[November 8th, 8:50 am, Ereb District Court – Defense Lobby]
Robin's eyes were glazed over, staring into the pale white walls of the defense lobby. His heart still hadn't quite returned to its pre-arresting-a-murderous-foreign-agent rhythm. It didn't help that he couldn't so much as breathe a word about his involvement in that affair, or even vaguely hint that he knew anything about it. He couldn't even inquire into the arrest itself, because if he did, it would become rather immediately apparent that he knew something about it. So, all night and into the morning, he had sat and waited for news. He wouldn't be denied much longer. He shivered a little: the air in the lobby had gotten too cold for his tastes.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face it. Anna was shoving a mug of coffee in his face. "Here. Drink."
"I'm not big on coffee, Anna," he said.
"I know that, but you look a mess."
"Thanks for the confidence boost."
"If not for your sake, then for your client's. Take a sip, and try to calm down a bit."
Robin thought about saying something in protest, but then he thought better and complied with Anna's advice. The hot coffee burned his tongue and throat. It tasted of hollow bitterness and nothing else. "Thanks," Robin said, handing the mug back to her.
"Well, we know about the extra evidence that we got," said Morgan, "but do you think Mr. Ephraim found anything more?"
"I wouldn't be surprised," Robin answered. "Ephraim's every bit as determined to win this trial as I am. He'll definitely have dug into anything that he still considers worth questioning at this point. I'm sure he intends to end this trial today."
"Today, huh? And what are you planning?" asked Anna.
"It depends on how well things go in there. A swifter end to these things is always good, but… I've never had a case that made me feel so uneasy. Any time I step inside that courtroom, I have no idea how things are going to go. I've just been trying to keep up so far."
"Say things go in your favor," Anna went on, "What's your endgame? Who are you going to indict under the SCC?"
"Last trial," said Robin, thinking back, "we ended with the deduction that someone could have been lying in wait in Fado's room and shot him, then hid again when Shinon emerged to arrest Renault. Ostensibly, if we can prove that that situation occurred, we would indict whoever was hiding there. Trouble is, according to the information I got from Shinon, there could have been two parties involved in this operation."
"So we have to find out which one is guilty, and which is the accomplice," Morgan determined.
"More than that, well… it's just speculation, but… We'll need to discern a motive for the guilty party to make a convincing indictment. In that case, why would someone have hatched such a convoluted plan to kill Fado? Why not just catch him alone somewhere?"
"Good point." Anna tilted her head to the side. "I hope you've got some idea, because I've got nothing."
"Coming up empty here, too," reported Morgan.
"We can cross that bridge when we come to it," said their employer.
From behind his back, Robin heard the bailiff: "Mr. LeBlanc, the trial will be resuming shortly. Please enter the courtroom."
The three of them did so, uncertainty still hanging about the air like a dull and odorless smoke.
[November 8th, 9:03 am, Ereb District Court – Courtroom No. 8]
The court was a bit noisy as the defense team assumed its position behind the bench, but, strangely, not as noisy as in the previous trial, perhaps because those in the gallery were now more interested in actually hearing the facts from both counsels, rather than their own wild speculations and rumors on the matter. Whatever, the case, it didn't seem to be affecting Ephraim, whose gaze was miles away. He didn't even pause to glare contemptuously at Robin, which the young attorney felt was an interesting development. When the judge finally called the court to order, however, it became clear what was on the prosecutor's mind.
"Court will now reconvene for the trial of Renault Desombres. Are both counsels prepared?" said the judge.
"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Robin said, surprised that he had managed to speak first.
"The prosecution is also ready," said Ephraim, no emotion in his voice.
"Very good." The judge nodded and put on a pair of reading glasses to examine the briefs scattered before him. "When we left off, I instructed both parties to further investigate the matter at hand, due to a number of unresolvable inconsistencies in the explanations provided by both counsels during arguments. I hope you have equipped yourselves with the information necessary to bring the proceedings to a close today."
So, the judge has it in his head that we'll be wrapping up today, too, huh?
"Indeed," said Ephraim, "to that end, Your Honor, I must inform the court of a matter that was brought to my attention in the intervening period between this and the previous trial session. New information has been made available to me, and, at this point, after extensive consultation with the Plegian authorities, I must officially change the prosecution's position on this issue. The prosecution no longer intends to charge the defendant, Renault Desombres, with first-degree murder.
"Really?" The judge leaned forward. "And what prompted this change, exactly?"
"As it turns out, the defense's arguments in the previous trial were not far off the mark. The behavior of the defendant was too odd to have been purely a result of his own movements—timing and evidence fail to support a reasonable case for concluding that Mr. Desombres committed the murder. Instead, I searched for additional leads to determine alternative possibilities, and then, late last night, the Ereb Police Department gave me and everyone in this court a gift: the arrest and subsequent sworn testimony of a man named Caellach Broduin."
Murmurs resounded through the court. A few voices began explaining the significance of the name to others, who listened with great interest. Robin stared forward and tried not to give anything away.
"And what did this Mr. Broduin reveal to you, exactly?" asked the judge.
Ephraim's face finally changed into a smirk. That served to immediately make Robin less comfortable. "I spoke with Mr. Shinon Tisamo yesterday, as well, and he provided me with a ledger for the individuals who rented the room prior to the murder. One of the last guests on that registry was called 'Callum Tigris.' To anyone else, that name would have been meaningless, but thanks to my associates in the Plegian government, I learned that the man was a disavowed former Plegian agent—and that his real name, as opposed to that code name, was Caellach Broduin. In other words, the recent arrestee was none other than the single most wanted remaining suspect in this case. His arrest was nothing short of a genuine miracle. After the news spread to me that he had been captured, I came to the detention center and interrogated him about the events of the night of the crime, and received a deposition explaining the truth of the situation, which I then passed on to the Plegian government, prompting this change."
The defense team absorbed Ephraim's account in silence.
"How about that?" Anna whispered to Robin, "'A genuine miracle.' Looks like this might not go on for too long after all."
"I wouldn't be so sure," said Robin, folding his arms, "I don't like the expression on Ephraim's face. If this was what it sounded like, I think he'd look a lot more… defeated."
"That is why," Ephraim announced to the court, "the prosecution will now call forth Mr. Broduin to testify on the matter. To tell the court that Renault Desombres was not, in fact, the murder… but rather, the mastermind of an assassination plot gone awry!"
"What?!" Robin started. The gallery filled with similar exclamations of disbelief and excitement.
The judge quieted the court with his gavel. "Order! I will have order! Please bring your witness forward with all due haste, Prosecutor Verlaine."
"Of course, Your Honor," he replied. He snapped his fingers sharply, and the broad-shouldered monstrosity of a man Robin had run into the previous evening was brought to the witness stand. For a moment, Robin feared his foe might recognize him, but then he recalled that Matthew had wisely blindfolded him before he had any opportunity to see his second assailant. His secret remained safe for now. Across the bench, Anna was looking back and forth between the attorney and the new witness with incredulity.
"Now, please state your name—"
"Objection!" The court turned to face Robin. "J-Just a moment! This isn't right! If Prosecutor Verlaine is changing the charge against my client, then I need time to reevaluate my defense and prepare new evidence!"
"I'm sorry," said Ephraim, "time was of the essence in compiling my own case. I would have afforded you greater notice if it were possible, but I was up to my ears in paperwork until this very morning."
"I'm afraid the paradigm of our unique situation is a narrow and constrained one," the judge continued, "the pressure from Plegian legal authorities to quickly put this case to rest is significant, and so I am afraid that absent a more compelling reason, I cannot suspend the trial any further."
"That's ridiculous!" Robin shouted.
"It is, but he isn't the one making the Rules, Mr. LeBlanc," said Ephraim, "Don't direct your ire at His Honor. Direct it at those who are influencing him."
"If you agree with me, then why are you letting this continue, Ephraim? There can't be any justice in a trial like this!"
"It is as His Honor said. We're in a difficult position right now, and the only thing that is certain is that this trial needs to be resolved quickly. Eyes from all over Ylisse and Plegia are watching these proceedings with great interest, and if anything stops a proper verdict from emerging, the consequences will be… severe."
"More severe than if a higher judge declared a mistrial?"
"Mr. LeBlanc, the provisional court you're currently standing in is the highest authority in the land on this issue, as decided by the attorneys general of both Ylisse and Plegia. The ruling of this court will be final."
Robin felt his heart sink past his stomach and down into his feet. His entire body quaked with cold. "S-So… you're saying I have no choice?"
"I'm saying you can continue on, or you can risk the political stability of two entire nations. That is your choice."
Like I said. Robin shook his head. "Under those circumstances… of course I'll continue with the trial. I'll continue to do everything in my power to prevent Renault Desombres from being declared guilty, and to find the true architect of this murder."
"Very sensible, Mr. LeBlanc," said Ephraim, folding his arms. To Robin's surprise, he didn't look pleased.
"We will proceed with the testimony as planned, then," said the judge, "Prosecutor Verlaine, if you would."
"Of course, Your Honor. Witness, state your name and occupation for the court."
"I'm Caellach Broduin," he growled, "former Plegian agent and Director of Special Police Operations. In my day, they used to call me the Tiger Eye."
"Mr. Broduin, please tell the court if you've had any contact with Mr. Renault Desombres."
"So this is the court they've dropped me into, huh? This judge… this defense attorney… heh heh ha! What a couple'a schlubs! I've picked bigger things than you outta my teeth!"
"Mr. Broduin," said the judge, "please conduct yourself in a manner befitting the courtroom."
"Shut the hell up. You tell me what to do, and I'll snap your aging spine like a twig." The judge shrank a bit in his seat and said nothing.
"Mr. Broduin!" Ephraim hissed.
"And that goes double for you, defense guy!" Caellach shouted, "By looks alone, I can tell you're the weaselly type who woulda pissed me off in my law enforcement days. Make any stupid comments, and I'll rip your throat right out!"
The court stared in stunned silence. "'Weaselly?'" Robin whispered.
"Is that really your biggest problem with what he just said?" Anna glared at him.
"U-Um… right, well… let's, er… just begin with the testimony… uh, shall we?" said the judge, seeming to shrink ever further into his seat.
"Indeed. Mr. Broduin," said Eprhaim, eyes just as fierce as those of his witness, "answer my question. Testify to the court and let's be done with this."
"Fine," he snorted like a rhino. "I was contacted over the phone by Renault Desombres a little over a week before the murder. He had some contacts in the less reputable parts of Plegia, and knew that I was working as an assassin-for-hire. He paid me half a million Ylissean dollars to put Fado Verlaine in the ground, and make sure it didn't come back on him. He told me his plan, and I gave him mine from there: he and Fado went to the cantina, just like he'd planned. The previous day, I came in with an associate and rented the room. Later, I had my associate leave and pay for the food and the rental fee, claiming that I'd skipped out on him. In reality, I hid up in the rafters of the room, waiting for my chance. When those two finally entered, I waited a bit longer to ease suspicion off of Renault, and then I shot Fado. After that, I fled the scene."
"Mr. LeBlanc, your cross-examination?"
"Right away, Your Honor. Mr. Broduin, you said Mr. Desombres paid you to kill Fado?"
"Yeah, what are ya, deaf?"
"And to, I'm quoting here, 'make sure it didn't come back on him?' As in, don't make it look like he was guilty?"
"Yeah… what aren't ya getting, dumbass?"
"I'm not getting how shooting Fado when only he and Renault were ostensibly in the room keeps Renault from getting suspected."
"Ah, that. Well, see, the plan was for both of us to split at about the same time, and for Renault to fudge a story about how the assassin had bowled him over running out of the place. When the moment came, though, Renault just sorta froze up. Shock, I guess. Happens a lot to stupid people who don't realize what death is like. Anyway, I wasn't about to take the rap, so I just left. Whatever happened after that is the old bastard's fault."
"I see. Now, did you ever actually meet face-to-face with Renault Desombres prior to the murder?"
"Nope. He didn't want me knowin' his face until after the deed was done, which was fine by me."
"That goes to my next point: how did you know which of the men in the room was Renault, and which was Fado?"
"That's easy: we had a signal planned. Eventually, one of the players would draw a tarot card instead of a regular Ylissean card—the Emperor card. That's when I'd take my shot."
Ephraim gestured to the court. "This explains your previous confusion about the swapping around of that card, Mr. LeBlanc."
I suppose it does. That said, I'm still curious… "For clarity's sake, Mr. Broduin, you say the card was your signal, but what kind of a signal was it? That is, was it a signal to shoot the person with the card, or without it?"
"The person without the card would be the target. The design of the card makes it easy to see, and Renault said he rigged the deck so that he'd be guaranteed to draw it when the time came, so all I had to do was wait to see whose hands it ended up in, and then take the shot at the other guy."
Ephraim grimaced at his witness. When he noticed, Caellach looked around and saw similar upset looks around the courtroom. "The hell are you all lookin' at? Yeah, I kill people. Whaddya want?"
"That's not it, you dunce…!" Ephraim growled.
"Mr. Broduin," said Robin, "You just said something a bit odd: you said the person not holding the tarot card was going to be your target, and yet, if you look at the court record, you'll see that by the end of the incident the victim was the one holding the card, not the defendant."
"O-Oh?!"
"Objection!" Ephraim claimed the court's attention straight away. "Slow down, Mr. LeBlanc. We spent a whole trial the other day with you speculating that someone could've moved that card after the murder took place. Surely you're not about to deny that possibility?"
"W-Well, I suppose I can't exactly disprove it, but… if we assume Mr. Broduin was in hiding in the same room as the defendant and victim, and that he fled immediately after committing the crime, why would he have wasted time switching the cards around before he fled?"
"W-Wait!" Caellach interjected, "Th-That's right! I forgot. I did change the cards around. It's standard practice—to hide my client's signals. I stuffed the card in the old geezer's hand thinking nobody would ever take a look at it. Th-There, that's simple enough, right?"
Ephraim folded his arms and shook his head. "Well, there you go, Mr. LeBlanc. Anything to say to that?"
"But still, even if it were standard practice, the situation you described must have been exceptional, right? You said Renault was in a state of shock, so you had to just cut and run, right? Under those circumstances, why would you have bothered messing around with the evidence?"
"Force of habit, mostly. You don't live long in my line of work if you don't know how to cover your tracks. Even if it wouldn't have helped Renault, it might've helped keep the heat off me. Of course, we know how well that turned out…"
"What do you think, Boss?" Morgan asked. "You did seem pretty convinced that someone moved that card around the other day. Is that really what happened?"
"I don't know," said Robin, "It seems plausible enough, but, at the same time, something has to be wrong here, because I don't believe for a second that Renault hired Caellach to kill Fado for him. If it were as simple as that, why wouldn't he have made that his confession, rather than the far less plausible story about doing it himself?"
"That is weird…" Morgan agreed, scratching her head.
"Weird, definitely," Anna added, "but not insignificant, don'cha think?"
Robin smiled a little. "You thought the same thing I did, huh?"
"Well, hey, don't leave me out of the loop!" Morgan whined.
"Think about this," said Robin, "is there a way Caellach could be telling us the facts of Fado's murder, but still be lying about it as a whole?"
Morgan blinked. "Is that some kind of philosophical question?"
"Not exactly. How can I explain this…?"
Robin tried to think of the words, but a sudden sound interrupted him: his phone was vibrating. He glanced around the court to be sure nobody was glaring at him for checking his phone in the middle of work and took a glance at the screen. On it were only a few words, but they filled Robin with hope:
"Keep going as long as you can. Bringing you some evidence. -HL"
Robin felt his heart stir. No matter what he did, he absolutely could not let this trial grind to a halt when so many other people were working with him. He was going to solve this whole thing, and he was going to do it in this one final trial, with any luck.
"Boss?" Morgan looked at him curiously. "You seem so… resolute all of a sudden."
"Prosecutor Verlaine!" Robin jabbed his index finger out at his opponent like it was a finely honed blade, "The whole truth of this murder is going to come to light today, do you hear me? I'm not going to rest for a moment until we know what really happened!"
"I can hear you just fine, there's no need to shout," Ephraim replied, "Now, rather than waste my time with pomposity, let's see you back up those claims, Mr. LeBlanc. Right now the story is that the witness switched the cards as a matter of professional courtesy following a successful assassination, after which the defendant was rightly arrested. Do you have anything to dispute those facts?"
Robin shook his head. "I don't, but your witness does. He's about to tell me everything I need to know."
"I already told you everything you're gonna hear, shithead," Caellach barked at him. "If you've got somethin' to say, say it now. If it's stupid, I'm gonna wring your scrawny neck."
Robin flinched.
He felt Anna's hand land on his back. "Come on. No time to be scared now. This is for Fado."
"Right." Robin clenched his hand into a fist. "For Fado… and for me." He looked back up at the witness, his eyes newly iced over. "Mr. Broduin, I just have one simple question for you: what was the price of the food and drinks you ordered while in the rented room?"
Caellach scoffed. "All that posturing, and that's what you came up with? What, d'ya think you're gonna catch me off-guard or somethin'? It was forty-five riyal, or about twelve Ylissean dollars. We both had a drink. Now, that was pretty stupid, don't ya think? Are you just askin' to get choked out? 'Cause I'll happily oblige."
Ephraim was glaring at his witness, as was Robin.
He screwed his face up. "The hell? You're both givin' me that dumbass look again. What's this about now?"
Robin slapped his hands on his desk. "The defense asserts that the witness was never in the Blazing Stones Cantina at the same time as Fado Verlaine!"
"Wh-What?!" Caellach started, "The hell're you talkin' about?! I just got done tellin' ya—"
"—the exact price of the beverages you drank. Which you never paid for, according to your own words."
"H-Huh…?"
"Just a few minutes ago, you told this court that as part of a ruse, you entered the cantina with an associate, rented the room, and then had the associate foot the bill, pretending that you'd skipped out on him, when you were really hiding in the rafters. If that were true, how did you know the price of the drinks that you never paid for?"
"Sh-Shit, I dunno… It musta been on the menu, or something… or… maybe my associate invoiced me later. Yeah! That was probably it. Stingy bastard."
"All right, then let me ask you one more question, something that should be easy for anyone who saw Fado that day. Even if they didn't see it that day, the evidence has been sitting in the cantina ever since…"
"Quit actin' high-an'-mighty and just spit it out!"
"What was Fado Verlaine wearing on his head that day in the cantina?"
"What…? On his head…?"
"That's right. Come on, anyone who saw the scene should know."
"I… urgh… say, uh, prosecutor guy…"
"Don't look at me." Ephraim's scowl was deeper than a canyon. "Sort out your own mess."
"O-Okay… yeah…" Caellach's eyes searched the room. "On his head… yeah… his head… it was… he was… He was wearing a c-circlet. Y'know, like those other Plegian officials do?" Sweat started to gather around Caellach's head.
The court fell silent again. "The correct answer is 'nothing,'" said Robin.
Caellach's eyes shrank.
Robin slammed his hands on his desk with even more fervor than before. "Your Honor! The witness's testimony and repeated failure to recall any of the facts of the situation as someone present at the scene would've been able to recall them is clear evidence that the witness was never at the scene! Caellach Broduin's supposed presence at the scene has been nothing but a fabrication from the beginning!"
"Sh-Shut the hell up, you!" Caellach fumed, "Ya think you're big?! I'm gonna break every bone in your body!"
"Not in here, you're not," said Robin, eyes daring his adversary to try, "because you know what will happen if you do."
"H-Huh?"
"You're not going to attack me here, because that would displease somebody watching right now… and that would put you in grave danger, wouldn't it?"
"W-W-What? I don't got… a clue what you're… on about." Caellach's face grew paler.
"Some Tiger Eye you are," Robin scoffed, "you're nothing more than a dog on a leash!"
"Scum-sucking little…!" Caellach steamed.
"Your Honor," Robin called out, "this witness is clearly guilty of perjury, and he has no useful or reliable information for us at this point. I move that he be dismissed immediately."
"You just wait 'til I get my hands on you…!"
"No objections," Robin heard Eprhaim say. He looked over and found the prosecutor shrugging. "I have no use for deceptive filth in a hallowed sanctum of truth."
"Y-You too?!" Caellach stammered, "Hey, this ain't right! You're supposed to back me up!"
"I'm supposed to find out what happened in this case and punish the person responsible," Ephraim corrected him. "Clearly, your goals and mine run counter to one another. That means you're worthless to me. So get lost, before I move you myself."
"Th-This… this can't be happening…! If you throw me out, then they'll—urk!" Caellach's head whipped furiously about the room, seeking any refuge he could find. "P-Please! Don't do this to me! I-I-I just need… let me say… one more…"
The sound of the judge's gavel rang out. "I think we've heard more than enough out of you, Mr. Broduin."
Nice of you to rejoin us, Your Honor.
"If both counsels wish the witness removed, then I see no reason to deny their request. Mr. Broduin, you are hereby dismissed."
"W-Wait a sec!" Caellach pleaded as the bailiff approached him and began to drag him away, "Stop! Please! I killed the guy, okay?! Me! You have to listen to me! Don't take me awa-a-y!"
Amid copious courtroom chatter, Caellach Broduin was taken out of the court. When things had quieted back down, the room was once again populated solely by both counsels, the judge, the jury, and all the people bearing witness to the trial.
The judge cleared his throat. "Well, this is quite the development. In all my years, I can't say I've encountered any situation quite as bizarre as this one. Right now, we are left with little more than a witness who did not see the crime occur, and a defendant with a provably false confession. I turn this to you, Mr. LeBlanc, Mr. Verlaine, what do you intend to do now?"
"The ball will stay in your court, LeBlanc," said Ephraim, "You have the burden of proving the murderer's true identity under the SCC, so I'll let you decide what you want to do next."
"Thank you, Prosecutor Verlaine," Robin said, nodding in deference. "While most of what Mr. Broduin told us appears to have been a sham, I don't think it was pure nonsense. I believe at least one thing that he told us was absolutely true: he had an 'associate' with him on this endeavor."
"I see," Ephraim said knowingly, "so you intend to go after this 'associate,' eh?"
"There's really no other option. If Renault isn't guilty, there must have been someone else on the scene, and if that's the case, then there's only one person left who could logically fill that role."
"Very well. However, that individual was never capture by the police, so his identity is unknown to us, unlike that of Mr. Broduin. Moreover, shifting blame to this other individual does not constitute proof of a lack of conspiracy on the part of Renault Desombres. Knowing both of those things, do you still intend to go down this path, Mr. LeBlanc?"
"Without hesitation."
"Spoken with genuine conviction, for once. I'm almost impressed. But tell me, then, what will you do? If this person's identity is unknown, we cannot proceed. Unless, perhaps, you have some evidence that reveals their identity?"
"I'm… afraid I don't. Not at this time, anyway."
"Then we're in a tough spot. I won't condemn my father to the hell of unsolved cases. I want a proper verdict. Even if we were to adjourn for today, we only have one more day's worth of trial before we have to have a decision. Moreover, you seemed fairly confident that you'd solve every mystery today, Mr. LeBlanc. Were you making empty promises yet again?"
"No, I just need… a moment, maybe. A lead… I just have to see about one thing…"
"I suppose we could just wait here and glare at each other until the sun sets, but I don't think the other folks in the courtroom would take too kindly to that. As such, I'd suggest we find a real solution."
"To that end…" Robin and Ephraim turned around, as did everyone in the court, seeing the doors slowly swinging closed and a figure emerging from them. "I have some evidence that requires this court's attention."
Robin couldn't help but smile. Across the room, a blonde woman sauntered forward, throwing her hips with the confidence of a woman who had gotten exactly what she wanted. This figure was none other than Heather Luxberg. She was wearing a long coat and a policeman's hat on her head in a manner that made it rather strikingly clear that this was a costume. She presented what was undeniably a real badge, however, as she neared the judge's bench. Robin wondered for a moment if she hadn't just used this as an occasion to dress up.
"Detective Hannah Lee with the Plegian Investigative Internal Affairs Group," said Heather Luxberg, holding out her credentials.
"Ho ho." The judge looked at the new arrival with great interest. "Cases always get more interesting when the PIIAGs show up."
"I don't remember you from the investigation team," said Ephraim, scanning every detail of her body.
"That's because I wasn't around for you to see, silly boy," Heather replied, "The 'internal' part of my team's title means we look for things between the lines of the paperwork, and it means we stay out of sight for the original investigations. We only get called in when there's a problem, and, if I'm not mistaken, you two are up a creek right now."
"You could say that," said Ephraim, "so, go on. You obviously have a point, so say it."
"Well, as I'm sure you all know by now, there were two names on the ledger held by Shinon Tisamo: 'Callum Tigris' and 'Otto Feldspar.' You may also know that those were codenames used by two Plegian agents acting in concert."
"Former Plegian agents," said Ephraim, "or so I was told."
"Right. Well, here's the important bit: our internal investigation turned up the real identity of 'Otto Feldspar,' and, as such, he's been arrested and brought in for questioning. I present him to you now, a personal gift from me to the hardworking attorneys looking to solve this case."
"I-I see…" Ephraim stammered, eyes boring a hole right through Heather, "So, who is it? Who is this man?"
"I'll let him tell you himself, Prosecutor Verlaine," Heather replied, "after all, you're going to need to interview him as your witness."
Ephraim's eyes retracted into his skull; he'd been completely distracted. "I-Indeed! Your Honor, I request immediate leave to prepare the witness!"
"I think that is best for advancing this trial," said the judge, nodding. "Any objections, Mr. LeBlanc?"
"No, Your Honor," said Robin, "I'm every bit as interested as everyone else to see how this turns out."
"Very well." The judge's gavel rang out through the court. "This court will now enter a thirty-minute recess. In that time, both counsels should prepare to question the witness known as 'Otto Feldspar.' As our list of suspects runs low, it seems clear that something decisive will come from his testimony."
Robin considered the judge's words carefully as he joined the others in their procession out of the courtroom.
[November 8th, 11:41 am, Ereb District Court – Defense Lobby]
As soon as Robin sat down in the defense lobby, Heather was across from him. She doffed her hat and gave him a confident smirk. "Well now, happy to see me?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Robin didn't so much say as exhale.
She laughed. "It's only fair play. You've done a helluva job holding up your end of the bargain so far. Close enough to taste it, aren't we?"
"Maybe, especially now that we can have a word with our last ghost."
"You're the blondie from that one trial," Anna said, pointing her finger at Heather, "the Heron one. And you were the one who dropped off that photo, too, now that I think about it."
"That's right, sister," said Heather, "I'm more than a pretty face. I wear more than my fair share of hats, both literally…" She tapped her police hat. "…And figuratively."
"I see that," said Anna, "you're pretty impressive."
"Heh. Buttering me up will get you nowhere." Her smile gave away that she enjoyed the praise.
"Let's talk business, if we can," said Robin.
"Right." Heather settled down, and her face became sterner. "You already know that Otto Feldspar is actually Valter Mani, Plegian agent, world-class freak, and murderous trash in human clothing."
"Objectively speaking."
"Yep. What you might not know is that the guy has been in Plegia's employ for a while. And I mean a while. They don't exactly keep a lot of records around, but there's enough out there to suggest that he's been at it for over two decades."
"That long? Either he's pretty old, or they recruited him when he was still surprisingly young."
"I couldn't tell you which. All the personal information on these guys is heavily guarded. There's one thing you can be sure of, though, Robin: this murder wasn't a spur-of-the-moment deal. Someone planned this whole thing out. The evidence you've gathered so far clearly points to that much."
"But we still don't know who planned it," said Morgan, "Mr. Broduin said it was Mr. Desombres, but that can't be right…"
"And Valter will probably make up a similar lie. That's the final truth you have to dig at, Robin: you have to figure out who put a hit on Fado. That's the only conclusion that we can't quite find. And you have to convince the court that someone had Fado assassinated, it just wasn't Renault Desombres."
"How am I going to do that? I can provide lots of circumstantial evidence that suggests an assassination, but, ultimately, without any other known elements…"
Heather shrugged. "Sorry, but that's gotta be your job. Helping a court reach legal conclusions is outside my purview."
"Then I'll just have to figure something out," said Robin, looking at the floor.
"You always do," Anna noted.
He inhaled. "Well, the first thing is to make it clear that Valter was the one who killed Fado. Once that's made certain, then we have to prove that he was hired to do it. If we get past that, then there has to be something that links Valter to whoever his employer is. Some connection that we just haven't seen yet. Proof like that isn't easy to come by, but it has to be waiting for us somewhere in the evidence. We're so close to understanding what really happened, we just need to tie a few more threads together…!"
"It's probably a good idea to go over things from the start again," Morgan said, "When you learn more about a case, little things that seemed silly might start to mean something. You know, like that chunk of wood we found. If not for that, we would've never guessed that the killer was hiding in the rafters."
Robin patted Morgan's head. "You're a smart kid, Morgan. We'll do just that."
Heather bowed her head to them before placing her hat back on her head. "Best of luck to you all. I have to go—don't want too many people seeing my face. This is all I can do for you, Robin. I have faith that you'll take care of the rest."
"Thank you," he said, "having your confidence makes me feel a little better."
"Knock 'em dead, and make 'em pay." She took off.
Robin took a deep breath and opened his folder full of evidence.
[November 8th, 12:12 pm, Ereb District Court – Courtroom No. 8]
The judge's gavel sounded out again. "Court will now reconvene for the trial of Renault Desombres. Are both counsels prepared to begin?"
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," said Ephraim. His expression was curious. To Robin, it looked like his jaw was clenched unnaturally.
"The defense is also ready," said Robin.
"Then let us not delay. Prosecutor Verlaine, will you bring the witness forward?"
"Of course," said Ephraim. "The prosecution calls Valter Mani to the stand."
Following the command, a broad-shouldered man was brought to the front of the court. He had long, stringy, pale blue hair, sickly pale skin, and sunken-in eyes that were devoid of color and expression. He wore a full suit with a lavender shirt and tie.
"State your name and occupation for the record," Ephraim demanded.
"My name," the witness answered in a wispy voice, "Is Valter Mani. I am a former employee of the Plegian Security Detail. Currently, I am not employed in any… legal capacity." Those last words were delivered with a strange giddiness, like they gave the witness much glee to report.
"Is everything okay, Boss?" Morgan saw her employer wincing.
"Yeah, I'm fine… something about that voice of his gives me the chills. It's like I heard it in a nightmare, or something," Robin answered.
Ephraim went on: "Will you tell the court what you were doing on November third with Caellach Broduin? And what you did on the evening of November fourth?"
"Of course." Fado smiled to the court. Robin felt a stiff chill blow through his chest. "On November third… I rented out a room in the Blazing Stones Cantina, along with Caellach Broduin. After a few hours, I ordered him to leave and pay the bill, pretending that I'd fled and left him with the bill."
That's all the same as Caellach's story so far, just with the roles reversed.
"Then… I lied in wait for the following day, when Fado Verlaine and Renault Desombres entered the room. They sat down, and I aimed my weapon. When all was said and done… I shot Fado twice: once in the chest, and once in the head."
Still no changes. Except that he didn't mention anything about Renault…
"Another confession," the judge said thoughtfully, "What do we make of it this time?"
"Ask Mr. LeBlanc," said Ephraim. "My case is settled."
Robin looked at Ephraim again, finding his voice suddenly very curt and dry. Ephraim was no longer meeting his gaze. "I'd… still like to cross-examine the witness, if I might, Your Honor."
"Naturally. Do go on."
"Mr. Mani… you've confessed to the murder of Fado Verlaine, but… your companion, Caellach Broduin, did the same thing, only he told us he was employed by Renault Desombres. Is that what you're claiming as well?"
"Heavens, no," said Valter. "It was me. Sua sponte. I was the killer—me and only me. Renault Desombres had nothing to do with it."
The court was silent for a moment, then filled with whispers. The judge had to demand silence.
"Y-You're… confessing, but not claiming conspiracy on Mr. Desombres's part?" Robin said shakily, trying to work out what was happening.
"That's right." Valter lifted his hands in front of his body in a way that made him look like a shambling zombie. "I'll surrender myself to police custody posthaste. There is nothing more to say."
The judge blinked, surveying the courtroom. "Well… based on Mr. Mani's remarks… it would appear that he is correct. There isn't much else to say… what a strange trial this has been. To see it end with such a confession feels a bit abrupt, but, with such a curious situation, I suppose it's merely par for the course. If there are no objections, I will confer with the jury in order to bring about a verdict."
"The prosecution… rests," said Ephraim.
"Mr. LeBlanc?" The judge looked over at the attorney.
Robin's hands were shaking. This was the end. The murderer had confessed, and he hadn't even tried to bring in his client. Robin's defense was finished. There was absolutely nothing left he needed to prove in order to set his client free.
It felt utterly wrong.
Robin thought about what Heather had told him, about the nagging doubts that had plagued him throughout the whole case, about Ephraim's strange behavior, about his own thoughts, ideas, conspiracies… everything seemed to swarm into his head at once such that it hurt to even think.
"Mr. LeBlanc?" The judge reiterated.
Robin saw Fado on the other side of the courtroom. Then, that mirage disappeared, and Ephraim was looking back at him. His eyes were wounded. For as long as they'd battled in court, Ephraim's eyes had never looked wounded to Robin.
"Your Honor," said Robin, "the defense… objects to this confession!"
"Wh-What?!" the judge started.
The pain disappeared from Ephraim's eyes.
"What did you say?" One of Valter's eyes bulged.
"I said the defense objects. Mr. Mani, your associate lied to us, too, and I won't have this court hear anything but the absolute truth."
"Why can't you leave well enough alone, you imbecile?" Valter railed. "I've given you all you need to end this trial. What I've said is the truth, so just let this be the end!"
"I want to know something," Robin answered, "Mr. Mani, if you murdered Fado Verlaine, but didn't do it on anyone's orders, then… why did you do it?"
"What does that matter?"
"If you're so eager to surrender yourself, you should be willing to communicate everything the police and future prosecution need in order to convict you. Motive is one of those things, so, tell us, why did you kill Fado Verlaine?"
"Tch. If you must know, I knew of his work in the Ylissean and Plegian legal fields. I wanted his influence kept out of our courts. To do that, I chose to kill him."
"And that was it? To keep him from changing the court systems?"
"Yes. Satisfied?"
"Not yet. If that was the case, why kill him with a witness present? Why not attack when he was alone? It wasn't out of convenience, because you already told us you planned to be there."
"No, I needed someone there to take the fall. I couldn't have people looking for me."
"And yet, here you are, willfully confessing before a court when you could just as easily have stayed hidden, or alleged conspiracy, like Caellach. Why didn't you do that?"
"My capture by the PIIAG made hiding impossible. Once that happened, I supposed that confessing the truth would leave me in the least amount of trouble."
"That doesn't make sense. There's no 'least trouble' in this scenario. Murder in the first degree and conspiracy to commit the same carry the same sentence: death."
"I hoped to beg leniency in my own trial. To petition the court for life imprisonment. Pretending that I was a contract killer rather than a self-motivated violent political activist would have run contrary to that purpose."
"What about the cards that were used as a signal?"
"What cards? I don't know anything about cards."
"Fado Verlaine was holding onto a tarot card instead of a Ylissean one, like the rest of the deck he and Renault were using."
"I don't know anything about that."
"Why did you shoot Fado twice?"
"My first shot missed slightly. He might've died from the injuries, but I had to make sure."
"Why didn't Renault testify against you if he was really an unrelated party?"
"How should I know? Maybe he's gone senile. I never saw him once after I left the cantina."
"If you didn't want anyone to come after you, why did you leave your codename in the ledger instead of a pseudonym?"
"I didn't think anyone would recognize it. I sometimes provide that name in lieu of my own for privacy reasons, and it's an easy one to remember if someone calls me by it or challenges me to repeat it. If I used a pseudonym, someone might have noticed and become suspicious."
Robin grit his teeth.
"Whoa, catch your breath, there," Anna said. "You're firing questions like mad."
"Th-There has to be something…" Robin panted, "We're this close, but he keeps denying everything… something's not right. It just doesn't make sense."
"Calm down and regroup a little. There must be a smarter way to do this. Didn't you find any evidence that would sort this out?"
"I tried… I looked at it all, over and over, and everything that gets us to this point is solid, but I can't prove who he's working for. I have some loose ideas, but none of it is enough. D-Dammit!"
"Are we through with this tiresome exercise?" asked Valter. "I've already had a terribly long day. If it's all the same to you, I'd prefer not to delay my own legal proceedings any longer."
"It seems Mr. Mani has answered all your questions to a satisfactory degree, Mr. LeBlanc," said the judge. "If you have nothing further, I think I am prepared to use my discretion and call these proceedings to a close."
Anything… no… I have nothing else. All the evidence I've looked at, none of it can really help me prove it. He must have been hired by someone to kill Fado, but there's just no way for me to prove it. This is…where it ends, isn't it? Fado… I'm sorry, I wasn't quite good enough.
"Just a damn minute."
Everyone in the court turned their heads toward the prosecution's bench. Ephraim's eyes were on fire, and his fists were clenched white, resting on his desk. "Prosecutor Verlaine?" The judge looked at him inquisitively.
"This 'confession…' this 'truth…' It's a sham! It's disgraceful! And I'm not going to allow it for another second!"
"A-Again?!" shouted the judge.
"You…!" Valter's eyes narrowed at the prosecutor.
"Pray forgive me," said Ephraim, "I was pressured into silence. I thought for my safety, for the safety of those dear to me, and that concern turned into fear. That fear then became indifference… indifference to the truth, and to law. But I'm throwing that feeling away now! This trial… these facts… everything has been gnawing at my very core from the beginning. All along, I sensed something was wrong, and I have you to thank for it… Robin LeBlanc."
"M-Me?"
"These nagging doubts you saddled me with… I despised you for them at first. I hated that you could make me question the purity of my own justice, but, then, I realized… this is the true essence of my father's teachings. Personal stakes and goals mean nothing… there is only what is true and what is not. Though we may be adversaries, our mission is a common one: to reveal the truth by argument. It's not compromising my vision if… if I find myself… agreeing with you. Our duty binds us to take separate sides, but it does not prevent us from reaching the same conclusion."
"Is there a point to your insufferable rambling?" asked Valter.
"You know damn well there is, you cretin." Ephraim's glare punctured the witness's lung. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court, in the time I spent interviewing Valter Mani, something happened that has never happened to me for as long as I have been a prosecutor."
"You wouldn't dare…!"
"I received a call from a man in the employ of the Plegian Special Operations Bureau. He informed me that Valter Mani was a person of interest to them, and that I was to allow Mr. Mani to make his confession to the court and rest my case there. Moreover, I was told to keep all this information to myself. All this… under threat of death."
"D-Death?" Robin started. "Why so severe?"
"The conclusion is obvious: if Valter Mani was a person of interest for the PSOB, he would have been monitored at all times. If he truly did kill Fado Verlaine, and we can only assume that he did at this point, then he did so with the full knowledge and compliance of the Plegian government. That is why they desired a speedy end to this trial."
"You're kidding… so if someone hired Valter to commit this murder…"
"All the evidence indicates that that person was a member of the Plegian government, yes. And it's not a question of 'if.' All the evidence we have shown conclusively proves that Renault Desombres did not kill Fado Verlaine. Likewise, it conclusively proves that Caellach Broduin also did not commit the murder. A suicide or accident is impossible under the circumstances. Valter Mani is the only person who could have killed Fado… no, my father. Moreover, if this murder was not sanctioned by Valter's handlers in the PSOB, he would not be present before us today. The only logical conclusion is that someone within the Plegian government specifically contracted Valter Mani to murder Fado Verlaine. That is the truth of this case. It is the truth you knew all along, Mr. LeBlanc, but that I avoided to selfishly preserve my own self-righteousness. Well, no longer. There's the truth, all laid out for you."
"S-Stupid little bastard!" Valter hissed. "I'll kill you! I'll rip your heart out and eat it!"
"No threat of yours can frighten me anymore." Ephraim shook his head. "Mr. LeBlanc had the courage to continue pursuing justice and truth when he could have let them slip by for an easy victory. His commitment to principle inspired me."
"Ephraim…"
"Don't get the wrong idea," the prosecutor scoffed, "You're still a second-rate attorney at best. But you're not a coward, and for that, you have my respect."
"This case only grows ever stranger," said the judge, shaking his head. "What can we possibly do now?"
"One issue remains," said Ephraim, "uncovering the identity of the individual responsible for hiring Valter Mani, who we now know was the murderer of Fado Verlaine. Once that person's identity is known… then and only then will this case be truly resolved. Unfortunately, finding that out will likely require additional investigation, and time in this trial is running short. Also, given that I was issued a death threat, I don't think I can very well stick around. This trial will have to conclude in my absence, but I'll see to it that a suitable substitute takes my place."
"So… we will require an additional day of investigation, and one more day's worth of trial. The final matter to be decided will be the identity of Valter Mani's employer. Is that amenable to you, Mr. LeBlanc?"
"Completely, Your Honor," said Robin, "No objections."
"Very well. In that case, I believe there is nothing left for me to do but to formally suspend this trial until November tenth, at a time to be determined later." The judge's gavel sounded, and the courtroom exploded in buzzing movement and speech.
[November 8th, 1:43 pm, Ereb District Court – Defense Lobby]
Robin stood face to face with Ephraim for the first time since their initial investigation. His face looked softer, or perhaps lighter in some way compared to then. He didn't look happy, but he did seem relieved. "I think I've said all I need to say," the prosecutor told Robin, "I was wrong. My fear of failure kept me from seeing reality. I don't want your forgiveness, but I hope you can understand."
"I can," Robin answered. "I'd be lying if I said finding the truth about what happened to Fado didn't bolster my efforts as well. We just started out on two separate sides of the debate. There's nothing more to it than that."
"Hm. There really isn't, is there? It seems so simplistic, to reduce it all to a binary, and yet… Well, anyway, we've wasted enough of today on philosophy. I'll have to take my leave shortly. I only regret that I can't help with the investigation any further."
"Don't worry about that. I've got plenty of good people who can help me."
"Perhaps that Detective Lee will be of some use?"
"Yeah, maybe…"
"I won't bother asking who she really is. I know now that you aren't lying to me, at the very least."
"Who she 'really is?'"
"You don't need to play dumb. I won't say anything."
"All right. But what about you? If the Plegian government is threatening your life, what are you going to do?"
"Same as you, I have people I can rely on at a time like this. They'll see me through."
"What about Eirika? Do you think they'll come after her?"
"It's a distinct possibility. I've got plans to keep her hidden, too. Don't distress yourself about it for now. Focus on winning the trial, all right? I'll never forgive you if you fail."
"Of that, I'm sure."
"And I'm equally sure you won't disappoint me. You haven't yet."
"Thank you, Ephraim. For everything."
Ephraim shook his head. "It's bizarre to hear that from an opponent. Knock it off."
"Fine. Are you absolutely sure you're going to be safe?"
"I am. I'm Ephraim Verlaine—I don't pick fights I can't win."
Without another word, Ephraim turned on his heel and left the courtroom.
"That guy sure leaves an impression," said Robin.
"You two should've kissed and gotten it over with," said Anna.
"Not dignifying that. He did something great for us, and I'm not gonna let him down."
"Spoken like a true lover."
"Could we be serious for one moment, here?"
Anna laughed. "Aw, c'mon. Someone's gotta bring things back down to earth when it gets all lofty around here. We're gonna spend all day investigating tomorrow, so we might as well get our kicks while we can."
"I guess… I don't know, all told, I just don't think I can really make fun of him. He's stubborn, rude, arrogant, and combative… but he's also a damn good prosecutor."
"I'm sure he thinks you've got your issues, too," Anna noted, "but we saw a little something different in him just now. We saw hope, for once. Hope that someone was really going to be able to get the justice he wants for Fado."
"Ephraim… I won't rest until I learn what really happened. I'm going to find out who's responsible, even if it kills me."
"…He had a cooler exit," said Morgan.
[Turnabout in the Tower ~ Trial Day 2 – End]