The Underworld

Chapter 7

A/N I'm finally taking this off of hiatus. Hurray! This chapter might seem a bit on the slower side compared to the others, but there were things that just needed to be mentioned. I'll get back into the swing of things soon. :)

It had been a few days since Maggey had been admitted to the hospital. Gumshoe had made sure to see her every day after he was finished with work. Tomorrow was the day she was scheduled to be released from the hospital, but he couldn't say that he was entirely pleased with that. She was safe there- not even the Cadaverinis would shoot someone at a hospital. At home… Well anything could happen there.

His investigation over who had carried out the shooting had gone nowhere. It had been the Cadaverinis or one of their associates, but that hardly narrowed it down. Just yesterday he had been ordered to drop the investigation by the head detective.

"The trail's gone cold, Dick. It's a waste of man hours."

Gumshoe wondered how much the head detective knew about the incident. Nearly everyone knew the man had been murdered by the mobsters, but had they known that it was a message to him and Edgeworth? It was hard to tell; everything seemed so much darker down at the precinct, but perhaps that was just his own perceptions now.

A sigh left his lips as he tapped his pen against his desk, staring blankly down at the case file. The Revaldi case… He was supposed to be working on it with Edgeworth, but the prosecutor hadn't contacted him since the shooting. It put him somewhat on edge, but what could he do about it? Edgeworth was Edgeworth, and it wasn't uncommon for him to ignore him until he was needed. Still, after everything that had happened he wished the other would at least give him a reassuring phone call.

The detective forced his hands to be still when his tapping earned him an irritated glance from one of his co-workers and he frowned as he tried to focus on the case file in front of him instead. Revaldi; some small-time business man whose shipment of goods was apparently stolen off the truck before they could arrive. Gumshoe hadn't spent very much time looking over the reports- stopping the Cadaverinis had been higher on his priority list than nabbing some small-time thieves. His finger ran down the list of suspects before he turned the page to the information collected about each of them. Deciding he really shouldn't be ignoring the case, he began reading through the file despite his attention wanting to wander elsewhere.

The gears in his mind turned slowly as he began piecing things together, page turning becoming more erratic as things started falling into place. A motive, the means, the opportunity… Only one of the suspects had all three. Ian Galty, who had lost nearly everything after having to pay off a big debt to the loan shark at Tender Lender. Already convicted of grand larceny and released on good behavior- it wasn't a stretch to think that he would return to his old ways…

Someone cleared their throat, and Gumshoe looked up, startled to see the head detective standing in front of his desk. "Sir?"

"Dick, I have to take you off the Revaldi case."

"What? Why sir? I've just about solved it! All I need to do is give one last sweep for evidence and-"

"Sorry Dick. Stolen goods ended up in Canada. You know what that means- Federal crime so the Feds are taking over." The head detective shook his head slowly. "Already handed everything over to them. Just need to give them that file now."

He held out his hand and Gumshoe held back a sigh, handing it over. "Yes sir…" The first time he had solved a case on his own in a while and this had to happen… "Do you have something else for me to work on, sir?"

"Why don't you go home early? Nothing more you can do today." With that, the head detective turned and walked away back to his desk.

Gumshoe frowned, shoving his hands into his pockets before starting to make his way out of the precinct. Well he supposed that he could spend more time with Maggey today. That drew a small smile from him- a silver lining in everything. He was about to turn the corner when he paused, hearing a familiar voice.

"Yeah, he's prosecuting tomorrow. Shouldn't need to worry about it- he'll get him a guilty sentence for sure. Then that guy'll be out of your hair for good."

Vitcko. What was he talking about? He didn't know there was going to be a trial tomorrow… He pressed against the wall, peering around the corner carefully. The other detective- if he could even still be called that- was alone, talking on his cellphone; probably to a Cadaverini goon.

"Hey, they don't call that guy the 'Demon Prosecutor' for nothing. Trial will probably be over in a day."

Gumshoe's heart began pounding in his chest, head spinning in confusion. They were talking about Edgeworth! But why? He wouldn't prosecute a case without telling him! … Okay, so he would, but for the Cadaverinis to be interested in it… They must have framed someone. He'd have to warn Edgeworth!

"Hm? Gumshoe? Nah. You don't need to worry about him. I've worked with him for years. Couldn't deduce his way out of a paper bag- nothing more but some muscle for Edgeworth. He's not going to make a move on his own. Especially after what happened to Byrde. Told you that would work like a charm."

Gumshoe's hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles began to ache almost instantly and it took all his willpower not to charge forward and clobber the man. He was the reason that Maggey had been hurt! As his blood pounded in his ears, he discovered that he missed whatever it was that Vitcko said next, hearing just the sharp 'snap' of a phone closing. As footsteps began coming his way, the detective nearly panicked, backpedaling quickly. Eyes darting around, he quickly found a side hallway, ducking down in and crouching behind a potted plant. Peering through the leaves, he was going to watch to make see where the other was going before-

"Detective Gumshoe?"

Gumshoe jumped, whirling around to find Phoenix Wright standing there, his assistant Maya beside him. "What are you doing wandering around here, pal?"

"We're on a case!" Maya replied cheerfully, touching the tips of her fingers together. "Care to slip us some information?"

"Mmph." He glanced away, scratching the back of his head. "You're defending someone? Is it that case that's happening tomorrow?"

"That's the one!" she replied cheerfully.

"We could really use your help on this one, Gumshoe," Phoenix replied, taking out a manila folder that he had tucked under his arm. "Here's-"

"Sorry pal, I can't help you."

Maya nodded, giving him a knowing smile. "Riiight."

"No, I'm serious."

"Being with the prosecution's never stopped you before! Come on, we just need the basics here."

"It's not that," Gumshoe replied. "I'm not on the case. I didn't even know that there was a case going to court until a couple of minutes ago."

"Whaaat?" The pair looked flabbergasted.

"I've never defended a case where you weren't the detective in charge. I guess I forgot that there are other detectives," Phoenix admitted with a laugh. He paused, frowning slightly. "You don't look happy, Detective."

Should he tell him that the Cadaverinis were involved in this one? No, he'd better not. Then he'd just be dragged into danger- Wright wasn't one to drop a case just because things got dangerous. "I guess I'm just disappointed to be left out of the action. Haven't missed one of your trials before- they're always exciting to watch."

"You should come watch anyway," Maya replied cheerfully. "It just wouldn't be the same without you there! You can even still come to our victory celebration."

"I'll see what I can do," Gumshoe replied, managing a smile. Hopefully once he got to Edgeworth, there wouldn't even be a trial. Not when he was certain that the defendant was being framed by the Cadaverinis. Who was in charge of this case anyway? One of the detectives on the take, probably… "Be careful with this one, pal."

"Careful? What do you mean?" Phoenix asked, blinking. "So you do know something about this case?"

"N-No, just… Mr. Edgeworth's the prosecutor, so it's going to be a tough one."

"Edgeworth? Really?" Maya exclaimed. "But Nick, why's Edgeworth going after someone who's obviously innocent?" She covered her mouth with her hand as she murmured, "I thought he was done with that sort of thing…"

"I'm sure Mr. Edgeworth has good reason to be prosecuting this case, pal!" the detective snapped defensively. Why hadn't the prosecutor told him anything about this?

"Yeah, I'm sure Gumshoe's right," the defense attorney decided. "Come on, Maya. Let's see if we can find out what sort of evidence the police have. Nice seeing you." He gave the detective a nod before starting off down the hall again. Maya gave him a cheerful wave that he made sure to return.

Now he really needed to see Edgeworth. Hurrying to his car, it didn't take him long to reach the prosecutor's office across town.

Gumshoe practically leaped out of the elevator before making his way to the office, not even bothering to knock on the door as he just burst into the room. "Mr. Edgeworth, sir! There's something you need to know about that case tomorrow!"

"Oh? Do tell, Gumshoe." Sitting in the chair in front of Edgeworth's desk with his feet propped up on it was Vitcko, who was giving him a smarmy smile. "What could you possibly know about our case, hm?"