Court-Records: An Ace Attorney Fansite

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Turnabout Mockingbird

Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Monday, June 3rd, 8:37 AM

Courtroom Lobby No. 2

When Athena and Chase walked in, Apollo was pleasantly surprised. It was nothing huge; the two still weren't talking a lot, but he couldn't feel the tension in the air anymore, and he thought he saw a tentative smile.

He took a moment to appreciate the change in attitude, and then went back to staring at the Court Record. He hadn’t managed to find anything useful last night, and as much as he hated it, they might just have to rely on witness testimony to get through today.

When Mr. Key was finally escorted in, Apollo walked over to talk to him, but Chase grabbed the man’s arm first. “Dad… I want you to meet someone.” Apollo raised his eyebrows, but said nothing as the boy dragged Mr. Key towards the edge of the room. “This is Athena, and… she reminds me of Clari.”

Apollo’s eyebrows went up even further while Mr. Key nodded, saying, “She does,” to Chase and, “Good to meet you,” to Athena.

The three talked for a few moments before Chase and his father went to talk with Trucy and Apollo approached Athena. “What was that all about?”

“We… had a talk yesterday, and I think we worked things out. It's not like we’re best friends or anything, but he apologized, and he can talk to me without being horribly sad, so that's good!”

He nodded. “Nice. I'm still not pleased with him, but I'm glad you got that worked out.”

There was another few minutes before the bailiff called, “The trial is about to begin. Will the defense please make its way into the courtroom?”

Apollo gathered his things, and Athena said, “Good luck!”

But when Chase said, “Yeah, good luck,” even if it was a little shy, Apollo wondered if Athena was a miracle worker.

(O)

Monday, June 3rd, 9:00 AM

Courtroom No. 2

“Court is now in session for the trial of Locklan Key. Yesterday, we established that evidence had yet to be resolved, and that other persons may have had the opportunity to commit the crime. Has this been investigated?”

The prosecutor nodded with his trademark grin. “Ja, Your Honor. Though the defense was correct that the mysterious knife was the murder weapon, Ms. Clover does indeed have an alibi. Additionally, parts of the security footage have been unearthed by Mr. Foley, and it proves beyond a doubt that Mr. Key is the only one without an alibi.”

The judge nodded in return. “Very well, then. Will the prosecution call its first witness?”

Apollo was surprised to see Mr. Foley take the stand, cool and casually. Luckily, there was no interruptive flirting this time.

“Witness, could you please state your name and occupation?”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled. “Arthur Foley. Actor.”

“And if you could tell us about the state of the security footage?”

He nodded. “Will do.”

Testimony: Security Footage

I installed my own custom security system in the house; it's fairly complicated.

That's not a problem for me, since I'm trained in computer tech, but most people can't figure it out.

Still, someone managed to alter the records, and lock me out of the footage from the time.

Luckily, I managed to access what was left behind. I even found another piece buried last night.

Turns out that Tom left the room just before the crime. Who would've known?

Prosecutor Gavin pounded the bench, sweating. “Witness, why didn't I know about his sooner?”

He shrugged. “I decided now would be the best time.”

Whatever that meant, the prosecutor wasn't pleased. Apollo, on the other hand, was jumping at the opportunity. “Can you show us this new footage?”

Mr. Foley pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding onto a disk. “Got it right here.”

It took the bailiff a moment to start the video, but the defense was pleasantly surprised when they did. It showed an empty hallway, quickly filled by Ms. Marshall. She stumbled a little bit, and opened the door to a room but not entering. Apollo watched as the expression on her face turned furious. She shouted things into the room for a while, with the occasional pause, until she eventually gave up and slammed the door, stalking away. A bit later, the door opened and Tom ran out, hair rumpled and buttoning up his shirt, scurrying off in the opposite direction. The time stamp read 12:44 AM.

When it was finished, Mr. Foley, leaning against the wall behind the witness stand, said, “See? Just like I said. Five minutes before the crime. He could have easily killed her.”

Apollo slapped the bench. “You Honor! The defense believes this is significant evidence, and moves to have Mr. Marshall testify!”

“Achtung, as much as I hate to, I have to agree.”

The judge nodded. “Very well then.”

(O)

There was a short recess so that Mr. Marshall could be summoned, and then they all gathered back in the courtroom. When everyone was ready, Prosecutor Gavin led him to the stand.

“Witness, name and occupation please?”

“Tom Marshall. Actor.”

He was tall and perfectly tanned, with golden hair and a fancy silver suit. Apollo was pretty sure he had heard most of the girls, and some of the guys, in the gallery swoon as the man had approached, and even Trucy gave an obligatory sigh.

Apollo flopped.

“Thank you. Could you please testify as to your whereabouts during the crime?”

The man flashed a grin that may or may not have sparkled. There were screams, and Apollo flopped even more.

Testimony: The Time of the Crime

I hope I’m not being suspected now, am I?

There was no way that I committed this crime.

Jamie -- Ms. Quincy -- and I were upstairs in the bedroom that whole time, watching a movie.

She’ll agree with me, just ask her.

Apollo was pretty sure he had felt his bracelet constrict, but he figured he would take care of the obvious lie, first, and see where that went.

Cross Examination: The Time of the Crime

I hope I’m not being suspected now, am I?

There was no way that I committed this crime.

Jamie -- Ms. Quincy -- and I were upstairs in the bedroom that whole time, watching a movie.

“Objection! You… do know why we called you, right?”

“Ach, I tried to explain but he refused to listen.”

Already, Mr. Marshall was ignoring them all, signing some pictures of himself and throwing them into the gallery for the star-crossed fans to catch. Apollo slammed the bench to get his attention. “Mr. Marshall!”

He looked up. “What?”

“Are you aware that we have video of you leaving that same room in a rush?”

“You… whaa?!” He threw the entire stack of photos all over, and proceeded to scramble to pick them up off the floor.

“We already know that you're lying, so we would all appreciate if you would get to the truth already.”

“Then… then let me try again!”

Testimony: What Really Happened

Jamie and I were in the room watching the movie for most of the evening.

But around halfway through, Myrtle burst open the door, totally drunk.

She started shouting when she saw the two of us together.

I tried to explain that there was nothing going on, but she slammed the door and ran off.

I immediately ran out to find her, and hopefully stop her from doing something stupid while she was that drunk.

I looked around for a while, but when I couldn't find her, I eventually went back.

He was getting closer, now, but there was still that twinge in his bracelet. To tackle that or the contradiction…?

Cross Examination: What Really Happened

Jamie and I were in the room watching the movie for most of the evening.

But around halfway through, Myrtle burst open the door, totally drunk.

She started shouting when she saw the two of us together.

I tried to explain that there was nothing going on, but she slammed the door and ran off.

I immediately ran out to find her, and hopefully stop her from doing something stupid while she was that drunk.

“Objection!” Apollo decided on the evidence approach, presenting the Security Footage once again. “You say immediately, but we can see on the video that it takes you at least two minutes to leave the room. Plus, why are you in the process of putting on your shirt?”

The man twirled his autograph pen around in his hands. “Oh, that's easy. It was hot upstairs, so I’d taken off my shirt is all.”

“And the timing…?”

“Umm, that was because Jamie had begged me not to go after her. We were in the middle of the most intense part, and she didn't want me to miss it.”

And there it was. They had finally come to an impasse as far as evidence was concerned. Time to perceive. “Then could you please amend your testimony?”

Testimony: What Really Happened

Jamie and I were in the room watching the movie for most of the evening.

Here, he touched his bracelet and watched Mr. Marshall’s every word carefully.

Jamie and I
were in the room
watching the movie
for most of the evening.

He strained to see every movement Mr. Marshall was making, but he must have missed the key part of the sentence. He tried again.

Jamie and I
were in the room
watching the movie

“Gotcha!” This time, he saw it. “Mr. Marshall, you're rubbing, almost imperceptibly, at a spot along the edge of your collar when you talk about the movie. So what were you really doing in the room upstairs?”

“But I'm telling the truth!” He began signing more photographs, sweating nervously.

Oh, he’s definitely lying. But how do I prove it?

Luckily, Apollo was saved the trouble. As Mr. Marshall began to throw the photos again, his collar slipped to the side to reveal some sort of mark underneath.

“The defense requests that the witness remove his shirt!”

Prosecutor Gavin raised his eyebrows. “Herr Forehead, as attractive as this man may be, there's usually more finesse involved in getting someone to undress for you, ja?”

Apollo’s face turned almost as red as his shirt. “That is not what I meant.”

Trucy coughed beside him, something that sounded like, “Totally is.” He flopped. Thanks for the support.

“Then, pray tell, what context did that scandalous remark have?” The prosecutor’s eyes were glinting and Apollo swore that he would have revenge. At some point, somehow.

He sighed. “There's a suspicious mark under his collar, that I believe is crucial to understanding this case.”

He’d anticipated a little more of a fight with this line of reasoning, but when he looked back at the man, he was in the process of taking it off already. He then threw it to his many fans, who were screaming, revealing the numerous, red marks underneath.

“Whaaaaat?!” Apollo, and the rest of the courtroom, gasped in shock.

“‘Whaaaaat?!’ What?” Mr. Marshall asked, mocking their confusion. Then he looked down. “...Oh. Forgot about that.” He hastily covered himself with his arms, weakly laughing. “Bug bites?”

“Those are not bug bites.”

“Polly… are those hickeys?”

“Uh, yeah. I think so.”

“So then…”

Apollo thought for a moment before it finally clicked. No wonder Ms. Marshall had been so angry!

“Wait a second. Mr. Marshall… you weren't watching the movie. Your wife caught you in the middle of having an affair!”

Now the room was in an uproar, with both shocked gallery members and screaming teenagers. To be honest, it was a little concerning.

“Order, order!”

It took a few moments for everyone to calm down. Mr. Marshall, on the other hand, was still scribbling frantically on his pictures and throwing them every which direction. One hit Apollo in the face and he flopped.

“I… I…”

“Mr. Marshall. When your wife burst into your room, she was definitely drunk. But that wasn't what started the shouting. No, it was that she saw you sleeping with someone else. When she left, you frantically got dressed, but had lost her. You didn't return for another ten or fifteen minutes. In that span of time, you could have easily killed your wife!”

He began throwing them more quickly, then. “Alright! Alright, I was having an affair… But that doesn’t mean I killed her!”

“But you definitely could have.” Apollo continued, but there was something nagging him in the back of his mind. What was it?

“But I didn’t kill her! I didn’t!”

Ahh, that’s it. It was the way his bracelet wasn’t tightening around his wrist. The way that Mr. Marshall wasn’t lying.

“Arghh…” He thought hard, his eyes closed and his finger to his forehead. There was no way to deny it. “No… no you didn’t.”

“But I… ! Yeah! I didn’t!”

Prosecutor Gavin looked at him. “Defense, does this mean you’re conceding the case?”

“No! Mr. Marshall didn’t kill his wife, but neither did Mr. Key. It… must have been a third party.”

“Well, then, you’ll have to conjure up some evidence, because at this point that theory is impossible.”

“Yes, Mr. Justice. Please present some evidence that a third person may have been involved.

Ahhh… Apollo grabbed the Court Record and started searching. As far as he could tell there was nothing there… But maybe…

“I can’t present evidence.” He had been right about that footage. There was something off about it, still, and he intended to find it here and now.

He had to; there was no other way.

“Oh? Giving up so quickly?”

“I can’t present evidence of another person. But I can present evidence that needs to be more thoroughly examined! Take that!”

“...Herr Forehead, you spent at least an hour pouring over that yesterday, to no avail. What makes you think that anything will be different, now?”

The fact that I have literally no other ideas. He said, “It will be.”

The prosecutor raised his eyebrows. “Well, if you believe so strongly, then the prosecution requests that the security footage be played once more for the court.”

This is it. I have to find something.

He was sweating a little, but then Trucy said, “You’re Apollo Justice, and you’re fine!”

He smiled, determined. I’m Apollo Justice, and I’m fine!

(O)

Chase watched the screens, his leg starting to ache from playing on it with his drumsticks for so long. This was not going as well as they had hoped, and he was starting to freak out. Just a bit.

Wait, no. He was supposed to acknowledge his emotions now, instead of trying to suppress them.

So, yeah. He was freaking out a lot.

Still, as he watched the screens, he noticed something odd. No. It couldn’t be… I’m imagining things. But, when Apollo asked that the footage be played, “just one more time!” he saw it again.

His heart beat faster. No. He wouldn’t. It can’t be!

Once it had finished again, he heard Prosecutor Gavin say, “Your time is up, Herr Forehead. Is there nothing you can come up with?”

He felt like he was about to throw up, but he had to decide, now. Without thinking, he found himself standing up and opening his mouth.

Nothing came out.

“I… There’s nothing,” Apollo said, wilting.

Chase tried again, and this time he managed to raspily whisper. His heart was beating so hard, he thought it might explode, and he was certain now that it was only a matter of time before he vomited all over the courtroom.

He felt Athena, sitting next to him, touch his shoulder. He glanced over and they locked eyes for a moment. She nodded, and he bit his lip. But it made his heart slow down, just for a moment.

Just enough that he could say, “Hold it!”