Dahlia stepped into the defendant's lobby. She found Phoenix, Maya and Pearl standing around.
"Hey guys," Dahlia said.
"Dahlia, good to see you," Phoenix said. "Are you feeling any better?"
The defense attorney nodded. "I'm alright."
"You're sure?" Pearl said.
"Yeah, it's all good. I'm sorry about last time," Dahlia said.
"It's okay Dahlia," Maya said. "You just worried us. What did happen anyway?"
"Nothing, I just... Lost my composure," Dahlia said.
"So what's with the hat?" Phoenix said.
Dahlia adjusted her old sky blue hat, which hid her hair. "It's nothing."
"You know, it looks familiar," Phoenix said.
"Really?" Pearl said. "Mystic Dahlia just asked me to bring it to her yesterday."
"Just Dahlia," Dahlia said.
"Maybe," Pearl said.
Dahlia rubbed her little sister's head.
"Tee-here," Pearl giggled. "Okay Dahlia."
"Where's my daughter?"
Dahlia flinched, recognizing the voice. Mother...
"I have to hide!" Dahlia said, running behind Phoenix and Maya. They made no objections.
Morgan burst into the room.
"Pearls is right here," Phoenix said, pointing to Pearl.
"Hello Mother," Pearl said.
"Hello dear," Morgan said. "Actually, good sir, I was looking for my older daughter."
Dahlia sneezed. Seriously?
"Oh, never mind good sir," Morgan said, looking past Phoenix and Maya.
Dahlia stood up. "H-hi Mother."
Morgan walked over and hugged her. Dahlia nearly jumped out of her skin.
"What are you doing?" Dahlia said.
"What's your game, old bat?" Maya whispered, so that only Dahlia heard.
"This is as weird as me calling you Mommy," Dahlia said.
Phoenix and Pearl arched their eyebrows.
"Don't ask," Dahlia said.
"Poor girl," Morgan said. "Just look at you."
"I'm fine," Dahlia hissed.
"Then why are you wearing your old hat?" Morgan said.
Dahlia shifted uncomfortably. "No reason."
"So you are okay?" Morgan said.
Dahlia crossed her arms. "Mother, I am perfectly fine. I'm not a child, I am 24."
"24 kiddo?" Morgan said.
"Kiddo?" Dahlia said. "Where's this coming from? I'm an adult. Now if you'll excuse me I have a trial to
go to. Good day Mommy. Mother!"
"Bye," Pearl said, blissfully unaware of the drama.
"Have a nice day," Phoenix said, painfully aware of what was going on.
Maya just smiled.
Everyone was in position in the courtroom, waiting for the judge to arrive and start the trial.
"You're sure you're going to be okay Dahlia?" Phoenix said.
"I'll be fine," Dahlia said. "Why are you so worried?"
Phoenix gave a lopsided smile. "You're my best friend, of course I'm worried. You completely zoned out last time. You promise you're okay now?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Dahlia said, adjusting her hat.
"Say, why are you wearing that?" Phoenix said.
"Enough with the hat already," Dahlia said.
Larry walked behind the prosecution's desk, organizing a few notes. He looked up and cocked his eyebrow. "What's with the hat Fey?"
"Is it illegal to wear a hat?" Dahlia said, heatedly.
"No, it's fine. Geez!" Larry said defensively. "23-8-1-20 space 9-19 space 8-5-18 space 4-5-1-12 space 23-18-9-7-8-20?"
"2-5-1-20-19 space 13-5," Phoenix said, shrugging. "19-1-25 space 4-15-5-19 space 9-20 space 12-15-15-11 space 6-1-13-9-12-9-1-18 space 20-15 space 25-15-21?"
Larry shook his head. "14-15 space 23-8-25?"
"19-8-5 space 10-21-19-20 space 18-5-13-9-14-4-19 space 13-5 space 15-6 space 19-15-13-5-15-14-5," Phoenix said.
The judge took a seat. "Ahem."
"9 space 4-15-14-20 space 11-14-15-23 space 23-8-1-20 space 20-15 space 20-5-12-12 space 25-15-21," Larry said.
"15-8 space 23-5-12-12," Phoenix said. "10-21-19-20 space 3-21-18-9-15-21-19."
"Ahem," the judge said, a little louder.
"8-5-25 space 6-5-25 space 9-19 space 15-11-15-25 space 18-9-6-7-10?" Larry said.
"20-8-1-20-19 space 23-8-1-20 space 19-8-5 space 19-1-25-19," Phoenix said. "19-8-5 space 19-20-9-12-12 space 23-15-14-20 space 20-5-12-12 space 13-5 space 23-8-1-20 space 8-1-16-16-5-14-5-4 space 20-8-15-21-6-7."
"Ahem!" the judge said.
"9-20-19 space 19-20-1-18-20-9-14-7 space 20-15 space 23-15-18-18-25 space 13-5 space 1-3-20-21-1-12-12-25," Phoenix said.
"I don't suppose the defense understands what he's saying?" the judge said, defeated.
"Barely," Dahlia said. "He's talking really fast."
"And at an inappropriate time," the judge said. "Can't you get him to be quiet? Slap him or something like you always do?"
Dahlia put her elbow on the desk, tiredly resting her cheek on her hand. "Nah, I'm in the mood Your Honor."
"Not in the mood?" Larry said, completely shocked.
"See?" Phoenix said. "That's what I'm saying!"
"I'm afraid I don't see, Mr. Wright," the judge said. "Are we ready to begin the trial?"
"Oh, uh, yes Your Honor," Larry said.
"Sure Your Honor," Dahlia said.
"Very well then," the judge said. "Mr. Butz?"
"In light of last time's… events," Larry said. "The prosecution would like to call Detective Edgeworth back to the stand, as the defense did not complete the cross-examination. I take it there are no objections?"
"The defense has no objections," Dahlia said.
"Alright," the judge said. "Bring Detective Edgeworth to the stand."
Moments later, Edgeworth stood behind the witness stand.
"Detective, you understand why you're here I assume?" the judge said.
"Yes Your Honor," Edgeworth said. "And I remember my testimony."
"And you will include all the facts this time?" Larry said. Apparently he was still miffed.
"Of course," Edgeworth said.
"Excellent, you may begin," the judge said.
Testimony
The evening of the murder, we received reports of screams from other residents of the building.
When we arrived, we found the victim dead with the defendant right beside her.
The victim had a knife in her abdomen, along with a black dahlia in her hand.
She… She admitted to being in the office all day, but claimed to have no memory of the murder.
We arrested her based on circumstance, but afterwards we found much incriminating evidence.
First, the victim and the defendant were confirmed to be alone in the office for several hours.
Second, the murder weapon bares the defendant's fingerprints.
Third, there was a receipt for a knife purchase. Also, there was a receipt for a black dahlia.
Both were under the defendant's name, and were found in her wallet.
In addition, we have video evidence of her making these purchases.
"Thank you Detective," the judge said. "Ms. Haw-"
Phoenix coughing a way that sounded suspiciously like "Fey."
"Ms. Fey you may begin your cross-examination," the judge said. "Or resume it, I suppose."
"Yes Your Honor," Dahlia said, straightening up. Alright, time to pursue the truth. I have to keep going. For Mia. I'll start where I left off.
Cross-Examination
The evening of the murder, we received reports of screams from other residents of the building.
When we arrived, we found the victim dead with the defendant right beside her.
The victim had a knife in her abdomen, along with a black dahlia in her hand.
She… She admitted to being in the office all day, but claimed to have no memory of the murder.
We arrested her based on circumstance, but afterwards we found much incriminating evidence.
First, the victim and the defendant were confirmed to be alone in the office for several hours.
Second, the murder weapon bares the defendant's fingerprints.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "Are you sure they're my fingerprints?"
"The fingerprints are a bit smudged, pal," Edgeworth said, bringing out the knife. "But barely. You can see the fingerprints, and they match up with yours."
Dahlia examined the knife. "Yeah, I can see them."
"I don't suppose you… recall anything now?" Phoenix said.
Dahlia stared long and hard at the knife, then gave up and shook her head. "Nothing. Not even a nagging feeling."
"Are you sure Fey?" Larry said.
"Positive. Nothing at all," Dahlia said.
"Really?" Phoenix said. "Well… maybe that's a good sign?"
"I don't know Nick," Dahlia said. "Whether I killed Mia or not, I was still there when it happened. I should remember the knife. Maybe I just need more details to jog it."
"I can go into more detail concerning the knife," Edgeworth offered.
"Please do," Dahlia said.
Based on the position of the fingerprints, we can tell that the knife was held overhand in your right hand.
"Objection!" Dahlia said, for the first time the entire trial. "That's… not right."
"It's not?" Edgeworth said.
"What do you mean?" Larry said.
"If the knife was held overhand," Dahlia said, surprised herself. "It's upside-down."
"How can you tell?" Larry said.
"Look at this photo," Dahlia said, presenting the photo of Mia after she was killed. "The flat side of the handle is upside-down."
"She's right," Phoenix said, holding knife. His hand was covered with a plastic bag. "Holding it overhand, the curved side is facing down. In the photo it's facing up."
"You're right," Larry said, looking relieved for a moment.
Dahlia shied away. "Of course, I guess I could have turned it around."
Phoenix face palmed, looking like all energy had just been vacuumed out of him.
"Objection!" Larry said. He paused for a minute, searching for something to say. "Stupid says what?"
"What?" Dahlia said, caught off guard by the sudden outburst.
Larry smiled evilly, and finally it sunk in.
Her eyes flashed with pure white, blinding fury. "That's my gig!"
"At last you admit it," Larry said, looking quite smug. "Hah, even your self-incriminating logic is flawed Fey."
"Flawed?" Dahlia said angrily, too riled up to notice what the prosecutor was really doing.
"Yeah, flawed," Larry said. "Why would turn the knife around? You don't seem to be trying too hard to cover your tracks. If you held the knife, you didn't even wear gloves. In addition, there would have been fingerprints elsewhere when you turned the knife around."
"He's right," Phoenix said, before Dahlia could say something unfortunate.
Dahlia's anger subsided, and she crossed her arms. "I guess he is."
"So then how do you explain this contradiction?" the judge said, looking a little lost.
"The handle position indicates an under-handed strike, while the fingerprints indicate an over-handed strike," Dahlia said, thinking aloud.
"Well, let's see," Phoenix said, picking up the knife again. "So it was definitely held like this…"
He held the knife overhand. "But it should be upside-down…"
The courtroom was silent, everyone staring at the knife in Phoenix's hand. Matched up to both requirements, the blade of the knife pointed at him.
23-8-1-20 space 9-19 space 8-5-18 space 4-5-1-12 space 23-18-9-7-8-20? = What is her deal Wright?
2-5-1-20-19 space 13-5. 19-1-25 space 4-15-5-19 space 9-20 space 12-15-15-11 space 6-1-13-9-12-9-1-18 space 20-15 space 25-15-21? = Beats me. Say does it look familiar to you?
14-15 space 23-8-25? = No why?
19-8-5 space 10-21-19-20 space 18-5-13-9-14-4-19 space 13-5 space 15-6 space 19-15-13-5-15-14-5. = Se just reminds me of someone.
9 space 4-15-14-20 space 11-14-15-23 space 23-8-1-20 space 20-15 space 20-5-12-12 space 25-15-21. = I don't know what to tell you.
15-8 space 23-5-12-12. 10-21-19-20 space 3-21-18-9-15-21-19. = Oh well. Just curious.
8-5-25 space 6-5-25 space 9-19 space 15-11-15-25 space 18-9-6-7-10? = Hey Fey is okay right?
20-8-1-20-19 space 23-8-1-20 space 19-8-5 space 19-1-25-19. 19-8-5 space 19-20-9-12-12 space 23-15-14-20 space 20-5-12-12 space 13-5 space 23-8-1-20 space 8-1-16-16-5-14-5-4 space 20-8-15-21-6-7. = That's what she said. She still won't tell me what happened though
9-20-19 space 19-20-1-18-20-9-14-7 space 20-15 space 23-15-18-18-25 space 13-5 space 1-3-20-21-1-12-12-25. = It's starting to worry me actually.