July 3rd, 4:08pm
Expo3 Convention Center
Conference Room No. 13
Edgeworth, Maya, and Cachè made their entrance to the Capsul conference room flanked by four police officers. When they stormed in, all conversation in the room went silent.
Not that there were many people conversing to begin with. Two women (both of whom Edgeworth remembered from earlier) were standing together in the center of the room. The spokesman from the Capsul presentation they had attended was also present, and appeared to be animatedly discussing matters with some of the conference coordinators. Beyond that, the room was empty.
After a few tense seconds, the woman with the dyed lavender hair stepped forward. "It's you, right? The one investigating Mr. Richards's death?"
Edgeworth saw no point in denying it. "Yes. My name is Miles Edgeworth. I am the prosecutor in charge of this investigation. And you are…?"
"Pitch, sir. My name is Lyra Pitch," she stuck her hand out for him to shake, but didn't give him enough time before taking it back and pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I actually work for Odetnim, but I aided Capsul in getting music made for their games, so I came over here to ask about things, or else I would have been there when Noland- when he…" she covered her mouth. Her next words were almost a whisper. She leaned in to ask him. "Is it true the man hung himself?"
Is that what people were saying about this case? "No, Miss Pitch. The police do not believe Mr. Richards's death was a suicide."
"So, it's murder," the other woman piped up. Amy Riter, if Edgeworth recalled correctly. "Who would have thought?" She had a curious glint to her eyes as she wrote something into her notebook. Almost… excited.
Whatever the look meant, it bothered Maya. "You don't seem very concerned that he's dead. Wasn't he your boss?"
"Amy!" Pitch scolded her. The woman looked up momentarily, but overall didn't seem concerned. She went back to writing as Pitch spoke to them on her behalf. "You'll have to forgive Ms. Riter, sir. She lives in her own world most of the time."
"Well, this isn't one of her Turnabout Lawyer cases! Someone is actually dead, here!" Maya protested.
Riter didn't respond.
Cachè watched the exchange with a guarded eye, then walked towards the company spokesman. He hadn't been happy about Edgeworth and Maya catching up to him, but what had he expected? They were headed to the same place.
Still, he hadn't said a word since his confession in the other conference room. It seemed he was as surprised as Edgeworth with what he had been willing to reveal. He'd really gone off about it back there.
Edgeworth tried to put the confession out of his mind, just as he had the case he was supposed to be taking to court today. The case he had come to Expo3 to avoid.
So far, it was working.
Well, Edgeworth didn't come here to stand and stare at people. "Miss Pitch, I seem to remember seeing you earlier. You said you had gone looking for the victim?"
"Oh, you heard that?" The woman looked down, almost embarrassed. "Y-yes, I did. But I would have never thought to check Odetnim, let alone… where he was found."
"Would you mind testifying on the matter? The victim's disappearance, your search, and anything you may have noticed in the meantime?"
"Of course! Right away, sir. Let me think…"
-Witness Testimony-
"Looking for Richards"
"The conference began without Richards, though we didn't know he was missing at the time.
"I don't know why they started without him. I had assumed he'd be onstage with Amy, that they'd walked there together.
"When I found out he wasn't there, myself and a few Capsul employees volunteered to go look for him.
"We searched his office here, the hallways, and even the nearby conference rooms. They were all in session when we looked.
"By the time the Capsul presentation was ending, I returned here to report, even though I had nothing to say. Amy was as confused as I was.
"We went searching for him together after that. Still, neither of us really thought to check Odetnim. What would he be doing there?
"I can't believe something like this would happen! This is terrible, all of it!"
"Thank you for your testimony, Miss Pitch, but we'll need you to remain calm," Edgeworth said after ensuring she was finished. The woman was almost in tears by the end of it. Had this man's death truly affected her to this degree?
"I'm sorry, sir. This is all just… very confusing… How did any of this happen?"
"That's what we're trying to find answers to, Miss Pitch. And I assure you: we will find the truth of this incident."
"Could Mr. Edgeworth and I ask you a few questions, Miss Pitch?" Maya asked, making it sound like she would be participating in the cross-examination. Edgeworth gave her the side eye before turning back to the witness.
"Oh! I guess so," Pitch replied, green eyes flitting about. She looked almost fairy-like, with her flitting eyes and high cheekbones. "What would you like to ask me?"
"Before I answer that, could you go through your testimony again?"
"Certainly. Just let me remember what I said, first." She cleared her throat, then began once more.
-Cross-Examination-
"Looking for Richards"
"The conference began without Richards, though we didn't know he was missing at the time.
"I don't know why they started without him. I had assumed he'd be onstage with Amy. That they'd walked there together."
"HOLD IT! Why did you think the two of them would arrive together?"
"Because they were supposed to meet just before the presentation started," Pitch said matter-of-factly. "Both Amy and Mr. Richards were going to give a speech about the new Turnabout Lawyers game, and Mr. Richards wanted to make sure they were coordinated."
"Right before the presentation started? That's cutting it a bit close, don't you think?"
"This company has been working around the clock to get their sequel ready. I know Amy was really surprised they were releasing a new one so quickly. It's only been a year since they dropped the first one, after all. It doesn't surprise me that they've been a little disorganized. These things happen with bigger companies, too."
If Pitch isn't exaggerating… that means Riter saw the victim after Hackins and Cachè did. That could end Cachè's obsession with the boy for good. Edgeworth would have to speak with the writer next.
He made a mental note to himself, then continued with the cross-examination. "Thank you, Miss Pitch. Please continue, if you would."
"When I found out he wasn't there, myself and a few other employees volunteered to go look for him.
"We searched his office here, the hallways, and even the nearby conference rooms. They were all in session when we looked."
"HOLD IT! Did you see anything unusual while searching?"
"If I did, I wouldn't have paid it mind."
"Huh?" Maya spoke up for the first time in the cross-examination. "What do you mean?"
"The convention center was packed with children. Adults, too. I don't know how familiar you are with the gaming crowd, but the serious fans can be… eccentric, at times."
Oh trust me, I've noticed. Edgeworth thought back to Lite and Hackins, both of whom lived a life obsessed with popular culture. At least Edgeworth kept his passions in balance with his professional life.
She laughed, a bell-like sound. "But it's all in good fun. I think it's great they get so excited, it really is. It's great for the gaming companies too, if you know what I mean."
"I see…" Was any of that relevant?
Pitch didn't seem to think so either. "But I digress. All I know is that I didn't see Mr. Richards."
"You may continue, Miss Pitch."
"By the time the Capsul presentation was ending, I returned here to report, even though I had nothing to say. Amy was as confused as I was."
"HOLD IT! Why did you want to report back?"
Pitch looked confused. "I figured the people giving the conference would want a status update. Are you saying I shouldn't have returned?"
"Not at all, Miss Pitch. I was merely curious." It was at that moment Edgeworth realized. "Is that when I saw you and Ms. Riter?"
"I guess it would have to be," Pitch replied after thinking. "Right outside this room?"
"Yes."
"Then yes. It was."
This wasn't turning up anything new. "And what did you two do after that?"
"We went searching for him together after that. Still, neither of us thought to check Odetnim. What would he be doing there?"
"HOLD IT! How connected are the companies Capsul and Odetnim?"
"Capsul's games are playable on Odetnim systems, but that's about it. Capsul isn't a subsidiary or anything like that. I only ended up working with both because I knew people here. They needed someone to help them with their game's original soundtrack, and I had just enough time to show up on my off hours."
"Can you think of any reason Mr. Richards might have gone over there while alive?"
Pitch shook her head. "I never worked with him closely, but I can't think of one. Perhaps one of his true employees would know."
Well, Edgeworth was already planning to ask one. Just as soon as he was finished here. "I believe I will. If you would please finish your testimony?"
"I can, but do I really need to?"
Edgeworth considered her question. He'd never really thought about it, to be honest. "Only if you want to, Miss Pitch."
She shrugged. "Okay, then.
"I can't believe something like this would happen! This is terrible, all of it!"
She paused for a beat to see if he would interject, then exhaled when he didn't. "Is that all you wanted from me, sir? I'm happy to help the investigation however I can."
"That's all I need from you for now, Miss Pitch. But I may have more questions later, so please don't go anywhere just yet."
The woman nodded. "Understood. Please let me know when Mr. Richards's killer is found. I'll rest easier tonight if they're caught."
"Of course, Miss Pitch. I believe we all will." Edgeworth bowed before walking away. He, at least, always took comfort in knowing there was one less criminal out in society.
"So, I guess we should question Ms. Riter next?" Maya asked, to which Edgeworth nodded. With that, the two made their way over to Ms. Riter, who was currently speaking avidly at a police officer.
"-and your participation would be very helpful. If we were to receive input from actual law enforcement, the games could feel even more realistic. You'd be doing me and all of our games' players a huge favor."
"Ms. Riter, if you would be so kind as to stop heckling the officers, I require your assistance."
Edgeworth had stepped in, hoping to get the attention of Amy Riter. He had planned to ask her about her meeting with Richards, but he could not do so as long as Riter was talking with the police officers about a less important matter.
"Get a book, lady, or look it up online. Don't bother me when I have a job to do!" The officer scolded her, then saluted to Edgeworth. It was only then that she noticed him.
"You may investigate elsewhere, Officer. I will talk to this witness."
"Good luck with that." Still, he left.
Riter bristled, writing a couple more lines down in her notebook. "I can't believe he couldn't answer any more questions. I was only asking him so we could have a more realistic game, when the next one comes out." Riter complained. "It's going to be a trilogy, you know. I didn't originally plan it that way, but I've already sown the seeds for it in this game. It may not have been part of the grand finale this time, but we're going to pull out the full stops... provided the second game does well." Her eyes grew brighter. "A cavern of ice, a bridge on fire in a raging blizzard…"
Is this a courtroom game, or a wild adventure story? Either way, it was utterly irrelevant to him.
"Ms. Riter, as I said a moment ago, I require your assistance."
"And what would you require my assistance for? I was told I could return to drafting as soon as this commotion was over."
"That was before a murder was discovered." Maya pointed out, still trying to figure the writer out. "Aren't you at least a bit concerned?"
"About what?"
Edgeworth cut to the chase. "Ms. Riter, I seek your testimony. Did you meet with Mr. Richards before the Capsul conference began?"
"..." She didn't respond right away.
"Ms. Riter?"
"...I'll answer you." She closed her notebook, placing it by her side and tilting her head back. "Let's start simple with this one, shall we?"
Why did Edgeworth always get the characters on his cases? Had "that man" passed his curse onto him now that he was no longer investigating?
No, that didn't make sense. He'd been having this problem long before that even happened. Oh well.
-Witness Testimony-
"Before the Conference"
"..."
"...What Lyra told you is correct. I was supposed to meet with Mr. Richards before the conference began.
"Unfortunately, I was running late. I didn't even show up to the event until ten minutes before our time slot.
"Most of that time was spent searching for our company's area. When I found it, there were two minutes left.
"I did peek into our office area to look for him, but he wasn't there. I had assumed he'd given up waiting for me and was onstage."
"It was not until I was called up that I realized he wasn't there either. By that time, it was too late. I had a presentation to give."
As she wrapped up her testimony, Riter's eyes locked onto Edgeworth's cravat. She chuckled. "I remember that ridiculous piece of clothing. You were in the audience when I spoke." She turned to Maya next. "And your hairstyle… I thought it was all cosplay at first. Perhaps a bad rendition of the Pink Princess's civilian dress."
Is she just now remembering this? "Yes, we were in the conference room when you discussed your new game. What does that have to do with my case?"
The notebook made a reappearance. "A few things."
"Like?"
"For one…" she flipped a few pages as she spoke, "you weren't here on a case when you first arrived. Neither was the detective with you."
Did she mean Cachè? "He's not a detective, nor is he with me. We met here." Edgeworth was beginning to feel like he was wasting his time. "Anything else you found important, Ms. Riter?"
"It also means you have no reason to question me further."
Hm? "What brought you to that conclusion?"
"You know where I was during the Capsul conference. And now you know where I was before that. I was with Lyra after, as I'm sure she mentioned. It's obvious I know nothing."
Edgeworth wasn't sure it was that simple, but he could see her logic. "So you didn't see Richards before the conference started?"
"No."
"Would you mind if I went through your testimony one more time, Ms. Riter? I will be done questioning you after that."
She sighed, putting her notebook away again. "I guess I have to. I thought cross-examination was saved for the courtroom. You know," she gestured about with her hands. "Defense attorneys."
"Not this time. Your testimony, if you would."
-Cross-Examination-
"Before the Conference"
"..."
"...What Lyra told you is correct. I was supposed to meet with Mr. Richards before the conference began."
"HOLD IT! How did you know who informed us?"
"I saw you. And who else would have told you besides her?"
"...True." Edgeworth would have to be careful not to underestimate this witness. She seemed to have a greater grasp of the situation than Edgeworth had initially believed.
When she was paying attention, that is. "But yes. I told Lyra of Mr. Richards's intent to meet with me. I don't know who else might have known… unless my phone was tapped by the true killer." She paused, appearing to seriously consider the possibility.
Where does she come up with these scenarios? "Until there is evidence of such a thing, I'd hardly consider it relevant, Ms. Riter. Would you mind telling me about what happened at this meeting?"
"..." A sigh.
"Unfortunately, I was running late. I didn't even show up to the event until ten minutes before our time slot."
"HOLD IT! Why were you running late?"
"My car would not start. I spent my morning searching for the cause."
"And what was the cause?" Maya asked.
"My muffler. It was muffled by a muffler."
Maya's eyes drooped. "Huh?"
"An article of clothing was trapped in her car muffler, I think," Edgeworth translated. "Did it work when you took the muffler out?"
Riter raised a sculpted eyebrow, confused. "Why would I take the muffler off my car? Do cars not need those?"
"No, not that-" Edgeworth shook his head. "Let's move forward in this testimony, shall we? You did make it to the convention center by the time the conference started, at least."
"Indeed. About ten minutes before.
"Most of that time was spent searching for our company's area. When I found it, there were two minutes left."
"HOLD IT! Ms. Riter, when you arrived, were there exactly ten minutes left before the conference began?"
"It was within a minute of difference, yes."
Should I question her about this?
-Yes, about her arrival
-Yes, about finding her conference room
-Don't question further
"Ms. Riter, would you be willing to tell me more about the state of affairs at the time of your arrival?" Edgeworth tried to present himself conversationally, but inside, he could barely hold back a smirk. He was beginning to think he was onto something. "For example, from which entrance did you come in?"
"The main one, at the front of this building."
The smirk made it past. "Interesting. And did you notice anything or anyone of note?"
"...Nothing you wouldn't expect to see at a gaming convention."
"I see. And would you please add that statement to your testimony?"
"You take issue with my account?" She rolled her eyes. "Very well… though I think I can guess what's coming.
"I saw nothing out of place when I entered the convention hall."
"OBJECTION!" Edgeworth whipped out his Organizer, flipping to the page titled "Cachè's Claims". "You say you never saw Mr. Richards, but you also say you entered the convention hall from the main entrance. That contradicts a previous witness's testimony."
"Oh, really?" She almost looked disappointed, eyes downcast. "How so?"
"I saw Richards at the front entrance," Cachè broke in before Edgeworth could explain. "Didn't see you there, though."
"You did? Well," she didn't even look up. "I did not."
"Really? That's all you have to say for yourself?"
She shrugged. "It was a crowded room, and an entrance of many doors. Can you really say for certain that we all would have seen one another?"
"Well, I guess not," Maya grumbled. "So is it a contradiction or not?"
Ngh... She has a point. Edgeworth was more used to dealing with cases that had only a few witnesses, but he should have learned by now that that wasn't always the case. This time, he had a case that potentially had hundreds of witnesses. The true challenge wasn't finding testimony, but finding what's important. Something he had no way of discerning at this time.
So he didn't commit. "As of now, we have no way of disproving either testimony. I don't want this to dissolve into a 'he said, she said' matter."
Neither witness looked particularly happy about his judgement, but they remained silent. I should remember this contention.
-Crowd at the Entrance added to Logic-
Well, that was unfortunate. Edgeworth had hoped for something more conclusive from Riter. Most notably, confirmation that someone had seen the victim alive after Cachè and Hackins had. As of now, he still couldn't disprove the P.I.'s assessment of the crime.
"Did you have any other questions, or can I can get back to work?" Riter's tone could not be more dry.
Edgeworth struggled to let this point go. "Just to confirm: from the time you arrived to now, you never saw Mr. Richards?"
"Not once."
"Did he not return to the Capsul area after being seen by the entrance?"
A shrug. "It seems not. And here I was thinking he'd simply grown impatient with me. That wouldn't be out of character for him..." She sauntered away, not waiting to be excused.
"Mr. Edgeworth, it seems to me you're getting nowhere in this cross examination," Cachè said. "Who else do you need to talk to before you accept what I said as the truth? No matter what you think, it's obvious that Hackins is the most likely suspect. I've tried being patient. If you were truly the prosecutor you're said to be, you would have had Hackins arrested already."
At this, a chill went through Edgeworth, and he turned to glare at the PI.
"No, Mr. Cachè, that isn't the prosecutor I am. Not anymore. I was once like that. Taking the easy road. Going for the low-hanging fruit. Finding whoever seemed most likely to have been the culprit without taking the time to examine the case as comprehensively as I should have.
"But I learned, and I learned the hard way. Prosecutors like that are the ones who have caused the mistrust we see in the judicial system. I was once like that, but never again. Over two years ago, my eyes were opened. It took a long time to come to terms with myself, but once I did, I made a promise to myself. That no matter what, I would never again take the path of least resistance. No, I would only be satisfied with my conclusions once I was certain there were no other options. After all, only by eliminating all that is impossible can we find what is true.
"And right now, we have yet to do so. So I will continue searching, until all other options have been exhausted, until we are left with only the truth. Then, and only then, will I be satisfied."
For a moment no one moved and all were silent. The air was thick with tension, as Edgeworth stared down Cachè. Finally, an odd look crossed over the PI's face.
"..." Cachè gave the prosecutor a glare that clearly showed he had meant what he had said about not wanting to agree with Edgeworth. His glare faded when something that needed his investigation came to his mind.
"..I'm going to investigate why the body was moved to the Odetnim conference room. I would think it's a better use of my time than remaining here." Cachè turned away from Edgeworth and Maya, then stomped off towards the Odetnim conference room.
As he passed him, Edgeworth saw out the corner of his eye that Cachè's face took on a pensive look. He muttered something to himself that Edgeworth didn't hear.
For a moment the room fell back into silence, quickly shattered by Maya. "Wow, Mr. Edgeworth. That was… unexpected."
Yes. Yes it was. And it seemed like I wasn't the only one surprised.
Organizer:
Profiles:
Miles Edgeworth
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Description: Me. What else can I say? Currently High Prosecutor for my local district.
Maya Fey
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Description: Once a legal assistant, Miss Fey is a spirit medium set to become the village leader of Kurain. Called me out of the blue for the sake of attending the Expo3 Convention together.
Amy Riter
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Description: Sole writer of the Turnabout Lawyers games at Capsul. Richards was her boss, and very involved in the creation of the game. Has difficulty seeing the difference between her game and reality.
Noland Richards
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Description: Owner of Capsul gaming company. Was meant to give a speech at the convention, but never showed up. His body was found strangled in the Odetnim conference room.
Joseph Caché
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Description: A former prosecutor, now works as a PI. Insists on investigating the case for himself, and harbors an almost personal distrust of the legal system.
Allen Lite
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Description: A moderately popular online gamer. Was in the audience at the Odetnim conference when the body was discovered.
Cody Hackins
Age: 10
Gender: Male
Description: A convention attendee. Was seen arguing with the victim before the man died, and was caught snooping backstage at Odetnim's conference.
Lyra Pitch
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Description: A music producer for various games. Mostly works with Odetnim, but helps Capsul with their Turnabout Lawyer games. Went to look for Richards after he didn't show for the conference.
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.
Map of Convention
Type: Other
Description: Shows all areas available to the public at the convention. Capsul was in room number 13, while Odetnim occupied number 2.
Knot Details
Type: Evidence
Description: The knot tied at the back of the victim's neck. Cannot be adjusted after tying, and very difficult for the victim to have done himself.
Stage Rope
Type: Evidence
Description: The rope used to hang the victim's body from the ceiling. Mostly likely tied by someone other than the victim, and unlikely to be the true murder weapon. Other ropes of this type held promotional posters.
Steel Samurai Banners
Type: Evidence
Description: Hanging from various places around the crime scene. Odetnim was given the rights to the Steel Samurai video game, it seems.
Lite's Testimony
Type: Evidence
Description: The victim's body was found during the Odetnim conference. The body and banners were lowered on cue by Odetnim employees.
Caché's Claims
Type: Evidence
Description: A summary of assertions made in Joseph Caché's testimony, with the claim that Richards and Hackins were seen arguing shortly before the Capsul conference among them. Check
Picture of Richards
Type: Evidence
Description: A picture taken of the victim as his body was lowered towards the crowd. It bears a message that is addressed to me. Check
Richards Speech Notes
Type: Evidence
Description: What the victim was going to say at the Capsul conference he never showed up to. Were found on Hackins person, though it isn't clear why.
A/N's: All three cowriters helped put this chapter together. As such, each wishes to leave notes.
PTV: Sorry once again these take so long to write. Once this last month of school is over, this is my #1 priority with regards to fanfiction, and both the third and the fourth case will be complete by the time summer is over. It's ambitious, but true. I purposely made case four's outline a bit shorter to make that possible.
But I make no promises about the finale. That's gonna take forever. We haven't outlined it all yet, but I'm guessing it will have seven parts. Maybe eight. Not quite on Grand's level, but still a big ass case.
Even so, we're officially halfway through this case! We've got 2.5 parts done out of five, and the next chapter is already underway, thanks mostly to RJ's efforts. Edgeworth has now had a detailed conversation with every suspect in the case. May the guessing game begin.
I think things are starting to get interesting, and on more levels than one. Riter was Emmy's suggestion as a character (Pitch Ajani's, if I recall), and I hope she loves her when she gets a chance to sit down and read her coming alive on a page. Scollard said he enjoyed both. And with Ajani helping Cachѐ become more vivid than half what I imagined when the idea was introduced, we've got quite the colorful cast here.
I think that (and the self-referential humor, seeing as this is supposed to be an AA "game". Poor fourth wall.) are gonna be my favorite things going forward. What about you, RJ?
RJ: Agreed on the fact its ambitious but I do believe we could finish cases 3 and 4 done before summer ends.
Thanks PTV, it was a pleasure to help get a start on the next chapter. I wonder if any of the readers have any thoughts on who the culprit is and how many references they caught?
I have really been enjoying all of the AA references that we have been able to put in this chapter along with all of the other chapters for this case. Having a character that is part of a game series called Turnabout Lawyers, a reference to the AA series within an AAI fanfic is pretty cool and Cache` and Pitch are also awesome! We have had way too much breaking the fourth wall in this case, Haha!
PTV: Maybe not breaking, exactly. More like heavy leaning. Not that the series hasn't touched their fourth wall before. (Cough sounds suspiciously like "crossover").
RJ: Yes that's it a lot of leaning. Oh my goodness the crossover, that was a nice thought of comparison. They did that a lot with the fourth wall in that one. :)
PTV: I had fun with that. It made actually finishing the game worth it. But that's a different topic, I guess. What are your thoughts, Ajani?
Ajani: I think I might start going by Ajani in these ANs considering how often AA means Ace Attorney.
Commentary on poor pseudonym picks (could have said choices, but alliteration for the win people) aside, I will always enjoy whenever we lean on the fourth wall. It always makes me laugh when fiction makes meta humor and its really enjoyable to be able to write it myself.
However, as a writer, my favorite part is seeing characters and scenarios evolve far beyond what we expected them to be. To look at the original outlines and to see just how much the characters have grown will always bring me indescribable joy.
As for finishing Cases three and four before the start of another school year, I see that as a an achievable goal. Difficult, but definitely achievable.
But let's not distract you guys, we're still in case three. Now that all the players are on the field, it's time to place the bets. Who do you think did it? How do you think it was done? And why do you think it happened? Lets see those minds working people!