Heya. I know this is technically TGAA and not PWAA, but there isn't a TGAA category, so...

I really like Notebooked's idea that Gina is a 'Columbo-like' Detective that they put in their 'gina lestrade and the high-handed heist!' fic, so I've decided to write my own fic about the idea!

I do not own Ace attorney. All rights go to Capcom.

Also I'm only part-way through Resolve case 5, so please bare with me.

. . .

Being raised in London all her life, Gina hadn't been near the countryside. The thought of no buildings every several metres from one another was alien to her, and she was terrified of any animal bigger than an irish wolfhound. However, she had been sent there and that was that. Some jewels had been stolen at the house of Lord Piddle, a Nobleman who was known (at least in the circles of the toffs, i.e. not Gina and the Captain) as a pigeon lover. The area had been searched that very night, but the police had found nothing.

After hours of sitting with Toby on her lap in a third-class (or was it second class? Gina kept getting them mixed up.) train cabin that was poorly cleaned, absymally built, and just generally needed burning down and replaced, with the ground it had burned down on salted for good measure, the train slowed and ground to a halt.

As she exited, she was met by a short, portly man wearing an tattered suit that could have belonged to Gina's Grandfather (if she had one growing up), and with a head so bald and shiny it should have been in a museum for others to gaze at in wonder. Sweat trickled down his dome, which was probably the reason why "P-Pardon me, are you Inspe- Inspector Lestrade?" he stammered in an accent Gina vaguely recognised as Dutch - she had met a few tradesmen in her time.

"That's me!" Gina grinned "You Piffle?"

"Um, it's 'Piddle'."

"Piggle?" asked Gina.

"Piddle!"

"Dribble?"

The Butler gave up "I'm William B-Butler." he said it like 'bute-ler'. "I'm Mr. Piddle's Butler. I'm to take you to Lord Piddle's place of residence."

"Righto! Lead the way!" said Gina, picking up Toby.

Gina got into an ancient, run-down horse carriage before the wheels promptly collapsed.

She got out of the wreck "By 'eck!" cried Gina "'ow did that 'appen?"

"This thing belonged to Lord Piddle's grandfather." explained Butler ``He's very short on funds right now. In fact, he was going to sell the necklace.``

Gina nodded, putting down Toby "I see. Mind if we talk while we walk? 'ow far is it?"

"Two miles." replied Butler.

"Right then! We'd better get started!" said Gina, whipping out her notebook.

As they made it through country roads parting fields and forest, Gina asked "So, 'ow'd you find out about the theft?"

"Well… I heard a disturbance, but dismissed it. Then Lord Piddle banged at my door one night, shouting that the diamonds had been stolen.

"That's it?" Gina raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I did take a look at the hiding space."

"And where's that?"

"Under the table of Piddle hall's dining room."

"Right." she nodded "Notice anything? Like, something outta place or someone legging it?"

"I'm afraid not, Inspector."

"Awright. What did you two do that night? Before the theft."

"Well, after I make my employer dinner and have my own, I close all the curtains, turn on the boiler, and then I'm always in bed by eleven." The man began wiping his sweaty head with a cloth. He looked nervous "I believe I was awoken at about three in the morning."

"And your boss?"

"Well, he took an late night and I went to bed at my usual time. He stayed up."

"You two live alone, dont'cha?"

"Well, I visit my familie on the weekends, but apart from that…"

Gina nodded "Gotcha. 'Ow long ave you worked for 'im?"

"Three years, now." said Butler.

Gina nodded, and said nothing more. She thought about the facts. Being an apprentice, she had been sent here on an 'easy' case, but this seemed tough as all 'eck!

Think. What would the boss 'ave done? She asked herself, before dismissing that thought. Better not to think about him.

Then something clicked "One more thing Mr. Butler, you said it was at night, dinya?"

"Indeed I did, Inspector. Why do you-"

"MOOOOOOO!"

Gina swivelled round to see a cow right behind her and Butler. Not too far to the right was a broken fence.

"Cor blimey, luv a duck!" shrieked Gina, leaping ten feet in the air "Get back, ya savage beast!" she cried, whipping out her smoke bomb gun as Toby barked fiercely at the bovine.

Butler looked at her, incredulous "Beast? Mevrouw, cows are as gentle as lambs!"

"Say what ya like! I ain't goin' near that!" yelled Gina, hotfooting it in the other direction, with Butler and Toby following in hot pursuit.

. . .

Eventually, they came across a large manor. It had once been painted white, but half the paint had since peeled off, making it look like it had vitiligo. It had three floors, and had a drive that desperately needed re-gravelling (Gina wondered if that was a word). Not to mention half the windows were boarded up. Out came a stocky man in a slightly less tattered suit, with dark grey hair that was swept back in a ponytail and a slightly overgrown beard "Good evening, Detective!" he greeted with a pleasant smile that was rather easygoing for someone who'd been recently robbed "I'm so glad you're here!"

Gina nodded "Lord Piffle-"

"Piddle."

Gina waved her hand "Wotever. Mind if we get straight into business and let me take a look inside?

"Of course!"

Gina took a look inside, and repeating Gregson's training to herself in her head she surveyed the house, making notes that -

None of the door or windows have been forced open, and there ain't any signs of the locks being picked.

The hiding place (a compartment in the food) hasnt been forced open neither.

This house needs to be knocked down.

I fancy fish and chips.

She turned to Lord Piddle, who was crying "Butler! Butler! Where is that man when you need him? Not like him to disappear."

"oy, mind if I ask a few questions?"

"Ah! Of course!" said the man, as the sleeve of his swiss-cheese jacket fell off "Um… never mind that. Butler, take it inside and stitch it on for me later."

He led Gina to a large field behind his house and into a large hut. Inside, at least fifty pigeons sat on perches on the walls, their eyes hooded so as not to let them escape.

"Load o' birds you 'ave 'ere." remarked Gina "Why winged rats of all things?"

"Why, pigeons are lovely creatures!" replied Piff- I mean Piddle, looking offended "They're very quick fliers, and have an incredible memory!"

"Oh?"

"Yes. For example if I took them to, let's say Birmingham, they'd remember the way back, and fly there too! They can also be used to carry messages!"

"Strike me pink!" remarked Gina "That's interestin'." she made a mental note to tell Iris as she opened her notebook "Anyway, wot were yer movements the night of the theft?"

"Well, I had my dinner at seven o'clock, read by the fire for a few hours, and then went to bed at around eleven o'clock."

"Right. You see anything outta place?"

"Well… not really, to be honest."

"Right. When woz the time o' the crime?"

"Let's see… I believe about two thirty in the morning. I heard something downstairs, and when I went to investigate, Butler ran up and told me the necklace had been stolen."

Gina nodded "So… who knew about the hiding space?"

"Just me and Butler."

"'Ow long 'as 'e worked for ya?"

"About six months now."

Gina nodded "Right. So, can you tell me 'bout the necklace?"

"It goes back to the end of The English Civil War." said Piddle, a faraway look in his eye "My ancestor helped the future Charles II escape to France, and when the restoration came about he was rewarded for his loyalty to the crown!"

More like loyalty to toffs. Thought Gina, though she kept that to herself "'ow much would it be worth?"

"Two thousand pounds, give or take."

"TWO THOUSAND WHAT!?"

Lord Piddle winced, rubbing his ear as Gina surveyed the field. It was so overgrown, Sholmes would be hidden inside it, and just across it was a large regiment of trees.

"What's over there?" asked Gina, taking out her lucky coin and passing it from finger to finger.

Lord Piddle looked " 's Highbottom Wood. It's quite impossible to get lost in there, since it's not much bigger than a city block."

Gina nodded "I think I'll take a look - the thief might be 'iding there. Should be back in an hour or so."

"It takes half an hour to walk there, and half an hour to walk back." Piddle told her "We'll have some tea ready for you when you get back, Inspector." said the nobleman, turning back to the manor.

"Oy, yer Lordship!" said Gina "Just one more thing…"

"Yes?"

"What time did you say it was again?"

"One o'clock, Inspector."

"Cheers." with that, Gina headed off to the Wood.

. . .

After an hour and ten minutes, Gina hadn't found anything. Funnily enough, she liked the wood. It was nice-looking, and quiet as a cat burglar - though much less likely to commit a crime.

She and Toby lay down on the soft, leaf-coated blanket and stared upwards at the cluster of emerald trees as she thought to herself. She decided that -

It was clear that it had been an inside job. Otherwise there would be marks on the locks that she could recognise from a mile away.

Either Butler or Piddle were lying about what they did that night.

Pickle or wotevah 'is name is don't 'ave a motive. If 'e wanted to, 'e could just have sold the jewels and 'ave done with it."

But Butler… unless he was the worst criminal Gina had ever seen, he must have some criminal connections to 'elp 'im out if he's caught. After all, 'e's a foreigner so 'e'd be the first person the bobbies suspect. Judge might even ignore all the evidence and end the trial quick-like. And then there's the other couple things…

She decided that perhaps some tea would help her think. Before she could get up however, she noticed something. Something she hadn't noticed before.

A small structure, half-hidden in leaves…

. . .

Gina finished her cup of tea as she sat in the drawing room. The cushions of the sofa were more leather than stuffing, and anything wood was made the permanent home of a woodworm family long ago.

She put down the cup, looking at Butler, Piddle, and a pair of local bobbies "Not as good as a friend of mine's." she commented, standing up and taking off her coat "I knew one thing when I went off ter that wood. It was an inside job."

"How can you be sure?" asked Lord Piddle.

She shot a look at him "I thought poshos like you were s'posed ter be polite and all? And here you are, interruptin'! Anyway, if any of the locks were picked there'd be signs o' that. I should know, I used ter do it fer a livin'. Anyway, the hidin' place weren't forced open neither." she looked at Piddle and Butler "Butler looked awfully nervous on the walk 'ere, and you both 'ave motives. Thing is, if Piddle wanted cash 'e woulda just sold it legal-like, and Butler would've been first suspect for the average Detective, seeing as 'e's foreign and all. And the final thing is, neither of you coulda ran all the way to the wood and back before either of the times you two said you 'ave."

The pair looked at one another, both looking shocked.

"Luckily, I found somethin' in the wood. A li'l platform in the trees. Wouldn't 'ave noticed it if I wasn't lying down at the time."

She turned to the culprit, and taking inspiration from 'Oddo, she struck a finger in his direction "That platform was a dropoff point for yer pigeons, yer Lordship! Every time Butler was visiting 'is family, you were trainin' yer pigeons ter fly the necklace up there!"

Piddle didn't move for quite a few minutes.

Then he came to his senses "Are you mad?" he whispered "That's preposterous! It's as you said! I could just sell them if I wanted money! Besides, the method you described is preposterous!"

"Funny enough, people keep wantin' ter get richer for some reason." Gina told him with a smug grin "It's simple - you were plannin' ter sell it on the black market after I gave up. Weren't you? It's like you said, pigeons have great memories an' all. You said somethin like… 'If I took them ter Birmingham they'd remember the way back!' her face suddenly turned into a thunderstorm, as if she wanted to send a thousand bolts of lightning at the nobleman "An' you were plannin' ter frame Butler for it! Bein' foreign, 'e'd 'ave been me first suspect was your thinkin'!"

"Hang on!" said one of the bobbies "How do you know it wasn't an accomplice that hid up there?"

Gina smiled "Too small for a human." she took the necklace out of her pocket "Barely big enough ter hold this and a bird - like one of 'is pets!

"You 'ad the means, the motive, and the opp- oppor-" Gina looked frustrated and befuddled for a moment "You 'ad the way ter do it! I place you…" Gina smiled as she pointed at him. She loved this part "...under arrest!"

Calmly, the nobleman walked over to her, a look of defeat on his face.

"I commend you, Inspector." he told her, a look of admiration on his face "You did this all brilliantly."

"Cheers!" grinned Gina "Shall we go then?"

"Of course."

With that, Gina, Lord Piddle, and the two bobbies made their way out of the sitting room, through the front door and into the police-carriage.

. . .

"Oh, you were so clever, Gina!" smiled Iris, clasping her hands together as they sat in Sholmes' Suite, drinking some much more preferable tea.

Gina's lips curled upwards "Cheers, Iris! I'll be a full Inspector soon, don'tcha think? Just wait 'til I tell Maria about this."

"Maria?" asked Iris, cocking her head "You mean Doctor Gorey? I didn't know you two were friends!"

Gina's cheeks were suddenly tinged a warm pink "Yeah, friends."

At that moment, Sholmes' cry came from upstairs "Iris! Come quickly! I have swallowed my favourite bar of soap again!"

. . .

First off, the method of this crime was invented by my wonderful stepmother. So give her a round of applause.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one! I'm not sure how well I encapsulated a 'Columbo-like' Gina, but I hope I did alright. Comment down below, and leave kudos!