"Hmm .Isn't this an interesting turn of events." said Marshall. Then, he was approached by one of his men.
"Sir, you need to see this."
"Okay. I'll be back soon, pardners." He walked away.
When the three of them were left alone, Gumshoe decided to speak out.
"Sir, you think Flash is behind all this?"
"It's possible." said Edgeworth. "All the evidence points to him. At least in regards to the hoax."
"But is it connected to the murder?" asked Kay.
"Perhaps." said Edgeworth. "It's not very likely, but I'm not ruling anything out."
"But that guy…" said Gumshoe. "He is a completely buckethead! I can't believe he has the brains for anything so complex!"
"I see your point." said Edgeworth. "But let's not ignore the possibility it was all an act. That man did not sit well with me from the beginning. And we now need to speak with him."
Right then, Marshall came back.
"Howdy again, pardners. How are you?"
"We are okay." said Kay. "What do you have?"
"A lot. First…" he showed them a small rock in a plastic bag. It had a bit of blood on it.
"That's' the rock he knocked you out with, right?" asked Edgeworth.
"It seems that way. Only the wildest of coyotes strike from behind like cowards. When you wanna hit some on the head, have the guts to look him in the eye!"
"That could help us." said Edgeworth. "Now…anything else?"
"The fire- extinguishing team found this."
He showed them a small, burnt-out device.
"What's that?" asked Kay. "It looks terrible."
"Unless I'm mistaken…" said Edgeworth. "this device is what is known an igniter."
"An igniter?"
"This device can be remotely activated and set fire to anything near it."
"Wait…where was it found?" asked Kay.
"It seems the bambina has caught on." said Marshall. "This was found inside the model spaceship. Or rather, its remains."
"So that's what happened." said Edgeworth. "This was meant as an insurance. He activated as soon as he realized we had found the evidence. To destroy it!"
"But he underestimated our little thief!" said Gumshoe proudly.
"Thanks!" said Kay.
Edgeworth looked at the igniter. It was destroyed as a result of the fire. However, one thing was still visible. On its bottom rights corner, there was a red stamp with had the letter "E"
"This appear to be some kind of insignia." he thought. "Maybe it could help us find where it came from."
"So, it seems we need to find Mr. Flash and have a word with him." said Marshall. "He must still be cooped up in that motel room of his."
"Are you sure of that?"
"Yup. He must have ran back there to hide as soon as he knocked my head upside-down. He must wait for us to leave the town, so he can take his things and hightail it to Mexico."
"He won't get the chance!" said Gumshoe. "We are going there right now!"
"Yes!" said Kay. "That hack is in serious trouble!"
"I also called a friend of mine in the city's police department." said Marshall. "I told him to dig up any information on Randy Flash."
"Good. Hope they find something useful." said Edgeworth. "Now then, let's go."
They all went to the motel. The receptionist was in his post.
"Hello, can I help you?"
"Do you know where Mr. Flash is staying in?" asked Kay.
"Yes, but…I can't let you in there. It's violation of privacy!"
"But you will, pardner!" said Marshall. "That guy is guilty of a lot of crimes, murder might be among them."
"Wh…what?!"
"So, will you let us him?" asked Edgeworth. "Or is violation of privacy worse than murder?"
"O…okay. If that's the case."
He gave them a key.
"it's room 22 on the second floor. This is a spare key."
They climbed up the stairs."
"So he must still be in there, right?" asked Kay.
"Indeed, bambina." said Marshall. "And now he has nowhere to run. He's been caught in the law's snare like the rat he is!"
"So let's keep him in there until he speaks." said Edgeworth. "Wild animals need to be tamed."
"Oh, I know a thing or two about taming wild beasts!" said Marshall. "I will get him in line!"
They arrived at room. Marshall opened the room. However, it seemed empty. No signs of anyone.
"What?! Where is he?" asked Kay. "He was supposed to be here!"
"Did he abscond while the receptionist was away?" asked Edgeworth.
"Maybe." said Kay. "He is a sly snake after all."
"I got this!" said Gumshoe. "I have experience with this!"
Gumshoe quickly opened the closet. However, it was empty. There weren't even clothes inside it.
"Damn! Empty! It really looks he left!" said Gumshoe.
"Are we…too late?!" asked Edgeworth. "Did he manage to give us the slip? Have we let the criminal escape?"
Marshall however, who hadn't spoken since they entered the room kept looking around.
"What's wrong?" asked Kay.
"I've told you…you can't hear the desert's secrets…if you aren't used to her voice."
"What do you mean?"
"He is here. He had no time to flee. He merely heard us arrive. With no time to make a run for it, he probably hid somewhere."
"But…he has no clothes here."
"Ha! I wouldn't be surprised if that nut has no clothes with him."
"But…where could he be hiding?" asked Edgeworth.
"The snake has a thousand ways of hiding, even in a place like this. But you can ferret him out as long as you know where to look."
Marshall walked to the closet. He closed the doors and then he started pushing it towards the wall.
"What is he doing?" asked Kay.
Edgeworth was about to ask Marshall the same question, but he was stopped by a voice.
"Ow! Stop it! You'll kill me!"
"What's that?"
"It wasn't me, sir!"
"Not me, either."
"It's coming from behind the closet."
"Even the sliest of snakes can't hide from the law!" said Marshall. He then put his hands behind the closet and pull out Flash, who seemed very scared.
"Ah, there you are." said Kay "We were so worried."
"Indeed." said Marshall. "We thought you left without even saying goodbye. But you wouldn't do that, would you?"
"I…I…"
"Mr. Flash ,you owe us an explanation." said Edgeworth. "What were you doing back there?"
"P…practicing!" he said. "I was practicing my hiding skills. I don't want the aliens to spot me! And you just proved I need more work!"
"Don't bother!" said Kay. "There are no aliens! At least nto here!"
"What?" he seemed a bit surprised, but not as much as one would expect.
"It was all a hoax! A deception!" said Edgeworth. "Somebody built a model spaceship and flew it around town with a remote! We found it in a hidden cave!"
"I…I don't believe you! You are lying!" said Flash. "It's a cover-up! You are trying to manipulate me!"
"It would serve you for everyone to think that, right?" said Gumshoe. "That way, no one will know about your involvement."
"What? What is that…"
"You made it, Mr. Flash!" said Edgeworth. "You made the spaceship. Your motive? To gain fame and recognition as "The infamous reporter who took photos of aliens!" Quite a story! Too bad it's all a lie!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Aren't you taking this too far?" he asked. "I have done nothing of the sort!"
"Can you prove it?" asked Edgeworth.
"Yeah, pardner, you need bullets if you want to fight for the gold."
"My arguments are my bullets. I will shoot you all down with them!"
"Go ahead!" said Edgeworth. "I am ready for your bullets!"
Argument
You are insane
I would never do anything so ridiculous! I am a respectable journalist!
I came here for the aliens! I heard the story of the sighting.
If somebody did do what you are suggesting, which I don't believe for a second, it sure as hell wasn't me!
I didn't arrive in this town until after the spaceship was already seen. How would I do that?"
…
"So, those are your bullets?" asked Edgeworth.
"yes. And you can feel their burn, can't you?"
"Not unless they go through my bulletproof rebuttal vest."
"And they will. For your vest is too weak."
"We will see that!"
Rebuttal
You are insane
I would never do anything so ridiculous! I am a respectable journalist!
Hold it: "You are under oath! No lying!"
"Oh, so you doubt my respectability?"
"I do."
"Then too bad. You cannot arrest me for that! And I don't have to answer to you!"
"Oh…"
"Yeah, sir…" said Gumshoe, "Please don't make this personal."
"Yeah, you'll just make it worse." said Kay.
"You're right. Sorry. In need hard evidence. That's the only thing that counts here."
"Then find it and hit him hard!"
I came here for the aliens! I heard the story of the sighting.
If somebody did do what you are suggesting, which I don't believe for a second, it sure as hell wasn't me!
I didn't arrive in this town until after the spaceship was already seen. How would I do that?"
Objection
"Mr. Flash." said Edgeworth. "You probably don't realize this…but there is a witness whose testimony blatantly contradicts your arguments!"
"Oh, yeah? Who?"
"Mr. Lazarus. He claims he saw you drive into the desert…on the day before they saw the spaceship."
"he…he what?!"
"That's right. You were here before. And the reason you went into the desert…was to set up your little workshop, where you created your invention."
"You thought you could get away, huh, pal?" said Gumshoe. "But we have our witness!"
"What do you have to say?"
"I…" he seemed tense, but he quickly started laughing.
"Hahahahahahhaha! This is too good! You really think a journalist of my standing will be taken down so easily?"
"What do you mean?"
"You really think anyone will believe that old crone? He is half-blind and probably demented! He could have seen anyone and thought it was me!"
"Hey, Mr. Lazarus perfectly healthy!" said Kay.
"Yeah, pal, don't you try accuse him for this mess!" said Gumshoe.
"He has a point, though." said Marshall. "Even Mr. Lazarus admitted he couldn't be 100% sure he was Mr. Flash."
See? Even your star witness is useless! What will you do now?"
"I…" said Edgeworth. "Well…"
"It seems your bulletproof vest was even weaker than I thought. Now then, I need to get going. There are things I need to do. Truths I need to dig up and…"
"No, I will not let you walk away." said Edgeworth.
"That's right!" said Kay. "You are not going anywhere!"
"Sorry, little girl, but…"
"Don't even think about it, pal!" said Gumshoe. "You are staying here whether you like it or not!"
"I…I have more to argue with you." said Edgeworth.
"So, you got shot and still try to fight back?"
"You bet he is!" said Marshall. "A true cowboy can take a bullet. And Mr. Edgeworth is a true cowboy!"
"Uh…thanks?"
"In that case, I will riddle him with bullets!" said Flash. "Another rounds of bullets coming right up!"
Argument
The cover-up
Your story of the spaceship being fake is just a cover-up.
It has happened before and it will keep happening.
You are trying to hoodwink us. To cover the truth.
But I refuse to buy it! You have no proof!
…
"So you think there is no proof of the hoax?" asked Edgeworth.
"Of course. Even if there was, I'm getting the feeling that it's resting in a bunch of ashes right now."
"That's a straight-up confession!" said Kay.
"Yeayh, let's arrest him!"
"No, not yet." said Edgeworth. "Thanks to you, Kay we have a trump card. But we have to present it at the right time. Let him celebrate now. We shall have the last laugh."
"Are you ready?" asked Flash. "Or did you fall to the bullets now?"
"Not at all. I am ready to respond!"
Rebuttal
The cover-up
Your story of the spaceship being fake is just a cover-up.
It has happened before and it will keep happening.
Hold it: "Please keep your conspiracy-theorist nonsense out of the argument!"
"Why? You don't get to tell me what to put in my argument, pal!"
"Hey, that's my line!" said Gumshoe. "I say pal!
"And I say I don't care!" said Flash.
"I regret pressing this." thought Edgeworth.
You are trying to hoodwink us. To cover the truth.
But I refuse to buy it! You have no proof!
Objection
"Mr. Flash." said Edgeworth. "I have to hand it to you, your attempt to destroy the evidence was very impressive. But not enough. Because if it was perfect, we wouldn't be holding this!"
He presented the blueprints to the spaceship.
"What the…where did you…"
"I got them!" said Kay. "This is the talent of a great thief! One you cannot escape from!"
"You…meddling…little…"
"We have the proof of an elaborate ruse to fool every citizen of this town" said Edgeworth. "You will be facing severe consequences for this."
"W…why me? I had nothing to do with it!"
"Then you are saying your fingerprints won't be on these blueprints?"
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
"There is no way out of this one for you!"
"But…what is your point?" asked Flash ."This case concerns a murder! How does the stupid spaceship fit in?"
"it does." said Edgeworth. "That spaceship was the very reason we even discovered the body. If we hadn't followed the spaceship all the way out there, it might never have been found."
"And let's not forget!" said Kay. "You were even there."
"To play the part of the shocked witness, of course." said Edgeworth. "I admit, your performance almost fooled even me. But not anymore!"
"You…you are all idiots! How would I do this?! I am journalist! I don't even know how to fix the coffeemaker! How would I make that?!"
"Well…maybe…"
"Maybe you are just being abject morons!" said Flash. "I…"
The conversation was interrupted by Marshall's phone.
"Oh, that's for me."
He answered it.
"Yes? What is it?"
"…."
"Really, pardner?"
"…"
"Oh, is that so? Very interesting."
"…"
"Thank you very much, pardner. I knew I could rely on you. Later."
He hand up.
"What's new, pal?" asked Gumshoe.
"That was my buddy from the police department."
"The one who you asked to gather information Mr. Flash?" asked kay.
"Yes, him.
"Wait…what?!"
"Darn straight, cowboy!" said Marshall. "He pulled out your entire file. Get this: Randy Flash has a degree in electronics and has participated in many competitions of robot-making. Apparently, he has been arrested twice for making fake UFOs to gain more recognition as a journalist."
"So he's done this before." said Edgeworth.
"And with his reputation there catching up to him, he came here, where nobody knew him." said kay.
"To continue his ridiculous farce!" said Gumshoe. "Isn't that, right, pal?"
"Hey! That…that is stupid! You are stupid! So, I made a silly move to further my career…twice. That doesn't prove a thing!"
"Maybe not." said Edgeworth. "But hoax and disruption of public order aren't your only crimes."
"You were the one who knocked me out in that cave, weren't you?" said Marshall.
"And the one who shot me!" said Gumshoe "Thanks for that, pal! I appreciate it!"
"Hey, hey, don't get the wrong idea! You…you still can't prove anything!"
"We can!" said Edgeworth. "Thanks to this piece of evidence!"
He presented the rock Marshall had been hit with.
"That…oh, that…no…"
"You recognize it, I see. Good to know." said Marshall. "I was hit with that thing. My blood is on it. And we can prove it was you."
"You…you can't…"
"Before passing out, I caught a glimpse of the one who hit me. I never saw a face, but…his hands were bare."
"And that means…fingerprints!" said Kay, proudly.
"No!"
"It's the end of the line!" said Edgeworth. "Your lies will not take you any farther!"
"Oh, yeah. Then answer me this?" said Flash, who was getting upset. "How did I know you'd be down there at that exact time?! How did I know?!"
"Simple." said Edgeworth. "It was easy for you to know what we were up to at any moment. With this!"
He presented the bug.
"That…"
"I found this stuck behind my prosecutor's badge. Somebody had planted it there and was listening in on us."
"It…it wasn't me! I swear!
"Don't try to deny it!" said Kay.
"We know it was you." said Edgeworth. "My badge has been with me the whole time. The only moment it wasn't was when you knocked it off. That was your chance! The few seconds you had left were enough to plant this in my badge! You did that to know our findings and act accordingly!"
"You heard we were going on the mountain!" said Gumshoe. "That's why you went there ahead of us! To make sure we wouldn't find anything against you!"
"And then you heard us going to the cave, so you followed us there." said kay.
"And you tried to erase your tracks and destroy the evidence!" said Edgeworth. "But your luck has ran out!"
"I…I…"
"Looks like we all have the draw on you, pardner."
Yes." said Edgeworth. "Our positions have now shifted. Now I'm the one firing the bullets at you. Bullets of proof. And you can be sure…that you shall not escape their sting!"
"I…I…I…"
Flash started taking phots with this camera. The flash blinded the others.
"I had no choice! I am nothing! I wanted to be famous! I wanted people to know me! It was the only way! Aliens are in fashion! Everyone goes crazy over them! It was my chance! Nobody knew me here! I could start again! Why…why did you all have to be here? You meddling scums! You…you ruined everything, damn you!"
He kept taking pictures until his camera run out of film. He then threw to the floor, breaking it. He did the same with every other camera he was carrying until he only had one left. He grabbed it and smashed it against his head while screaming in agony.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggttttttttttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
After that, he lowered his head. He seemed very sad.
"Looks like we broke him for good." thought Edgeworth. "He should tell the truth now."
"I…I always wanted to be a journalist. he said. "That was my dream. But my parents wouldn't let me. They said I needed a dependable job. A steady income. They forced me to go into electronics school. I got my degree, but I never forgot about my dream. So, I became a freelance journalist. I was on the hunt for all kinds of news, but…"
"You never found anything, did you?" said Edgeworth.
Flash nodded.
"Finding gold is not always easy." said Marshall.
"That's why I tried to…create some news. Something every newspaper and channel would be willing to pay for. And an alien story seemed to fit the bill. Building a model was child's play thanks to my background. It seemed like a great idea.
"But you got caught." said Kay.
"Yes. It seems the city people are too smart for me. They found me out and threw me in jail. After being released, I moved to another city. I again searched for scoops, but…"
"And again, you succumbed to the temptation." said Marshall,
"Yes. And again, it failed. After being released a second time, I realized this would never work in a city. The smarties there kept poking their noses into everything."
"So you came here." said Gumshoe. "Where people had no idea who you were."
"Yes. I was hoping the people here were more dumb. That they would buy it without much thought. And they did."
"They had no reason to question it." said Edgeworth. "This affair brought lots of tourists into their little town."
"My plan was perfect this time! No loose ends, no mistakes! And I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for you meddling know-it-alls!"
"I just have one question." said Marshall.
"What?"
"Marla Haik…why her? Why did she have to die?"
"What? I…"
"She always went into the desert." said Edgeworth. "She had to to reach the mountains. Did she stumble upon your cave? Is that why you killed her?"
"Look…I..I would never kill her! I would never do that!"
"it's clear that the two were related!" said Edgeworth. "Your spaceship led us to her body. You were even there."
"I know, but…I had no idea a body would be there. That wasn't part of the plan!"
"Really?" asked Kay.
"Yes, I swear! This was never part of my plan!"
"So, when you saw it…"
"I was really scared. I was shocked! I never expected that!"
"But didn't you know where it was going?"
"No. I wasn't the one leading it."
"Wait…what?" said Edgeworth.
"Creating a remote to control the spaceship was easy. But I couldn't use it. If people saw me hold the remote, it would have been all over! Somebody else had to do it."
"Son you had an accomplice?"
"Yes, but finding him wasn't easy. The problem with little town people is they all know each other. And they have the tendency to blab. A lot. I needed someone new to these parts. Somebody who wasn't well acquainted with the locals. And someone who would be willing to keep silent and help me for a quick buck."
"So, let me get this straight." said Marshall. "You bribed someone else, a new resident to town, to help you with your plan? And he was the who guided the spaceship, and us with it, to Marla's body?"
"Yes. I only showed him how to control it. I never pointed where to take it. I ran after it to maintain my "Journalist on the hunt for a scoop" act. I never knew where I would end up."
"Then who was it?" asked Edgeworth. "Who was your accomplice? Who was controlling the spaceship?!"
Flash lowered his head.
"His name…is Kyle P. Etrol."
To be continued
