July 1st, 10:21pm
Prosecutor's Building
Outside Roadway
Edgeworth looked back at the crash site, making eye contact with one of the officers. The officer nodded to indicate that the crime scene would be watched.
In no time at all, Edgeworth and Gumshoe arrived at the cluster of officers and witnesses. A woman looked up at him with empty eyes. The streetlight hardly identified her features, simply accentuating the freckles on her face.
"Excuse me, Miss Seid?"
The woman locked eyes with Edgeworth, despondent. "Who are you?"
Edgeworth was about to introduce himself when he remembered: this wasn't his investigation. It didn't always bother him, but the young prosecutor had been nothing but cooperative. It wouldn't be right to upstage him at this juncture.
So he let Blackquill speak first: "My name is Simon Blackquill. I'm a prosecutor. May we ask you a few questions?"
He was being awfully gentle. Was it to offset his appearance, perhaps? Edgeworth remained silent, waiting for her to reply.
Finally, the woman sighed. "Fine. What do want to know?"
"A bystander to the accident described the scene as being very… sudden. The police want to know how the vehicle lost control. Would you testify about the events leading up to the accident?"
"Testify… like, in court?"
"Nothing of the sort, Miss Seid," Edgeworth stepped in. "Simply describe the events leading up to the incident in detail. That's all."
When he spoke, Miss Seid focused on him once more, eyes narrowing a little. "You… you were there. We nearly ran into you."
Edgeworth nodded. "Your testimony, Miss Seid."
She crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll tell you what happened. Not gonna bring my boyfriend back, but... I'll tell you."
"Thank you," Blackquill replied, bowing.
"Oh, don't thank me yet. I really don't know much. Still…"
-Witness Testimony-
Before the Accident
"David and I had dinner together. Since he picked me up, he was also driving me home.
"We'd been in the car for over a half hour when I noticed he wasn't driving to my apartment. I had no idea where he was going.
"So I yelled at him to turn around. But he… he just said he would take me home after a detour. Still wouldn't tell me where we were.
"I got so mad! He wouldn't stop the car, no matter what I said. Things got a little out of hand, and…
"That's when the accident happened. It was all we could do to avoid the guy in pink. I didn't think David would die!"
She ended her testimony there, seemingly close to tears. Both prosecutors gave her time to gather her wits.
-"Seid's Testimony" added to Organizer-
Finally, Edgeworth spoke. "Thank you, Miss. Seid. Now may I ask you a few questions?"
"Why do you need to know? You were there!"
Blackquill was staring at him quizzically. In a rush, Edgeworth explained: "A few details weren't very clear to me. I feel a cross examination will give us deeper insight into the situation pre-incident." And reveal the truth of this "accident" once and for all.
"Cross Examination? How do you do that?" The new prosecutor looked confused.
"Simple. It's a skill I've found very helpful, adapted from the form defense attorneys use in court. First, one must listen to the witness's testimony very carefully. If you find a flaw in the testimony, something that contradicts the evidence, present the piece of contradictory evidence straight from your Organizer."
"And if I don't find anything?"
"If you find no obvious flaws initially, simply press the witness for more information. Sometimes, this will reveal new or modified testimony. It's very similar to what the opposing side will do in court."
"Hm… I never thought of questioning witnesses in such a way," Blackquill admitted.
"Most prosecutors don't, but I find it to be the most effective way of drawing out information." It was true. Aside from himself and (recently) Franziska, most prosecutors didn't question witnesses nearly as much as they ought to, especially once they'd decided on a suspect. Edgeworth wished to change that, one person at a time. "It's a skill you would do well to learn."
Blackquill shrugged. "You've done this more than I have. But don't press her too hard. She's not a suspect."
At least not yet. Edgeworth agreed to the terms, and began:
-Cross Examination-
Before the Accident
"David and I had dinner together. Since he picked me up, he was also driving me home.
"We'd been in the car for over a half hour when I noticed he wasn't driving to my apartment. I had no idea where he was going."
"HOLD IT!"
The woman flinched. "What?"
"How far away from your apartment did the two of you eat dinner?"
"Hm…" she paused to think, twirling her red hair in the process. "The trip there took about twenty minutes, but we were in traffic for most of that time."
"And you'd like to know why it took her so long to become suspicious?" Prosecutor Blackquill interrupted, raising an eyebrow at Edgeworth. "Am I correct?"
Edgeworth nodded, arms crossed. "Yes. It... seems like long time to go unaware."
"It was late at night! I was tired, and it was dark outside! What does this have to do with the accident?"
Absolutely nothing. Edgeworth didn't say that out loud, though. "I just wanted to understand your state of mind before the incident. Would you say Mr. River was tired as well?"
"Maybe a little," she shrugged. "He had a long day at work. He told me his company was on lockdown all morning. I offered to drive myself home, but he insisted."
"I see… Continue your testimony, please."
A long sigh. "Whatever you say. Where was I...
"So I yelled at him to turn around. But he… he said he would take me home after a detour. Still wouldn't tell me where we were.
"I got so mad! He wouldn't stop the car, no matter what I said. Things got a little out of hand, and…"
"HOLD IT! Miss Seid, would you explain what you mean by 'things got out of hand'?"
"I said a few things I shouldn't have," she confessed. "We were both really tired, and I got pretty riled. If I'd have known he was gonna die tonight, I would take it all back."
"I see. And your verbal argument is all you were referring to?"
"What else would she be referring to?" Blackquill was wary of him, he could tell. "If you have a theory-"
"Not at the moment. I was simply performing a thorough search." This is really odd. If she'd heard the gunshot, I find it hard to believe she wouldn't mention it. Unless…
Hm, I've already shown Mr. Blackquill how to press a witness. Why not demonstrate procedure regarding a contradiction? Naturally, Edgeworth had the perfect example in mind. "Continue your testimony, please."
"Hm. Well,
"That's when the accident happened. It was all we could do to avoid the guy in pink. I didn't think David would die!"
"OBJECTION!"
"Oh, what now?"
"Miss Seid, when you mention the man in pink, you are referring to myself. Is that correct?"
She nodded rapidly. "Yes, you! Shouldn't the prosecutor guy be asking questions here?"
"Prosecutor Blackquill and I are colleagues. I am merely an assistant in the investigation. And regarding your earlier statement…" He tsked, waggling an index finger near his brow. "I'm afraid it holds a grave contradiction of the facts."
"Huh? What is it, Mr. Edgeworth?"
He smirked, pulling up his personal profile (complete with a small picture) in his Organizer. "This witness referred to my suit as 'pink'. Even in the nighttime, one thing is very clear. My suit... is a striking magenta!"
"..."
"Did that really deserve the finger-point, sir?"
"Oh," Edgeworth hadn't even realized her was doing it until Gumshoe called him out. He turned to Blackquill. "I must apologize. That's been a pet peeve of mine since I became a prosecutor."
"...This is why I wear black."
"Really? I thought you just liked how it matches your name," Gumshoe shifted his eyebrows, deep in thought.
"What was that for?" the witness demanded. "Who cares about your suit or your funny tie?"
Whoops. It seems I've derailed the investigation. He flinched as his internal penalty took hold.
"Enough!" Edgeworth steeled himself. "This testimony has revealed a key piece of information." Well, three actually. This witness:
-was arguing with the victim when he died.
-lives far away from here.
-has no decent fashion sense.
Hm… all of his conclusions were true, but no need to get off on a further tangent. "This witness had been arguing with the victim when the incident occurred. I'd say this is vital knowledge to finding the truth of the case!"
Blackquill nodded. "Mr. River must have been distracted in his argument with Miss Seid. Without noticing, he very nearly ran into Mr. Edgeworth and only just managed to swerve in time. That is the truth of the accident."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, sir!" Gumshoe suddenly shouted. Without anyone noticing, he'd been called over to the crashed car and had a member of the forensics team standing next to him.
"Oh, and why not, Detective-dono?"
"The forensics team just found something. There are two sets of handprints on the steering wheel, with one set holding it in an odd direction!"
"What?! Let me see!"
Blackquill, Edgeworth, and Miss Seid all raced to get a look at the steering wheel. Fingerprint powder lay over it, indeed showing two sets of handprints. While one set held the wheel in a normal driving manner, another set had the hands close together, underneath the hand in the two-o-clock position. Other prints were scattered around the car, but none as distinct. Whoever had been gripping the steering wheel had done so very tightly, wrinkling the fabric covering the wheel.
-"Steering Wheel" added to Organizer-
"Was the victim wearing gloves at the time of the accident?" Blackquill asked, turning to Miss Seid.
"Of course not! Neither of us were! Who wears gloves to drive, anyway?"
"Then most of these fingerprints are probably the victim's. It is his car," Edgeworth reminded everyone. "Has anyone identified which fingerprints belong to whom?"
"No sir. Only that there are three sets inside this car and two on the steering wheel. The third set was found on the papers in the back seat."
-"Fingerprint Data" added to Organizer-
Hm… this is the second time those files have come up. Perhaps it's time I made a note of them.
-Unknown Files added to Logic-
"We thought you'd find this information of interest, sirs."
Edgeworth nodded, ordering the officers about. "I want the fingerprints identified. Take the prints of everyone at the scene immediately."
"With the prosecutor's permission, sir."
Blackquill quickly nodded. Three officers, one for each witness, went to collect the fingerprints of Miles Edgeworth, Elaine Seid, and the man who was trying to escape. Yet another took a police car to the mortician's office where the body had already been taken. It would be a few minutes before they had anything to report.
While they were waiting, Edgeworth opted to question Miss Seid one more time: "Miss Seid. In your testimony earlier, did you cover everything that occurred in the events leading up to the incident?"
Forget her depressive state earlier. This woman was angry. "What could I have possibly forgotten? Why do you prosecuting nutsos think I lied to the police? I have done nothing but cooperate and you interrupt my testimony with pointless technicalities, take my prints, and force me to wait at the scene where my boyfriend died! What do you suspect me of doing?!"
"Nothing, Miss Seid," Blackquill said. He kept his voice calm, trying not to agitate the woman. "It's like I told y-"
"Didn't I already tell you how the car lost control? We were arguing, David was distracted. It… it was my fault, okay?! You conviction-happy vultures win!"
"Maybe not," Edgeworth broke in once more. "There's no place to turn on this road for a few hundred feet. If the victim was driving straight down, why would he almost run into me?"
"..."
"That would take a lot of maneuvering, pal." Gumshoe was staring at the car. "You weren't trying to cross, were you Mr. Edgeworth?"
"No. I was walking on the sidewalk like a normal citizen." Edgeworth tried to recall the sequence of events. Difficult, when it all happened so quickly. "I was rather absorbed in thought, so I didn't notice the car until I heard… anyway, when I looked up, I saw it start to swerve. It seemed to be coming right for me! Then, I stumbled backwards. When I stood, the car had crashed."
Prosecutor Blackquill nodded, closing his Organizer before speaking. Hold it! Did I just give testimony?
He must have, because the man wished to ask him questions about it, once he formatted his thoughts.
Oh very well. I suppose I am a witness…
-Witness Testimony-
When the Incident Occurred
"I was taking the long way back to the parking garage, using the time to gather my wits regarding a case.
"I was deep in thought at the time. That must be why I didn't notice the vehicle at first. It wasn't until I heard…
"When I looked up, the car was not traveling in a straight path. It appeared to be changing course towards myself.
"I stumbled backwards, falling over. When I stood, the car's back seat was wrecked. It had collided with the light pole on the driver's side."
Edgeworth ended his testimony there, upset he hadn't questioned Seid further. Prosecutor Blackquill would undoubtedly notice his little slip-up. Even the most basic of prosecutors would have seen it
As if in response, an old man in an off-black suit and thick glasses ran past the prosecutors, glancing at his watch. "Why I can't believe… 10:53pm! My wife is going to kill me!"
He stopped in front of the group, eyes landing on Blackquill. "Oh, how wonderful! A rookie on his first case! My, does time go by! If you ever want my sage advice, you can seek me out at any time!"
The man waited for them to reply. No one said anything in response.
Finally, he gave up and walked towards the parking garage, muttering to himself about "ungrateful young'un's".
Blackquill turned towards Edgeworth. "Who was that man?"
Have I seen him before? I'm getting the strangest sense of deja vu. "I'm not sure, but I wouldn't trust him. He likes to wander the Prosecutor's Office, sometimes at strange hours of the night. I'm... not confident he's employed."
"That's really weird." A moment of silence.
Both prosecutors shook him off. "Very well. Mr. Edgeworth, would you repeat your testimony?"
He nodded. If he presses me, I will not lie.
-Cross Examination-
When the Incident Occurred
"I was taking the long way to the parking garage, using the time to gather up my thoughts when it happened."
He paused, waiting to be pressed. Blackquill had his eyes closed, seemingly uninterested.
So Edgeworth continued. "I was deep in thought at the time. That must be why I didn't notice the vehicle at first. It wasn't until I heard…"
"HOLD IT!" Here it was. "What did you hear?"
"A loud, bang-like sound, mere seconds before the accident occurred. I was hoping to discover its origins during the investigation."
He'd kept his answer vague on purpose. Unfortunately, it was of no use.
"But Mr. Edgeworth, sir! You said you already knew what that sound was!" Detective Gumshoe protested. Edgeworth cringed. "You told me: 'I heard a gunshot, seconds before the car crashed'!"
"A gunshot! But- I thought-"
"You thought this was but a mere accident, Mr. Blackquill?" Edgeworth shrugged, shaking his head. "I fear not. I know what I heard. There's no mistaking it: your first case is a murder."
He recoiled, eyes filling with a strange glare. Not fury, but… betrayal? "Why would you keep silent about this?!"
"I wished to see if Miss Seid would mention it. Detective Gumshoe brought forth the possibility of pre-holiday fireworks. If I was to claim this incident were intentional, I would need proof to dispute him."
Blackquill turned towards Gumshoe, then back to Edgeworth. "That's why they assigned a homicide detective to the case? Over a sound you thought you heard?"
He makes no move to hide his skepticism, I see. I suppose it's fair enough. "I know what I heard, Mr. Blackquill. I've encountered enough gunshots in my life to recognize the sound."
"I don't doubt you have." His tone was mild, and his eyes were swimming with thinly disguised doubt. "Hm…"
He paused. Gumshoe stood. Seid seethed. And once again, Miles Edgeworth found his investigation in the hands of another. How infuriating.
"Miss Seid."
"Hm?"
"This witness claims he heard a gunshot just before the accident. Did you?"
She paused for but a second, then shook her head. "Nope. If I did, I sure would've told you."
"Miss Seid!" Edgeworth had to speak. "Think carefully, now. You're confident you didn't hear anything out of place before the incident?"
"I was yelling at the top of my lungs, sure, but come on! What kind of idiot would miss a gunshot?! You really think I-"
"We understand you." Blackquill raised his hands in surrender. "Peace, for the sake of our ears." With that, he turned to the other witness: the man at the edge of the crime scene. "Mister…"
"Viper." He pointed to the green tattoo coiled around his neck as he stepped into the light. Upon further examination, it appeared to be a snake. "Name's Steven Viper. Jus' like my friend."
Unfazed, the young prosecutor beckoned him over. "One witness claims they heard a loud noise, seconds before the accident. Something like a-"
"Sorry, copper. Didn' hear anythin' 'til the car crashed. Was focused on my work right 'til then. Looked up, out the window and what a sight! That car was wrapped 'round a pole! 'mazing it didn' fall over."
Blackquill nodded, waving him away. "Sorry, Mr. Edgeworth. I'm afraid you were mistaken."
"What?! Absurd." The man recoiled, almost struck. "I know what I witnessed!"
What a strange contradiction. Now… what could it possibly mean?
Unconsciously, he scrolled through the strings of remaining Logic in his head. I heard a gunshot… but the other witnesses did not. One was in the car, and the other a nearby store. Still, it was a loud shot. Very close by. One mistake is possible, but I can't imagine both parties are off base on something so critical…
But I know what I heard. How can this be?
"Mr. Blackquill, sir!"
A man in a police uniform approached the party. Edgeworth recognized him as a member of the forensics team. "Matches are back for the three witnesses and victim!"
The prosecutor stared at the man expectantly, irritated when he said nothing more. "Well? Whose fingerprints were found inside the vehicle?"
"Here, it says it all on this report." The physical report was handed to Simon Blackquill, though Edgeworth also got a chance to look at it.
"'Most fingerprints inside the car's interior belong to the victim, David River. While the car suffered a lot of damage, nothing lit on fire, meaning no evidence was fully destroyed.
"'Neither Mr. Edgeworth nor Mr. Viper's fingerprints can be found inside the car. A few fingerprints on the passenger side of the car belong to Miss Seid. The third set of fingerprints, the set found only on the papers in the backseat, remain unidentified. I think it's is safe to say they are unrelated to the incident."
-"Fingerprint Data" updated in Organizer-
-Third Set of Prints added to Logic-
"And what of the prints on the steering wheel? The ones directly below the victim's on the righthand side?"
"Also in the report," Blackquill replied drily. "The unusual prints on the wheel belong to… Well, how interesting. They belong to Elaine Seid. That explains everything."
Miss Seid looked at Blackquill. "W-What do you mean?" she asked nervously.
"In your testimony, you mentioned you had argued with the victim, repeatedly encouraging him to pull over. Perhaps you became impatient, and simply... forced the issue?"
Gumshoe stared. "No way, pal."
"Hold it! Are you claiming-"
A wider smirk. The darkness of the night gave the man shadows beneath his eyes, giving him the look of the undead.
So this is the true face of Simon Blackquill… Interesting. "This investigation has uncovered the truth of tonight's accident. And I hope it was, indeed, accidental. For Miss Seid's sake."
Hold it! You can't- no, of course he can. Blind protest would get Edgeworth nowhere. He had to know the prosecutor's logic. "Explain."
"Hmph. I know for a fact I don't have to, but I also know your reputation. For that reason alone… here:"
-Argument-
An Accident After All
"Throughout this investigation, one thing has remained suspicious: how did the car crash?
"Well, these fingerprints explain everything. Along with Miss Seid's testimony, that is.
"She claimed she was arguing with the victim, insisting he pull over. He refused.
"So Miss Seid grabbed the steering wheel in a fit of rage, causing the vehicle to swerve towards you. It was all Mr. River could do to avoid running you over.
"In his panic, he crashed into the pole, causing him to die. This explains all the evidence collected.
"Please give up, Mr. Edgeworth. It's late. In the end, it was all just an accident."
"Well, Mr. Edgeworth? Do you accept my logic?" he asked, insufferable smirk still plastered on his face. He clearly thought he knew what he was doing.
Hmph. He might be more tolerable than his peers, but Edgeworth knew the truth: some things only came with experience. "Please, Mr. Blackquill. Allow me to question you just once more on the matter."
He waited with bated breath as the novice thought over his request. "Fine. But if you don't find anything, I'm arresting Miss Seid and taking her to court."
"Like I'd go anywhere with you!"
"Silence!" he warned her, then turned to Edgeworth. "You may begin your rebuttal."
How do I approach this? There's nothing to contradict him directly. If I try to make him unsure of himself, he'll only see my ploy. Edgeworth didn't want to go after the novice too much, if presented with an alternative. He had no time to think of one before the rebuttal began.
-Rebuttal-
An Accident After All
"Throughout this investigation, one thing has remained suspicious: how did the car crash?"
He considered pressing, but decided against it. Nothing suspicious there, Edgeworth thought to himself. I admitted as much myself.
"Well, these fingerprints explain everything. Alongside Miss Seid's testimony, that is.
"She claimed she was arguing with the victim, insisting he pull over. He refused."
I wouldn't say they explain everything, but now's not the time to press the issue. We already know this information, Edgeworth mused.
"So Miss Seid grabbed the wheel in a fit of rage, causing the vehicle to swerve towards you. It was all Mr. River could do to avoid your body."
"HOLD IT! You believe this witness caused the vehicle to target me, and the victim is the one who saved my life?"
"Yes."
"Miss Seid? Is this the true sequence of events?"
"No! It's not! David's the one who jerked toward the other side of the road! I'm the one who avoided the pink guy!"
"Hey, pal! Didn't Mr. Edgeworth already tell you? It's magenta!"
"Thank you, Detective," Edgeworth snapped. "Miss Seid, you claim the opposite of Mr. Blackquill. Do you have any proof that your version of events is correct?"
"Does he? Or does he just get to decide because he's in charge?"
No, but she isn't far off. "Well, Mr. Blackquill?"
He scoffed. "The victim was driving on the opposite side of the road from Mr. Edgeworth. If he wanted to pull over, he would have done so on the other side. However, Miss Seid's reach of the steering wheel was limited, as indicated by the position of her fingerprints. A maneuver to the left would have been much more difficult for her than it was for the victim, so she pulled in the other direction. Her actions seemed logical in the heat of the moment."
"Well, Mr. Edgeworth, sir? Was what Mr. Blackquill said important?"
At this point, Edgeworth had two choices:
-yes, extremely important.
-no, not important at all.
He chose the former. "Mr. Blackquill, please add this explanation to your argument."
"If it matters that much to you, I don't mind repeating myself. Here you are."
He coughed once before adding in the new information. "This is made clear by Miss Seid's position in the car: her steering ability was severely limited so long as River could block her."
"HOLD IT! You say this would be implausible as long as the victim were able to limit her? Perhaps he was no longer able to."
Blackquill's eyes narrowed. "Just what are you implying?"
"The gunshot rang out before the murder. If the victim were already dead-"
"OBJECTION!" The new prosecutor tapped his brow, condescendingly so. "Did you not hear the other witnesses? Your gunshot doesn't exist. And even if it did-" he smirked "-can you really prove your fictional bullet killed Mr. River? I've seen no evidence of a gunshot wound."
"He's got a point, Mr. Edgeworth," Gumshoe's head drooped. "What are we gonna do?"
"Calm down, Detective," he turned to Blackquill. "I concede that I cannot prove the cause of River's death. Continue with your argument." This gives me an idea.
He nodded. "Since you asked so nicely. It's time to finish this!"
"In his panic, he crashed into the pole, causing him to die. This explains all the evidence collected."
"OBJECTION!" Edgeworth showed Blackquill the victim's profile.
"What is this?"
"My personal notes on the victim. Allow me to read them to you: 'He was driving on a detour to take his girlfriend home when he died inside his own vehicle. Cause of death currently unknown.'"
Seid was the first to catch on. "Wait, what do you mean-"
"His cause of death is unknown?" Blackquill finished for her. "Surely he died as a result of the accident?"
"There have been conflicting claims on that recently." Edgeworth waggled his finger, his turn to smirk. "Please realize, Mr. Blackquill. You were about to charge a woman with manslaughter when you haven't even confirmed how the victim died. You claim your argument fits all the evidence, but what about the evidence you're missing? You require something else, something vital for your case to hold up in court. And that is..."
-DNA testing
-a weather report
-the victim's autopsy
"The autopsy report!" Edgeworth pointed to the prosecutor, a bright gleam in his eyes. "Any conclusion about this case is premature until the mortician is finished. As of right now, I admit that I may not be able to prove how the victim died. Unfortunately, neither can you."
Blackquill gasped. "No! My- my case…"
Edgeworth smiled, offering a consoling shrug. "Don't worry, Mr. Blackquill. Many prosecutors become rash on their first case. It's a hard habit to break."
Blackquill sighed, but didn't respond. Edgeworth took this as a concession.
Miss Seid, however, hadn't gotten the memo. "So what? That's it? We're all just going to going to wait here until some doctor tells us the obvious?"
"Would you rather I arrested you?"
"Nope! This is fine. Just fine. I can stay. It's not like it's less than a hour to midnight or something, or I have a funeral to prepare. Nope, I can just wait-"
"Oy! Does that mean I can leave now?"
"Don't even think about it, pal!" Gumshoe stopped Mr. Viper from slipping away. "No one leaves until we know the truth!"
Both witnesses groaned.
July 1st, 11:29pm
Prosecutor's Building
Outside Roadway
"The report is in, folks!" an officer from forensics declared. It might have been the same guy from earlier, but at this point, they all looked the same to Edgeworth. "Autopsy report on one David River!"
"What does it say? What is the cause of death?"
"Give it to me," Blackquill demanded, taking the report out of the policeman's hands, walking over to a streetlight in order to read it. He paled.
"Hey, don't leave us in the dark!" Gumshoe protested. "What is it?"
"Cause of death… gunshot wound to the head."
To be continued…
Organizer
Profiles:
Miles Edgeworth
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Description: Me. What can I say? Currently High Prosecutor for my local district.
Detective Gumshoe
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Description: A homicide detective, one of the many assigned to this district. How I nearly always end up working with him, I cannot say.
Simon Blackquill
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Description: A new prosecutor on the scene. Appears slightly uncertain of himself, but a respectful man besides.
David River
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Description: An office worker of some kind. He was driving on a detour to take his girlfriend home when he died inside his own vehicle. Cause of death currently unknown.
Updated to: Cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head
Elaine Seid
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Description: The victim's girlfriend. Was sitting in the passenger seat when the car crashed, leaving her with minor injuries. Seems very shocked by recent events.
Steven Viper
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Description: A bystander to the accident. Called 911 immediately after the accident and rushed over to the crash site. Was found near the car when the police arrived.
Evidence:
Prosecutor's Badge
Type: Other
Description: My badge. It allows me to do my job, and is to be kept in my pocket at all times.
Driving Conditions
Type: Evidence
Description: Road was clear and dry at the time of the crash. There is nothing out there that could potentially cause an accident.
Glass Shards
Type: Evidence
Description: Found on the road and sidewalk, on both sides of the car. Seems to be quite a bit for a relatively minor crash.
Road Marks
Type: Evidence
Description: Marks made by the tires right before the crash. Suggest the vehicle was speeding at the time of the incident, and the crash occurred after two right turns.
Crime Scene Photo
Type: Evidence
Obtained from the police
Description: Depicts the empty driver's seat right after the crash. The areas in blue tested positive for bloodstains. Check
Bloodstains
Type: Evidence
Description: Blood belongs to David River. One large stain was found on the seat headrest, with several smaller ones scattered about the seat.
Backseat Papers
Type: Other
Description: Financial reports from Hakari Inc. Why would the victim have these in his car?
Seid's Testimony
Type: Testimony
Description: Victim was taking Miss Seid home from dinner, but she didn't recognize the route. They argued, and then the crash occurred.
Steering Wheel
Type: Evidence
Description: Two sets of handprints were found on the steering wheel. One on the normal driving position, one directly below on the righthand side.
Fingerprint Data
Type: Evidence
Obtained from the police
Description: Three sets of fingerprints found inside the car. Currently being investigated by forensics.
Updated to: Forensics results reveal the prints of David River and Elaine Seid, with one set unidentified.
Autopsy Report
Type: Evidence
Obtained from the police
Description: Victim died of a single gunshot wound to the head at 9:20pm. Check
A/N's: ajani's apprentice and PierceTheVeils would like to say a few words:
AA: My my, things are starting to get heated, aren't they? We now know the name of the last witness, Mr. Viper. Interesting snake tattoo he has there. Tattoos aren't really my thing but to each his own.
We also get to see Blackquill really in action. Egos clashed and things got a little heated, but hopefully the autopsy report will fix any rifts between Miles and Simon. Of course, the autopsy report does bring a lot of questions into the picture. But I won't be asking them. That's your job, our ever observant readers. I hope you guys are already beginning to put the little pieces you know together, along with coming up with some theories. I'd love to see what you guys think in the comments!
Okay, I've talked long enough. PTV, I think it's your turn at the Mike. Or keyboard, as it were.
PTV: Oh yes, I am enjoying this case. Even if it's just the intro, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be given effort. There's a reason Turnabout Trump is in my top five, after all.
AA mentioned leaving comments, and I'd like to take a moment and acknowledge our two guest reviewers for last chapter: YoshiStack and Gamergirl. I remember a time when I didn't have an account, and it was hard to know if the authors I reviewed for took me seriously, or read my words of encouragement. Some authors don't always leave themselves time for their guest reviewers because doesn't really give you a venue to reply. So let me just say... we're very glad both of you like the inclusion of Simon, and as for those other characters… anything not published is tentative. But only things on the Idea Sheet get used in the story. Make sure it has what you want to see on it, and share as many details as possible.
Beyond that, I have nothing new, just thanks for Emmy (who didn't let me get away with leaving "add tutorial here" in place of explaining how to cross examine), and another shameless promotion for the Scollard, who posts more of Turnabout Anniversary soon. He is excellent, both as a beta and writer. I am his beta for TA, and hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I do.
Expect the next part of this case (and maybe even the second case's opening) before the month of August is out. Edits and completions are underway as I type. Thank you again for all the attention we've received, we hope you'll be kind enough to leave a review, follow my Tumblr blog for advance notice on updates, and don't forget to celebrate The First Turnabout (we missed updating on it by two days I am so sad)!