[October 20th, 8:46 am, LeBlanc and Co. Law Offices]

Anna pushed open the door to the offices, letting some of the cool fall air trickle in from the hallway. She walked over to a huddled mass spread out on the coffee table and nudged it with her knee.

A sallow-faced Robin LeBlanc popped out from under the pile of fabric that had been covering him. "Hot damn," the redheaded secretary started upon seeing the face, "Erm, I mean, uh, are you okay, Robin?"

"I'm… fine. Just… that was kind of a rough trial."

"No kidding. You were all shaken up when you got back, too. I don't think I've ever seen you so quiet."

"She… Morgan, that is, she really doesn't want to come out against any of her friends, Anna."

"Well, I guess I understand, but I think you need to make her realize going to jail isn't worth it, even if it means saving any of her friends. I mean, think about it: odds are, one of the people she's protecting actually killed another of her friends. How can you stand up for someone like that?"

Robin's fingers tensed, bunching up around the paper he was holding and crumpling its edge.

"Hey, Robin?" Anna waved her hand in front of his face, "I'm talkin' to you, here. Didja hear what I said?"

"Hm?" he looked up, "Ah, no… sorry, I was caught up in my own little world for a second, there."

"So, you have to find some new evidence, right?" she went on, "What's the plan? Where are you going to look?"

"I'm not sure," he ran his hands through his hair, "I have at least two possibilities to consider, and I thought I could ask Ms. Verlaine if she knows anything, but…"

"But?"

"But I can't do anything unless Morgan relinquishes control of her defense back to me. So I have to pay her a visit first."

"Sheesh, it's a real mess she put you in," the redhead folded her arms, "I don't imagine it'll be easy to change her mind, either."

"I thought the same thing," the attorney agreed, "Well, the bit about her not being easy to convince, at least. Either way, though, I have to try."

"Treat her like a delicate bouquet of roses," Anna smiled, "Ladies love that."

Robin smiled back at her, laughing, "And how, exactly, do you propose I do something like that? What does that even mean?"

"I dunno," she shrugged, "it was some crap my dad used to say to my mom. Give her lots of hugs and pay for the bill at dinner, I guess."

"I'll see how that works out," he grinned, standing up.

"In all seriousness," she looked into his eyes, "She's in a difficult emotional spot right now. Be gentle with her, compassionate and empathetic, you know? She's facing the prospect of losing two out of five friends in a matter of days."

"I know," he nodded, "I have a few thoughts. Our case is sunk without her cooperation, so I'll just have to stay there until I can make her see it my way."

Anna hummed at him and went to sit back down at her desk, starting up the computer.

Robin blinked, "What did that sound mean?"

She looked back up, "I just noticed something. Well, I mean, I'd seen it before, but I only just put it together now."

"What's that?"

"That little thing you do when you're feeling determined, where you hold out your hand and clench your fist… Every time you do that, I see a certain look in your eyes that reminds me of the way Fado used to look."

Robin cracked a smile, "So, you mean you've spent a lot of time looking into my eyes?"

"Oh, stuff it," she rolled her eyes, "get lost. I got work to do."

"I'll leave you to it," he made for the door, "Thanks, Anna."

"Sure. Try not to collapse from sleep deprivation."

[October 20th, 9:38 am, Detention Center]

The detention center was relatively quiet and empty for once as Robin stepped in, nodding to the secretary, and walked up to the glass where Morgan was waiting, her eyes aimed at the floor. Robin felt a bit strange when he tried to open his mouth in the bizarre quiet of the darkened room, like speaking would shatter the otherwise sanctified silence—like it was an ill omen now. He tried to mute these thoughts and focus on the ruby-haired girl before him who was gripping the underside of her seat. The little marbles she was using to examine the carpet could barely be perceived between the long maroon strands that hung low in front of them. Robin took a deep breath and switched on the microphone, "Morgan?"

No answer.

"Ms. Cassidy?"

Silence.

"I want you to know that I understand and empathize with your decision. In your place, I might have done the same thing. But you should also know that nothing good can come of what you're doing. I know you think you're sparing your friends this way, but nobody wins in this scenario," he said, sitting down heavily in the chair across from her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered with a hollow voice, "I just told the truth. I'm the murderer."

Robin shook his head, "If that's what you want to maintain, I respect it, since I no longer have a choice in the matter. However, I'd like for you to at least hear me out before you make your decision final." The girl didn't stir, which Robin assumed meant he had the liberty to proceed, "I… wasn't so far away from where you were once sitting, Morgan. I was put on trial once, too."

Her head popped up, "You? What for?"

"Murder."

[*]

Fado Verlaine was an almost impossibly tall, broad-shouldered, bearded-and-mustachioed mountain of a man—the sort of fellow you just had to look up to, physically speaking, regardless of how you felt about him. The stocky boy looking back at him was a string bean by comparison, and the way the lad quivered didn't help the matter.

"I want to tell you that I believe your story, young man," the deep voice of Fado Verlaine told him, as the man stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Y-You do?" the boy sputtered.

The corner of Fado's mouth tugged into a smile, "Of course. It's my duty as a defense attorney to believe in my clients, and to give those with no one else to turn to an advocate."

"Is… that why you decided to help me?"

The attorney bowed his head, "Well, you're most certainly without very many people on your side, lad."

The boy's head sunk—it was true: life in the restrictive school was difficult on its own, but when he had been accused of murder with no guardian to return him to, there had been little doubt left in the minds of the Plegian police officers. They pummeled him when they spotted him around the scene, and they nearly broke his jaw so that it hurt to speak—he couldn't say a word in his own defense in his interrogation.

"I'm sorry," Fado apologized, "it was thoughtless of me to say it like that. What I mean is, everyone around you seems to have already drawn their conclusions—that's why I'm stepping in to help. See, when folks go making their mind up about something right away, like it's the most obvious decision in the world, that's when you need an attorney, because that's when they're most likely to have made a mistake. A good attorney can make people realize they've been thinking about things the wrong way since the very beginning."

"But… what mistake could they have made?"

"You didn't do it, did you?"

"No."

"Then let's start there: if you didn't kill her, then they must have made some mistake in analyzing the evidence. Why don't you look through it with me? You can help me figure out what doesn't make sense."

"All right. But how will I know?"

"I know what the police think, and you know what really happened. If you compare the two, something that they believe will have to be false. Then we just keep working backward from there until we unravel the whole case and figure out the truth."

It sounded so simple when he put it that way, and the determined creasing of his eyebrows, Robin couldn't help but to nod, "Okay… let's do it!"

[*]

"So, Mr. Verlaine agreed to help you, even though there was no other evidence supporting you?" Morgan asked, pinching her chin.

"That's right," Robin nodded, "and I would have been lost without his help."

"And I guess you must have been declared 'Not Guilty,' right? But how?"

"Why do you think I'm telling you this story, Morgan?"

She blinked a few times, then shrugged, "I don't know. Trying to inspire my confidence in you, I guess?"

"My friend betrayed me, Morgan," he stared back.

"Huh?"

"I lived at a boarding school when I was young, and I had a few friends there, but, unlike them, I didn't have a family to go back to during holidays. For a few years, I spent my days off alone in the school with a few of the teachers and the headmaster. It was only after a while that I had a few good friends willing to stick by me. I trusted all of them deeply, because they were other outcasts like me, and we pretended we were a gang of outlaws, rebelling against the system. You know, silly kid stuff. And then…"

"And then…?"

"And then, one day, I learned that trust meant nothing. Because Fado proved that it was one of my own friends who had committed the crime. And he had set me up to take the blame."

"What?! How could he be sure?"

"I protested, just like you, thinking there was no way it could be true, but then… Then I saw him. He came to my cell one day, after Fado had brought up the point in court… I remember the look in his eyes so vividly that night. 'Sorry, Robby,' he said to me, bowing his head, 'just part of the lifestyle, right?' He said it like it was nothing, like I should have been happy for him. I'd never felt that much confusion and contempt all at once."

"So what happened?"

"I vouched for him."

"What?!"

"I told the court that my friend couldn't have been guilty. Of course he couldn't—he was my friend. Surely he'd never betray me like that. It could only have been someone else."

"So… what happened after that? What did Fado do?"

"The only thing he could do, thanks to my stubbornness: he got the sentence lightened due to a lack of evidence from the prosecution, and then pleaded no contest."

"What?!" Morgan jumped, "but that means you…"

Robin nodded, "Technically, I'm a convicted murderer. In Plegia, anyway. Here, I'm just a transfer student."

"But… so… what happened to your friend?"

"He was exonerated, and I never heard from him again. All my other friends despised him for what he did, and for getting me jailed in his place. My friends were angry at me, too, for sticking up for him. 'Those who shield criminals are every bit as bad!' some of them told me. That was a dominant way of thinking in Plegia. Before long, I was back in school to finish my last few years, my original circle of friends long gone. All I could do was find some new ones and finish my education as quickly as possible, so I could leave that place."

Morgan was quiet for a few minutes, letting Robin take deep breaths, then she mewled, "Is... is that why you came here? To be a lawyer?"

Robin nodded, "Fado was the last person I ever trusted wholeheartedly. When I finished my required schooling, I wanted to go to Ylisse, where he had come from, to learn about his practice, and how I could help other people like me, and my home country."

"And you friends… they never came back to you, huh?"

"Nope. They stayed angry and bitter at one another for as long as I knew them after the trial, and now I no longer hear from them."

Morgan's head dipped down again, "I think I understand what you were trying to tell me now, Mr. LeBlanc."

"I think you do, too," he began to smile, "Good."

"Do you want to hear my decision?" she lifted her head back up and stared straight into his eyes.

"Only if you feel ready to make it," he nodded.

"I'm ready," she was sure, "Mr. LeBlanc… I'd like for you to take up my defense again."

Robin smiled fully, "Thank you, Morgan. It means a lot for me to hear you say that."

"Well, it's only because you're so convincing," she grinned back, "I want to help my friends… but more lies and deceit will never help to accomplish that. The only way to help whoever did this… to begin healing and trusting again… is to find the truth."

The attorney laughed, "You're really speaking Fado's language. If he were here, he'd say something like, 'Now, here's a good girl!' And then he'd laugh straight from his chest, like this." Robin puffed out his chest and boomed a laugh throughout the silent detention center.

Morgan giggled, "He seems like a remarkable man."

"He is," Robin beamed, "And that's why I want to follow in his footsteps more than anything. Which is why I'm going to gather more information on the crime so that we can get you found Not Guilty, all right?"

"All right!" she balled her small fists, "I'll, uh, stay here, I guess. But I'll give 'em hell if they try to question me again! I won't give up until the trial tomorrow, then I'll turn it over to you."

"Er, I can't counsel you to refuse cooperation with the police, exactly," Robin rubbed the back of his neck, "But, if you can promise me that there'll be no more false confessions, I'm willing to bet we can make this work just fine."

"Then I promise," she shouted back.

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow, then," Robin got up, gathering his things as he did so, and prepared to switch off the mic.

"Oh, and Mr. LeBlanc, before you go?" he heard.

"Hm?"

"Say 'hi' to my mom for me, please," the girl's expression softened a bit.

"Of course," he smiled again, "Until tomorrow, Morgan."

"Until tomorrow."

Robin stepped out of the detention center feeling a stirring in his heart and a particular temptation to clench his fist as a show of his resiliency. He felt so proud, but of what, exactly? He was just doing his job, so from whence did this pride come, this feeling of confidence, of righteousness? He smiled when he thought more about it: the young Robin LeBlanc had just decided to rescind his testimony.

[October 20th, 10:45 am, Verlaine Home for Children]

"Ms. Verlaine?" Robin asked, remembering his mistake and knocking loudly on the door as he entered to prevent startling her again.

"I'm here!" she shouted back from the hallway, suddenly rushing out from an obscured entryway and letting go of a vacuum, "Don't be so loud! I just put half those kids down for a nap!"

"My bad," he sighed, "Anyway, I wanted to discuss some of the case with you, if you have a minute."

She pulled her hair back and tied it off into a ponytail as he spoke. When he finished, she nodded, "That was some crazy ending to the trial. Morgan said she didn't want you to defend her anymore… what was the deal with that?"

"Well, I think she was trying to spare her friends—"

"Yeah, I know that, but why did you just stay quiet and let her?"

Robin blinked, "Did your father never tell you? In Ylissean law, a defendant has the right to assume control of their own defense during any phase of the litigation. It's rarely invoked, but it was one of the original rights listed in Ylisse's constitution, because prior to its becoming a constitutional monarchy—"

"Spare me the history lesson," she shushed him, "I just wanted to know how that worked. And why did you mention my father?"

He felt his face get hot, "I'm sorry, I just sort of assumed Fado would've taught you some things about Ylissean law…"

"Daddy didn't like to talk about work," she mused, eyes trailing to the ceiling, "He would complain to me about how boring it all was, and then we'd go watch an old movie on TV, or something. I always preferred the humanities to law in my studies."

"I see…" Robin digested the information, "It's just a bit odd to me, hearing that Fado's only child never picked up his trade… I'm…"

"Disappointed?"

"I was going to say 'surprised.'"

"Well, either way, don't be too stunned, because I'm not 'Fado's only child.'"

"How's that?"

"I have a twin brother who did end up going into law: his name is Ephraim. I haven't heard from him in a good while, though. Maybe I ought to call him…"

Fado… There was so much going on at home that he never told me about. I guess he just didn't like for work and family to mix. "In any case, Ms. Verlaine," Robin tried to bring himself out of his captivation, "about Morgan and her friends… do you know anything about Nino Cooper or Ross Hammond?"

Eirika Verlain laughed, "Do I? They're some of Morgan's friends, so of course I know about 'em."

"Do you think either of them might… bear a grudge against Morgan?" he hesitated.

She frowned, "No… I don't think so. I mean, they're both perfectly kind. Ross isn't the brightest bulb, but he's a real down-to-earth kid, so I don't see any reason for him to be angry at one of his friends—nor do I think he'd be smart enough to lay this kind of trap, speaking frankly."

"And Nino?"

"Nino's a bigger mystery, but she's a sweet girl, too. She's really polite around me and any other adults she sees. She's also quite competitive, and a bit of a sore loser, if we're being honest, but I can't stand to think she'd ever kill anyone out of spite. She's pretty quiet when left to her own devices, in my experience, so the idea of her going out and killing anyone sounds looney."

"Well, that's tricky. I don't suppose you know anything about their parents?"

"I only met Ross's folks once, so I'm drawing a blank there, but… Nino's I know really well—they run another orphanage on the other side of town."

"Really? Does that mean…?"

"Yep. Nino's adopted, too. Here, I'll write down the address if you wanna go chat 'em up. It's called the 'Concordia Children's' Refuge,' and the man who owns it is named Libra Concordia. His wife is Sonia."

"Thank you, Ms. Verlaine," Robin took the scrap of paper she handed him and tucked it into his pocket, "You've been very helpful, as always."

"Least I can do," she smiled, "Just remember to get this one done right, for my daddy's sake. After all, Morgan is, in a manner of speaking, his granddaughter."

"Right," the attorney swallowed, "point taken. Don't worry, I'll get all this sorted out before long."

"I have faith you will," she nodded.

[October 20th, 12:02 pm, Concordia Children's Refuge]

Robin knocked on the door gently at first, then a little louder after waiting a minute or two. He heard shuffling from behind the door along with a faint "I'm coming!" before the door finally swung open. Robin started in surprise as a wheat-haired woman with the finest features he had ever seen greeted him at the door in what appeared to be a long white robe.

"Oh!" he stammered, "I'm sorry. I hope I'm not bothering you, miss. Is this the Concordia Children's Refuge?"

The woman smiled, "Indeed, it is. And that would be 'mister,' if you do not mind."

"Beg pardon?" Robin cocked an eyebrow.

"I am Mr. Libra Concordia himself," the fair-haired figure bowed, "or Father Concordia to my children."

"Ack!" Robin jumped, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Concordia! I didn't mean anything by it!"

He laughed exactly as his appearance dictated he might, "Do not trouble yourself over it, my son. Many have made this mistake in addressing me—I inherited a great many of my mother's physical traits."

Robin now found himself blushing very brightly, "Still, my apologies. Er, and you're a priest, Mr. Concordia?"

"Quite right," he nodded, placing his hands over the Brands of the Exalt adorning his robes in a brilliant embroidered sapphire, "Though I long ago determined that the church was not my proper home. No, I am quite a bit more comfortable taking care of the disadvantaged youth of this grand city, just as another priest took care of me when I was but a babe."

"I see," Robin nodded, "That's very noble of you, Mr. Concordia. I was wondering, though… do you know a girl named Nino Cooper?"

He nodded again, "She is one of the children in my care. Is something the matter?"

"I'm afraid she's involved in a murder trial."

"Ah, yes, the trial of Morgan Cassidy and the death of her friend, Ewan Allen. I am well aware of it."

"Well, I'm the attorney defending Ms. Cassidy, and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about Nino, to better understand her relationship to Morgan?"

"You mean to determine if she committed the crime?"

"I… uh, didn't say that…"

Libra Concordia laughed, "Do not worry, Mr. LeBlanc. I understand your position, however, I do not believe you will find me a particularly useful resource: our little family has nothing to hide, dear Nino least of all."

"I'd still like to ask you a few things, if I may," Robin pleaded.

"Very well," the priest smiled, "do come in." He stepped out of the doorway and back toward a big dining table at the end of the hall. Robin followed him and noticed that the place looked very much the opposite of Eirika's orphanage: there were no drawings strewn about the walls, no clutter or dirt on the floor, no gaggles of children running about shouting and playing tag. Instead, the walls were practically gleaming pure white, the floors were mostly tile and undisturbed by any dirt, and the few children that Robin did see as he gazed around were sitting quietly, propped up on chairs reading holy books and dressed either in robes like Libra's or in children's formal outfits: slacks and button-up shirts for the boys and flowery dresses for the girls.

As they sat down at the dining table, Robin caught the scent of something strange that made his nose wrinkle reflexively. He didn't mean to insult the priest, but the expression showed rather clearly, and he couldn't help displaying his disgust. It smelt a bit like burnt rubber. He walked into another room, following the scent, and found himself kneeling down before the fireplace wherein he discovered what did, in fact, appear to be a scrap of rubber.

Libra must have noticed, because he also appeared behind the attorney and smiled in response to his expression, "Ah, you must be noticing it just now. A few days ago, we had an unfortunate incident wherein some ill-taught reprobate elected to toss something down into our furnace through the chimney. We believe it was either rotten eggs or sulfur, given the pungent odor. You will have to excuse us this untidy circumstance."

"Of course," Robin dismissed, "but why would someone do that to you?"

"Not all in Ylisse are fervently religious, Mr. Attorney," Libra smiled, "Some among them strongly dislike the men and women of the cloth."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Concordia," Robin frowned, "Oh, I'm sorry, did I never give you my name? I'm Robin LeBlanc, attorney at law."

"Very good, Mr. LeBlanc," the priest seated himself and invited his guest to do the same, "What would you like to ask of me?"

"First, how well do Morgan and Nino know each other?"

"Quite well. Morgan and Nino, both being adopted children, developed a bond early on in grade school. The two both excelled in their studies and frequently had the top grades in their class. Morgan grew to be a bit of a slacker in her later days, however—allowing Nino's persistence to take her to the top. They nonetheless had a certain friendly rivalry regarding grades all throughout their schooling. It's a bit sad to see it ended, honestly. Morgan always drove Nino to do so well. Without her, well… forgive me, it is irresponsible of me to speculate on her future."

"How long has Nino been in your care?"

"Since she was but a babe. She regards my wife, Sonia, as her own mother, and me as her father. She is a delightfully devoted daughter of Naga."

"Has she ever appeared to have… violent tendencies?"

Libra laughed considerably less gently, "No. Never. Nino is a wonderfully intelligent and levelheaded girl. She has never shown any propensity for violence—she knows well that wrath is a dreadful sin."

"Do you know of anyone who might have regarded Ewan Allen as an enemy?"

"I am afraid I know little of the lives of my children's acquaintances. If such a person exists, they are beyond my awareness."

Well, he was right. He's not giving me an inch, here. Is there really nothing that could lead to Nino's involvement? The only other possibility is Ross, so I guess I could still look into his family, but…

Robin blinked and picked his head up as he heard heels clicking down the hallway. Before long, a woman in a long red dress with black accents that hugged her figure noticeably tight. Complementing the dress, she had long waves of black hair and curiously gold eyes. Her lipstick shone ruby-red under the gold light streaming in from the windows, and her maroon acrylic nails gave her hands a distinctively claw-like look. Robin couldn't help but spend a moment assessing her appearance.

"I didn't know we were entertaining guests today," she breathed onto Libra.

Libra swallowed, "Er, this is not a formal arrangement. This is Mr. LeBlanc, the defense attorney in the trial of Morgan Cassidy. Mr. LeBlanc, this is my wife, Sonia."

She smiled slowly in a way that made Robin want to shiver, "Ah, I'm familiar with all that. I saw it on the news. Quite a stunning end to that trial. But did not the girl assert her right to defend herself?"

"She's since changed her mind," Robin answered.

"I see," her smile ceased, "Well, I don't know what you could want with us, Mr. LeBlanc. We're but a humble pair of parents to so many lovely children."

"I'm investigating possible leads on the crime," the attorney responded, "including Nino Cooper, who is in your care."

She scoffed, "You plan on indicting our sweet little Nino in place of that low-born wretch? Honestly, you ambulance-chasers are all the same."

"Now, now," Libra squeaked.

Robin stood up, "My job is to try to get a handle on all the facts of the case. We figured out in court yesterday that it was highly unlikely that Morgan committed the crime, but the only way to prove it is to prove someone else was responsible. That means I have to consider everyone who was likely to be involved. And Nino is among the likeliest."

Sonia's smile returned and she examined her nails disinterestedly, "You certainly have some gall, speaking to me in such terms in my own home. What are you hoping to find here, a confession? My darling Nino has done nothing."

"May I speak to her?" Robin asked.

The black-haired woman looked back up, "Unfortunately, Nino is in the midst of writing some essays for college placement. It would be very rude and disruptive to disturb her now."

"I respect the importance of education, but someone's dead, Mrs. Concordia," the attorney said.

She wrinkled her nose, "Do not refer to me by that name. I am Mrs. Sonia Verdun, and you will do well to remember it."

Libra managed to choke out: "S-Sonia never took my name after our marriage. She prefers to use her own."

"Very well, Mrs. Verdun," Robin nodded, "but can't you see the importance of these questions?"

"I see nothing but a contemptible little scoundrel trying to jail my sweet child. I have no intention of letting you speak to her, to be perfectly clear: she is far too involved in her studies, and I will not allow you to ruin her very important academic pursuits," she replied.

"Doesn't she have the right to decide for herself whether or not she speaks to me?" Robin folded his arms.

Sonia paused and frowned, fiddling with her wedding ring, "Mr. LeBlanc. You appear to be laboring under the delusion that I'm interested in your works. I'm not. Right now, I consider you to be little more than a trespasser. Underestimating my willingness to act would be… unwise."

Robin stared back at her, feeling his jaw quiver a bit, "Are you… threatening me?"

"I'm telling you that you're very close to becoming persona non grata in my household. Can you understand that?" she folded her arms.

The attorney felt his shoulders tense, but he did the best he could to relax them, "I do. You should also understand, however, that I don't give up easily. Just because you're shutting me out doesn't mean I won't find the truth. And when I do, you'll be in hot water for obstructing justice."

Sonia scowled fiercely and pulled a cell phone out of her bra, "Now I hear a man making threats against me inside my own home. I'm going to strongly recommend that you leave, Mr. LeBlanc."

"No recommendation needed," he huffed, "I was already on my way out."

[October 20th, 2:18 pm, Les Chevaliers Night Club]

"—honestly, what were you thinking? With the number of times I've had to cover for you, I would've thought you weren't capable of doing anything stupider, and then you go and do this!"

"My mind ran away from me, Kent. Surely you can understand…?"

"I understand that this club is as good as sunk thanks to your foolishness! Farina is going to have my hide if she finds out our income is gone!"

"W-Well, we're not done yet! We just need some of the bad press to clear up once the trial's over, and we'll be right as rain!"

"And how long do you think that'll take?"

"Um…"

"Fellas, can your little lovers' quarrel wait? I'm tryin' to teach this little lady how to be a proper detective, and you're screwin' it up somethin' fierce."

Robin finally stepped into view, noticing Detective Fletcher along with Neimi on one side of the room and Sain and Kent on the other. "Uh, detective," he saluted, "Mr. Cheval. Mr. Clarke."

"Great, and now the attorney who ruined our reputation is back," Kent rolled his eyes, "Haven't you done enough damage? What more do you want from us?"

"Any damage, you done to yourselves, fellas," Colm frowned and lit his cigarette.

"I'm trying to gather up some new evidence. Is there anything new you can tell me about the scene, detective?" the attorney turned to him.

Colm exhaled, "Well, damned if you weren't right about that blasted hair dye, for one thing. The other is, we managed to crack the code on our victim's cell phone, which means we got a chance to look at his calls and messages."

"Anything worth noting?"

"Not much. He didn't really call or text anyone the day of the crime except to coordinate what time they were meeting. We've got the call on record from that Morales fella, but no message, or anything. Pretty much just chats with the usual suspects, outside of that."

"Is there any way I could get a transcript of his texts, at least from the last month?"

"Huh? Not sure why you'd bother goin' that far back, but yeah, I'll get one o' the eggheads to bring you somethin' by trial time tomorrow."

"Much obliged, detective. So, how are things going with your junior, here?"

"Hey, I don't hafta take that kinda crap from no lawya!" the pink-haired girl growled back. When Robin's eyebrows jumped up in surprise, she put her hands up to cover her mouth, "I'm sorry! That's just what Detective Fletcher told me to say when I'm insulted by a lawyer."

Teaching her well, detective.

Colm Fletcher laughed and slapped his knee, "Ha! J'you see the look on his face? There may be hope for you yet, Ms. Pretty in Pink."

"You think so?" she beamed.

"Sure, now, do me a favor and grill the green and red peppers over here and we'll be all set."

"Yessir! Mr. Cheval, where were you on the night of October 18th?"

"Agh! …In the club?"

"Which club?!"

"Ahh! Mine!"

Robin blinked and watched the scene play out for another minute.

"Oh, and one other thing, LeBlanc," Colm cleared his throat.

Robin faced him again, "Hm?"

"That knife that got you all wound up in the trial? Turns out it was stolen from some department store. Go figure," the detective shrugged.

"Did they have any surveillance footage of the thief?" Robin hoped.

"They did, but I wouldn't get too excited: all you can see is someone about that girl's size in one o' them school-issued jackets."

"So… no help at all, then," Robin sighed.

"Not much," the detective laughed, "I think everyone o' the witnesses has an alibi about being out there that night. You can have this copy of the photo, if ya want it."

Robin accepted it and looked over the image scrupulously, "Huh. Say, detective, doesn't something seem off about this picture? Something around the thief's head…?"

Colm checked it with an eyebrow cocked, "Nah, I think you're imagining things on account o' the shadows."

"Well, either way," Robin smiled, "I appreciate your help, detective. I had to deal with Nino's mother, Sonia Verdun, earlier today, and that was a colossal pain in the neck."

"Verdun?" the detective's brow shot up, "You talked to Verdun?"

"Uh, yeah," the attorney paused, "why?"

Colm Fletcher took another drag on his cigarette, "Forget it. Prob'ly nothing. Just be careful who you talk to, capice?"

"All right," Robin nodded hesitantly.

"Detective, call her off, please!" Sain cried out.

"Good gods, have some dignity!" Kent rolled his eyes.

Colm glanced at them, then his subordinate, and then at Robin, "Sorry. I gotta situation to take care of."

"Sure," Robin bowed, "thanks again, detective."

[October 20th, 4:48 pm, LeBlanc & Co. Law Offices]

Robin stepped off the elevator and walked toward the door of the office, rubbing his eyes, which were rebelling against their open state quite vigorously. He thought he might hear Anna typing away at her computer when he popped in, but the office was deadly silent. Looking around, he thought to call out for Anna.

Then he heard a mechanical click behind his neck as the door slammed shut.

"Mr. LeBlanc." Robin gasped as the slender figure of Sonia Verdun appeared from behind one of the office walls. "Fancy meeting you here. A word of advice: don't go crying for help. You'll only make your situation worse."

"You," Robin sneered, "where's Anna?"

Sonia snapped her fingers and a pair of men in suits and dark shades pulled Anna forward from behind the same wall. Her eyes were wide, her legs and hands were bound, and her mouth was sealed shut with duct tape.

"Anna!" Robin shouted, "What did they do to you?! If you hurt her, I swear, I'll…!"

"You'll what?" she smirked back, "You'll forget about the pistol aimed at the back of your head? I dare you. I'm sure your little secretary would love to see that show.

Anna tried to shout and wriggled her hands.

"Quiet, you," Sonia motioned toward her thugs, who dragged Anna back behind the wall.

"What is it you want?" Robin demanded, clenching his fist.

She smiled, "Ah, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Well, luckily for you, it's very simple: I want you to let this case go. Have the girl plead guilty, and I'll let the redhead live."

"Why? Why is it so important for you to see Morgan in jail?"

"This isn't about that little redheaded simpleton, you imbecile. This is to do with my daughter. And how I won't allow you to go around slandering her name. …Or mine."

"You think you can just get away with murdering Anna right in front of me? In broad daylight? With all these other people in the building?"

"We can wait until quitting time, darling. And if you refuse, I'll be happy to take both your lives."

Robin could do little more than clench his fist and stare at the floor. What can I possibly do? If I refuse her terms, she'll kill me and Anna. If I do accept them, though, I'll be dooming Morgan. Eirika will probably never speak to me again… I'd be betraying Fado's whole legacy!

Robin was shocked by a ruffle behind him. For a moment, he shut his eyes, thinking Sonia had given up on waiting for his answer and had decided to kill him. After a few seconds in darkness, however, he looked back up to find Sonia wearing a strained expression. He turned his head and saw Rath stepping forward, as well as the man who had been pointing a gun being dragged into the hallway.

"R-Rath?" Robin stuttered.

"Verdun, you she-rat," the mafioso smirked, "I shoulda known you'd be the one skulkin' around here."

"The young Tolstoy," she spat, "What are you doing here?"

"Didja think the Tolstoys wouldn't notice you makin' moves like this? Threatenin' civvies is bad form, Verdun. Then again, no one claimed you had a lot of principle to start," Rath said.

"The lawyer?" she scoffed, "He was snooping. This is an entirely private affair. Why are you getting involved?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rath took a few steps forward, "Point is, I've got a lot more firepower waiting right outside. And I mean a lot more. Mio padre ain't particularly pleased by what he's seen, you operatin' in such a big, public space like this."

"What do you care about one stupid lawyer?" Sonia demanded, "I refuse to believe this is all by chance. Is he yours?"

Rath pointed his finger sharply, "Don't worry your pretty little head about it, toots. All you need to know is that you're gonna walk outta here on the count of five, and you're never gonna come back. Else you and your boys are gonna end up with a big extra dose of iron in you, get my drift?"

Sonia Verdun growled.

"One… two… three…"

With a final grunt and a twist of her heel, the black-haired woman signaled her men and walked out of the room, deliberately bumping into Robin as she did so. When she left, two men entered the room began to untie Anna.

"Rath… what are you doing here?" Robin asked, unable to move.

"Fine question to ask a guy who just saved your neck," the mafioso chuckled, "My pops noticed some o' Verdun's crew hanging around here—they use some pretty distinctive vehicles. When we found out it was where your office was, we figured somethin' fishy was goin' on."

Robin took a moment to find his breath, and then turned all the way around to face his savior, "Well… I can't thank you enough. I don't know what would've happened if you didn't show up when you did."

"Heh," he tugged on his jacket, "Nessuna problema. Everybody gets one, ya know? Just don't go making this a repeat problem."

"I'll do my damnedest," the attorney nodded.

Rath laughed again, "I bet you will. Oh, and this should go without saying, but not a word of this to the cops, yeah? I find out you let them on our trail and our partnership's gonna go south real quick, got me?"

"Yeah," Robin breathed, "no worries."

"All right. I can't linger with this many guys, so I'm gonna take off, then," Rath turned around and walked out the door, "Keep your eyes peeled, all right? Never know who might be waitin' just behind your door… Hahaha!"

The shock gradually wearing off, Robin jumped to the corner of the room, where he found Anna propped up on a chair, "Oh, gods! Anna, are you all right?! Please tell me they didn't hurt you!"

"I'm… okay," she sighed, flexing her wrists, "Those clowns were rough, but it was nothing I couldn't handle."

He stared at her for a moment, then dropped his head, "I'm… so sorry, Anna. I put you in this danger. I'd understand if you… no longer want to work here."

She snickered, then laughed out loud.

Robin's glassy eyes looked back up, "What? What's so funny?"

"Haha!" she giggled, "You think a mob kidnapping is enough to scare me? Oh, gods, if I had a nickel!"

Robin rubbed his temples, "You mean… this has happened before?"

"Oh, gods yes," she was still chuckling, "Do you know how many organized criminals wanted revenge against Fado?"

Robin stared straight ahead and said nothing.

Anna smiled, "Still, it was cute to see how broken up you were. I'm glad to see you care that much about me, Boss."

"I… think I need to lay down," Robin sputtered, doing just that on the nearby sofa.

"I'll get you some cold water," Anna hummed as she went into the kitchen.

[Turnabout of a Kind ~ Investigation Day 2-End]