate, I'm Lyn-"
Within seconds, he spun his imaginary spear with two hands and and jabbed it towards me. I was shocked to actually feel like I had been jabbed in the stomach.
(What the hell? How did he do that! Does that mean Klavier's air guitar legitimately sounds like a real guitar too?)
I took a step away from him, not wanting to be skewed with the Samurai spear. Okay, it was clear that he was confused. He didn't recognize me, hell he didn't even know who he even was...just what in the world happened to him?
(Well, he's alive. Certainly not alright. But I suppose beggars can't be choosers.)
"I'm glad Miles is alive, but…" Mrs. Rothman bit her lip. Honestly, she didn't even have to finish the thought. I'm certain she was thinking the equivalent of wtf?
"That settles it," said Stephen. "He's the killer."
"H-huh? What makes you say that? He seems too out of it, to be honest…" said Finn looking at the man.
"Why the hell is he alive? We checked the body and everything," Ackerman said eyeing Edgeworth with suspicion. "I bet he faked his death."
HOLD IT!
"That can't be right," I protested sweating. "I don't believe he faked it. I'm pretty certain he was drugged."
"Drugged?" asked Mrs. Rothman.
TAKE THAT!
"When I checked the body, I found this white powdery stuff up his sleeve. It was near the area he had that gash," I explained. "So, I think it was put into the wound, when he was attacked."
"Alright, but that still doesn't explain how he disappeared and how we couldn't find him for the longest time. Where the hell did he vanish to?" asked Ackerman.
"Mr. Edgeworth, what happened-"
The spear was spun. I was jabbed at a few times, but luckily for me I managed to dodge most attacks. The poor victims of one jab were a few strands of hair. I had no idea how powerful a spear could be, especially that it was an imaginary one at that.
(Ugh, I'm going to have to be more careful.)
"Okay. Uh, Steel Samurai. I need to know what happened when you...engaged in battle with...a minion of mine?"
He pointed the spear at me. "Why should I tell you? I won't give into your evil ways!"
Oh Goddammit.
I needed this testimony. This was one of the things that could crack this whole case open. Without it, we'd be screwed and everyone would probably believe Edgeworth was the killer. I couldn't let that happen, lest we all wanted to perish.
(Good old Edgeworth... Whether he's sane or delusional, he's somehow, always making my life unnecessarily difficult! If we get out of this alive, he's gonna have a piece of my mind...)
I sighed to myself. I'd try this again with a new strategy. I cleared my throat. "Haha! Very clever Samurai! That...was just a warm up test! I, the Evil Magistrate, now challenge you to a battle of words! Surely, you won't step away from a chance to save innocent lives?"
(Oh God, I feel like a dumbass. But it's a good thing I've been forced to watch Steel Samurai with Maya a thousand times over...)
"I will never lose to you!"
"Then, I implore you to give testimony about your... last battle! Or face defeat by my hands!"
He poised himself for battle. "Prepare to be cut down!"
Witness Testimony
My Last Battle
-My foe was a powerful figure.
-We struggled in the darkness for some time. Until…
-My foe struck me with a sharpened blade!
-Then it grew difficult to move.
-I believe my foe used some kind of dark magic.
-But I did not retreat!
I was grateful that I could actually make sense of that. It sounded a bit different from what I thought, but it seemed I was on the right track.
Cross Examination
My Last Battle
-My foe was a powerful figure.
-We struggled in the darkness for some time. Until…
-My foe struck me with a sharpened blade!
-Then it grew difficult to move.
HOLD IT!
"When you say difficult to move, could you elaborate?"
This time he whipped out an imaginary fan. "It's just as I said. My limbs moved poorly until they would not move at all! From toes and fingertips to my entire being!"
Christ. It sounded like he was paralyzed… "God, that's horrible- erm, I mean, haha…I only hire the best minions?"
"Hmph."
-I believe my foe used some kind of dark magic. But...
HOLD IT!
I smirked. "You're correct, Samurai. It was a magical concoction made just for the sole purpose of defeating you!"
The spear was jabbed at me. "Too bad, for you that it failed because…"
- I did not retreat!
HOLD IT!
"You didn't retreat?" I fake laughed. "What does it matter? You couldn't move anyway."
He shook his head with a smirk. "But I could move...my eyes."
"Your eyes?" I asked getting curious.
"Yes. I watched my foe for until I could no longer keep my eyes open."
"Ahhh! Then tell me! What happened!" I paused. "I mean, explain yourself, Samurai! I need to know how badly you were...defeated!"
(Am I getting too into this role play thing? ...It's hard not to, especially when I'm technically beating him at something.)
"As long as truth and justice stand, I will never be defeated!"
Witness Testimony
What I Saw
-Though much of my body would not move, I watched my foe intently.
-They flung me over their shoulder as they created mischief.
-After that they pushed the bed over.
-And then, they opened something on the ground and moved the bed back.
-Together we entered the dungeon.
Could this be what I think it is? We're so close to cracking it wide open, I can barely wait.
Cross Examination
What I Saw
-Though much of my body would not move, I watched my foe intently.
-They flung me over their shoulder as they created mischief.
HOLD IT!
"What do you mean by creating mischief?" I asked.
"My foe slammed the door shut and then…"
-After that they pushed the bed over.
-They opened something on the ground and moved the bed back.
HOLD IT!
"Opened something on the ground? What's that mean?"
He furrowed his brows. "It was like an entryway, much like a lid on a box they opened up."
He had to have meant a trap door. A trap door must be under that bed!
-Together we entered the dungeon.
HOLD IT!
"So, this dungeon… how large is it?"
"The dungeon is cramped. There are only two places one can go, if they pass through the dungeon."
I knew it. I knew there had to have been a secret passageway out of that room. We needed to get to it, but first...
I cleared my throat. "Listen...Samurai. You are being deceived...I am not the Evil Magistrate!"
"What? Where is your proof?" he growled spinning the spear.
Uh oh. I had to draw back something from my memories of watching The Steel Samurai.
I pretended to swing a spear of my own around in a dramatic fashion with a kick. "You see! I am actually...the...the Nickel Samurai!"
"What…?"
"I, too fight for truth and justice! I'm on your side! And together we can stop the Evil Magistrate!" I said striking a pose. "The REAL Evil Magistrate had cast a spell on you, for this is just an illusion!"
(God...I can't take anymore of this charade. This is why I like the Jammin' Ninja more. It's just a chilled out ninja with a guitar...)
He looked at me squinting for a long time. "I see...this is dishonorable of me! I beg for your forgiveness, brother!"
He bowed. Oh thank sweet baby Jesus, he bought it. I sighed a sigh of relief. "Uh, hey, don't worry about it...bro. What's important now, is that you show us the way to the dungeon!"
"Understood," he nodded, already darting off upstairs.
The others looked at him and then at me as if I had fifteen heads. I guessed they weren't avid watchers of a television show meant for children.
"What?" I snapped feeling somewhat embarrassed. "We're wasting time, let's follow him."
I didn't even bother looking at the rest of the party and just ran upstairs towards the attic. I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.
October 17th, 11:47 PM
Attic, Rothman Estate
Mr. Edgeworth was pushing the bed over when we arrived. Ackerman quickly joined him. Soon enough, there was a square shape revealed on the floor. Mrs. Rothman removed the top, to show a long case of stairs leading...to somewhere.
"My goodness," she said covering her mouth. "I had no idea a passageway was up here."
"You didn't know there were any passageways at all?" I asked.
"Oh, heavens no. I was aware of the existence of some. But my husband was the one who knew where those were, not me."
Edgeworth looked near ready to jump down the stairs. "Shall, we proceed to the dungeon?"
"Hmph. What're we waiting on? Let's go," said Ackerman as he pushed past Edgeworth and began walking down.
Soon enough we all began the trek down the dimly lit staircase. With each step was a creak against the wooden stairs. It seemed like forever we walked until we reached a crossroad. One path went left, while the other went right.
"Which way do we go?" asked Finn.
"Mrs. Rothman, Mr. Dawson, and Mr. Ackerman should go left. While me and Mr. Ed- I mean, Samurai take the right. Once we figure out where we end up, let's meet back out in the hall."
"Got it," nodded Ackerman.
The three of them went down the hall on the left side. Mr. Edgeworth began the journey opposite side, so I followed along.
October 17th, 11:50 PM
Library, Rothman Estate
Once we reached the end of the path, there was nothing but a wall present. I thought it was a dead end, but Edgeworth said we had to press against the wall to find the door.
And sure enough, I found the right spot and fell right through it. I landed on the ground with a thump. "Ow…"
Edgeworth hopped out of the secret passageway quickly and offered me a hand. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," I said taking his hand to stand. "Just wasn't expecting the door to just pop open like that."
Taking a gander, I recognized the room. It was the library. So, that was how he had ended up here… He was probably left against the secret passageway wall and fell through like I just did. And it was also why we couldn't find him.
Click.
We turned around. The door we had just arrived out of shut.
"What dark magic is this?" the prosecutor ran back to the spot in the wall. He tapped the spot and leaned against it, but nothing happened. He raised a leg. "Samurai spinning kick-!"
I rushed over and grabbed him by the arm. "H-Hey! L-Let's not be so hasty. Maybe the door only opens from the other side."
"Ah, another trick. This evil here has no bounds, it seems."
(Tell that to the architect who made the place…)
"Uhuh," I nodded. "So, this is where you ended up, right?"
He closed his eyes. "I remember not. But I do remember being awakened by the master giving me a drink in this very spot."
What? He was woken up by someone with a drink? Was it an antidote for the drug? Wait. More importantly... For anyone to have known that there was still a person to wake up, they must have been the...
I grabbed him by his arms. "Listen to me. This is important. This master person. Do you remember anything about them? Did you get a look at them? Did they speak?"
"They were dressed much like my foe...and they told me that it was time to take part in a game. For life or for death because the hero must save the day."
I released my hold on the prosecutor and grit my teeth. That bastard. This killer was fucking with us! Just who did this...
I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Hm?"
"Worry not, friend. We will deliver justice," he said with the utmost sincerity.
I sighed. "Yeah. I hope so. Let's get back to the hall."
He let go and started to walk off. Until I stopped him, that is. Was I seeing things?
"Is there a problem with my armor?"
"Uh, yeah. Sorry, but do you mind if I…?" I lifted up the white fabric folds of the cravat. My eyes hadn't been mistaken. When he had begun to walk, from where I was standing I thought I had seen specks of red…
(Blood? But how? He was only cut through the arm and the bleeding stopped.)
I let go of the cravat and hastily grabbed his right arm and rolled up the sleeve to make sure of it. It was a nasty cut, but the blood flow had stopped. I dropped it. If the blood didn't come from Edgeworth, then there could only be one other person it did come from.
"...Let's finish this," I said walking into the hall.
October 17th, 11:53 PM
Main hall, Rothman Estate
The others were waiting back outside where had been standing previously. Though, this time Stephen was holding on to a couple of things: a black cloak and white mask. Edgeworth and I made our way back.
"Looks like you made some discoveries," I said wryly.
"The left path led us right into the billiard room. From there you can go to the attic or library. And along the way we picked up this mask and cloak, what you said the attacker was wearing," said Ackerman.
"I see. We found that the right path led right to the library and that it can only be accessed through the attic. You can't enter it from the library side. To open up the passageway, you have to press against the triggers of the wall. And when that's pressed, the passage will open. I figured that whoever left his body pressed against the wall, figuring he'd hit the right spot to fall out. " I paused. "That's why we couldn't find him during our searches."
"Where does that leave us?" asked Dawson.
"Right to our killer," I said. "But I'm sure you would know best, wouldn't you, Mr. Dawson?"
He started to sweat. "H-huh? J-just what are you talking about?"
"Hey...you aren't trying to say that that moron is the killer, are you?"
"...I am."
"But haven't we established that Finn couldn't be the culprit earlier?" asked Mrs. Rothman.
"Y-yeah! That's right! With my injuries it's not-"
OBJECTION!
"Possible?" I smirked twirling my glasses. "I very much agree with you. It's not possible...if you were attacked first as you claimed."
"What do you mean?" asked Stephen. "We said the order of events was his attack, Jamison's murder, Noa's murder, and Edgeworth's...attack I guess."
I nodded. "That's what we thought at first. Now, imagine if Mr. Dawson's attack didn't happen first, but last."
Mrs. Rothman closed her eyes."...Then it would be entirely possible for him to carry out everything."
THAT'S WRONG!
"T-that didn't happen! That would mean I did this to myself! I mean, just look at it," he said raising his blood soaked towel hand up and presenting his slashed up stomach.
"That's...crazy…" said Stephen.
"I...I'm finding that a little hard to believe, to be honest," Mrs. Rothman winced.
"Besides, why couldn't Mr. Edgeworth have done it?" asked Dawson. "He knew about the secret passageway, after all."
OBJECTION!
"That's impossible. He only knew about it after he was attacked."
THAT'S WRONG!
"Maybe that's what he wants you to think. It's entirely possible that Mr. Edgeworth attacked me in the dining hall, killed Ms. Jamison in the kitchen, killed Noa in the billiard room and used the secret passageway in there to get to the attic to put on some kind of show!"
OBJECTION!
"No! He was with me the whole time! We went up to the studio to investigate and heard that weird noise in the attic!"
WAIT A SEC!
"Well, what if you're lying to protect him?" asked Stephen. "Mrs. Rothman did it earlier..."
OBJECTION!
"I wouldn't do that!" I protested. "If he did something bad...I'd want to know the truth. I wouldn't turn away from it!"
Mrs. Rothman and Stephen looked contemplative and unconvinced at that. Shit. I was losing them. They were doubting me- no, rather Mr. Edgeworth. Dawson seemed to relax. That bastard. It had to be him. I'd have to nail him with something...anything...
"You see how ridiculous you sound?" smiled Dawson waving the bloodied towel wrapped hand. "I know the truth hurts, but so does denial, right?"
OBJECTION!
"N-no! He's not the killer!" I trembled. "Listen to me! We can't get this wrong...if we choose the wrong person that's it for all of us!"
"Ugh, I know! But I'm just not convinced of numbskull's guilt..."
Mrs. Rothman shut her eyes, though it was more of a wince then gentle closing of lids. "I have to agree."
Shit. Shit. Shit. I pressed my hands against the sides of my head. This was bad. Very bad. If I couldn't turn it around we'd...
Edgeworth looked at me, with a familiar steely eyed look of determination. "Stay focused."
"Mr. Edgeworth...?"
"A warrior needs to concentrate during a battle, to know when to strike."
"I...see." For a moment, I thought he returned to normal. I was a bit disappointed, but even if he wasn't himself entirely he was still Mr. Edgeworth anyway. Because somehow what he said did make sense.
No. Concentrate. I had to stay calm. I could think my way out of it. I had to think my way out of it.
Finn smirked. "You know besides all of that stuff, it's crazy how Mr. Edgeworth tricked us all by pretending to be dead."
(Pretending to be dead? You almost made him dead, you jerk! ...But wait. This could be my chance.)
"...Why do you think he was pretending to be dead?" I asked.
The freckled face man's demeanor was changing, going from that timid posturing to a more bold stance. "Isn't it obvious? How'd he make us believe he was dead, only to come back walking around later?"
OBJECTION!
(I got you now, you bastard...)
"Hate to burst your bubble, but that doesn't make any sense," I said doing the quiet coyote.
"What?"
"Mr. Edgeworth was paralyzed and I think we can agree to that, because after all, when we checked his body we all were convinced that he was dead. No pulse. No breathing. No nothing."
Dawson was starting to look unnerved. "So? That was the point of his plan-"
"Mr. Edgeworth made no plan!" I shook my head. "Because if one was to poison themselves to enter a state of paralysis to fake dead, someone else would have to know...otherwise, how the hell do you get out the paralysis?"
"G-gah!"
"That's a risky move to play possum and have no one else know you're playing possum, don't you think?"
"You're right, that would be absolutely nuts!" Stephen exclaimed.
"Then how was Miles able to wake up?" asked Mrs. Rothman. "Someone would have had to have done it for him."
I nodded. "Exactly. And that person, is the only one who knew he was drugged...our killer."
THAT'S WRONG!
"N-now, hold on! Anyone could have revived him with an antidote. I-in fact, I bet you were the one who did!"
OBJECTION!
I shook my head smirking. "That would be convenient for you, I know. But unfortunately...the only one who revived him could have been you!"
"Where's your proof?!"
TAKE THAT!
I grabbed hold of Edgeworth's cravat and lifted it up, to reveal the blood droplets that stained the white cloth. "Here's all the proof I need!"
He was sweating up a storm, he was on the ropes clutching his fucked up hand. "What does that mean? Blood? That doesn't mean anything! You're just making things up now, aren't you?"
"If I were the one to administer any type of antidote to wake Mr. Edgeworth up, I wouldn't leave behind any trace of blood. And right now...the only here bleeding is you, Mr. Dawson."
"No...that's..." He straightened up, looking a little less frail. "No, that's silly. Remember earlier? I checked the body earlier. It shouldn't be that surprising to see some of my blood."
I shook my head. "Sorry, but if this were dropped at the time you were investigating, the blood would be far more apparent. After all, when we discovered you in the dining hall, you were bleeding out like dog."
"You..."
"These specks...show me that you came back at a later time! And that was to administer an antidote to wake Mr. Edgeworth up!"
Mr. Edgeworth began coughing as he pulled away from me, grabbing his neck. "Ahh, sorry...was that too rough?"
The man was fuming, turning red in the face as he pulled on it and stretched it out like a piece of chewing gum...until he suddenly stopped. He stood up straight, folded his arms as best he could and said nothing.
"Hey! Aren't you going to defend yourself?" barked Ackerman.
Mrs. Rothman paled. "Finn...why aren't you responding?"
The brunette remained silent just looking up, as though he were pondering something.
"You did it, didn't you? Not only that, but it was you who killed Mr. Breckenridge, Mr. Hardwick, Ms. Jamison, and Noa!" I accused.
He flashed a smile. "...I must say. This has been an interesting turn of events for this evening."
"What...?"
The voice deepened and his posturing completely straightened up, showing how tall and strong he really was. He threw the bloody towel to the ground. "I mean, five people dead and myself accused of murder? It's titillating. Exciting. Thrilling. It's more than I could have hoped for this evening. Truly, I had expected so little upon my arrival. But then you four showed up and made this more interesting. In addition to our cast of adulterers, a naive optimist, a servant girl, and a femme fatale, we also had an undercover cop, a drug addict, a sidekick, and a hero. What an exciting cast of characters, wouldn't you say?"
"What the hell are you going on about?" snapped Ackerman.
Bang!
My eyes were wide open, staring at the smoking gun Finn was holding.
"You son of... a bitch…" Stephen said grabbing his now bleeding shoulder. "Why...would you…"
"To be honest, I've been wanting to do that all night," Dawson smiled. "You're a prick, you know?"
Mrs. Rothman was in shock for a moment before she went over to Stephen's side. Edgeworth's stance grew into a defensive one.
"Anyway, where was I?" he looked up. "Right. Right. It's been a fun time. But I believe the party is over."
"Wh-what do you mean by that?" I asked sweating buckets.
The man smirked. "Ms. Doom. I'm not convinced by your explanation of how I'm the killer."
"Huh? But at this point it's obv-"
He cocked the gun directly at me. "I said, I'm not convinced. I haven't confessed to anything. The burden of proof is on you. That was the agreement. You figure out how everything happened or else it's game over for not only you, but for every other person in this room as well."
I swallowed. I had absolutely no doubts about Finn being the killer, especially with the gun directly pointed at me. It was just...could I piece it all together?
"Come on, love. This is taking an awfully long time," said Finn looking bored. "What will motivate you? ...Oh, I have it! The more time we waste standing around, the more brain damaged your boyfriend will end up without getting the proper medical attention. And it will be...All. Your. Fault."
"W-What? What do you mean brain damaged?! What the hell did you do to him?"
"There we go! That's the energy we need! Now, chop, chop!"
I felt a cold chill run through me. Brain damaged…? That can't be true can it? No, he was just making that up. He was just trying to scare me.
"Hey, I hate to be...that guy, but hurry up! I don't want to be shot again," winced Ackerman.
"I believe in you, Lyn. I know you can do it," Mrs. Rothman said.
Edgeworth nodded. "You must enter battle bravely."
Just a bit more...Hold out a bit longer and the police would be here soon. I had to do it. I couldn't get this wrong! It was time to present my final argument…
I cleared my throat. Here went nothing. "Tonight, eight of us were invited to a dinner party at this estate at eight o'clock. In total, there were ten attendees. Mrs. Rothman, our host, Noa the maid, Mr. Breckenridge, Mr. Dawson, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Jamison, Ms. Irving, Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Edgeworth and myself. Once we had all arrived, the plan was set into motion."
"I believe that after Mr. Hardwick arrived, Noa sealed the doors shut so no one could escape. She had no way of backing out participating because of how she was being blackmailed due to her past as a cop. After the doors were sealed, Noa went on to help with dinner preparations and at eight, we were sent to the dining hall for dinner."
"After dinner was completed, Mrs. Rothman had a letter she meant to read aloud to us, as that's what the sender requested. She read it to herself and panicked. She told us to convene in the study where the guests were made aware of its contents. To sum the letter said: the good would be entertained, while the bad would be punished for their crimes with death. But during that time, someone had snuck away from the group. Two people actually. Mr. Breckenridge, who had lost his precious pocket watch...and Mr. Dawson."
"To be more specific, Mr. Dawson had stolen Mr. Breckenridge's watch before we entered the dining hall, as for the entirety of dinner Mr. Breckenridge searched for it. When everyone else had left for the study...Mr. Breckenridge ran off to the lounge instead because that's where he last had the watch. And when he got there...he found it, though the time was completely off. And as he was fixated on the time, that's when Mr. Dawson made his move with a garotte wire, strangling Mr. Breckenridge from behind. After Mr. Dawson was finished strangling him, he snuck out of the lounge and back into the study to feign shock and horror with everyone else. When Mr. Edgeworth said we needed to contact the police, Mr. Dawson was the one to eagerly take the offer. Instead of calling the police (as they never arrived when they said they would), Mr. Dawson returned to the crime scene to tamper with it. Whether for show or to ensure he finished the job, I'm unsure. But he pinned Mr. Breckenridge to the wall with the sword. When Mr. Ackerman decided to leave the party early we discovered the doors were sealed shut. From the lounge, Mr. Dawson took the chance to slip out during the confusion and pretended he was running down the hall with news from the police. And that's how Mr. Breckenridge was killed."
"Now...Ms. Irving was upset from seeing Mr. Breckenridge dead. Mrs. Rothman and Noa took her to the study to calm down. Noa left, presumably to retrieve the hammer from the studio upstairs. She then returned to the kitchen to resume her clean up duties. Mr. Edgeworth went to question Ms. Irving and promptly left. Shortly after, Mrs. Rothman left the room and headed to the kitchen. Mr. Edgeworth questioned Ms. Irving once more and left the study, going to investigate the lounge. Four people remained in the hall; Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Hardwick, Mr. Dawson, and Ms. Jamison. Noa hit the remote control causing music to play aloud from the studio. The four in the hall ran upstairs to investigate. Noa took the opportunity to leave the kitchen claiming to look for soap, to run into the study, bash Ms. Irving with the hammer and quickly return to the kitchen. The four returned to the hall and know no better. Afterwards, by coincidence, the power goes out. Mr. Dawson probably took advantage of this time to hide his garotte wire in the library."
"The murder of Mr. Hardwick...was one of circumstance I believe. After we all split up to investigate Ms. Irving's death, I imagine Mr. Dawson overheard a phone call Mr. Hardwick was having. We know that Mr. Hardwick was working with the police and Mr. Dawson probably put two and two together. Mr. Hardwick would have these phone calls under the stairwell in the hall, so as Mr. Dawson was preparing for the next murders, he figured he'd get rid of Mr. Hardwick when he had the opportunity. So Mr. Dawson crept up behind him and knocked him out. He then dragged him down to the bathroom and drowned him in the toilet and left as though nothing happened."
"And here's where things get really crazy...After the rest of us discovered Mr. Hardwick's body, the last part of the plan was being set up. Noa lured Mrs. Rothman to the study after the failed attempt at getting Mr. Ackerman out of the ballroom. This was to give Mr. Dawson easy access to Ms. Jamison, who had returned to investigate the kitchen. Before the lights went out...Mr. Dawson presumably using a corkscrew that he found or maybe Noa gave, snuck up on Ms. Jamison from behind and stabbed in the neck. Before he left he decided to take Ms. Jamison's prosthetic leg with him. He left the kitchen and headed to the billiard room where he gets dressed in that mask and cloak he had stashed away, as he waited for the lights to go out. When the second blackout happened, Noa slipped away from Mrs. Rothman and headed to billiard room to meet with Mr. Dawson. It's then he killed her with the leg. Then...he moved upstairs to the attic through the secret passageway in the billiard room. That's when Mr. Edgeworth and I heard the noises down the hall. We went down to the attic to investigate and that's when Mr. Edgeworth was attacked by Mr. Dawson in costume. I ran to get help. And when I've gone, Mr. Dawson stabbed Mr. Edgeworth with a knife covered in some kind of drug that induces paralysis. He then picked him up, slammed the door shut and moved to the hidden passageway. Mr. Dawson left Mr. Edgeworth at the passageway for the library and moved to the other pathway to get to the billiard room exit, in which he leaves his costume. After that, he ran off to the dining hall to do the unthinkable: he stabs himself to make it look as though he were attacked and waits. With some time, the rest of us, Mrs. Rothman, Mr. Ackerman and myself discovered him as well as the rest of the bodies."
"And the final touch...once Mr. Edgeworth's body was discovered, it helped create a sense of suspicion. Mr. Dawson was probably going to leave it at that, until I challenged him to a game. And what did he do then? During the investigation period, he went into the library, with some kind of concoction to end the paralysis. You gave it to Mr. Edgeworth, thus bringing him back to life to create a sense of more confusion to help try to cast suspicion on to him."
"And that's how the night's events transpired...The killer is you Mr. Dawson!"
(Tell me I'm right. For the love of God. That was the longest thing I've ever explained my life...)
I held my breath waiting for the answer, partially closing my eyes. The freckled face man slowly, lowered the gun he had pointed at me. He put it in his jacket pocket and did a slow clap. "Bravo. Bravo. Impressive deduction skills, Ms. Doom."
"I...was right?"
"Indeed. I'm quite convinced of my own guilt now," he smiled.
(Oh thank God! I...kinda made some stuff up here and there...but it was good enough!)
Everyone looked relieved. I released a massive sigh. Oh thank God. I didn't fuck up. We were still here. A bullet wasn't lodged in my brain...I wiped the sweat off my forehead.
"But Finn, why…? Why did you kill so many?" asked Mrs. Rothman.
He shrugged. "Just for the record, Finn's not my real name. The closest you'll get to that is 'J'."
"The assassin…"
"The one and only," he smirked. "I'm simply doing my job. I get hired, with the whole assassin thing going on. Sides, it's the only thing I can do right anyhow. When I said I sucked at prosecuting...that wasn't a lie. And as much as I would like to, I don't kill for fun. Okay, well, I like making bad people suffer in weird ways, so I guess that is fun…?"
"Noa wasn't a bad person!" Mrs. Rothman snapped.
THAT'S WRONG!
"Mrs. Rothman...you're absolutely, hopelessly naive," frowned J shaking a finger at her. "You didn't know what Noa even did. You didn't know she was a dirty cop, taking bribes, letting all sorts of injustices slide. You didn't know that she ensured more criminals on the streets, ensuring more deaths of innocent people...did you?"
"What…? Th-that can't be true-"
"She was in with mobsters...and the worst part was she got away with it," he scowled. "So...my employer had her on the list of bad.
"What about Ms. Jamison? And why did you attack Mr. Edgeworth?" I asked.
"That bitch, thought it would be cool to kill a so called friend- a rival lawyer with a bomb in a 'tragic bombing incident'. The papers ate that shit up. An innocent woman is dead, an innocent man in jail. A killer becomes known as a hero, an example of surviving through tragedy and handicap," J rolled his eyes derisively. "As for your boyfriend, I figured he would get in my way so I decided to take him out. In an interesting way...at least until your little challenge. I thought it would be interesting to test out some poisons. Tetrodotoxin, a poison that causes paralysis throughout the entire body, even shutting down respiratory systems and datura, a poison which causes severe hallucinations and amnesia. Together, I heard that you could create zombies with it. So, I tried it out, with interesting results..."
"What the hell? Are people just guinea pigs to you?" I demanded. "Is it true that he might be brain damaged ?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. I just inflict damage on people who get in my way or deserve pain." The assassin shrugged. "It's possible. These are a dangerous poisons, well most poisons are, but I heard the effects can last for months, even years in some cases."
No...that couldn't happen. We had to get to the hospital as soon as possible!
"But I wouldn't worry about it too much. He'll probably be okay once a hospital gets a look," he waved with a smile.
"What the hell? I don't get you...why the hell are you being so friendly?" asked Ackerman still clutching his shoulder.
"Stop talking," the assassin said with a smile, pulling out the gun again. "In any case, I'll be taking my leave."
"Hey, you can't just-"
"It's hard to say goodbye I know," The gun was pointed at all of us, as he faced us backing away slowly. "But perhaps one day, we'll meet again, Ms. Doom."
The hell did that mean? No way in hell did I want to ever see him again!
With that he backed up a little faster, gun still out. We didn't move, had our hands up in the air. He was about to bust out one of the big windows next to the door until he was stopped by the sound of a giant BOOM.
We looked up. The front doors had busted open and in came at least 100 dudes in uniform marching in. They all lined up in the hallway. And it was then, this wolverine looking guy, with some tight pants, boots, sunglasses, and a jacket that showed off his chest, emerged from behind them. Next to him stood a pretty young woman, in a black embroidered dress with white sleeves. Her blue hair stood out, but not as much as the whip she held.
Agent Lang and Franziska von Karma. They were just as every bit cool looking here as they were in the games. But it was even cooler that we were being rescued by them.
"Count off!" Lang barked at the men.
Sure enough, every officer was counting off by ones. The assassin, watching the display, merely shrugged and dropped his gun apathetically, just waiting for his subsequent their count off was done, the officers dispersed through the estate and ran over to us while Lang turned to the assassin who stood by the window. He cooly, removed his sunglasses. "Finn Dawson, or should I say, J the Assassin. You're under arrest."
"Yeah, I figured as much when a hundred men showed up," he chuckled. "Take me away, wolfie."
Lang grabbed the man and forced his arms behind him, cuffing him. The wolf man, quickly took him through the front doors and most likely to a police car. It was hard to see because of the rain still coming down outside.
The officers were quickly doing body checks of us and beginning to question us about what transpired tonight.
"Hey, can you goons question me later? I've been shot in the goddamn shoulder!" Ackerman whined as the officers took him outside.
Franziska came down into the fray. She immediately noticed Edgeworth. "Miles Edgeworth...just what are you doing here?"
"Just who is this barmaid-"
"B-barmaid?" She scrunched up her whip and pulled it back and forth until she decided to whip him. "Don't play this foolish game with me!"
I shoved past some of the officers to get to her. I figured I needed to explain what happened to Edgeworth asap. "Ms. von Karma! It's me! The one you spoke to over the phone!"
"Hm?" she looked at me. "Ms. Dune was it?"
"Doom, but that isn't important!" I shook my head. "Mr. Edgeworth...he's been poisoned with two different drugs!"
"What…?" she looked at him in disbelief. "Miles Edgeworth! How dare you be so incompetent to get yourself poisoned!"
She whipped him a few times over.
"Ngghh!" he cried.
I winced. That sounded painful as hell, just by the crack noise.
"Ms. Dune. I will ask that you accompany my foolish little brother to the hospital and stay until I arrive," she said arms folded. "There is much business I must attend to here."
I nodded furiously. "Of course! I couldn't just abandon my mentor like that anyway."
"Ah, a subordinate? I see," she mused to herself. "Don't waste any time. Have one of the officers take you. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Myself and Agent Lang will be over as soon as possible."
And with that, she went off into what appeared to be the lounge, to investigate. I figured I'd best get moving too. I told one of the officers what was going on and grabbed the loopy Mr. Edgeworth. Soon enough we were rolling to the nearest hospital in a police car...
Evidence:
Prosecutor's badge: With this, I can prove I'm a prosecutor. Dunno why we don't wear them on our lapels like defense attorneys though.
Magatama: Magical sacred charm that should allow me to communicate with Mia.
Letter: Mysterious note sent to Mrs. Rothman the day of the dinner.
Pocket watch: Mr. Breckenridge's missing pocket watch which is set two hours behind schedule.
Photo: A picture of Mr. Breckenridge with Ms. Irving.
Hammer: Weapon used to murder Ms. Irving. For some reason it's handle is wet.
'Bad' Note: Lists those deemed bad, with their crimes noted. Paper comes from Hardwick's notebook.
Metal wire: Suspected real murder weapon of Mr. Breckenridge.
Assassin article: Discusses the mysterious assassin known as 'J'.
Blackmail note: Note that threatens to reveal the crimes of a former officer unless they follow through on a plan.
Corkscrew: Weapon used to murder Ms. Jamison.
Missing leg: Prosthetic leg taken from Ms. Jamison and used to kill Noa.
Remote control: Found on Noa's person. For what use it has, it's unclear.
Timer: Timer set to 10:20 PM around the same time the lights went out.
Burnt spoon: Most likely the missing spoon from the dining hall found in the ballroom piano.
White powder: Found within Edgeworth's sleeve...? Is this some kind of poison?
Profiles:
Maya Fey: Age 19. Probably my best friend at this point.
Miles Edgeworth: Age 26. My mentor. When he's not giving me a hard time, he's kind of nice.
Detective Gumshoe: Age 33. The guy who's saved my hide more times than I can count.
Larry Butz: Age 25. My favorite wannabe casanova.
Judge: Age ?. Old timer judge. No one know his real name.
Mia Fey: Deceased. My spirit guide who pops by occasionally to give advice.
Phoenix Wright: Age 26. The man I'm supposed to be saving. Pretty awesome dude.
Deidra Rothman: Age 45. A patient and kindhearted judge.
Noa Carter: Age 32. Mrs. Rothman's maid. Seems practically robotic.
Finn Dawson: Age 35. A self deprecating prosecutor. In actuality 'J' the assassin.
Stephen Ackerman: Age 26. An irritable defense attorney.
William Breckenridge: Age 56. A high and mighty time obsessed judge.
Ingrid Jamison: Age 28. An energetic prosecutor who likes dancing.
Harriet Irving: Age 33. A shrinking violet defense attorney.
Andrew Hardwick: Age 30. A lecherous prosecutor.
Franziska von Karma: Age 19. Whip happy prosecutor who came to our rescue.
Shi-Long Lang: Age 26. A totally badass Interpol agent.