A/N: We are reaching the end stretch of the investigation here! The information being collected is more crucial than ever before, so pay extra close attention. Enjoy, my readers!

June 6th, 2029

Detention Center, Visitor's Room

4:20 p.m.

"Round and round it goes, where it will stop, nobody knows. The mysteries keep spinning in circles, and we spin with them."

"Hello to you too, Bailey?" Juniper said in an uncertain tone. "It's nice to see you again, at least?"

"Bailey! We have so much to tell you!" Robin cried out. "But especially about your mother!"

For the second time, Juniper found herself explaining the investigation thus far. When she reached the part about the photo in the Prosecutor Newman's office, Bailey's eyes filled with tears. "Yes, I am fully aware of what you are talking about. I have seen it before, when I talked with Mom about joining Themis Legal Academy."

"You wanted to join Themis Legal Academy?" Juniper asked, because this was the first time she had heard this.

"I am the daughter of Constance Courte. I was born with the legal system in my blood. So my entire life, I worked to fulfill my birthright, as an officer of the court, and eventually as a judge myself." Bailey's tone filled with regret. "Yet, I failed to meet my destiny. I failed the entrance exam for Themis Legal Academy."

"But when that happened, both my mother and Professor Courte comforted you!" Robin cried out. "They both told you that you could try again, and they'd help you!"

"I remember that. However, the message from the fates was loud and clear: my role was to serve my loved ones elsewhere," Bailey said. "Especially given how my position gives me access to information that no one else would get, such as about that photograph."

"The one about Mrs. Newman when she was younger, at Themis Legal Academy," Hugh said, to get the conversation back on track. "What did you hear about it?"

"I didn't hear anything, I saw it. One of the reasons I wanted to go to Themis Legal Academy is because I saw the photograph, back when it was whole," Bailey said. "The other half is of none other than my mother, at your age. I remember wanting to have friends, the way that my mother was friends with Mrs. Newman."

"But then we meet, Bailey! We were both kids at the time," Robin said, smiling to herself. "It didn't take long for us to get along…"

"Hey, that's a pretty cute doll you have there! Can I play with it?"

"I'm surprised that you are interested," Bailey said, looking up at Robin. "You don't look like the type."

"I know how I look, but I'm a girl!" Robin cried out. "But no one ever believes me when I tell them!"

Bailey's eyes widened upon hearing this. "I suffer from the same issue. It is as if my pleadings go right through the ears of most people around me, except that of my mother."

"You're lucky," Robin said, clenching her fists. "My mother told me that I can't be a girl. She told me it's for my own good."

"Wait a moment, Bailey. If I understand what you are saying, you and Robin met when Mrs. Newman was already forcing Robin to be a boy," Juniper said. "I just don't believe that Professor Courte would allow that to continue."

"To be sure, Mom did not abide by this, and told Mrs. Newman as much," Bailey said. "And this is where the skeins of fate become entangled once more."

"Diana, we have been friends for a long time now, and I'd rather settle this peacefully. But what you are doing to your daughter is just not right."

"Do you think I would be doing this if I could avoid it? I have no choice… not if I want to work towards Robin's future. That one day, Robin will be like us." Mrs. Newman showed Constance Courte a photo.

Bailey, being a small child, could not see the photo that well, only saw that it had two teenage girls with their arms around each other.

"Our children get along pretty well, and it's made me happy for my child. That's all the more reason why I want you to stop what you are doing to Robin," Constance said, narrowing her eyes at Mrs. Newman.

"I will, once I feel that my Robin would be safe," Mrs. Newman said, nervously gripping her shoulders. "But as long as he holds sway at the prosecutor's office, I must do everything to make sure there will be a place for Robin there."

"...So that's why you are doing what you must. But I believe that it is best to accomplish this would be by following the law. I may need to put my prosecutor's badge back on, but…" Constance's eyes filled with determination. "I will investigate what happened to you, and bring the one responsible for justice."

"This… this explains everything!" Juniper exclaimed, her mind putting together various puzzle pieces. "This is why Professor Courte had the case file about Mrs. Newman!"

"This is why Professor Courte always worked towards letting me live as a girl," Robin said, picking up the thread of logic. "The first time we met, she approached me and talked to me about it. I'd always wondered how she knew, but she heard it from my mother!"

"Also, this does match with what we've already known about Professor Courte. When she discovered proof that one of her coworkers was taking bribes, she talked it out with him first," Hugh said, his expression conflicted. "However, her coworker didn't extend her the same courtesy."

"I am aware, Hugh. I know that Mom died because she talked with Aristotle Means instead of going to the police," Bailey said, closing her eyes as her hands went up to her chest. "She stuck by what she believed until the very end. I am very proud of that, and I follow that example even to this day."

"Is there anything else that you want to say about our investigation, Bailey?" Juniper asked, even as her voice cracked from hearing about Professor Courte.

"Just that it's clear that the culprit did not take a direct route," Bailey said. "To go from one end of the manor to the other without being stopped would be impossible as such."

"Because both Mrs. Newman and Prosecutor Gavin were on the east side of the manor," Hugh mused out loud. "While most of the rest of us were at the west side. So the culprit must have had some other way of travel that would get around it."

"Of course, this is far from the only mystery that must be solved," Bailey continued. "You, Juniper, must travel into your past cases to find the common thread hidden in them. I do not have the answers to these mysteries, but I have my suspicions. Ask yourself- why did people try to push your cases in the direction they did?"

I should definitely consider this, once I get back to the investigation proper. "Thank you for the suggestion, Bailey. I feel like we're starting to get to know each other better. I think we could become closer, and in fact… I'd quite like that."

"For us, who have grown because of the nurturing of my Mom, it would be fitting that we would form such a bond." Suddenly, Bailey's gaze grew sharp. "However, you need to meet me halfway. You need to tell me what you are still holding back."

Everyone around Bailey gave her disbelieving looks at her aggressive words- everyone, except for Juniper, who knew exactly what she was talking about. Bailey has been telling us more and more, it's true. Even then, I still haven't answered the question she asked me, when we first met at the Smokes Manor.

June 6th, 2029

Smokes Manor, Main Hall

4:40 p.m.

"You found an interesting time to show up," Ema said, as soon as she saw Juniper, Hugh, and Robin entering the manor. "Because not too long ago, Miss Winters here engaged in a bit of investigation that put me to shame."

Sheila blushed. "All I did was tell Detective Skye that I felt there was something off about the blueprints to the house, so I wanted to look into it. She's the reason I could find it."

"Believe me, I know what it's like to be a little girl that no one takes seriously," Ema said solemnly. "When I heard what you were saying, I had a feeling you were onto something."

"It would be appreciated if you were a little more clear," Hugh said, rubbing his neck. "We can't decipher your science speak."

"Before we get to science, you'll tell me what you've been up to all this time. It's only fair." Ema demanded.

"I've already explained this a few times, so can we wait until there's more people here?" Juniper asked in a tired tone. "If I have to explain this a third time, I'd really rather it be the last time."

"I suppose that's reasonable. Follow me."

Ema led the group to the east wing of the manor, but they didn't enter any of the rooms. Instead, they stopped at the door that had been locked before.

"Detective Skye took me to this part of the manor, to double check Bailey's room," Sheila explained. "I got to look at that bell system in the room, and I confirmed that it was rung shortly before the blackout!"

Button and Bell system updated in the Court Record

"Shortly after this, I took this little lady outside the room to take a break," Ema said, picking up the explanation. "She was looking at the copy for the house's blueprints, and suddenly she told me that something was weird about it."

Bailey poked her fingers together, blushing again. "My sister took me to a lot of her jobs, and and looked at a lot of blueprints. So I have a sense of when something isn't right."

"As I said, I've experienced what it's like to be a small girl that no one listens to," Ema continued. "So I went back to Bailey's room and picked up the key ring there. I unlocked this door, and… well, I should show and not tell at this point."

Ema opened the door, revealing a supply closet filled with different cleaning supplies. Then the detective went to the back of the closet, and pushed on the very back of it. To Juniper's shock, the back of the closet swung open like a door.

"Woooooaaaaah, whaaaaaat?!" Robin cried out, equally shocked. "I didn't know this house had something like this!"

"Of course you wouldn't. I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen Sheila find this secret door with my own eyes," Ema said. "Which raises further questions of what the purpose of the tunnel beyond the door is."

"Is this why you waited for us to show up?" Juniper asked. "So you could give us permission to investigate this?"

"I believe in the defense and prosecution being on a level-playing field." Ema stepped aside, to give the rest access to the closet. "So let's investigate this together."

The group filed into the closet one by one, into the dark tunnel at the very back. As they walked, Juniper's mind was spinning, wondering where any of this was going.

"Stop, everyone." Ema's voice echoed further ahead. "I've found another door, with none other than a key in the keyhole."

"Then, someone locked the door from the inside and left the key there," Hugh said, rubbing his chin. "Certainly a strange action."

Ema put on thin gloves. "I am going to put this key in an evidence bag, to test for fingerprints. Then we are going to see exactly where this door goes."

After removing the key from the keyhole, Ema pushed open the door, and a bright light filled the tunnel. Without a word, Ema went through the entry, with everyone else following behind her.

Juniper got smacked in the face by a bunch of hanging clothes, and after she got them out of the way, she found herself entering none other than Tony Smokes' room.

"We're inside of the wardrobe?" Hugh asked, being the last to exit into the room.

"It appears so, Mr. O'Conner. This does explain one of the biggest mysteries of this case," Ema said. "The key for this wardrobe could not be found, no matter how hard we looked. That's because it was locked on the inside all along."

Mystery Tunnel added to the Court Record

"So I'm still confused about something. We found a tunnel that connects this bedroom to the supply closet on the other side of the house," Sheila said. "But what's the point of that?"

"I suspect that will have to be decided in court. It is significant that this tunnel isn't on any blueprints," Hugh said thoughtfully. "So it's likely for a purpose that was kept secret."

"We have another problem! It's likely that we could come up with the theory that someone used the tunnel on the day of the crime," Robin said. "But if we did, the first thing that the prosecution will ask is to prove it!"

"I have an idea. It won't exactly be decisive proof, but it may help answer some questions. Miss Woods, please leave this room and go into the main hall. Mister O'Conner and Sheila, stay in this room. Miss Newman, follow me." Ema walked back into the wardrobe. Robin sent a confused expression to her friends before going after the detective.

Juniper left the room and went to the main hall. She waited around, to see where Ema was going with this. Then Juniper's phone rang, and she picked it up.

"Hello, Miss Woods. Did you hear anything in the past five minutes?" Ema asked.

"No, I haven't. Was I supposed to hear something?"

"I am running an experiment of sorts. Me and Miss Newman walked up and down the hall just now," Ema explained. "I'm going to do something else, so I'm hanging up and I will call back shortly."

With this new information, Juniper listened carefully for any kind of noise, but she still couldn't hear anything, until Ema called her phone again. "No, I didn't hear anything this time either, Detective Skye. I hope this is the result you wanted."

"Well, I did suspect this. See, what I had Robin do was shout at the top of her lungs," Ema said, with her voice distinctly pained. "But not even Mr. O' Conner or Sheila heard anything, and they were much closer to the tunnel."

"Then the tunnel is entirely soundproofed on all sides. Even if someone used the tunnel on the day of the crime, no one would have been able to hear it."

Tunnel Experiment added to the Court Record

"Hang on, I'm going to continue this conversation in the main hall. So wait there, Miss Woods." After Ema hung up the phone, Juniper decided to trust her and wait again, and before long the detective entered, with Hugh and Sheila in tow.

"Unfortunately, while this proves why someone could have used the tunnel without being caught, it's not proof that it happened," Ema said, scratching her neck. "So that calls for further investigation into the trash of this manor."

"I remember Bailey talking about how she took out the garbage the morning of the crime," Robin said. "Does that have something to do with it, Detective Skye?"

"Got it in one, Miss Newman. We know that something caused there to be a bloodstain in the victim's trash can," Ema said in a serious tone. "So if there is somewhere that the garbage of the entire manor gets taken, then I would like to see it."

"Then it is fortunate that this is information that I have in my possession." Miles Edegeworth walked into the main hall. "But before I discuss that, there is something most urgent that I must discuss, with the defense."

Juniper felt something catch in her throat at being directly addressed by the Chief Prosecutor. Edgeworth is such an important man, and yet he is dedicating his attention to this case, and he wants to talk with me, of all people. With so many questions still unanswered, he is probably the best person to talk with right now.

Yet, there is also what I read about Miles Edgeworth, over at Mrs. Newman's office. If I asked him about it, am I ready for the answer?

To be continued

A/N: If I have everything plotted right, then next chapter will be the end of the final investigation. There is only a little more that needs to be searched, but that little bit is no less important. See you next time! Please review.