Apollo stood up straight as the new witness jumped behind the witness stand. Detective Gumshoe had started to move out of the way, but the young woman slapped him on the back and earned herself a rueful grin from the lumbering man in the process.
Do they know each other? Maybe...
"Witness," Edgeworth folded his arm. He carried himself with the same pose and atmosphere he was so well known for, but...Apollo squinted. The bracelet was not doing the same...thing as before, but Edgeworth's demeanor seemed more strained.
"Please state your name and..."
"Aw, what's the use of formalities? You know me. I'm Detective Kay Faraday, also of the homicide unit!"
The Judge did not bother to address Edgeworth's flustered state.
"Witness, please provide your supplementary information for this case."
"I'm hearing you loud and clear, Your Honor!" Kay gave a salute and took a deep breath. Apollo was still on guard, but he felt a little more secure than before.
"As per Detective Gumshoe, the victim and the defendant were found in the truck. The latter was found clutching a framed stamp. It had been examined by the police department, and we can say with certainty that it was laced with atroquinine poison."
Kay reached into her pocket for a yellow envelope, opened the top, and pulled out a small object wrapped tightly in clear plastic. "I have the stamp in my possession now."
Apollo blinked. The testimony was not really the groundbreaking chink in Edgeworth's armor that he thought it would be.
Edgeworth was standing a little straighter now. "Are you going to say what I think you are going to say, Detective Faraday?"
Kay nodded. "Yes sir. I took the liberty of asking for an extended autopsy of Mr. Shadi Enigmar. The stab wound was the first thing examined, but traces of atroquinine were found in his throat, as well."
Atroquinine...Apollo's mind raced. Phoenix Wright had gone up against a criminal who wielded the deadly poison in the past.
"So what you are saying is that the defendant had two methods of murder? Tricking her captor into licking the stamp, and then stabbing him when it did not take effect quickly enough?"
Kay pointed towards Apollo. "The one over there will think that one over more for us," She said. "But that seems to be the first and foremost conclusion."
Apollo was feeling weak.
"Mr. Edgeworth," the Judge scratched his bald head. "Why is it that you did not summon Detective Faraday alongside Detective Gumshoe to begin with?
Edgeworth coughed into his hand. "Pardon, Your Honor. That would be a question best answered by the introduction of our next witness." He nodded to the bailiff. "Mr. Hackins, if you please."
Apollo clenched his hands into fists, mouthing his assent when he was asked if the defense was ready for the next witness. He had to keep focused, had to keep looking for new angles. Everything would slip away if he did...
The next woman to come into the courtroom after Kay was older, but still somewhat fresh-looking. She was tall, with short sandy hair and a white pantsuit. She had a corncob pipe, but no smoke came from it. Her face was hard, impassive.
Edgeworth stood uncertainly, then waved his hand.
The woman pulled the pipe from her lips and twirled it between her fingers.
"Cammy Meele, freelance translator for Borginian tourists." She dared to look at Edgeworth, and seemed to wither a bit from his glare. "And former member of the Carnation Red smuggling ring."
Chatter sprung from the gallery.
"You mean..."
"Those guys?"
"Why is she here?"
Apollo slammed his fists on his stand. "Mr. Edgeworth, why would you bring a smuggling ring agent to a court of law?"
"To answer your question, Mr. Justice," Edgeworth wagged a finger. "She will testify as to what she saw at the crime scene. Furthermore, she has spent some time in prison after previous indictments and is on parole. Lastly," he looked up at the Judge.
"An explanation is owed, Your Honor. As the records will show, I was the prosecutor who brought Ms. Meele to justice seven years ago, and it was I who proved her involvement in the smuggling of items throughout the Hope Springs airport and related venues. But I was not alone in this." He nodded at Kay. "I had help."
The Judge blinked. "Erm...how old are you, Ms. Faraday?"
"Twenty-four, Your Honor."
The bald head was scratched. "Then would you have to have been a teenager when..."
"Age is not relevant in this case, Your Honor." A sharpness came to the prosecutor's voice. "Kay Faraday has honed the skills she possessed at the time. Although I must say..."
There was a pause.
"Given her past experience with Ms. Meele, I was unsure if she could keep her wits about her testimony, having unexpectedly run into an associate of the smuggling ring again."
Kay waved a hand. "No need to worry, as long as you're in charge, Mr. Edgeworth. I've got your back like before." Beside her, Detective Gumshoe flashed two thumbs up.
From bad to worse...
Apollo wilted. Now he had two detectives instead of one, both on each other's side and cuddly with the prosecution. And it seems the three of them had a personal relationship, even. Who would have guessed?
And yet another cross-examination from a witness that was most certainly under their collective thumb...
"Your testimony, witness." Edgeworth folded his arms.
Cammy Meele coughed.
"Hello, everyone. Yes, I was there at the airport. I was there, hoping to catch some clients who wanted to visit the city venues. I saw the truck and thought I heard a commotion inside. It stopped suddenly. I tried calling through the door, but I got no response. The door was sealed, and I could not open it. I called the airport security and the police as soon as I could."
-A multi-chapter story; Chapter 10; story idea by CRed1988 and writing by Jerviss.