"Alright Ms. May, please testify about the events after the crime," the judge said.

"Mm-kay," April said.

Testimony

After the guy was shot, he fell to the ground.

The girl dropped the gun and ran away, but the police came before she could get away.

It was kind of ugly, the guy was bleeding and the place was a mess from when the guy fought back.

"Very well then, the defense may now cross-examine the witness," the judge said.

"Yes Your Honor," Dahlia said.

Cross-Examination

After the guy was shot, he fell to the ground.

The girl dropped the gun and ran away, but the police came before she could get away.

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "How did the police get there so quickly?"

"The police received an anonymous tip-off at around 12:30," Larry said. "We couldn't trace it, since it came from a payphone. However, we were able to confirm that the caller was female."

"Anonymous?" Dahlia said.

"No one's stepped forth," Larry said. "It was a bit of a vague message, or so I was told. The caller didn't even use complete sentences. All we were told was that a crime had occurred and to go to the mall."

"Weird," Phoenix said, rubbing his chin. "They must have been in a hurry."

"I guess so," Dahlia said. "What was the scene of the crime like?"

It was kind of ugly, the guy was bleeding and the place was a mess from when the guy fought back.

"Objection!" Dahlia said. "That statement is in direct contradiction to the entire crime scene! The practically spotless crime scene!"

"Eh?" April said. "Did you say spotless?"

"Yes I did!" Dahlia said, pounding her desk. "There is no evidence of a struggle. Furthermore, there was very little blood!"

"What?" April shouted, thrown off.

The gallery murmured, collectively making one loud noise.

"Order!" the judge said.

"I ask you Ms. May," Dahlia said. "Did you even see the crime?"

"I told you I did!" April said defensively. "I was just confused, it looked bad to me! I just saw a guy get killed okay? Stop picking on me!"

"You have been slipping up far too often for to consider anything you say credible!" Dahlia said.

"Objection!" Larry said. "How tidy the crime scene looks is a matter of opinion, Ms. Hawthorne. You, a person who has seen crime scenes before, found it clean. Ms. May, a secretary with no experience in this field, thought it looked dirty."

"Objection!" Dahlia said. "What about the blood? There was very little blood and that is completely fact!"

"Objection!" Larry said. "As I said before, the witness isn't used to this kind of thing. Her mind remembers it to be worse than it truly was; which explains all these trivial errors."

"Trivial?" Dahlia said aggressively. "If the witness cannot give accurate testimony she shouldn't be on the stand!"

"Objection!" Larry said. "The witness saw the defendant murder the victim, a rather important statement which you have yet to prove false. The prosecution has every reason to call her to the stand!"

"Objection!" Dahlia said. "If she can't even remember details such as where the killer was standing, how can we trust her that she saw the defendant at all?"

"Hey!" April said. "I did see the defendant, and I didn't forget all the details!"

"Like what?" Dahlia said.

"Well, I know the police came at 12:48," April said.

"12:48?" Dahlia said. "That's oddly specific."

"My phone has a clock on it," April said. "I know for sure that all this stuff happened then."

"Perhaps you could add this detail to your testimony?" the judge said.

"Sure!" April said.

I checked the time on my phone, this all happened at 12:48 on the dot.

"Objection!" Dahlia said. "That makes absolutely no sense!"

"Leave me alone!" April said. "I know I'm right!"

"How could the murder have occurred at 12:48?" Dahlia said. "It had already been reported at 12:30!"

Both April and Larry paled in the face.

"H-how did this happen?" Larry said.

"9-4-9-15-20," Phoenix said under his breath.

"The witness has made yet another mistake!" Dahlia said.

"No I didn't!" April said. "I know it was 12:48!"

"Just give it up!" Dahlia said. She pounded her desk vehemently, but there a smirk on her face. She kind of reminds me of Iris. Déjà vu.

"But I'm not lying," April said, considerably confused.

"Then why did someone tell the police a murder had happened at 12:30?" Dahlia said.

"I don't think she's lying," Phoenix said.

"Like I'm about to just take your word for anything involved with Pink Lady, lover boy," Dahlia said.

"The police really did arrest the suspect a little after 12:48," Larry said.

"Huh?" Dahlia said.

"It's in the records, and it can be confirmed by several police members," Larry said.

"But…" Dahlia said.

Larry cocked his head, smirking. "What's wrong Ms. Hawthorne? Lose your edge?"

No! This can't be it! Dahlia gritted her teeth, clenching her fists. There has to be some explanation for all of this!

Phoenix rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You know, a lot of things aren't adding up. That crime scene really was spotless, wasn't it? There was barely any blood, and I would've thought a grown man could put up some kind of fight if someone was trying to strangle him. Maybe we need to think outside the box?"

Outside the box, huh? Maybe I need to change my perspective of this. Dahlia considered everything she knew. The murder happened earlier than we thought, and I'm pretty sure Ms. May never saw anything. In addition, that crime scene really was clean, considering a guy was shot in the head. What does it all mean? Come on Dahlia, think! Hold on… could it be?

"Ms. Hawthorne?" Larry said.

"I got it!" Dahlia said.

"Got what?" the judge said.

"I understand what happened!" Dahlia said.

"Enlighten me," Larry said.

Dahlia stood proud and tall. "There was no murder at the Merdress Mall!"

Everyone stared at Dahlia, silence ringing throughout the courtroom.

"I think that was a little too far outside the box," Phoenix said.

"Do I even need to object?" Larry said. "There was a dead body on the floor!"

"It was transported, duh!" Dahlia said. "It's pretty obvious, dude."

"If the body had been moved I think it would have been incredibly obvious!" Larry said. He sounded a tad on the defensive side. "You can't just carry a dead body through a crowded mall and go unnoticed!"

"You can if you put a cover over it!" Dahlia retaliated.

"There was no way the corpse was moved!" Larry said.

"I think there was a way," Dahlia said. She presented the office cart she and Phoenix had found at the scene. "With this and a sheet, anyone could move a body inconspicuously."

"You can't prove that cart was used to transport the victim!" Larry said.

"Let's take a closer look, shall we?" Dahlia said.

She inspected the cart in detail, checking every angle. The gallery watched in anticipation.

"Hello, what do we have here?" Dahlia said, looking at the corner of the inside of the cart. "Is that blood I see?"

"Blood?" Larry said, looking nervous.

She showed the court the small bloodstain. "Evidence enough for you?"

The gallery went into an uproar. The judge did everything he could to silence the spectators, but to no avail. He continuously slammed his gavel against the podium. Eventually, he was making more noise than the gallery.

"Where did that cart come from?" the judge said, once everything died down.

Dahlia gave the cart another once-over. "I found a logo!"

"What does it say?" the judge asked.

"Bluecorp," Dahlia said.

The judge pounded his gavel. "Have this corporation investigated immediately! This trial will be extended for another day."

"What?" Larry shouted. He looked livid. "This can't be! You slipped my grasp again! 9 space 23-9-12-12 space 2-5-1-20 space 25-15-21 space 8-1-23-20-8-15-18-14-5!"

Phoenix frowned. "23-8-1-20 space 8-1-16-16-5-14-5-4 space 12-1-18-18-25?"

"ENOUGH WITH THE CODE, NERDS!" Dahlia and April yelled.

9-4-9-15-20 = Idiot

9 space 23-9-12-12 space 2-5-1-20 space 25-15-21 space 8-1-23-20-8-15-18-14-5! = I will beat you Hawthorne!

23-8-1-20 space 8-1-16-16-5-14-5-4 space 12-1-18-18-25? = What happened Larry?