A/N: Here comes another chapter!

…

Chapter Seven – Investigation: Day 2

Ema

August 5

There was no easy way to go about proving Mr. Wright's assertion that there was a third person at the scene of the crime. As the initial investigator, I could scientifically prove, with the evidence we currently had, that there was no such person.

Accept… that Mr. Wright was right when he said that Apollo and the victim couldn't sustain their injuries when facing each other…

I knew I was missing something, which really bothered me.

Mr. Wright and I followed the officers who drove Apollo back to the Detention Center, and waited for him in the Visitor's Room.

"Finally, we can actually talk," Mr. Wright chuckled as Apollo sat. The sad smile on Apollo's face tore at my heart.

Ever since I met him, I'd always thought he was a little cute. He didn't flirt with every girl he met (unlike a certain Glimmerous Fop), and he actually appreciated how science could help in an investigation.

Apollo was even the one who talked me into retaking the test to become a Forensic Scientist, helped me study, and was the first to congratulate me.

I think it was around there that my feelings for Apollo really blossomed.

To see him so sad now…

"So, Apollo, why don't you tell me what happened," Phoenix asked. Apollo sighed.

"I was on a um… a date with Ema," he started, his eyes flickering to me and his cheeks growing red. I hid my grin. "And… while we were eating, I got a text."

"Ema mentioned something about that," Phoenix said. "Can we see it?"

"I wish. Hunter confiscated my phone. I'm just surprised the text didn't come up in court. I mean… I was kind of blackmailed into going to the Haunted House in the first place," Apollo said thoughtfully.

"WHAT!?" Phoenix gasped. I leaned forward, however.

"Apollo, do you have a password on your phone?" I asked. Apollo's eyes widened in realization, before gave a sheepish smile.

"Actually, yeah. Heh."

"And that would be why it didn't come up. They haven't figured it out," I explained, and the two of them nodded. Apollo then looked back at his boss.

"Mr. Wright, you were right, there was a third person. Sokurblad was facing me when she was stabbed from behind. I tried to run, but the masked man hit me too. I…" Apollo hesitated, taking a deep breath. "I thought he was going to kill me too," he admitted. I winced at that, understanding how such a feeling could come about in that kind of situation.

"Apollo, I need to—"

"This meeting is over," an officer said.

"What?" Mr. Wright asked in surprise, looking up.

"What do you mean this meeting is over!?" I demanded.

"We need to question Mr. Justice more," the officer said. Apollo quickly looked at Mr. Wright.

"EF-11." He then stood, allowing himself to be lead away.

"Huh?" I asked, before noticing the grin on Mr. Wright's face. "What does EF-11 have to do with anything?" I asked as we left.

"EF-11 is the police code for the case that reunited Apollo with his father," he explained. "Do you remember the date?"

"Well, the verdict was given on November fourth," I said thoughtfully.

"That's not the date he would have picked," Mr. Wright said. "He'd have said 'my birthday', instead of the case."

"Talk about a great birthday present," I said with a warm smile, before thinking. "Well, he probably picked the day he first met Zeus then…"

"Which would be the first day of investigation," Mr. Wright added.

"So, November first. But still, what does this have to do with anything?" I asked. Mr. Wright looked at me with a chuckle.

"Ema, scientifically speaking," my attention was peaked. "Don't people normally choose an important date as their password?" he asked. I had to think about that for a moment before realizing what he was driving at.

"Oh!"

"Exactly."

We had been walking while we talked, and before I realized it, we were at my car.

"Alright, where are we going?"

"The police station."

…

The Police Station was a busy place, but Mr. Wright walked confidently through, heading straight for the Chief Homicide Investigator's office; Detective Dick Gumshoe. He knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

We walked in to find Gumshoe slurping noodles from one of those Instant Cup-O-Soups.

"Still on the Instant Noodle diet?" Mr. Wright asked, gaining the attention of the detective.

"Hey, pal! Sorry to hear about your subordinate," he said, putting the soup aside.

"I'm actually here about Apollo," Mr. Wright said. I looked around the office. It was small and cramped, with little actual walking space. Just like the last time I was in here.

"What can I do for you, pal?" Gumshoe asked as I came to stand behind Mr. Wright.

"We need Apollo's phone. I think their might be crucial evidence on it," the attorney said, his voice the perfect mixture of insistent and pleading.

He's gotten good at this… I thought, noticing that Gumshoe was instantly swayed.

"Are you sure?" the Chief Detective asked, standing and coming around the desk. At both of our nods, he sighed, leading the way out into the squad room.

Detectives were all over the place, filing paperwork and examining evidence. Gumshoe walked right over to an empty desk, opening one of the drawers.

"This is Detective Hunter's desk," he said, pulling a red phone out and handing it to me. "He confiscated the phone, but once none of us could figure out the password, he gave up. Doubt you— Hey! How'd you do that, pal!?" Gumshoe demanded as I held up the unlocked phone with a grin.

"He told us the password," Mr. Wright said. I huffed.

"Never let me have my moment," I grumbled, looking back at the phone. His wallpaper was a picture of him and his dad together, and I had to shake my head at the similarities between the two. I navigated to his messenger app.

"Maybe I should look…" Mr. Wright mumbled, but I ignored him. The text that Apollo was talking about was the last one he got.

I opened it, and gasped, holding it up to show Mr. Wright and Detective Gumshoe so that they could read the text.

"'Come to the mirror hall of the Haunted House in 2 minutes, or someone dies. Do NOT tell your girlfriend, or someone dies'," Gumshoe read, before gasping as well.

"It's no wonder he left so fast without telling you," Mr. Wright said. I nodded, looking at the phone again.

"The sender is anonymous…" I muttered, inspecting it. I pulled my pink glasses over my eyes, tinting everything different shades of pink and red. Unless I was using a chemical that would show a reaction, these glasses didn't do much at all. They helped me to focus and block out distractions, though. "I doubt it's someone that Apollo knows, so how did they get his number? And how did they know he was on a date?" I questioned.

"That's the million dollar question," Mr. Wright said. I looked up at him, shifting my glasses to the top of my head.

"Yeah. Detective, do you mind if we take this?" I asked, holding up the phone. Gumshoe chuckled.

"Sure, pal. I'll let Hunter know when he comes back," he said. Mr. Wright smiled, taking the phone.

"Thanks, Gumshoe," he said, leading me out.

"Now where?" I asked.

"The crime scene. Where else?"

…

We didn't even fully make it into the Haunted House when we ran into today's star witness, Robin Graves. Mr. Wright's eyes lit up.

"Mr. Graves, may we talk to you?" Mr. Wright asked. Graves jumped and looked up from his clipboard.

"Mr. Wright? Sure, what is it?" he asked.

"It's about Ms. Sokurblad."

"Look, I already said everything I saw in court," he said, not seeming defensive, just confused. Mr. Wright shook his head.

"It's not about that. It's about before she was murdered," Mr. Wright said, and I suddenly realized what he was driving at.

Robin Graves winced, seeming to realize as well.

"Did something happen?" I asked.

"Well… Ms. Sokurblad had been acting… strangely, recently," he admitted.

"When did this start?" Phoenix asked. Graves seemed to think for a moment before nodding to himself in determination, coming to a decision.

"A week ago, Ms. Sokurblad received a letter, with no return address," he admitted. "Since then she's been a lot more jumpy, constantly looking over he shoulder, and barely leaving the Haunted House."

Head of the Haunted House, jumpy? That's strange…

"Did you ever see this letter?" Mr. Wright asked. Graves nodded once more.

"Yes. Today. After the trial, I realized that… maybe the letter had something to do with it, especially if there was a third person there. So… I went back to her office… and found it." He pulled a black envelope from his pocket, hesitating once more, before handing it over.

"I haven't read it."

I took the envelope and carefully opened it. The seal was already broken, so I didn't have to worry about that. I felt Mr. Wright look over my shoulder at the typed letter.

'Ivana,

I am tired of this game we've been playing. I have information. Documents. And if you would like to keep it private, you will meet me in the Mirror Hall of the Haunted House at 3 on August 4th.

It is time to end this.'

I looked up at Mr. Wright, both of us coming to the same conclusion at the same time.

"Blackmail."

…

A/N: Thus, the plot deepens!

This chapter was a lot easier to write, hehe.

Also, yet another oneshot was inspired by this chapter... hehe