Chapter 22—Darkness

February 23, 2017

Starr had made a horrible mistake that day in court. In committing perjury, she had put her life on the line. If Lana was executed and later exonerated, Starr would be sentenced to death. It was a stupid move. Starr had once been a respectable detective, but her grudge against Lana blinded her to the danger she was putting herself in. Lana could probably help the investigation, but doing that would put Ema in danger.

It's not your fault that Starr's in danger. She chose to lie. She could have testified truthfully, and I would still look guilty. Lana sighed. This whole disaster is going to harm many people. It's already wounded plenty. Goodman has already lost his life to SL-9. At the least, he can't suffer any more because of it. Jake hasn't been the same ever since Neil died. And Ema… Oh, Ema… She'll probably never forgive me. I've done irreparable damage to her innocent soul. And then there's Miles. No matter how this ends, he's going to be in terrible pain. I probably should have abandoned our relationship altogether. At least then he would have no qualms about proving me guilty. Still… I can't change the past.

Why must I care so much about Ema? If I didn't love her so, I could have stopped all of this from happening. I could have just left the scene the way I found it. But no. I had to worry about her. I felt a need to protect her. And Gant, taking advantage of that need, gained control over me. Then everything went downhill. If only I had left the crime scene alone…

Then what? Would I have been able to handle that? Then, rather than regretting what I did, I would regret my own inactivity. Ema would have been seen as a killer. Even though she'd not be sentenced to death, her life would be ruined. And I'd have to deal with the fact that I could have stopped it.

There's no way out. SL-9 has me. No matter what I could have done, I would have suffered. I can only watch as my fate—and the fate of others—unfolds before my eyes. I suppose the only question is will I die in darkness, or will others be incinerated by the light?

A guard came in and led Lana into a questioning room. Considering what had been revealed in court, this session was probably going to be a long one.

"You know what was revealed in court, so I'll cut to the chase," an officer said. "Which one of you killed Bruce Goodman?"

"I confessed to the crime yesterday," Lana said. "I killed Goodman."

"Look, I know that's what you said, but the guy we arrested is saying the same thing. According to his statements, what he did was justified self-defense. You, on the other hand, are charged with premeditated murder. If you're found guilty, you're looking at 30 years minimum. Given the circumstances, you'll probably get life, if not death. Do you want that?"

"I killed Goodman, so I deserve whatever I am sentenced to."

"Then why the hell was Goodman also killed at the Police Department?"

Why? I don't know who died there, but it wasn't Goodman. I'd bet my life that he was in Miles's car at 5:15.

"Answer me!"

It's basic logic that Goodman was in Miles's car. But this… This could be of use to me.

"Why was Goodman killed in two places at once!?"

"I'll tell you—on a condition," Lana finally said.

"What's the condition?"

"My involvement in Goodman's death be treated not as murder, but as voluntary manslaughter."

"What!?"

"Take it or leave it."

"I-I don't have that kind of authority!"

"Then deliver my message to someone who can make this bargain with me. I will help out with the evidence room incident in any way I can if my maximum sentence be that for voluntary manslaughter."

"I'll call Mr. Edgeworth."

The guard left Lana behind in the questioning room, taking care to lock the door beforehand.

Perhaps that will help take the pressure off of him. At the least, if he proves me guilty, he won't have my death on his hands. Poor Miles… He always seems fated to walk the most difficult path possible. And I was always there to help him when he felt weak… But not this time. But he doesn't need me. He's stronger than he lets himself think. Merely staying on the path he's chosen is a symbol of that strength of will.

Lana sighed. Miles… I'm sorry you have to suffer so much on my account. Don't take all of this as a sign that I do not love you. Even though you can't always trust me in law, when it comes to love, you will never find someone more worthy of your trust.

Miles came as soon as he could—which was in a few hours, thanks to the inquiry committee.

"So, what's this I hear about a plea bargain?" Miles asked, seating himself.

"On the condition that my maximum sentence be that given for voluntary manslaughter, I'll cooperate with the investigation," Lana said.

Miles closed his eyes. He was no doubt struggling with having to face Lana like this.

Miles… You can't do anything to stop this. All you can do is mitigate the damage.

"As much as I'd like to, that's too steep," he said. "I can promise no capital punishment, possibly more, but voluntary manslaughter is out of the question."

"Second degree murder, then? Twenty years maximum sentence."

Miles stopped to think.

"Deal," he said after a moment. "Guard, you may leave us."

"Sir?" the guard asked.

"Perhaps I should be more specific. Please leave us. I'll call you back in when I'm done."

"Yes, sir."

The guard walked out.

"Let's start with the purpose of the plea bargain," Miles said. "What do you know about the murder in the evidence room?"

"Goodman was in the Prosecutor's Office parking lot at 5:15. Whoever was stabbed in the evidence room was not Goodman."

"Then where's the fake Goodman?"

"I have no idea. As far as I know, no body was found. Perhaps the 'murder' didn't really happen?"

"So you're still insisting that you killed Goodman?"

"I stabbed him in the Prosecutor's Office parking lot at 5:15. Unless someone managed to switch the body of the person I stabbed with Goodman's body, there's no way the person killed in the evidence room—if anyone died there to begin with—was Goodman."

Miles had his eyes closed. He sighed through his nose.

"What are you hiding?" he asked.

"Excuse me? I struck a plea bargain. I can't keep any secrets about the case."

"I want the truth, Lana. If there's any case I must be absolutely sure of, one in which I have no doubt about the defendant's guilt or innocence, it's this one. I'm not going to send the lady I love to prison unless I know she's guilty."

"I am."

"You say it, but what if you're just protecting your blackmailer? No—protecting your blackmailer to protect Ema?"

"Ema has nothing to do with this," Lana lied.

"But that's not true, is it? Ema has everything to do with this. The fact that you were nearly asking for the death sentence proves that you did not kill Goodman to save yourself. You also told me that you stabbed him because your blackmailer told you to. The only conclusion I can reach is that you did it for Ema."

"…No. It wasn't just for her. It was for you, too."

"Me?"

"There's a great darkness covering my secret. It holds back a harsh light, one that would burn right through your heart. I won't allow it to break free; I don't want to see you suffer."

"I'm already suffering. I trust you, Lana, so why don't you trust me?"

"If I keep my secret, you won't blame yourself for any of this. And Ema will be safe."

"Of course I'll blame myself! For two years, I've been hunting the truth. If I had been more relentless in my pursuit of it, I could have caught your blackmailer and freed both you and Ema. That's why I want to end this. Even if you're going to prison for murder, I need to know that you're safe." He closed his eyes again. "You know how much I love you. …I need you, Lana."

"No, you don't. You're stronger than you let yourself think."

"And yet I was weak enough to let this happen. And I'm too weak to defeat your blackmailer."

"You're right. You are, and so am I. Even together, we cannot defeat him. So let it go. Accept defeat and move on. Only the weakest of the weak dwell on the past instead of look to the future."

Miles sighed. "I'll find the truth—if not for you, then for myself. Maybe I don't need you, but I need to be satisfied with this disaster. I want to look back on it and not fear it." He got up and started to leave. "Good-bye, Lana."

"Miles."

He turned around.

"Do what you can to help Ema with her investigation," Lana said. "At the least, she should come to terms with the truth."

"I will."

Miles left and the guard entered.

Miles… I'll help, but you won't realize it until it's over. For you, and for Ema, I'll take this risk. You and I alone can't defeat him, but with Wright and Ema, we might have a chance. But you won't see that I'm helping until the verdict has been handed down. I'll help you through this darkness, and... if the light breaks free, I'll let it, even if it hurts you.