Chapter 26:
"Is that...?" Flora began.

"Inspector Rowland?" Luke finished, gawking at the inspector.

"Hmph!"

"What is she doing in here?" Flora asked in bewilderment.

Layton walked up to the bound inspector and began to untie her.

"Wait?" Luke began, helping the professor. "If Inspector Rowland is here, then who has Nalah?"

Layton didn't respond as he thought of many possible answers to Luke's question.

"Hmph!" Rowland tried to speak through her gagged mouth.

Luke quickly removed the piece of cloth covering the woman's mouth so she could speak.

Rowland breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank you! I thought I would be stuck in here forever! You don't know how cold and wet it is in here, and the rats! There are huge rats in here! They could eat a cat! And don't get me started on the noises!" Rowland screamed as she attempted to express all of her emotions in one statement.

"What noise?" Flora asked.

Rowland noticed the girl for the first time as she answered. "I'm not sure. It consisted of banging and clanging."

Layton finally managed to untie Rowland and she nodded in thanks.

Luke held a questioning gaze. "Banging and clanging?"

Rowland nodded.

"We should get going. We need to find Emmy and Nalah, and quickly." Layton stated with a serious tone.

"And we need to expose the fake Inspector Rowland as a fraud!" Luke added with great emphasis.

"Mind if I come along?" Rowland asked as her voice grew darker. "I have a few words for my imposter."

Layton nodded and exited out of the room. "Do you know anything about Philip, Inspector?"

"Not much, other than he's insane. I bet you already knew that." Rowland answered.

"Yeah... We noticed." Luke added sarcastically, resulting in a giggle from Flora.

The group rounded a corner leading to another door. The professor stopped abruptly, causing an oblivious Luke to bump into him. He turned to his companions, placing a finger over his lips, silencing the conversation. He stepped forward and opened the door slowly.

Before him was another room similar to the one where the ceremony had taken place. He noticed a young girl tied up and sitting on the floor to the right.

"Nalah. Are you alright?" Flora asked from behind Layton.

Nalah nodded, though her frightened eyes did not agree. "They went up those stairs with Emmy." She gestured to the stairs behind her.

Layton nodded and quickly untied her. "Why did they leave you here."

Nalah smiled sheepishly. "I kinda kicked the lady in the knee, and it made some strange noises. She got mad, spat a few words I dare not repeat, and left me in here."

The professor helped Nalah up, and she turned, noticing Inspector Rowland. "How did she get there? I thought she went that way! And why is she with you?"

"Nalah, meet the real Inspector Rowland. The other is a fake." Luke explained.

Nalah blinked in confusion. "A fake? Then who is she?"

"I believe I have the answer for that." Layton said.

"What is it, Professor?" Luke asked intently.

"I believe it will make sense when we see her again. Come along." Layton guestured for them to follow.

They walked up two flights of stairs, when they began to hear voices, coming from behind yet another door. The professor recognized Philip's irritated voice, soon followed by Emmy's extremely angry tone.

"Well, we know where they are." Luke stated.

Layton quickly opened the door, and he and his companions flooded in. Philip pointed his sword at Emmy, his eyes flaming with hatred and agony as he tried to force Emmy to show him what he wanted. Emmy held an almost bored expression, yawning as if she wasn't being threatened by a sharp weapon.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT NOW, LAYTON?!" Philip screamed.

"Inspector Rowland" held an expression completely opposite of her associate, as she smiled, amused by his anger.

The real Inspector stepped forward, her eyes filled with resentment towards her twin. "Who are you? And why on earth are you posing as me?"

The fake Rowland smiled and began to laugh, not answering her double's question.

Philip looked at the real Inspector. "I see you escaped." He spat out.

"Why are there two of you?" Emmy asked, pointing at the two Rowland's in the room.

Layton stepped next to Rowland. "This here is the real Inspector Rowland." He guestured to the poser. "That is a fraud."

The fake Rowland laughed at this. "I think we figured out that much, Professor."

Layton shook his head. "Oh, but there is more too it than simply that. You are not at all what we thought you were."

"What do you mean, Professor?" Flora asked.

"Wait, you called her 'that'." Emmy concluded, seeming return to her real self for one small moment.

The professor smiled. "Exactly, my dear. This 'Inspector' is not human. She is, in fact, a machine."

"What?" Luke exclaimed.

"She is a robot, to be exact. A robot created by Philip here." Layton stated.

"Why would he create a robot?" Nalah asked.

Layton adjusted his hat and began his answer. "Philip knew he couldn't pull off this plan without help. He needed someone who could befriend us while gathering info in the process. He captured Inspector Rowland, an inspector we had not met before, so we would not notice a change in personality, as we would with someone we already knew. He then made of copy of her, and sent this copy to follow us."

Philip smirked. "Well, well, I suppose you catch on quickly."

"That explains the noise the Inspector heard." Flora concluded. "She was hearing Philip build the fake Rowland."

Layton smiled at his adopted daughter. "Indeed. But that's not all that's fake."

He turned to Philip. "There is much more to this mystery, some even you are unaware of."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I finally got the chance to add this chapter. What more is there to this mystery? Chapter 27 coming soon!