J continues the tiral but has to work with an unrealiable witness, hopefully she can find somthing to turn around the verdict
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.
DM77's Ace Attorny Chapter 34
What Really Happened
December 27, 10:35 AM, District Court, Courtroom No.3
Everyone was soon back in positions with Joey standing on the witness stand. Maccadam bangs his gavel to silence the members of the court who were talking.
"Court is now back in session." Maccadam said and looks to Joey "Witness…Please testify to the court about everything that you saw…on the night of December 24th."
"Right…. leave it to me!" Joey said giving a thumbs up.
'Please, Joey, don't mess this one up!' J thinks begging this to go well. 'I hate to admit it, but you're our last chance!' She then looks to see Belos remaining quiet and thinks 'Belos didn't even have time to prep his witness. I just hope Hunter is right about this being our big break…'
Joey begins to give his testimony on The Night of the Murder saying "That night, I was out in a boat on the lake. I was looking for something, and I, er, found it. So I quietly slipped the boat back in at the rental shop dock. Then, just I as was thinking about going home, I heard this 'bang'! I looked out over the lake, but I didn't see a boat. So after I heard that single gunshot I went home."
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks on this "That was an unusually vague testimony, even for this court. In any case, Miss, J, you may begin your cross-examination."
"Yes, Your Honor…" J said thinking concerned.
"What's wrong, J?" Jaden asked her.
"It's Joey!" J said and explained "I have no idea what he's going to say if I press him. I'm a little scared."
"Hmmm…" Jaden thinks and said "Well, we've come this far. There's no way to go but forward, J!"
J nods and presses the first statement of Joey being out on the lake saying "Hold it!" But then thinks.
"Something wrong, Miss. J?" Maccadam asked.
"There were so many things wrong I don't know to begin…" J said sweating.
"Ah…" Maccadam said understanding.
"Uh, well, okay. First of all, what time was it?" J asked Joey.
"Oh, it was after 11:00 when I went out in the boat." Joey told her. "By that time everyone had gone home for the night. So I waited until the coast was clear, so to speak."
"I see." J said nodding and presses the next statement about looking for something saying "Hold it! 'Looking for something'…?"
"Er, yeah." Joey said nodding.
"Mr. Wheeler, what was it you were looking for?" Maccadam asked.
"Objection!" Belos said and adds "What the witness was searching for it irrelevant! Most likely he was hunting for this 'Seadray'!"
'That's…surprisingly close to the truth, in a sense.' J thinks sweating.
"This is all irrelevant! Let's get it over with." Belo said annoyed.
J nods and presses the third statement of Joey slipping the boat to the dock saying "Hold it! Around what time was that?"
"Uh…Well, let's see…" Joey thinks "I figure I was out searching for about an hour…I guess it was around 12:00. Yeah."
"You're not sure?" Maccadam asked.
"Hey! Don't give me that face!" Joey yelled out "I'm not some sort of human sundial, okay?!"
'People use watches these days, Joey…' J thinks sweat dropping. She then presses the fifth statement about Joey not seeing a boat on the lake saying "Hold it! Wasn't there a boat on the lake?!"
This made the members of the court murmur at this in confusion and Maccadam bangs his gavel saying "Order! Order!" He then looks serious at Joey "Well? Mr. Wheeler?"
"Whoa, whoa." Joey said to that. "Everybody just calm down, okay? I mean, it was real foggy that night. I'm not sure whether there was a boat out there or not."
'Oh, okay, no problem. That's just the MOST IMPORTANT PART of this case!' J thinks sweatdropping.
"Hmph!" Belos lets out
"Hold it!" J said on Joey's last statement about going home after hearing one gunshot and asks "So you only heard one 'bang' correct?"
"Yeah" Joey said nodding.
'Huh.' J thinks, odd both prior witnesses heard at least two. She gets out in the Court Record evidence needed and presents it here saying "Objection! W-wait a sec, Joey!"
"Wh-what?!" Joey said taken aback.
"You only heard one 'bang'?! You're sure?!" J asked him
"That's what I said!" Joey told her.
J present Todd's deposition and said "But Mr. Todd Snap testified yesterday that he heard two 'bang's'! And the old man just now said the same thing! They both heard two gunshots that night!"
"Huh?" Joey said surprised.
J slams her hands on the desk and asked "Were you even listening?! Were you paying attention at all to what they said?"
"Yo, J, please!" Joey said to her.
"Huh?" J said confused.
"You know, something's been bothering me." Joey said thinking. "I'm a witness, see? I'm like a customer here! So you got to treat me nice and stuff, okay?!" J just blankly stares at him.
Maccadam also looks at Joey deadpanned and said "Mr. Wheeler."
"What?!" Joey asked.
"You only heard one gunshot? Are you sure?" Maccadam asked with a serious look.
Joey thinks on it "Umm…Well, to tell you the truth…I'm not sure."
"Eh…?" Maccadam said surprised.
"Not sure?! H-how could you not be sure?" J asked sweatdropping.
"Yeah, well…" Joey said rubbing his head "I, uh, I might have missed the other gunshot. I was, uh, listening to something else…"
"Something…else?" J asked him.
"My radio, dude! With my headphones." Joey told her.
"Whaaaaaat?!" J said in shock, and this caused the members of the court to murmur in shock as well some were even booing Joey.
"Order! Order! And stop that booing!" Maccadam said banging his gavel. He then looks at Joey "M-Mr. Wheeler! You were listening to the radio with your headphones?"
"Y-yeah! So, what! That a crime?!" Joey asked confused. "I listen to my radio! Everybody listens to the radio! What's the big deal?!"
"Hmm…" Maccadam lets out shaking his head. "Mr. Belos…. your opinion?"
"Waste of time." Belos just simply said. I" do not accept this witness, nor his shoddy testimony."
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks "Well, Miss. J? Should he continue the testimony?"
J knows she can't let it continue and said "Your Honor. Please…please allow the witness to continue his testimony."
"Bah!" Belos lets out "Nothing is more pitiful than a lawyer who doesn't know when she's lost!"
"Very well, Mr. Wheeler." Maccadam said looking at Joey serious. "Please give your testimony, and be sure to include details like your RADIO."
"Right! Leave it to me!" Joey said giving a thumbs up.
'I wouldn't if there were any other way out of this, believe me.' J thinks sweat dropping.
Joey then gives a statement about What he heard and said "It's lonely, being alone on Christmas Eve! That's why I was listening to an all-requests show on the radio, see? I was listening to it real booming loud, like. But I'm sure I heard that gunshot! I remember exactly what the DJ was saying when I heard it, too."
"You were listening to your radio…at a hight volume?!" Maccadam asked.
"Yeah, what's the big problem?" Joey yelled out "Can't a man listen to his radio in peace? Isn't this a free country?!"
'I truly believe Joey has no idea what this problem here is.' J thinks sweating.
"Judge. Can you believe a word this witness says?" Belos asked "What he heard was probably nothing more that a drum beat from the radio!"
"True enough, it is difficult to believe this testimony." Maccadam said nodding.
"Objection!" J calls out and slams her hands on the desk. "Wait, Your Honor! The witness said he remembers exactly what the DJ said when he heard the gunshot!"
"Excuse me? 'Dee-jay'…?" Maccadam asked confused.
"An announcer…the guy who says things on the radio." J explained to him. "Anyway! What this means is, when he heard the sound, no music was playing! The DJ only talks between songs! So, he could have heard the gunshot from the lake! I'd like to cross-examine the witness, Your Honor!"
"V-very well, Miss. J." Maccadam said understanding.
'I can't believe I'm continuing this charade…' J thinks and the testimony was mostly useless but only the last one was a gleam of hope, she presses the one about the DJ talking saying "Hold it! What did they say?"
"Objection!" Belos called out and said "Miss. J! Please cease these pointless questions! What possible good could knowing what a radio DJ said do us?!"
"Indeed, Mr. Belos has a point." Maccadam said nodding. "I'll allow the question only if you see some reason why we should care."
J slams her hands on the desk and said "We should care, Your Honor! Of course we should!"
"Why?" Belos asked.
"Uh." J said thinking sweating and said "W-well, how do you know if we don't ask, hmm?"
"Fine, very well." Maccadam said nodding. "Mr. Wheeler, please testify to the court. What was the radio announcer saying you heard the gunshot?"
Joey nods and changes his last statement with saying "Just when they said 'Hey! It's almost Christmas!' I heard the gunshot!"
J thinks and was surprised, almost Christmas. She presents Todd's Deposition again at this statement saying while looking serious "Objection! Joey! Are you absolutely sure what you're saying is correct?!"
"Huh? What's with the face? You look scary, dude." Joey asked confused "Hey, if you're trying to scare me, you better know I don't scare that easy!"
"Is something the matter, Miss. J?" Maccadam asked.
"Your Honor! Did you hear what the witness just said?" J asked and repeats "The DJ said 'Hey! It's almost Christmas!' when he heard the gunshot!"
"Indeed…And…?" Maccadam asked confused.
"'Almost Christmas' means it wasn't Christmas!" J explained "Do you realize what this means?" She slams her hands on the table and said "When he heard the gunshot, it was still Christmas Eve!"
"That would seam to be the case, yes…" Maccadam said nodding.
"But that contradicts the two testimonies we have heard so far, Your Honor!" J explained further. "Both Mr. Snap and the old man said it was after midnight when they heard the shots! In other words…When they heard the gunshots, it was already Christmas! This is a clear contradiction, Your Honor!"
This made the members of the court to murmur at this, wondering who was right. Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order! What does this mean? The two prior witnesses heard gunshots after midnight. However, this witness says he heard a gunshot before midnight…"
"Judge. The answer is simple." Belos said arms folded and snaps his fingers adding "The current witness is plainly mistaken. Just look at him! Suspicious!"
"Wh-whaaat?!" Joey said in shock.
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks and said "Well, Miss. J? What do you thinks about Mr. Wheeler's claim he heard the gunshot before midnight?"
"Joey's not mistaken, Your Honor!" J said confidently "He heard that gunshot before midnight!"
Belos looks at J and said "Intrigiuing." He smirks and askes "I assuming you have evidence for this wild claim?" He snaps his fingers "Show me evidence there was a gunshot before midnight!"
J smiles and presents on the screen the Second Lake Photo and said "Take that! Look at this photograph! This was taken by our witness yesterday, Mr. Todd Snap, with his automatic camera. The timestamp on the photo reads 'December 24, 11:50 PM.'"
"Oh?" Maccadam said interested "Hmm? But, there's nothing on the lake in this picture."
"Your Honor. The real issure here is not why nothing is shown in this photograph." J explained. "It is why this photograph exists at all!"
"What do you mean?" Maccadam asked.
"Your Honor…This photograph was taken by an automatic camera." J told him. "That camera was set to go off in response to loud noises!"
"Ahah!" Maccadam said nodding getting it.
"Correct!" J said nodding. "There was a loud noise on the lake at 11:50 PM. That is why this photograph was taken! In other words…" She slams her hands down "When Joey heard that gunshot, it was most definitely still Christmas Eve!"
"Indeed, it would seem that is the case!" Maccadam said nodding. "Then…where does that leave us? Mr. Snap testified that she heard the gunshots after midnight. Are you claiming he was mistaken?"
"Not at all, Your Honor." J said shaking her head and shows the first lake photo "It is a fact that the camera also triggered at 15 minutes after midnight! Your Honor! That night, there were two sets of gunshots, with a 25 minute pause between them!"
This made the court murmur in surprise at this revelation and Maccadam bangs his gavel and asked also shocked "Why would this be…?"
"Objection!" Belos said and explained arms folded clutching his left arm "Don't be fooled, Judge! That camera was set to respond to 'loud noises'!"
"Yes?" Maccadam said nodding.
Belo grins and wags his finger and said "There is no proof that the 'loud noise' at 11:50 was a gunshot! Why, the witness could have sneezed, triggering the camera!"
"H-hey, my nose was clear that night, man! Clear!" Joey yells at Belos.
"Hmm…" Macadam ponders this "Well, Miss. J? There's no turning back now. Can you prove that the 'loud noise' at 11:50 PM was indeed a gunshot? Please show the court evidence to you have any."
"Take that! This is my evidence" J said present the Pistol on the screens.
"The…murder weapon?" Maccadam asked.
"Something about this pistol was bothering me, Your Honor." J said and explained "Both of the witnesses who testified yesterday heard two gunshots. However, the murder weapon was fired three times. When, then, was the last shot fired? Only now have I realized the truth." She slams the hands down "That third shot was the shot Joey heard just before midnight!"
This made the members of the court at that and Maccadam bangs his gavel "Order! Order! Hmm…That would make sense of the evidence we've seen so far." He thinks "However…This leaves me wondering exactly what did happen that night on the lake."
"Exactly!" Belos said annoyed. "If this is true, there were two sets of gunshots, separated by 25 minutes! One at 11:50, another at 15 minutes after midnight!" He snaps his fingers "Why, I ask you! Why?!"
'Uh oh, I'd bertter think of something quick!' J thinks on all the evidence looking at her vision board of the case and her LED eyes widen 'Wait a second…! Gunshots separated by 25 minutes…?' She then screams out "Ahhhhhhhhhh! Weekend bonus!"
"Wh-what's wrong, J?!" Jaden asked concerned.
"I have it! I have it!" J said
"Huh?" Jaden asked confused.
"Remember the case with the White Ranger?" J asked him.
"Huh? Yeah, of course I remember…" Jaden said smiling.
"The murderer in this case had the same idea as the murderer in that case!" J told him.
"What do you mean?" Jaden asked.
"Jaden!" J told him
"Yes?!" Jaden asked.
"If we don't figure this out now, we'll never overturn Hunter's guilty verdict!" J explained "I've got a hunch, and I'm going to run with it…"
"Right! I mean…is this safe?" Jaden asked concerned.
"Safe? We've already gotten a guilty verdict! We have nothing to lose!" J told him. "You just watch and let me know if I say something that sounds fishy, okay?"
"Right, J!" Jaden said nodding.
J slams her hands on the desk and said, "Your Honor!"
"Y-yes, Miss. J?" Maccadam asked.
"The testimony just now has cleared up this entire case!" J told him.
The made the Members of the Court murmur and Maccadam silence them with his gavel and asked "What do you mean, Miss. J?!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Belos said smirking "So, you've finally realized the truth? There can be no other murderer here than Hunter Deamonne himself."
J shakes her head and says "Wrong, Belos!" She points at him "A man was shot that night, but it wasn't Hunter who did the shooting!"
Belos shakes his head and wags his finger and folds his arms saying "Listen, rookie. Take a deep breath and consider the facts. At the time of the murder, one boat was on that lake. This was shown by the witness's photograph." He shows the original first lake photo. "The defendant, Hunter, and the victim, James Ironwood were on that boat. There was a gunshot fired on that boat, and James Ironwood fell into the lake. The distance of the shooting was one meter. It couldn't have been suicide! Well?" He snaps his fingers "The guilty party has to be the other man on that boat!"
"I admit, it is hard to imagine any other possibility." Maccadam said nodding.
"Yes…" J said nodding. "But this assumes that the victim was shot at 15 minutes after midnight."
Maccadam was surprised and asked, "What do you mean by that, Miss. J?" He brings up the blown up image of the first lake photo and said "We have photographic evidence of the time of the shooting. The timestamp on the photo says 00:15."
"But Joey heard a gunshot 25 minutes before that!" J points out and slams her hands down on the table "James Ironwood was killed then! 25 minutes before the shot on the lake!" She thinks 'That's the only way that Hunter could be innocent!'
Maccadam and Belos remain quiet at that but the Emperor Prosecutor said "Miss. J. Are you quite mad?" He points to the First Lake Photo and said "Explain who the two men on the boat are!"
J slams her hands down and said looking determined "Of couse, it was Hunter and the murderer! Adter the murderer killed James Ironwood at 11:50…He assumed the guise of Mr. Ironwood and met Hunter!"
This made the members of the court murmur as this was shocking and Maccadam bangs his gavel but was shocked and said "Wh…what?! Are you serious?"
"Yes. Hunter won't tell us why he went to the lake that night." J said as she explained "However, I have a hunch. That night, James Ironwood called Hunter to the lake. Now, Hunter didn't know James Ironwood's face that well." She slams her hands on the table and points "That's why he didn't suspect anything when the murderer took James Ironwood's place!"
Maccadam was stunned and admits "I'm not sure what to make of all this."
"L-Ludicrous!" Belos said unnerved a bit.
"Miss. J. Tells the name of the murderer then!" Maccadam said looking serious.
"The murderer's name…? Right! It's…" J said thinking but then looking sheepish admits "Actually, I don't know the murderer's name."
"Y-you don't know?!" Maccadam asked surprised and confused.
"Bah! Again, you waste my time!" Belos lets out in anger
J slams her hands down and looking serious told them "I don't know because he never told us!" Belos looks shocked at this and concerned "The murderer is the caretaker of the boat shop, that old man! At 11:50, he was the one who killed James Ironwood."
"That caretaker of the boat shop?!" Maccadam said shocked. "Wh-where did he do this?! There weren't any boats on the lake then!"
"Why would he have to go all the way out on the lake just to shoot someone?" J asked "May I suggest…That the real scene of this crime was not on a boat!"
"What?!" Maccadm asked shocked. W-well then, where did the murder take place?!"
J nods and brings up the overhead map of Seadra Park and pounts to the spot the Boat Rental shop and said "Take that! Here, of course! The boat shop, where he lives. That way he could meet with the victim without anyone seeing!"
"Objection!" Belos lets out and said "Do you have proof that the boat shop was the scene of the crime?!"
"Recall Joey's testimony if you will." J said getting the notes out and explained as he ran though the scenario with the overhead map with a boat going round the lake "That night he was out on the lake in a boat, searching for something. He finds it and returns the boat." She had boat return to the docks and has a green dot appear by it "Then, just as he's starting to head for home, he hears a gunshot! He heard a gunshot, Your Honor! Even though he was wearing headphones at the time! In other words, the gunshot was very, very close by! And where would that be if he had just returned a boat?"
"The boat shop…!" Maccadam said getting it. This made the members murmur as they also get it and the judge bangs his gavel "Miss. J! What happed that night on Seadra Lake?! Please tell the court, from the beginning!"
"Y-yes, Your Honor." J said nodding.
"J, are you sure about this…?" Jaden asked.
"Um, not really." J admits "But I think if I start at the very beginning…And I take it slow, I might just be able to figure this out…" She clears her throat "That night…The caretaker of the boat shop called James Ironwoodf to his shop."
We then see a flashback where Ironwood and the Caretaker were in the boat shop and the former was reacting in shock as the latter produces a gun and fires before it goes back.
"This was around 11:50," J continues "That was when the gunshot that Joey heard was fired. After that, the caretaker put on James Ironwood's coat…He became James Ironwood! Then he got in the boat with Hunter and went out into the middle of the lake."
"Then…who fired the pistol on the boat, Miss. J?" Maccadam asked.
We see a flashback of when the shot was fired and see Hunter and the disguised Caretaker standing on the boat, the Caretaker holding the gun fires but shot at the water.
"Of course, it was the murderer who shot the pistol." J told him. "He shot twice. Both missed Hunter, on purpose."
"Wait a minute…" Maccadam said.
"Y-yes?" J asked concerned.
"Why would he shoot twice if he didn't mean to hit anyone?" Maccadam asked.
"Uh…" J sweats and thinks 'Details! Details!'
"Know this, Miss. J." Belos speaks up annoyed "The moment you run out of explanations is the moment you lose." He snaps his fingers "Tell us why the murderer had to fire twice!"
"I believe he shot twice to create a witness, Your Honor." J said thinking.
"Create a witness…?" Maccadam asked.
"The murderer lifts his pistol and fires one shot." J explained "That ensures that anyone who heard the shot would look at the lake. Indeed, Mr. Snap did exactly that after hearing the first gunshot. Next! The murderer waits a bit and he fires again. Then…The murderer jumps from the boat himself! Leaving the pistol in the boat behind him."
Maccadam thinks and said "I see! To someone looking from the edge of the lake…It would appear that one of the men on the boat had shot the other!"
"The murderer didn't know about the automatic camera. Of course." J points out and adds "That's why he shot twice to draw attention to the boat!"
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks.
"Once you realize that, everything else falls into place!" J finishes up saying "The boat shop caretaker swam back to his shop. Then he put Mr. Ironwood's wet coat back on the body. And threw the body into the lake! This is what happened, Your Honor." She grins "These are the events that transpired that night on Seadra Lake."
Everyone remains quite at this and Maccadam bangs his gavel and said looking to the Purge Trooper "Baliff! Bring out the witness from before! The boar shop caretaker! Quickly!"
"Yes sir!" The Baliff Purge Trooper said and goes to get The Caretaker.
The members of the court murmur in surprise and Maccadam bangs his gavel to silence them.
After the members of the court were silenced Maccadam said "Very well. While we are waiting for the caretaker…I would like to ask the defendant, Hunter Demonne a few questions. Mr. Deamonne. Please take the stand."
Hunter goes and takes the witness stand while Joey goes to take a seat where he was before.
"Mr. Deamonne…" Maccadam said looking serious "You heard what the defense has said?"
"Yes." Hunter said nodding.
"Well?" Maccadam asked. "Why did you go to the lake that night?"
Hunter looks away and said "What J has said was mostly correct. Astonishingly so, actually. Yes…" He pulls out a letter from his cloak and explained "Several days ago, I received a letter. The letter was signed, 'James Ironwood.' He asked me to come to the boat shop by the lake at midnight on Christmas Eve. He said he had something very important to discuss with me."
"Something important?" Maccadam asked.
Hunter looks away and said "I'm sorry. I can't say what it was."
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks on this.
Suddenly the doors burst open and the Baliff Purge Trooper runs in and said "Your Honor, sir!"
"Baliff! We are conducting a trial hear, I ask that you remain quiet…" Maccadam said a bit annoyed.
"The witness has disappeared!" The Purge Trooper said surprising him "He isn't at the boat shop, either!"
"What?!" Maccadam said shocked.
"What should I do?" The Purger Trooper asked.
"F-find him, quickly! We cannot allow him to get away!" Maccadam ordered him.
The members of the court murmur in shock at this, does this mean the old man an off to try and escape punishment for the crime? Maccadam bangs his gavel.
A while later after the members were quiet down and Maccadam said looking serious at Belos "Mr. Belos! Your witness has disappeared!
Belos looks annoyed but said "A search warrant has already been issued."
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks and said "It goes without saying that I cannot declare a verdict under these circumstances. I will extend the trial until tomorrow, the final day allowed. I request that the police troopers department utilize all its forces to find that witness! Am I understood?" Belos remains silent "One more thing. Just who is that boat shop caretaker? I think his identity has become very important to this trial. I want him, and I want to know who he is." Again, Belos remains silent "Very well. Court is adjourned!" He bangs his gavel.
December 27, 1:22PM, District Court, Defendant Lobby No.2
J and Jaden meets up and J signs in relief. Jaden smiling said "Alright, J! You did it!"
"Yeah…" J said in relief. "Well, at least we got out from under that guilty verdict…"
"And what about Joey! That was something else!" Jaden said smiling. "Even Belos didn't know what to do with his testimony! Joey really helped us out!"
"Sure, once I sifted though his 'unique' testimony." J admits thinking "Still…he did save us. I just wish our cases weren't so down to the wire all the time."
"I know what you mean." Jaden said sighing. "Sometimes I feel like it's us on trial instead of our clients!"
J sees Hunter approach and said "Hey, Hunter…" Hunter had a troubled look on his face.
"Ummm…Mr. Deamonne?" Jaden asked concerned.
Hunter shakes his head and asked "D-did you say something?"
"Don't look so pained!" Jaden said smiling "I mean, it looks like you're probably going to get off the hook! You could try to smile just a little…? Relax!"
Hunter looks away and said "I'm sorry…But…I fear it's not over for me yet."
"Wh-what do you mean?" J asked worried.
"J…" Hunter said looking at the drone girl looking serious "There's something that's been troubling me for a long time now. And I don't know whether or not to tell you…"
"Hunter?" J asked worried.
"No…there's so little time left." Hunter said putting his mask on that he manage to get at somepoint "I want to tell you, to get it off my chest, but…Hmm. I can't make up my mind."
"What is this about, Hunter?" J asked him.
Hunter places a hand on his mask and said "It's…a nightmare I've had. A memory of a crime…that I committed."
"A crime you committed?" J asked shocked.
"A memory…of a murder." Hunter told her.
Well that worked out better then expected but who is the Caretaker? and What is this nightmare of a murder that plagues Hunter? Find out next time.
Please Read, Review and Suggest. Thank you