"Are the prosecution and defense ready to begin?" the judge said, pounding his gavel.
"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Dahlia said.
Phoenix stood next to her. "Wow, the courtroom seems so much different from here."
I imagine the defendant's chair isn't the most welcoming perspective. Dahlia just smiled at her co-counsel.
"The prosecution is ready," Larry said, standing tall and proud. He glared at Dahlia, eyes full of hate.
Dahlia glared back. I'm not afraid of him. So long as my client is innocent I will beat you, Larry Butz.
"Would the prosecution care to him their opening statement?" the judge said.
"Yes Your Honor," Larry said. "Yesterday a murder took place at the Merdress Mall. A security guard by the name of Ron DeLite was strangled into unconsciousness then shot in the forehead. As the autopsy report can tell you, the victim died between 12PM and 1PM immediately after being shot. Despite the murder being carried out in a mall, there were very few witnesses. However, there is more than enough reason to suspect the defendant. After all, she was found at the scene of the crime!"
The spectators in the gallery murmured amongst themselves, creating an overall deafening noise.
"Objection!" Dahlia said, cutting through the muddled voices. "Being at the scene of the crime is not enough to incriminate a person!"
"Objection!" Larry said. "Did I say that was the only reason, Ms. Hawthorne? Don't jump the gun, I haven't even called a witness yet."
Dahlia showed her teeth, malice in her gaze.
"First, the prosecution requests that the detective in charge of the investigation take the stand!" Larry said, ignoring his opponent.
Minutes later, Detective Edgeworth stood behind the witness stand and stated his name and occupation.
"Detective Edgeworth, testify about the investigation you conducted and why the defendant was arrested," the judge said.
"Yes Your Honor," Edgeworth said, sounding defeated.
Dahlia saw him glance at Kay.
Testimony
We looked into the victim's background. He was a security guard, though he was in a bit of trouble.
He had stolen information and sold it to an information company.
It is suspected that those actions were what eventually lead to Kay murdering the victim, pal.
Also, she was at the scene of the crime. Found along with her was a revolver.
Not to mention, a witness claims to have seen Kay commit the crime.
"This certainly does implicate the defendant to be the culprit," the judge commented. "The defense may cross-examine the witness."
"Yes Your Honor," Dahlia said.
Cross-Examination
We looked into the victim's background. He was a security guard, though he was in a bit of trouble.
He had stolen information and sold it to an information company.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "Who did he sell it to?"
"Some company that deals in information trading," Edgeworth said.
It is suspected that those actions were what eventually lead to Kay murdering the victim, pal.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "What does that have to do with Kay?"
Edgeworth rubbed his arm and bit his lip. "Well, you see Kay has this thing. How do 9 space 5-24-16-12-1-9-14 space 20-8-9-19?"
The courtroom was dead silent. Everyone just stared at the detective, who seemed too deep in thought to notice. Dahlia rubbed her temples. Larry raised an eyebrow, confused.
Kay hung her head in her hand. "Is Uncle Edgey trying to embarrass me?"
Finally, Phoenix broke into a grin. "4-21-4-5 space 25-15-21 space 2-18-15-11-5 space 9-14-21-15 space 3-15-4-5."
"4-9-4 space 9?" Miles said.
Phoenix nodded his head. "23-8-1-21-19 space 21-8-1-21 space 1-2-15-21-20?"
As the two men talked in code, Larry just stared at them with a blank expression. Eventually, Dahlia saw something click. Then something snapped.
Larry pounded his desk, boiling with frustration. "19-16-5-1-12 space 5-14-7-12-9-19-8 space 1-12-18-5-1-4-25!"
Everyone turned to face the seething prosecutor, who was breathing heavily.
"Umm, would anyone care to explain what's going on?" the judge said, hopelessly lost.
"You. Translate," Dahlia said, poking her assistant in the forehead.
"Alright, alright," Phoenix said. "When Miles trailed off, he was saying '… I explain this?' Then I informed him that he had broken into code. He said, 'Did I?' So I asked him, 'What's that about?' Then-"
"Just a summary will do," Dahlia said, cutting him off.
"Basically, Kay's motive is complicated," Phoenix said. "Then Larry politely requested we switch back to English."
Larry shot daggers at Phoenix with his glare. Edgeworth tugged his collar, red in the face.
"Perhaps we can move on with this testimony?" the judge said.
"25-5-19 space 25-15-21-18 space 8-15-14-15-18," Phoenix said.
Dahlia smacked him as hard as she could, at her wits end with the number-talk. Phoenix used the wall behind in him to support himself until he could stand properly again.
"15-23," Phoenix whispered. Dahlia still heard him though, and stomped his foot.
She faced Edgeworth. "So you were saying?"
Dahlia threw her pen at the detective, hitting him right between the eyes with the tip. "In English."
"Ow! That was uncalled for!" Edgeworth, rubbing where the pen had hit.
"You were the one who started it," Dahlia said.
"Are you quite finished?" Larry said.
Dahlia found another pen and threw it at the prosecutor. The cap poked him in the forehead.
"Hey!" Larry said, vehemently. "I'm not the one who started all of this!"
"Yeah, blame Phoenix," Edgeworth said, bitterly.
"19-20-21-16-9-4 space 19-1-25 space 23-8-1-20?" Phoenix said rapidly.
"What?" Edgeworth and Larry said.
Phoenix smiled at Dahlia. Under the desk, they high-fived
each other. Dahlia knew what her assistant had said. She felt an odd sense of pride and decided to forgive him.
"Detective, if you would continue with your testimony," Larry said forcefully.
"Well, the suspect has a motive," Edgeworth said.
Also, she was at the scene of the crime. Found along with her was a revolver.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "This revolver was the murder weapon, I take it?"
"Correct, pal," Edgeworth said. "The ballistic markings on the gun matched with the markings on the bullet in the victim's forehead."
"Well, what makes you so sure the defendant used the gun?" Dahlia said. "Were their fingerprints on it?"
"No fingerprints were found on the revolver," Edgeworth said.
"Then you can't prove it was my client who shot the victim!" Dahlia said.
"Objection!" Larry said. "Actually, it would be strange if the defendant's fingerprints were on the gun."
Dahlia raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
"As you can see, the defendant has a habit of wearing gloves," Larry said.
Kay held up her hands and sure enough, there were leather gloves in place.
"Seriously?" Dahlia said. She sighed.
Not to mention, a witness claims to have seen Kay commit the crime.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "You mean a witness actually saw the murder as it happened?"
"That's what she said," Edgeworth said.
"Perhaps you'd like to hear it from the witness herself?" Larry said.
Do I have any more questions for Edgeworth? Dahlia racked her brain, and then looked at the detective. He was fixated on the teenage girl in the defendant's chair. He looks like he really wants to be done with this.
"The defense has no more questions," Dahlia said.
How do 9 space 5-24-16-12-1-9-14 space 20-8-9-19? – How do I explain this?
4-21-4-5 space 25-15-21 space 2-18-15-11-5 space 9-14-21-15 space 3-15-4-5. – Dude you broke into code.
4-9-4 space 9? – Did I?
23-8-1-21-19 space 21-8-1-21 space 1-2-15-21-20? – What's that about?
19-16-5-1-12 space 5-14-7-12-9-19-8 space 1-12-18-5-1-4-25! – Speak English already!
25-5-19 space 25-15-21-18 space 8-15-14-15-18. – Yes Your Honor
15-23. – Ow.
19-20-21-16-9-4 space 19-1-25 space 23-8-1-20? – Stupid say what?