Turnabout Butterfly
Chapter Two

September 5, 9:10 PM
Edgeworth Law Offices

Sebastian and I were called to Father's office tonight to prepare for an upcoming trial. He didn't say what the case will be about, though. All he said was that he'd be bringing a guest to the office.

"So, who do you think is visiting tonight, Miles?"

"I'm not sure." We enter the office. "Hm? Why are all the lights off?"

Sebastian reaches for the light switch, but pauses. "Do you smell that?"

I sniff the air. "Is that... blood?"

The two of us see the back door ajar. As we approach, we can hear Father's voice within.

"Come on, don't give up on me now! Please, just hold on a little longer!"

I gently open the door.

"Father?"

Sebastian screams before I have a chance to process the scene in Father's office.

Father immediately stands up and drags a passed out Sebastian out of the office, leaving me to take in the scene.

There are books laying in a mess on the floor covered in glass shards, surrounding overturned chairs, a fallen lamp, and the Thinker statue laying on the floor nearby.

At the back of the room, in a pool of blood, was a woman slumped against a bookshelf under the window.

It's immediately obvious the woman is dead.

I return to the lobby, where Father is looking after Sebastian.

"Father, what's going on? Who is that woman in your office?"

He doesn't answer my question. "Miles, go call the police!"

"Right." I return to the office and pick up the phone.

But before I can dial the number, I realize there's no sound coming through.

Examining the phone base, I find that the phone line has been ripped out of the base. Probably a result of the struggle that claimed the mystery woman's life.

As I return the receiver to its hook, I hear a voice outside the window.

"Police!? Please, come quick!"

I look out the window and see a woman dressed in pink with a telephone in her hand staring at me.

Procuring a notepad and a pair of gloves from Father's desk, I begin examining the office.

It's evident that she was murdered using the Thinker statue that Larry gave to Father last month, which has a notable blood stain on its base.

There are glass shards strewn about, which appear to be the remnants of a lamp that fell over. Judging by a receipt laying nearby, Father purchased the lamp just yesterday.

On the back of the receipt are a pair of characters written in blood spelling "Mitsurugi".

Was this woman trying to say something about Father?

I notice a wallet protruding from one of the woman's pockets. Examining it, I find a driver's license bearing the name Mia Fey.

For some reason, I feel like I'd heard that name before.

I examine the phone again, finding a recording device attached to the base. Perhaps there's a conversation recorded that could explain who this woman is and what she was doing here.

Removing the disc from the device, I return to the lobby, where Father is talking to a man in a green coat.

"We received a report from the building across the way, see. Got a person saying they saw a murder."

"Yes, someone was murdered in my office. I don't know when it happened, but she was dead when I got here."

I walk up to them. "Who was that woman, Father?"

The man in green points a gun in my face. "Don't move an inch, 'kay?"

I immediately realize this man is a detective.

"She's a prosecutor who asked me to hold onto evidence for an upcoming trial. Her name's Mia Fey."

The detective appears shocked by the revelation. "Mia... Fey?!"

He pushes past me and rushes into the office.

As he starts looking around the crime scene, I continue talking to Father.

"Who is Mia Fey? And why was she asking you to hold onto evidence?"

"She's a prosecutor who I've been helping with an investigation. Her mother is Misty Fey."

Sebastian has woken up by this point. "Who's Misty Fey?"

"She's a spirit medium who lives in the village of Kurain."

"A spirit medium?" Sebastian asks. "Like someone who can contact the dead?"

"That's correct."

The detective emerges from Father's office and presents the bloody receipt to us. "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaah! 'Scuze me! Which one of you three is 'Mitsurugi'?"

"I'm Gregory Edgeworth."

"WHAAAAT!?"

The detective's response confuses me. "What's going on?"

"The victim drew this here note in her own blood, see? With her dying breath, she wrote down the killer's name!"

"Killer?!" Sebastian jumps up. "He didn't - - "

"Case closed!" The detective claps a pair of handcuffs on Father's wrists. "You're coming down to the precinct, sir!"

"W-what?"

Father was arrested on the spot. Sebastian and I were taken in for questioning and didn't get out until the next morning. My eyes were heavy, but I couldn't sleep. We sat around, waiting for visiting hours to begin at the detention center. I had to talk to Father as soon as possible.

September 6, 9:07 AM
Detention Center
Visitor's Room

"Good morning, boys." Father looks tired.

"Good morning, Father."

"Good morning, Mr. Edgeworth."

"So, what happened last night, Father?"

"I got a call from Mia Fey a few days ago asking me to hold onto some evidence for an upcoming trial. She said she would be picking it up last night."

"You said she was a prosecutor, right? Why would she ask a defense attorney to hold onto evidence?"

"She said she wanted it kept in a place where no one would think to look for it. I recorded the conversation on the office phone; you can hear for yourself what she had to say if you listen to it."

I know what Father is talking about. "Is this it?" I present the disc I recovered from the phone.

"I believe so. Mr. Fender should have a portable CD player that will let you listen to it."

Sebastian starts talking. "So, last night, you said Mia's mother was a spirit medium?"

"Yes. The Fey family, especially the women, have always been very sensitive to the spirit world."

"Wait a second, you said the 'Fey family'? So, Mia was into this stuff, too?"

"Of course. She left her village to pursue a career as a prosecutor. Her powers were first-class."

"So, are you saying she, like... summoned murder victims to testify in court?"

"Yes. That's exactly what she did."

I think back on the detective who arrested Father. "Did that detective know her?"

"Dick Gumshoe? Yes. Mia worked closely with him on several cases over the last three years."

"He must be devastated to have lost someone so close."

Father clears his throat. "When you get the chance, I'd like to ask you boys a favor."

"What is it, Mr. Edgeworth?"

Father writes out an address on a notepad. "This is the address of my mentor from a long time ago. He said if I was ever in trouble, I should call him."

I take the address. "Alright. Sebastian, go find this lawyer and ask if he can represent Father. I'll go talk with Detective Gumshoe back at the office."

Sebastian looks at the address Father gave us. "What if this guy refuses?"

"They told me that if I don't find one, the state will pick an attorney to defend me."

"When will that happen?" I ask.

"They're giving me until 4:00 this afternoon."

And visiting hours are almost up. "Right, we'll be back!"

September 6
Edgeworth Law Offices

The office is filled with police officers. They're all busily searching for clues.

"Hey! You there! This is a crime scene, pal! No trespassing!" Detective Gumshoe stands in the doorway to stop me from getting inside. "Umm... Sorry, don't I know you from somewhere? Wait, you're that Butz guy, aren't you!"

"No, my name is Miles Edgeworth." How could anyone mistake me for Larry?

"Ah, guess I got the wrong name, Mr. Edgeworth. Sorry 'bout that. That Butz guy, he was a killer! And you're no killer! Right?"

Larry was proven innocent. "Right. And you were... Gumshoe, wasn't it? Dick Gumshoe?"

"Right! At your service." He puffs his chest out. "Hang on! That's Detective Gumshoe to you, pal! Anyway, get the name right. And don't go calling me 'Dick'."

Another officer calls from inside. "Hey, Dick! Get over here!"

"Y-yes, sir! B-be right there! Umm... ahem!" He returns his attention to me. "You're his lawyer, right, pal? If you got business here, you'd better do it quick!"

I don't understand why he thinks I'm Father's lawyer. "About Mia Fey... did you do an autopsy?"

"Hmm? You want to know the results, eh?"

It would be helpful to examine the evidence before the trial.

"Now don't you look at me like that, pal! It's no use! She might have worked with your old man, but that doesn't mean you get any special treatment. Alright, alright. You can see the report, but that's all!"

Detective Gumshoe gives me a copy of the autopsy report. Suspicious of his willingness to divulge this information, I make a mental note to stop elsewhere later today.

"Erm, about my father..."

"Yeah! I'm looking forward to the trial! Sorry, pal, but this is one trial you aren't going to win!"

"Why do you say that?"

"The city's put Phoenix Wright on the prosecution!"

"Phoenix Wright?"

"I'm sure you know what that means, you being a lawyer and all. You do know him, don't you?"

"I know him. He's a feared prosecutor. He doesn't feel pain, he doesn't feel remorse. He won't stop until he gets his 'guilty' verdict."

"Aww, don't talk about him that way. You make him barely sound human! Still, I'm afraid this pretty much decides the case."

So, Wright is on this one. He hasn't lost a case since he became prosecutor at the incredibly young age of 20. Of course, there are rumors of back-alley deals and forged evidence. All I know for sure is that Wright hates crime with an almost abnormal passion. I never imagined I'd be facing him so soon.

"Er, before I forget... my father asked me to contact one of his coworkers, and I needed to look up his number."

"Oh that? I have that."

"Do you think you could tell me his number?"

"Sure! I mean, wait a second, pal! Tricky lawyer!"

Looks like he's on to me. If I tell him why I want it, there's no way he'll give it to me.

"Something the matter?"

"Er, no, it's just..."

"It's just what, pal?"

"The office phone has a lot of numbers on it. Since my father's a defense attorney, he's very likely to have contact information for many attorneys who would be willing to defend him."

"Urk? Y-you're trying to confuse me! Sorry, pal. I already checked all the numbers on record!"

"Impressive. You're quite the detective."

"Uh huh. Oh, here, you can have the contact list. There weren't any suspicious numbers in there, after all."

It appears he didn't notice the phone's recording device. In any case, it appears I've asked all the questions I need to.

"You all done, pal?"

"Erm, yes, thank you. I'll be heading out now."

"Oh, wait. One more thing I wanted to mention to you. I don't suppose you're planning on talking to that witness. Anyway, you'd better not! No influencing the witness with your lawyerly ways, pal!"

Come to think of it, I had completely forgotten about her. "The witness?"

"Yeah, Miss April May. I'm sorry 'bout this, but I can't tell you anything about her!"

Well, you just told me her name. Miss May...

"So, you've sent her home already, then?"

"Ahah! You're trying your lawyerly tricks on me now! She's not to go outside her room until the trial!"

So, she's still in the hotel across the way. "I guess I should know better than to try to get a detective to leak information."

"You got that right, pal!"

Time to pay a visit to Miss May.

As I make my way to the hotel, I call Sebastian to see if he got to talk to Father's old teacher.

"According to the receptionist, the big boss is 'out'. She couldn't say when he'd be back. It must be hard to keep track of everything when you're a famous lawyer. Not to mention run an office like that. I guess I'll just have to go back later."

"I have to make another stop elsewhere, so could you wait for me at the Detention Center?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

September 6
Gatewater Hotel - Room 303

I find the hotel room where I saw the witness from the night before. The door isn't locked, so I step inside.

The room appears vacant, so I walk over to the window.

I can see Father's office from here, but I couldn't imagine anyone could credibly witness a murder from here.

A female voice from behind derails my train of thought. "Well! Hello there, handsome."

I spin around to see the woman in pink who called the police. It must be April May.

"Erm... hello."

"You're the lawyer, aren't you? The detective told me... He said, 'Don't say nothing to that lawyer, pal!' Tee hee!"

Memo to self: thank Detective Gumshoe for making my job harder.

"Gee! This is all like something out of a movie! It's all so exciting I can hardly contain myself! Ooh! Let me go freshen up so I can look the part of the beautiful eyewitness!"

She runs into the washroom. I pity the lawyer that has to cross-examine this one.

Examining the room turns up a freshly made bed, a vase of fake flowers, a still-scene painting, and a table with a bottle and two glasses, the last of which suggests someone is staying with her.

I soon notice an open drawer with a screwdriver protruding from it.

As I start to open it, Miss May bursts out of the washroom.

"Hey! H-h-hey! What are you doing!? No touching! Oooh. Bad boy! Y-you really shouldn't pry around in other people's rooms, now. You wouldn't want to make me upset, would you?"

"Alright, alright, I'm going." I figure she won't be willing to talk to me about anything.

Meanwhile, at the Detention Center...

"Did you find him?"

"I haven't seen him yet."

"I see..."

"So, what do you know about Mia Fey's family, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"The women in the Fey family have been mediums for generations. They say that E.S.P. runs in their blood. About fifteen years ago, the family was involved in an investigation."

"An investigation?"

"About 15 years ago, there was an unusual murder case. It made quite a stir, and everyone was talking about it. The police were running out of leads, and they were getting desperate."

"They used a spirit medium, didn't they?"

"Yes. They convinced the family matriarch, Misty Fey, and her sister, Morgan, to contact the victims."

"Wow... So, what happened?"

"The case was solved... or so it seemed."

"What do you mean?"

"Both victims gave contradictory accounts of how they died, and chaos quickly erupted over who's word was to be believed."

"What?!"

"The channelings were conducted in secret, but a man found out about it and leaked it to the press. He told all the papers that the sisters' powers were dangerous, and the media ran the story for months. The Feys became pariahs in the aftermath."

"I see."

"Several years after that, Misty's daughter, Mia, left the mountain and came here to train as a prosecutor in the hopes of redeeming the Kurain Channeling Technique in the eyes of the public."

"So, she lived by herself?"

"From what she told me."

"I feel bad for her."

"White."

"Say what?"

"The man who leaked the channelings to the press. His name was White. Mia told me."

"White? Hmm... I better go see if Grossberg is back in the office yet."

I've finished my business here and got hold of Mr. Fender's CD player, allowing me to listen to the phone calls recorded on Father's office phone. As I return to the Detention Center, I call Sebastian for a status update.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Have you had any luck contacting Father's mentor?"

"I found him, but... well... I really don't think we should use that guy. He... didn't seem healthy. He was all skin and bones!"

I could hear him fighting the urge to laugh at the last statement. "What really happened?"

"..."

"You don't mean... he refused to help?"

"Urp."

"What? Why?"

"He wouldn't tell me why. And he said that no one else would take his defense, either."

"There must be someone!"

"That's what I said. I asked how he could be so sure, but he wouldn't tell me."

"If that's the case, then there's only one option left."

"For us to defend your pops?"

"Correct. No one is as sad as a person without any friends. I know... I've been there. A long time ago. Why did I become a lawyer in the first place...? Because someone has to look out for the people who have no one on their side."

"You said it, Miles!"

"I got the CD player from Mr. Fender. Tell Father about our decision, and I'll meet you at the office after I stop by the Gatewater Hotel."

"What for?"

"There's something I want to investigate there."

September 6
Gatewater Hotel - Room 303

I arrive at the room and am greeted by a man carrying a tea set on a platter.

"Good afternoon, sir!"

"Excuse me, you are...?"

"Ah, I beg your pardon, sir! I am the bellboy of this establishment, at your service, sir."

"Oh, right."

"I've just come up to deliver room service, sir."

"Um... do you know where Miss May might be?"

"Ah. I believe our guest Miss May is currently using the, er, facilities...? If you've no need of anything, I'll be taking my leave. Please, stay as long as you like. Enjoy..."

"Thank you." I start to make my way into the room.

"Ah, I almost forgot!"

"What is it?"

"Might I ask you to inform Miss May that there is a message for her? Please tell her that Mr. White of Bluecorp phoned."

"Certainly." I write the name in my notepad.

With that, the bellboy leaves, allowing me to search the room.

I see the screwdriver is still protruding from the drawer. Examining it, I find...

"A... wiretap? What would a woman like her be doing with a thing like this?"

There is definitely something suspicious about this "Miss May"! Why would she have something like this in her hotel room? There's a story behind all this, I know it!

Alright, I'll be using this bit of evidence in tomorrow's trial, that's for sure. For Father's sake, I'll get to the bottom of this!

"Oh, bellboy...? Still there?"

I run out of the room and return to the Detention Center...

TO BE CONTINUED...