Episode 1: Turnabout Tickets

Part 1-4: Trial

"Good eye, kid. The name's Foxy. Nice to officially meet you." Trotter smiled.

"Now then, could you give us some info about the night of the crime?" Tristen asked. (He doesn't seem like a guy who'd kill…)

"As long as the judge and prosecution are alright with it." Trotter scratched the back of his head.

"Go right ahead. I'm sure the prosecution won't object, isn't that right?" The judge looked over at the prosecution who still seemed to be in shock.

"I guess I'll get started."

Witness Testimony – The Night of the Crime

Mike and I had just crashed through the wall of the store.

Mike handled the situation easily, while I watched him.

Then, in the middle of his sentence…

He was shot, straight in his forehead.

I quickly made my escape.

"And that's what happened." Trotter readjusted his purple jacket.

"Mr. Lawful, you may commence your cross-examination."

"Yes, your honor." Tristen rubbed his chin. (Nothing noticeable… I'll need to press him.)

Cross-Examination – The Night of the Crime

Mike and I had just crashed through the wall of the store.

Mike handled the situation easily, while I watched him.

Then, in the middle of his sentence…

He was shot, straight in his forehead.

I quickly made my escape.

"Hold it! Is that all you did?"

"Well, I stayed for a little longer to look at him before I left." Trotter scratched the back of his head.

"Which way did you escape out of?"

"I went out the hole in the wall, and ran away."

"You followed the path?"

"No, I turned towards the front of the store. That's probably how you saw me."

"What about my father, or that police officer? How did they not notice you?"

"I was in an entirely black suit, except for my necklace. That's the only explanation I can come up with." Trotter began to tug on his necklace again.

"I see…" Tristen looked down at the picture of the store. "Add that to the testimony."

I wore a suit that was entirely black, other than my necklace. That's probably how I wasn't noticed by your father and that cop.

"Objection!" Tristen presented the picture of the store. "If you look here… You'll notice a street light."

"What about it?" Erik crossed his arms, waiting for another ridiculous answer.

"Wouldn't that necklace shine because of the light from it?" Tristen rubbed his chin and smirked.

"Objection! What if they weren't on? That would certainly explain everything, wouldn't it?" Erik smirked.

"Ack!" (Good point…)

"Objection sustained. Please continue-"

"Objection!" Tristen yelled louder than ever before, actually making Erik jump. "What makes you think it wasn't? Isn't it natural for street lights to turn on at night?"

"Keep in mind that it was under construction-"

"Objection! I thought that document was forged. As a matter of fact, our very own witness here forged them." Tristen crossed his arms and grinned, feeling satisfaction of trapping the prosecution.

"Objection sustained. Well, Mr. Lawful… What does this mean?" The judge asked about the contradiction about the street lights.

"I say that he never went through the front."

"Objection! Then how were you able to see him?" Erik asked, building confidence again.

"…If you'll look at this piece of evidence…" Tristen presented the floor plans. "You'll notice that the dirt road is viewable from a certain part of the parking lot…"

"So you're saying that he ran away going down the dirt road? Do you have evidence of this?" Erik said, smirking.

"Ah… Er…" Tristen scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well… Heh… Uh…"

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Erik put on a demonic smile, which finally blew someone out of the water.

"I've had it up to here with that guy! I'm taking over!" Lumos yelled.

(No! I've got this! I'll wipe that slithery smirk right off his face!) Tristen grinned as he finally spoke to that entity inside of him with pure confidence.

"Take that!" Tristen yelled as he presented the picture of the front of the store.

"That again? What other kind of hilarious allegations are you going to 'prove' this time?" Erik frowned.

"Hmph. Look at the corner here. You'll see my client's car."

"Okay…?"

"Now, this coincides this piece of evidence!" Tristen presented the floor plans again. "Look at the lines showing where to park in the picture. Now compare them with the lines also showing where people could park on the floor plans…"

Erik looked and did what Tristen said. Like Tristen said he would, Erik's smirk was wiped away. "W-What?!"

"As you've noticed… Anyone sitting inside the car could have looked at the dirt road!" Tristen was the one giving the smirks now.

"N-No way!"

"Now then… Tell us the truth-"

"Objection!" Erik interrupted Tristen. "How did you see him if his back was turned!"

"If you wore a necklace, and walked, sometimes it would bounce off your chest? And also, keep in mind that he wore a suit completely black. That gold necklace would stick out like a sore thumb."

"Urgh…"

"Okay… Without interruptions… Trotter, tell the truth. What did you do?"

"I told you what I did!"

"Fine. Tell us what you did after you began to flee the scene." Tristen sighed.

"I… Guess." Trotter stated, beginning his testimony.

Witness Testimony – Escaping

I left the store, and I guess you proved that I went down the dirt path…

I just ran. Not stopping anything… *cough*

Ahem… Sorry. I had… an itch on my throat… *cough*

"Hm…" The judge closed her eyes in thought. "Mr. Lawful, commence your cross-examination."

"Yes, your honor!" (He's… Trying to tell me something. I need to figure it out!)

Witness Testimony – Escaping

I left the store, and I guess you proved that I went down the dirt path…

I just ran. Not stopping anything… *cough*

"Hold it! Are you sure you didn't stop?"

"I never stopped- *cough* -At all…" Trotter looked down at the witness stand.

(What… Is he trying to tell me…?)

"Isn't it obvious?" Lumos sighed.

(Ah! I got it now! He's trying to tell me that… He did stop!) "Mr. Trotter, please stop lying to me."

Trotter smiled. "What?"

"You did stop."

"Objection! You don't have any proof!"

"Ack!" (Trotter didn't think this one through… Wait…)

"Mr. Lawful, do you have any proof?" The judge asked.

"Son, where are you going with this…" Hazel muttered under his breath.

"I… Don't have any evidence on me."

"HA!" Erik smirked.

"Not so fast. I said that I didn't have any evidence on 'me'…"

"Wait…"

"If we look at the dirt road… We should find… Another set of footprints heading back!" Tristen jutted his finger forward.

"W-What?!" Erik recoiled in surprise.

"Bailiff! Send a forensic team over there to investigate! In the meantime, I grant a 30 minute recess for both sides to re-examine their thoughts, and for the tests to get done. Court is adjourned!" The judge banged her gavel on the pedestal, as the people exited the courtroom.

July 18th

Court Room Lobby No. 5

1:10 PM

"You're doing quite well, Tristen." Hazel smiled. "I just never expected you to become a defense attorney."

"Well, these are just how things work out, huh?" Tristen smiled too.

"Haha, I'm glad to have you as my son!"

Tristen glanced over at Trotter fidgeting in the corner of the room. "Trotter! I need to ask you some questions."

"Just call me Foxy. What's up?"

"…Foxy… Ahem, what happened with your latest testimony? Why were you sending me signals?"

"…I have my reasons."

"Those reasons being…?"

"…You'll see."

"…Alright then. What really happened that night?"

"We'll find that out when we get back in court…"

"I guess we will…" Tristen turned around and began to walk back to his father, but was interrupted by Trotter gripping his arm.

"I… I trust that you can figure out the truth."

"I will. About you, the victim… and most of all, that cop."

"…Thank you. You'd better figure out how he died…"

"Do you know…?"

"Heh… Looks like court is back in session. See you inside." Trotter went back to his spot on the witness stand.

(…I'll figure this out. The truth never truly dies. And I'll make sure that cop knows it.)

To Be Continued…