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July 2 1:05 PM

Thiffing's Apartment

It went without saying that the idea revisiting Thiffing's apartment was... Unattractive at best, but this is where the duo found themselves.

"Now... Where is Mr. Thiffing?" Julius asked himself. (He's not here... But his door was unlocked? That is unsettling...)

"Maybe he's hiding because he knows we're gonna drag him to the police...?" Orbis joked.

Julius raised an eyebrow. "Well, we're not getting any suspiciously convenient meows or tweets, so I'm pretty sure he's gone."

"Suit yourself." Orbis rolled his eyes.

(Besides, dragging him straight to the police is just wrong. We need to prove him guilty of something, first.) Julius patiently looked around the apartment. His eyes settled on the desk his computer settled on. "That desk looks a little shabby." He commented.

"It looks like the legs will bend at any second." Orbis observed. "I imagine it will bend at an angle, making all the stuff on it slide and fall off. The computer would probably be reduced to little pieces."

Julius turned a little pale. "Then Thiffing will walk in, see the computer and sue us for property damage."

Orbis just gazed on, turned pale as well, then finally muttered as he glanced aside, "I wonder if this guy's got super-glue..."

(I admit this little exchange has also made me a little paranoid...) "Wait," Julius picked up... Something pink. A piece of paper. The letters on it read "-RIO" and the rest of the word was cut off as a rip interrupted the text.

"Is that a... Pink slip?" Orbis assumed.

"No... It's something else." (I have no idea what... What does 'Rio' mean? Rio... Rio... Nope, can't get anything...)

"Jules you found something! I can tell by your face! What is it?"

"Look at this! It says 'Rio' and then nothing else! Do you have any idea what it sounds like?"

"Not really..." Orbis leaned forward, wearing a serious face.

(This note has importance to the case, I know it. I suppose we just need to more closely at what we have here at his apartment.)

"-RIO" Note added to Court Record

"Wait..." Orbis seemed to be staring at something. "What the...?"

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" An unpleasantly familiar voice cried.

(Oh boy! Should've ran off first chance we had...)

"What are you weirdos doing to my stuff?!" Thiffing demanded.

"U-um... Making sure your door is locked?!" ('Cuz I certainly can't just say 'I was looking for the bathroom.' That one is just dumb.) Julius' thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar feeling in his left hand.

Nerio

(Nerio? Does Mr. Thiffing know the defend-)

"Well, as you can see, It is wide open. Now scram!" Thiffing then proceeded to almost shovel them out of the door.

"Well... Looks like we won't be visiting anytime soon." Julius reflected sarcastically.

"What's this?" Orbis asked. In his hand he held a twisted piece of wire.

"That... Is a coat hanger."

"I know that!" Orbis rolled his eyes. "Look at this." He called attention to a small mark on the wire. Three scratches were scraped onto the tool, located near the end. "Remember something that might leave this mark?"

"... Yes! That was left by the lock on the evidence vault! How did you get your hands on that?"

"I snatched it just before he came in."

(Now this is something we DEFINITELY need to look into! I can ask Mr)

Twisted Coat-Hanger added to Court Record

(The footage from the police station shows that Thiffing had passed by the evidence vault... But now we know that there's more to this than meets the eye.)

July 2 1:30 PM

Police Station - Evidence Vault Entrance

"Ah, you're back!" Bulder noted. "Need something else?"

"In fact, we do!"

"... Hold on." Looked from side to side. "This is still unrelated to the case, isn't it?"

(Ehhhhh shoot...) "To be honest... Yeah, that's not what we're thinking, anymore."

*sigh* "Listen, boys," the detective slouched, his wig threatening to fall off, "I'd really like to help ya, but I already got my daily earful from Prosecutor-"

"Hey!" Orbis cut in. "Detective! This is important! Someone might've been broken in the evidence vault!"

"... Can you tell me something I don't know...?" Bulder suggested.

"Um... Isn't this the part where you agree and we get access to the vault?"

"... ... ..."

(Yeah, knowing Geometry and whatever isn't exactly helping...)

"Hey, balder!" Another police officer called over. "The chief prosecutor wants to talk to you. Something about an old case."

"Oh?" Bulder asked, oblivious to the nickname. "Sorry to run off like this, youngsters, but duty calls." Bulder walked out of the room, leaving the two alone in the room.

"Well, looks like we've had the door shut in our faces." Julius lamented, looking at the iron door.

"That lock..." Orbis mused, then snapped his finger triumphantly. "Ah-ha! I know exactly what to do!"

"This time I'll say it out loud: Knowing Geometry or whatever isn't gonna help, here."

"I think otherwise." Orbis countered, taking out the coat-hanger.

"What are you doing?"

"This coat-hanger brought us back here, right? I say it's gonna take us farther than that!"

(What's he talking about?... Uh-oh!) "Wait, what? We could get arrested for this."

"So? We'll just hide." By now, Orbis had already inserted the coat-hanger into the lock, carefully lining up the teeth with the marks on the tool.

"But don't you remember what Detective Bulder said? You'd spend hours figuring out the lock!"

"Not me."

Orbis fumbled with the lock for almost a minute. Finally...

*click* "See?"

(That click... Did he really just...?) "Uh... How's that possible?"

"There's a lot of Geometry into picking a lock, as well as making one. But the guy was right, that lock was difficult for me to figure out. So, what was that you said about Geometry in the first place?"

(Nothing, because I stand ENORMOUSLY corrected... But I still say it's impossible...)

"Hey!" Orbis brought him back to reality. "You coming? The door's open!"

July 2 1:35 PM

Police Station - Evidence Vault

Lockers. Lockers everywhere. The atmosphere of the evidence vault was foreboding, as if to encourage detectives to, after evidence transferral, abandon their cases forever. Victims never to see justice.

(Yeesh! It wouldn't hurt to at least get some proper lighting for this place.) Julius was not fond of the vault's inferior lighting.

"What's problematic," Orbis began, "is that we're not even sure what we're look for..."

"It might be a safe bet that anyone who breaks into a vault, any vault, is there to steal whatever's inside."

"So with that in mind, along with the fact that all the evidence is apparently stored in lockers and drawers, it shouldn't be difficult to find something wrong."

The duo split up, looking for something that might suggest a break-in. Julius stumbled upon a locker that wasn't quite closed.

"There's something sticking out of this locker." Julius noted. This slight had managed to prevent the lock from fully securing the locker. "I wonder if this could be used to be yanked loose..." He tugged on the corner of plastic that had been caught in the closed drawer.

"What did you find?" Orbis rejoined as he heard Julius' struggle.

Finally, the lock came completely loose, allowing the two to examine the locker's contents. The plastic that beckoned Julius to free it from its prison belonged to... "An empty evidence bag?"

"Look!" Orbis instructed. "There's some tag in here too." He pulled out what looked like a ballistic report.

"It reads 'VH-5 Ballistic Report: .38 Caliber'. It says that the case was tried three years ago. That empty bag must be where the gun itself was... Who took it out?"

Evidence Vault Entrance Photo updated in Court Record

"Hold on... .38 caliber? That's the same as Adrian's murder weapon."

(... That's right... And come to think of it...)

"I asked one of the detectives for permission to the Evidence Vault."

- Adrian Hawkfenn

(Could this be the reason why Adrian came here? To review the evidence for this 'VH-5' case...? And the report says the trial three years ago, the same time as Adrian's transformation. But what about the break-in that Bulder's investigating? Did... Adrian...? Ugh, even in death, Adrian continues to freak me out...)

VH-5 Ballistic Report added to Court Record

Empty Evidence Bag added to Court Record

"Will we find anything else, possibly?" Orbis asked.

"Nope... But... Before we finish for today, there's one last stop we need to make."

July 2 2:05

Detention Center - Visitor's Room

"What are we asking him about?" Orbis asked.

"The ring got a reaction from Thiffing."

"And that reaction had something to do with Nerio, is that right?"

"Couldn't have been more obvious."

"One coming in." The guard announced from the far end.

"Oh, hello!" Nerio answered Optimistically. "Dealt a good hand?"

"Mr. Nerio," Orbis began, "you wouldn't happen to have any connection to a certain Snipe Thiffing, would you?"

"Thiffing...? I think I do remember someone... Ah yes! A rather determined guest. Almost too determined for his own good."

(What does he mean by all that? Determined?... Wait, what?! Does he mean...?) "Um... 'Determined guest'? You don't mean-"

"The guy is very tenacious at our poker, if not... Unfortunate."

"Thiffing... Thiffing GAMBLES?!"

"Yes. He's actually managed to rack up a very big debt. In fact, that's what caused those rumors about me."

"About bankruptcy?"

"Yes, those are true."

(Thiffing owes the Nerio Casino money, and lots of it by the sound of it.) "Just how big are these debts?"

Well, I'd have to look in our files to know for sure. I know it's way up there. Every month, we send a pink letter with an IOU message. A friendly reminder."

(Friendly? 'Hey, we need this money now! Say hello to the wife and kids for me.') Something then occurred to Julius and he pulled out the note from Thiffing's apartment. "Mr. Nerio, do these letters look like this?"

"... Yes! That IS the letter! Part of it, that is. Where did you find that?"

"This was in Thiff-"

"Thiffing's apartment?! Let me see!"

"Hold on," Orbis began, "remember-"

*thunk* The next moment, Nerio held his hand in pain.

"There's bulletproof glass here..."

Julius rejoined the discussion. "Mr. Nerio, where is the debt shown on your messages?"

"The letters are folded in half and are given adhesive after writing."

"Then that means..." Julius looked the note over closely. He finally found a crack that suggested an opening. After prying it open... "N-n-nine-hundred-and-forty-two dollars?!"

"-RIO" Note updated in Court Record

"I said it was way up there, didn't I?" Nerio reminded.

"Not THAT high!" (And now I think I might faint!)

"You know what this implies?" Orbis leaned forward.

"Yeah, I think we're suspecting the same thing!" (Somehow, I'm convinced that this was Snipe Thiffing's murder motive. But would that fit? How does that involve Adrian? I know we'll likely find the answer in court tomorrow, but I want that answer now...)

Court Record

Evidence:

- Attorney's Badge: This badge is a must for all attorneys. Taking the defense bench without one is a federal offense.

- Recall Ring: Apparently, a ring that allows me a glimpse of someone's past. A souvenir from my first trial.

- Adrian's Bloodstain: A bloodstain on the sidewalk. This is where Adrian was shot in the right shoulder.

- Lester's Footprints: Found near the cemetery's northeast exit. Another set was found near a grave stone. Turns out they belong to the victim.

- Lester's Autopsy Report: Time of death was around 4:45-4:55 AM. Death was caused by loss of blood due to a bullet wound in the left shoulder.

- Cemetery Diagram: A map of the cemetery, showing killers, the victim and other things.

- Casino Ad: A flyer advertising the Nerio Casino. It provides, for lack of a better word, a small map of the casino.

- Thiffing's Vest: A vest dropped by Snipe Thiffing, near the Nerio Casino.

- Thiffing's Address: Apartment 13, Direct Apartments. The building is a straight shot from the casino.

- Adrian's Letter: Adrian's last words to me before he died. Right now, I don't have time to read it.

- Handgun: A .38 handgun. It's been proven to be the murder weapon.

- Ballistic Report: The report for the rifling marks on the murder weapon.

- Sunflower: This the flower that Mr. Rigget claims to allergic to. He asked me to get rid of it

- Evidence Vault Security Footage: Apparently, Thiffing had business at the police station just before the murder. It shows him walking by the evidence vault. The camera was disabled immediately afterwards.

- Evidence Vault Lock: A very complicated lock. Even when successfully picked, the tool won't escape without a special mark.

- Evidence Vault Entrance Photo: Someone had broken into this vault. The only theft we confirmed is a hand gun from 'VH-5'.

- Nerio IOU: Thiffing owes the Nerio Casino well over $900, placing the casino itself in bankruptcy.

- Twisted Coat-hanger: This was likely the toll used to break into the evidence vault. Found in Thiffing's apartment.

- VH-5 Ballistic Report: The ballistic report from a past case three years ago. The gun in this report is the same as our current murder weapon; a .38 caliber.

- Empty Evidence Bag: This must've been what held the murder weapon identified by the 'VH-5' ballistic report.

Profiles:

- Adrian Hawkfenn - Age 36: My former mentor... He died just recently, and I have reason to believe he was the intended victim of this case.

- Casey Nerio - Age 41: My client for this case. Currently runs the Nerio Casino.

- Homer Lester - Age 29: The victim of this case. Was homeless before his death.

- Gaten Bulder - Age 39: The detective for this case. As far as detectives go, he certainly wasn't what I was expecting...

- Gray Rigget - Age 37: The grave-keeper, though a bit confused about his occupation. A witness to the murder.

- Snipe Thiffing - Age 27: A firearm consultant. Recently part of Detective Bulder's investigation.

- Phoenix Wright - Age 37: A legendary attorney. Apparently a very good friend of Adrian's.

- Apollo Justice - Age 26: Another attorney. Employee of the Wright Anything Agency. Sub-ordinate of Phoenix Wright.

- Athena Cykes - Age 21: Another attorney of the Wright Anything. Energetic co-worker of Apollo Justice.

- Orbis Fey - Age 17: The same kid that gave me my ring. Apparently banished from Kurain.

- Vera Misham - Age 23: Close friend and former client of Apollo. Currently working with police as crime scene sketcher.

- Director Hotti - Age ?: So-called "director" of Hickfield Clinic. Certainly not someone I'd make friends with...

- Brutus Contammis - Age 25: The prosecutor for this case. Practicing law for three years, he has earned the nickname "Prosecutor Hades".

Okay, I confess, I have no idea how a lock actually works. I just needed an excuse for Orbis to pick that lock incredibly fast. XP

Also, the evidence vault is meant to resemble the evidence room in the Gyakuten Saiban movie. Very dismal.

THX & God bless

~RLS legacy