Phoenix thought the first place to look would obviously be the restaurant. He needed to find as much evidence as possible if he was to clear Carol's name. However, the thought of the Psyche-Locks remained a constant in his mind. What exactly is she trying to hide from us? He thought, finding it hard that if she was innocent, she would need to hide any information regarding her case.
Phoenix sighed, entering the restaurant, which has been closed off since the murder. Even with it being closed, it was eerily quiet for a popular restaurant to be. With Maya following him in toe, he took a stop inside the building. He saw how it was sectioned off, one waiting area and three different dining areas. Upon walking in, he saw that the farthest area to the left had police tape wrapped around it to block it off, as well as a tape outline on the ground to show where the body had landed. Maya looked over his shoulder to the scene, face shifting to mildly disturbed.
"Is that where it happened?" Maya asked, almost reluctant to move any closer to it.
"Yeah, seems to be." Phoenix nodded.
"It's weird...no matter how many times I see a crime scene, I can't get used to it..." Maya muttered, looking down.
"That's not exactly a bad thing, Maya." Phoenix said, trying to reassure her. "It's only human to feel uncomfortable about seeing something like this."
"But...you always seem so relaxed about it, Nick." Maya thought out loud.
"Well...actually, it hits me pretty hard as well."
"Really? You hardly ever show it!"
"Then I guess I've done a good job on hiding it." Phoenix said, almost proud of himself.
"Uhm, pardon me? Are you here for a meal at Worldwide Tastes?" A voice asked from behind him politely.
Phoenix turned to see it was a young woman in a black and white hostess outfit, holding a menu in her hands. Her brown hair was tied into a bun at the very tightest point on the back of her head. And her blue eyes were closed happily behind a set of splinter thin glasses. Almost blunt on the murder that had occured, she remained smiling to Phoenix and Maya, offering the menu.
"Uh...N-No, we're not." Phoenix replied.
"Ah, well it's good that you're not. As you can see, we're closed for now and can't prepare any meals at the moment. However, for future reference, how about a look through the menu to see what you might want to eat in the future?" She smiled, handing the menu off to Phoenix.
"Alright, Nick! Let's see what they've got!" Maya smiled widely, attitude shifting dramatically. She opened the menu in his hands and scrolled through it. "Hmm...here's one I wanna try!" Maya said, pointing to a spot on the menu.
"The...Asian American Cheeseburger?" Phoenix looked to the hostess questionably. "What is that?"
"Oh, well you see, here at Worldwide Tastes, we offer traditional dishes from all around the world, as well as other countries' versions on America's classic dishes." She smiled to Maya. "You have a good pick there. A personal favorite of mine, if I do say so myself." She smirked, holding a hand to her chin.
"Well, Nick? Do you see anything you want?" Maya asked.
"Huh...most of these meals are kind of up there in price. The cheapest one here is this Worldwide Sausage Sampler." Phoenix said.
"Oh, that's another favorite here." The hostess nodded. "Well, if I see the two of you once we open up again, I'll just direct you to your tables and make sure you will be served right away." She grinned and finally opened her eyes enough for Phoenix and Maya to see their blue hues. "Here at Worldwide Tastes, the world revolves around the customer."
"Ah! Good motto!" Maya smiled.
"You think? I thought it up myself!" The hostess blushed humbly.
"Uh...excuse me..." Phoenix reminded himself to ask. "We are here for a reason more than just food."
"Oh?" The hostess asked. "Well then, maybe you're both applying for a job here?"
"No, thank you. I already have a job to do." Phoenix retorted. "As a defense attorney. I'm here to investigate the murder that occured here last night."
"..." The hostess paused. "You...weren't here to order anything?" Her expression changed ever so frighteningly.
"N-No, we're not..." Phoenix began to get nervous, taking her glare into consideration.
"Well then...might as well make myself comfortable." The hostess grinned, then reached up to her glasses, taking them off and folding them up, tucking them into the collar of her uniform. She then tugged at the bun of her hair and released it, letting her surprisingly long hair fall around her body, all the way down to the backs of her ankles. "My name is Ruby Silverstone. I was working as the hostess here last night."
"I-I see!" Phoenix said, surprised from this change of appearance.
"So, did you see what happened here?" Maya asked.
"I believe I should have. I was here for the Night Owl shift, as I usually tend to do. The restaurant was just starting to get busy when I heard one gunshot suddenly. Then, as the customers were in a panic, another shot was fired. I tried my best to help the customers at a safe single file, but they wound up just pushing through like mad. You can even see the door's hinge fell off from their force." Phoenix turned to the entry doors. Indeed, the door on the left was off it's hinge and hanging to the side.
"You heard two gunshots and the customers were pushing through the doors to escape, huh?" Phoenix asked, taking the broken door's details down onto the Court Record.
"Yes...it was quite a panic to be honest. I didn't think I could leave at first..." Ruby sighed, stroking a lock of hair that fell over her stomach.
"Did you get a look at the shooter at all?" Maya asked.
"..." Ruby thought. "I remember someone handling a gun just barely, but I didn't get a good look at her."
"Wait...her?" Phoenix asked suddenly. "How did you know it was a woman?"
"The customers were shouting that as they were scrambling out. 'She's got a gun! Get out! Hurry!'...Stuff like that." Ruby said, continuing to stroke her long brown hair.
"If you can take a quick look at this, Miss Silverstone..." Phoenix requested after a moment's thought. He held up a photo from the police report profiles. A photo of Carol Ling.
"That...That's her!" Ruby's eyes widened as she tugged tightly at her hair. "That's the shooter! I know that red hair!"
"This isn't good, Nick..." Maya whispered. "She seems to know a thing or two about hair..."
Phoenix nodded back, feeling like he shouldn't have just done that, but felt like he could get somewhere with this.
"Do you happen to remember if she was a customer?"
"Why yes, she was." Ruby relaxed, releasing her hair. "She was sitting with three others and split an order of the Worldwide Sausage Sampler in fact."
That was the cheapest item on the menu. Phoenix remembered. No wonder...I would have expected no less from Detective Gumshoe.
"Nick...did you catch that just now?" Maya asked.
"Huh?" Phoenix looked back, not realizing what she meant.
"She said Carol was with three other people..."
"Yeah...well, let's see. Detective Dick Gumshoe, Officer Maggey Byrde and...wait..."
"Exactly. This is the first time we've heard of a third person!" Maya exclaimed.
Now this is starting to feel like one of my usual cases...Phoenix thought, looking back to Ruby.
"Miss Silverstone...please." Phoenix made himself ask. "Could you tell us about the three people she was with?"
"Well, one of them was a big guy with sort of a scruffy appearance about him." Ruby thought, stroking her hair. Phoenix knew she was describing Detective Gumshoe. "There was another, smaller woman with glasses and a look about her that seemed to bring bad luck anywhere she went." Ruby said, obviously talking about Officer Byrde. "And the third person, well, he was kind of an odd guy. Almost gave half the customers a heart attack with that megaphone he carried. And I thought it was weird for him to be in a police uniform, too."
"Huh? There was a cop with her, with a megaphone?" Maya asked.
An odd cop...with a megaphone...oh, no...don't tell me...
"What is it, Nick?" Maya asked, looking to Phoenix worriedly. "You looking kinda pale..."
"M-Maya...I know who the other guy is." Phoenix muttered, sweating bullets.
"R-Really? Who is it?"
Phoenix refused to answer. He wanted to get to the Criminal Affairs Department, and fast.
"Miss Silverstone, thank you for your time..." Phoenix said, attempting to give a smile.
"Oh, I didn't mind." Ruby smiled back, hair suddenly pulled back into a tight bun and glasses back on her face. "Anything to please the customers. Come back anytime~!" She sang off happily as they left, Phoenix pulling Maya in a hurry.