The first chapter was kind of short and choppy, but it gets better.

Classroom Turnabout Part 2:

(March 20, 10:00 a.m., District Court, Courtroom B)

The courtroom was filled with conversation, as usual, when I walked in. I took myself at the Defense Table and placed my briefcase on the table. I pointed out to Erin where the defendant's stand was and she took her seat there, looking very uneasy. I looked across the courtroom where the Prosecutor's table was to see Payne looking through Profile's.

Then the High Doors, where the judge's seat was, opened up and the judge, looking solemn as usual, took his seat and pounded his gavel once to quiet everyone.

"The case for Al Timer shall begin," he announced in his booming voice. Then he looked at the Prosecutor's Table where Payne was standing.

"The Prosecution is ready, Your Honor." Payne told the judge.

The judge looked at me. "The Defense is ready, Your Honor."

"Good," the judge observed, "Now the Prosecution shall brief us what happened on March 19 yesterday."

"Of course, Your Honor." Payne said, slightly sweating like he usually did. Payne cleared his throat and announced, "The victim was a juvenile delinquent who was failing in English. His ex-girlfriend, the defendant, was Erin who was also a failing student in English class. Both had an argument after class in the hall. After school, Al had to stay in class to make up a failed exam. Then his English teacher called him into her room."

"Mr. Payne?" the judge consulted him.

"Your Honor?" asked Payne.

"Please specify how he got into the class."

"Yes, Your Honor." Payne quickly added, sweating again. He cleared his throat again and searched through his briefcase. He took out a small piece of paper and handed it to the judge.

"Mr. Payne, what is this?" the judge asked his eyes widened.

"This is a student school note for after-school students to be summoned," Explained Payne. "It was found in the defendant's hand in his English classroom when he was dead."

Payne took out another copy and handed it to me. I looked at the note. It said:

"The following student: Al Timer

Has been summoned to Room: C-4

From the: Teacher, Mrs. Terra Haff

When to get there: Now

Notes/Comments:

' We need to discuss your grade Al. You don't deserve to be a student in my classroom.'"

Surprised by the venom of the teacher, I slipped the note into my court record briefcase and listened to the rest of Payne's opening statement.

"The teacher wasn't at the class when he arrived, however. But the only other person who was at school was Mrs. Runn, who had a few matters to attend to before leaving, conveniently."

I scribbled this down for future reference. The judge nodded, ending the statement. "So I hear that the two got in a fight during school, is that correct?" the judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. You see, there was a traffic delay around the school for one hour after school. It was impossible for anyone to leave the school at the moment. Which leads to having Erin and Al not going anywhere after school. A perfect opportunity to strike." Payne concluded.

He got out a few more sheets of paper about a record of a traffic delay. I checked it. The time was from 3:20 to 4:25

"I see. Does the Defense have any thoughts on this matter?"

The judge looked at me and I thought there for a moment. It seemed like a pretty decent way to commit a murder, yet something didn't feel right even though I couldn't put my finger on it.

"No, Your Honor. The Defense has no comments." I told him. The truth was, I had a hunch, yet I couldn't say anything until I heard something wrong.

The judge nodded. "Understood." He said. Then he turned to Payne and said, "Now, will the prosecution please bring in the first witness."

Payne gulped and said, "Yes, Your Honor. The prosecution summons Detective Gumshoe to the stand to brief about the murder."

The courtroom doors opened and Gumshoe stood behind the witness stand looking calm as he ever did. He took a deep breath and placed a few papers on the stand.

The judge told him, " Now, will Detective Gumshoe explain the murder scene."

"Sure," Gumshoe replied, "but I don't like repeating what terrible sight I saw when the body was discovered, pal." He moved to his lowly state and looked at the judge with his sad, puppy eyes.

The judge nodded again. "Alright then, Detective, the court tells me that you discovered enough evidence for what happened before the murder."

Gumshoe brightened up. "Of course, pal."

I began to sweat. It seems like Gumshoe got on his kid-friendly side, which turned out badly when he was once in front of Pearls one time when he showed off the gun in his hands. But at least I may be able to find the cause.

Gumshoe took a deep breath, exhaled, and began his testimony:

"Al Timer was a delinquent at school. He failed poorly in English and had to be brought to the class later after school. Al went into the classroom around 3:40, and the last person seen around there was Erin Runn, who was his ex-girlfriend. But Mrs. Runn also had a locker change at 3: 35 before she had to leave the school. So we figured that she went to her locker to get a knife to kill him in the classroom."

The judge's eyes were wide at the ending of the testimony. "What a savage way to kill someone," he said.

"They must have had a pretty big argument." Payne quickly recovered, sweating as he did so.

"I see." Said the judge. Then he turned to me. "You may now begin your cross-examination, Mr. Wright."

I nodded and said, "Yes, Your Honor."

I looked at Gumshoe and said, "Now can you describe to me at where Erin went to her locker."

"Sure, pal," Gumshoe said. "Just right down the hall where the murder scene was."

"Which meant she could have seen where Al went and kill him on the spot there," concluded Payne.

"Okay," I said, "But is there any proof that she went to her locker?"

"I have a copy right here, Pal," Gumshoe said and handed me a copy.

I looked at the paper, and it read as follows:

"Locker Change Slip

Name: Erin Runn

Date: March 18

Original locker number: A-107-L

New locker number: B-45-U"

I tucked this into the court record while the judge asked me, "Is this all you have to say on this matter, Mr. Wright?"

"No, I don't think so, Your Honor." Great, I thought, what did I just say?

But before anyone could say anything else, Gumshoe said, "But there is something else we found out about the murder."

The judge looked startled. "What? Please testify about this immediately!"

"Yes, Your Honor."

Gumshoe cleared his throat and said:

"At the murder scene, we almost looked over some evidence. It was on the murder weapon. We checked the fingerprints and found that they belonged to the victim. So we concluded that he also tried to kill.

"What?" Payne yelped. "Why wasn't I told of this?"

The judge shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now. Right now, we're waiting for Mr. Wright's cross-examination."

"Gladly, Your Honor." I said. I looked at Gumshoe and asked, "Is there any thing that you can tell us about the knife?"

Gumshoe said, "It was a knife salvaged from the kitchen. It is unknown who stole it first: Al or Erin. But what we thought was that Al stole it, Attacked Erin with it and failed, Erin managed to swipe it and stab it back."

"How awful!" the judge chimed in.

"I have the murder weapon right here, pal." Gumshoe told me and placed a small kitchen knife on the evidence table.

"Thank you, Gumshoe." I said.

The judge banged his gavel once and said, "This will end the cross-examination of Dick Gumshoe." Then he turned to Payne. "Now, Mr. Payne, I believe that you supplied us with another witness."

Payne nodded and said, "Yes, Your Honor." He cleared his throat and said, "The prosecution now summons Terra Haff to the stand."

After this chapter, things are going to get really understood. Reviews Please!