A/N: More investigation, more clues for everyone to mull over. But this being a final case, do not be surprised when the clues seem to bring up even more questions. Enjoy, my readers!

June 5th, 2029

Smokes Residence, Tony Smokes' room

3:30 p.m.

Entering the crime scene, Juniper found none other than Ema Skye inside, inspecting Detective Smokes' bed. The body itself was no longer there, with only a white outline marking it had ever been there.

"Detective Skye, nice to see you again!" Robin called out. Ema turned around, scratching at her neck.

"Hello, Prosecutor Newman. Here to get a scope of the murder?" Ema asked.

"Well, not exactly, Detective Skye." Robin explained her unceremonious dismissal.

"No way! I knew that you and the Chief Prosecutor had your disagreements, but for it to turn out like this…" Ema looked away, her expression conflicted.

"Wait, does this mean that you don't know who the prosecutor for this case is?" Juniper asked.

"No, but there clearly is one. They've been sending orders through private channels, all unsigned," Ema said, scowling. "It's how the body was able to be taken away to be processed for autopsy. But they haven't shown their face, for whatever reason."

"That's so strange…" The case was becoming more enigmatic the longer it went on. Then something occurred to Juniper. "Will I be allowed to investigate this crime scene, then? I'm here on the behalf of the defense for the defendant."

"Which wasn't exactly wrong, per say. Juniper still needed to contact Athena at some point to decide what would happen to Bailey's defense.

"Actually, the prosecutor sent a blanket order to let the defense investigate anything related to the crime," Ema said. "So feel free, as long as you don't touch anything you shouldn't!"

Juniper would definitely talk Detective Skye up on that offer, but not before clearing something up. "I'd like to see the autopsy report first."

"It's not ready yet." Ema reached into her carrier bag, before talking out a photo. "But there is this photo that the forensics team took of the crime scene."

Ema gave it to Juniper, who looked it over. The photo was of Tony Smokes laying in his bed, with his sheets pulled up halfway up his chest. A knife had been stabbed into his heart, with blood around that area.

Crime Photo added to the Court Record

Looking at the crime scene, Juniper noticed something. "There doesn't seem to be any blood underneath the body."

"It makes sense. The knife wasn't stabbed all the way into the body." Ema next took out the knife in question, which was in an evidence bag. "Look, only half the knife is covered in blood."

As much as it made her queasy, Juniper forced herself to look at the knife, but also noticed something else. This knife is really large. Like, bigger than most I've ever seen.

Large Knife added to the Court Record

Detective Smokes! We'll avenge you!" Robin cried out. "We'll figure out who did it!"

Juniper looked around the room, to see if anything stuck out to her. The first she noticed was the wardrobe against the back wall, so she tried to open it. She quickly found that it was locked.

"Before you ask, I can't open that wardrobe. I don't know where the key is," Ema said. "I've asked around, but gotten no answers."

"Then who don't we force the doors open? There could be important evidence in there!" Robin suggested.

"Are you crazy? You've already been fired! Do that, and they'll toss you in a cell!" Ema snapped.

"But I want to make sure we find as many clues as possible!" Robin exclaimed, her eyes pleading at Ema.

"Looking at me like that won't solve anything!" Ema yelled, looking away. "Besides, think of it this way: if the wardrobe is still locked and the defendant didn't lock it, then the wardrobe is probably unrelated."

"I suppose that follows logically." Something else to add to the list of questions for Bailey later. Juniper continued her search, deciding to look into the trash can. Of immediate note, there was a chocolate wrapper.

"Detective Skye, I'm sure that you noticed the chocolate wrapper in the trash. Can you confirm if it came from outside or not?"

"I can, but I don't see what good it will do," Ema answered. "The wrapper is the same as the chocolates inside this house, and there is no record of any being brought in from outside."

"I see. Thank you." This might point to the possibility of a second person entering the room besides Bailey.

Chocolate Wrapper added to the Court Record

Still looking in the trash can, Juniper noticed something else. "There are chocolate stains at the bottom of this. They seem to have left an imprint at the bottom."

Robin looked into the trash can as well. "You're right! It sort of looks like a rectangle. I wonder what was in there?"

"My investigation hasn't uncovered what might have been in there." At this point, Ema became annoyed enough to take out a Snackoo bag and start tossing them into her mouth. "If the prosecutor *munch munch* chews me out for this investigation *munch munch* I'm going to give them a piece of my mind! *munch munch munch*"

While Ema was busy with that, Juniper turned towards Robin. "Can you think of anything that could be important to the crime?"

Robin closed her eyes in focus. "If I were the prosecutor of this case, then I'd point out how me, you, and Hugh all went down the hall to check on Bailey during the blackout. Did you feel anyone pass by you from the opposite direction?"

"No, I didn't… ah!" Juniper let out a gasp when she saw Robin's point. The three of them formed an effective wall against anyone that would escape the room.

"If I can't be the prosecutor for this case, then I will think like one to help you!" Robin declared. "By knocking down the arguments against Bailey before we face them in court!"

"I appreciate the idea, Robin." Though for this particular dilemma, Juniper couldn't see an easy answer. If the culprit left the room by the door, how did they make it past us?

Juniper decided to look around some more, to see if she had missed any particular detail the first time she was in this room. She found one, in the form of a small button sitting on Mr. Smokes' desk. The button was connected to a wire that went into the wall. "What could this be?"

"You noticed that, Juniper. That is a curious piece of evidence indeed," Ema said. "It's one of several buttons scattered across the house. You press one, and it rings a corresponding bell in the defendant's room, to let her know that her service is needed."

"I'm assuming that you already checked this button for fingerprints, Detective Skye," Robin said. "You're usually very smart about that."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Newman," Ema said, though she still looked pleased, "I did check for fingerprints. Only the victim's were found."

Service Button and Bell System added to the Court Record

"It looks like we've gone through everything we can in this room." The wardrobe still bothered Juniper, but it was impossible to get into it right now. "I think I'm going to visit the detention center now. Will you come with me, Robin?"

"S-u-r-e thing! If two heads are better than one, then three must be even better!"

Juniper and Robin left the manor, fully intending to head to the detention center. But they ran into Athena, who was still waiting outside. "Oh Thena, I'm so sorry! You were waiting outside this whole time!"

"I was more worried about you, Junie. Did talking with the people that banned me from this house take that long?" Athena asked.

"Right, that. About that…" Juniper explained to both Athena and Robin about her conversation with Robin's parents.

"They really did that? But I told them over and over to not give Athena trouble!" Robin shouted furiously. "I'm thankful for what she did for me!"

"It means a lot to me, hearing that from you," Athena said, smiling. Then her expression became thoughtful. "Still, it sounds like your parents have a strong reason for believing what they do. Makes me wish I could listen to their voices somehow."

"I still want to give my parents a piece of my mind later," Robin said, grumbling. "Still, Bailey is more important at the moment. With Mr. Wright in Khura'in, she has no defense!"

"What?! This is the first I've heard of this!" Athena exclaimed. "Okay, I'm going back to my office, and get in contact with Boss to figure out what's going on here!"

Juniper bid Athena farewell, before they went their separate ways.

June 5th, 2029

4:30 p.m.
Detention Center, Visitor's Room

"Greetings, Juniper. You have returned," Bailey said. Then she saw Robin, and a small smile crossed her face. "You are here too, Robin. Today is a blessed day."

"Unfortunately, we do have some bad news." Once again, Juniper explained what happened with Mr. Wright, and that Athena was currently checking on it.

For the first time, Bailey looked worried, nervously tugging at one of her hair spikes. "I am without a defense? It appears as though the fates are not fond of me on this day."

"I know that you would prefer Mr. Wright. But if we can't get in touch with him in time, would you…" Juniper took a sunflower from one of her pigtails, and breathed into it. "Would you be willing to leave your defense to me?"

"You are offering your own defenses? Not that of Hugh, or that of Athena?" Bailey asked.

"Hugh is going to be busy with the sentencing trial of Carnila Winters. If you want Thena to defend you, that's your choice," Juniper said. "But I feel like I would be the best to defend you."

"Athena is a great defense attorney, no doubt! But she also doesn't have all the information!" Robin explained about Athena's inability to enter the crime scene.

Bailey pulled her maid headband over her eyes. "It's worse than I thought. It appears that there is a force actively trying to corner me. Yet, it's true that you alone are left to help me."

Juniper awaited for the answer that Bailey had, regarding her defense.

"Very well. I leave myself in your hands, Juniper Woods. I only hope you are ready for the task ahead."

"I do have a lot of information to update you on!" Juniper outlined the circumstances of the manor at around the time of the blackout.

"My personal concern is the blackout," Bailey said. "For what reason was the house plunged into deepest night at that particular moment?"

"I haven't heard anything about the cause of the blackout. For all we know, it was only a coincidence," Juniper pointed out.

"Then it was a cruel coincidence. I had only just entered the room when the blackout struck," Bailey said. "And I stood still, unsure of what was happening. Then I heard loud movements, before it was followed by a door slamming."

"That must be when the killer struck! You can testify that to-" Juniper stopped when Robin started tugging at her arm. "What's wrong?

"No one saw this 'second person' in the room, not even Bailey herself!" Robin exclaimed. "Claiming that you heard someone wouldn't cut it!"

"Acting the prosecutor even with the badge stripped from you? You are a true warrior, Robin," Bailey said, a small, fond smile on her face.

"That still leaves you in a bad position, then." Juniper felt she still didn't have enough information. "Bailey, could you tell me what you did this morning?"

"From the outset, it seemed like a day like any other. At least, until I received my first order." Confusion filled Bailey's face. "Because Detective Smokes ordered a single piece of chocolate."

Juniper couldn't help but gasp. "During my investigation, I found a chocolate wrapper in the trash can of his room! So someone must have eaten it."

"I believe Detective Smokes intended that candy for a guest. Because he would not eat chocolate if it were the last food on earth." Bailey explained.

Wow, so he's the one that hated chocolate. Yet he allows it in his house for other people.

"That could be proof of a second person, at least," Juniper said out loud. "At around what time was this?"

"I'd say around 9:00 a.m., not long after the morning mail was dropped off into the house," Bailey said. "I left the requested chocolate on his desk, and left the room. Not long after, you arrived with your friends, and we talked, before we all went our separate ways."

I do remember all that happening. I went to talk with Mrs. Newman, and Bailey was talking with Prosecutor Gavin. Actually, I need to confirm something. "Bailey, did you ever finish your business with Klavier?"

"I did not. The bell that calls me to service tolled once again, so I went to Detective Smokes' room." Bailey started clenching the hem of her dress. "Then as I entered the room, the lights went out. When they came back on, there was a body in front of me."

Bailey's Testimony added to the Court Record

"Juniper, consider the circumstances. If we want to prove that a second person could have been in the room, is there anything in Bailey's account that could help?" Robin asked, her tone urging.

"...It does seem weird that the lights went out right when Bailey entered the room," Juniper mused. "Then there's the mystery chocolate wrapper. But the main problem is how the culprit escaped from the room after." Juniper did have a theory. "Bailey, what can you tell me about the wardrobe in Detective Smokes' room?"

"As it is his room, he has the key to that wardrobe," Bailey said. Then she shook her head. "If you believe someone could have hidden in the wardrobe, I must say it's impossible. You'd have to lock it from the inside."

"Oh, maybe it is still possible, then!" Juniper explained how the key to the wardrobe was currently missing. "I mean, I think it's pretty weird that there's no way to get inside."

"So maybe the killer hid inside the wardrobe, and waited there," Robin said. "And once they felt it was safe, they slipped out and took the key with them!"

"That you are correct is all the more concerning. Too much of this case is shrouded in shadow," Bailey said, distressed. "And I am stuck in the middle of it."

"I think we at least have enough information to pull through in the trial tomorrow," Juniper said, doing her best to be optimistic. "Although, it worries me that we still don't know who the prosecutor is at this point."

"You do not?" Bailey sat up ramrod straight, her eyes wide. "What do you know about the prosecutor?"

"Um, that they are apparently from Khura'in. And that they are already guiding the investigation, but through private channels." Even as Juniper talked, she felt a foreboding feeling pressing down on her.

"Juniper Woods. I have realized the true nature of the trial tomorrow. As the daughter of Constance Courte, there is only one thing I can tell you." Bailey slammed her palms down. "Flee. Flee this case, and save yourself!"

"Bailey, I agreed that I would defend you, so of course I'm not going to leave. But I need you to tell me what you know!" Juniper cried out. "Just what is going on here?"

"This is one thing I cannot tell you. It would be betraying my mother's memory," Bailey said, averting her eyes. "All I can do is accept whatever fate awaits me at my trial."

Juniper turned to Robin. "Can you tell me what on earth Bailey is talking about?"

Robin was already walking out of the detention center. "I need to check on something. I think I do know what Bailey is talking about here. Don't wait up for me, Juniper! Prepare her defense from tomorrow! You're the only one that can do it!"

And Robin was gone, leaving Juniper in the visitor's room with Bailey. Yet even that didn't last long, as Bailey was being escorted back to her cell. "I am so sorry that you ended up involved in this, Juniper. It seems our destinies coming together resulted in a tragedy, not a dawn."

That left Juniper all alone. Why won't anyone tell me anything? Who is the prosecutor that would cause such an effect? Does everyone still see me as the timid, scared girl who couldn't help herself, or anyone else?

...Am I still that girl, even now?

To be continued.

A/N: Next time, we start the first trial day of the final cases. I have given many clues about the identity of the final prosecutor. Can you figure out who they are? And what that implies for the rest of the final case? See you next time! Please review.