February 22nd, 2017

Prosecutor's Office

Underground Parking Lot, 2:00 PM

Judy's POV

Judy: Looks like the cops are still investigating.

?: I have to be getting back to the shop…

?: Sorry… Looks like I'll be stuck in this pit 'til the sun sleeps.

?: I'll see you in my dreams tonight, then, baby.

The door to the security room opens, reveling Angel Starr.

Angel: Oh! Still here?

Ema: Ah, h-hello.

Angel: Why the surprised looks? Didn't I mention…? I've got a boyfriend in Criminal Affairs, too.

Judy: Affairs…?

Angel: Well I should be going, see you people in court tomorrow.

After she left, Mr. Marshall came out from the door as well.

Marshall: Hey! What's wrong, bambina? You're lookin' like a dogie that's lost its herd!

Judy: Uh… good day do you too, Officer Marshall. Here, as promised I've got a letter of introduction from Detective Gumshoe.

Marshall: Gumshoe…? Ah, that old cowdog? Hmm… He holding a birthday party or something?

Phoenix: Huh?

Marshall: Look, where it should say letter of "introduction"… It says "invitation."

Phoenix: Ah… I think he just miswrote it.

Marshall: No worries. This proves it's from Detective Gumshoe, better than a blood test. Guess I'd better let you in, then.

Judy: Well, while we're here, can I ask you some questions about the crime?

Phoenix: You talk to Marshall. Me and Ema will look around the crime scene.

Judy: So, Officer Marshall? Could you tell me more about the victim, Mr. Goodman?

He was drinking his water before speaking.

Marshall: Good men always die young. Remember that, pardner.

Judy: Um… that doesn't answer my question. Bruce Goodman… he was a detective, right?

Marshall: Well, well, the little bunny's got ears on her. Detective Goodman was stabbed here at 5:15… The smiling Madonna told me the tale…

Judy: Angel Starr, you mean.

Marshall: One stab to the chest. A fine piece of work. This here's the autopsy report.

Judy: Thank you.

I looked at the report real quick. As he said, one stab to the stomach, and the knife was about 12cm. The strange thing here is that it said that it said that Goodman died between 4:00 to 5:30.

Judy (Thinking): That's strange. If he was stabbed here at 5:15, then where did the 4:00 come from?

As I was about to ask him some more questions, I heard a phone go off.

Judy (Thinking): Oh no, Phoenix!

Marshall: Hey! What's going on over there?

*beep*

Phoenix: Ah! Oh, s-sorry.

Marshall: I see you, pardner! You pressed the redial on that there phone, didn't you?

Phoenix: Uh, well, yeah…

Ema: Whose phone is this, anyway? It was on the ground next to the trunk where the victim was stabbed.

Marshall: Whose is it? That belongs to Chief Prosecutor Skye.

Ema: What? It's my sister's!?

Marshall: She apparently dropped it when she was taken into custody, right after the crime. Look… the last call was made right when the murder occurred! Looks like she was fixing to call someone. Except she only spoke for a few seconds, according to this.

Judy: Who did she call!?

Marshall: No idea. Sorry, pardner. Now, I got a question for your spiky-hair friend, pardner. I heard a phone ring just now… one of those new-fangled ring-tunes.

Phoenix: Oh? That? Oh…

Judy: I-it, was my phone, sir!

Marshall: Wh-what!? Your phone?

Judy: Uh… yeah. My, uh, boyfriend was trying to call, but, uh, we lost connection somehow. Funny, huh? Eh, eh…

Marshall: … I hope you're not lying… They shoot you for that in Texas, pardner!

Judy (Thinking): Great, Phoenix. You own me for this!

Judy: Well anyway, Mr. Marshall. I was wondering if the Chief Prosecutor, Ms. Skye was involved with the victim in any way.

Marshall: Funny you should mention that, bambina. Chief Prosecutor Skye and Detective Goodman… had nothing in common at all.

Ema: Nothing in common…?

Marshall: They apparently worked together on a case a few years back.

Phoenix: So… there's no motive!

Marshall: Seems like it, but yet she killed him anyway. Goodman wasn't a particularly gifted detective. That's one reason why he didn't do much work with the Chief Prosecutor…

Ema: But, my sister called the victim here on the day of the murder, right? Here… to this parking lot?

Marshall: So it seems. Like calling an unarmed man to a shootout at high noon.

Ema: So there's no connection between Detective Goodman and my sister!

Marshall: That's correct, but… There's a goldmine of evidence against her…

Phoenix: …!

Marshall: And the prospector tomorrow is none other than Edgeworth himself… I'm afraid your sister's fate is decided, bambina. Many condolences.

Ema: Officer Marshall!

Marshall: Yeah, bambina?

Ema: H-how can you say that!? You and my sister, you were…

He looked at Ema with a bit of guilt in his eyes.

Marshall: …! I apologize, bambina. Something must have gotten to me. Maybe it's that dry wind that's a-blowin' through the Prospector's Office.

Judy (Thinking): First Angel Starr and now Mr. Marshall. Something is up here.

Judy: Mr. Marshall. I heard from Detective Gumshoe that you are a patrolman, not a detective.

Marshall: Funny, you mention that, bambina. But I used to be one of them fancy-shoed "Detectives" till two years ago, to tell you the truth.

Phoenix: Oh, really?

Ema: But you're a patrolman now. So how can you be in charge of a crime scene?

Marshall: Nothing gets by you, does it, bambina?

Phoenix: So, why are you in charge?

Marshall: No reason. We're just short on hands right now. I'm keeping an eye out in the meantime.

Judy: But Detective Gumshoe said he wasn't busy when we met him.

Marshall: He's nothing but a sad ol' cowdog, that can't find his tail. Maybe it's because he runs with that Edgeworth, eh?

Phoenix: Edgeworth…?

Marshall: That cowdog's been kicked out of this cattle run… by order of the Chief of Police. Just, he don't realize it yet.

Judy (Thinking): Wh-what!? Gumshoe's been kicked out!?

Marshall: Suspicious about Mr. Edgeworth have been flying around for nearly two years now.

Phoenix: Yeah, forging evidence… arranging testimonies, you name it.

Marshall: He was unbeatable because he did whatever it took to win. Unbeatable that is, until he met you.

Ema: But rumors are just… rumors, aren't they? These are prosecutors we're talking about! Evidence is everything to them!

Marshall: If you follow the rumors about Edgeworth to their source, you find one person… But… they're off limits. Untouchable, you might say.

Phoenix: One person? Who?

Marshall: Bambina…It's your sister. Chief Prospector Lana Skye.

Ema: What!? My sister…?

Marshall: Edgeworth couldn't rustle all those cattle by himself. Some people load their guns with bullets; some people load them with "deals."

Phoenix: What, you're saying Edgeworth was making deals to win trials?

Marshall: "Where there's gunshots, there's bound to be bullets." That's what the old-timers say. There's a big ol' secret hidden around here somewhere. Everyone knows it.

Judy (Thinking): Big old secrets, is right.

Marshall: Well, I should be headed back to the station now. You just run along and prepared yourself for the trial. Happy trails bambina.

Judy: You two own me!

Phoenix: Eh, s-sorry about that.

Judy: Well, did you find anything?

Ema: Other than my sister's phone, we found this note in the trunk of the car. We think it belongs to Goodman.

I look at the note that Ema gave me, on it; it says 6-7S 12/2.

Judy: What does it mean? Is this a code or something?

Phoenix: I don't know.

Ema: So, well, how are we doing so far?

Phoenix: I guess we've got some clues…

Judy: We've got the autopsy report, a note from the victim, and a cell phone…

Ema: So… you think we'll be okay?

Judy: I think so. Though I wish we have more information about this case.

Phoenix: I'm sure we'll find something out in the trial tomorrow. The only thing that's still bothering me is that Lana is confessing to the crime. This won't be an easy battle.

Ema: No problem! I can guarantee that she's not the criminal.

Judy: Oh by the way, whose phone went off when I was speaking to Marshall?

Phoenix: I think I have an idea.

Phoenix whip out Lana's phone and pressed the redial button and the phone went off. It sounded like it was coming from…

Judy: Ema!?

Phoenix: I figured it was yours. That's the Steel Samurai theme, from that popular T.V. show for kids.

Ema: …!

Judy: So, it was you Ema!? You're sister tried to call you?

Ema: I… I'm sorry!

Phoenix: Can you tell us what you talked about?

Ema: I… She hung up right away.

Phoenix: I see…

I looked at Ema, she seems really concerned for her sister. I want to be angry with her, but the look on her face reminds me on Nick would feel concerned or guilty for me if anything was wrong. This case is going to be the most toughest case we've ever had. And it'll be even tougher without Maya or Nick to help us, but Nick didn't give up on Edgeworth or me when I was in a comma, so I must to the same for him. Wish me and Phoenix lots of luck Nick.