The guard closed the door loudly behind Maggie, who hesitantly took a seat in the uncomfortable chair. This was the first time she’d been here and she wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Before she had time to think, the door on the other side of the glass opened and Trucy Wright was led in. The younger girl sat down, giving Maggie a bright smile.
“I wasn’t expecting another visitor so soon, I didn’t even get halfway down the hall.” Maggie felt her heart break a little – Trucy’s eyes were red-rimmed and her smile seemed slightly forced.
“I’m Maggie Zene, Ms. Wright. I’m really sorry for any inconvenience, I just… I just wanted to talk to you. Get your side of the story.” Maggie suddenly felt uneasy. What if Trucy didn’t want to talk to her? Who would want to talk about a crime they were suspected of committing? But Trucy was shaking her head, still smiling.
“Do you know why I agreed to talk to you? They told me you were a reporter, and looking at you now, I actually remember seeing you backstage at the show. Were you trying to get an interview with me then? I was going to come talk to you before I went back onstage, but when I turned back, you were gone.” Maggie nodded hesitantly, hoping she wasn’t blowing any sense of credibility she had. “I’ve seen the news – everyone’s talking about the accident already and no one is asking for my story. But you’re different. You actually came to ask me questions. So I want to tell you everything you want to know.”
“I mean, of course I did,” Maggie replied without thinking. “To find the truth you have to examine every angle. And that includes your version of events. It’s part of objective reporting. The world has enough of the sensationalized story right now, no one is asking for your point of view. That’s why I’m here. I want to hear the part of the truth that only you have.”
Trucy laughed. “You sound like Polly. He’s always going on about that kind of thing. The truth and all that. Daddy too, I guess. It’s a lawyer thing.”
“Polly?” Maggie repeated in confusion before putting two and two together. “Do you mean Apollo Justice? He and Athena Cykes are your defense counsel, right?”
Trucy nodded. “How did you know? Did you meet them already?”
Maggie flipped open her notebook as she answered. “I ran into Mr. Justice and Ms. Cykes on the way in here. They seem very… determined to get you a complete acquittal.” Flipping her bangs out of her eyes, she smiled at Trucy. “Now, it’s my turn to ask the questions, Ms. Wright.”
Trucy waved her hand, leaning back in her chair, her smile slowly becoming real. “Please, call me Trucy. And let me ask one last one. I’m curious. Why are you here? If you wanted an interview with me earlier, before the accident, you’re not a crime reporter. You’ve gotta be some kind of entertainment or culture person, right? So what are you doing here now?”
Maggie tapped her pen against her lips. “Good question. I guess it started as just me wanting to move up – I really do want to be a crime reporter. But now that I’ve talked to you and to your attorneys, I know there’s another reason. I have to follow my instincts, and my instincts say that there’s something beneath the surface here, and I feel like it’s my responsibility to report it. Ms Wri-ah, Trucy, I don’t think you did anything wrong, and if I can investigate and help prove it somehow, I really want to.”
Trucy looked slightly overwhelmed for a second, before regaining her bright grin. “I’m really glad to have another person in my corner, Ms. Zene. Can I call you Maggie?”
Maggie nodded, smiling back. In truth, she was feeling a bit emotional herself, seeing how affected the young magician across from her was. “Now it’s really my turn to ask questions.”
“Okay, but you have to promise to use ‘Trucy Wright, magical girl’ somewhere in the article, okay?”
“I will, I promise.”
An hour later, Maggie had two full pages of notes, front and back, and a new friend. Trucy had told her about the victim, Mr. Reus, and about everything that had happened onstage to the best of her knowledge, with the exception of how the tricks were performed – cheekily replying only with “a magician never reveals her secrets.” It was still a lot of good material and Maggie had no doubt she could write a good article that could maybe change people’s minds about Trucy’s guilt, or at least give them something else to think about.
“Thanks Trucy, this was really helpful. I promise I’ll do my best to write something good.”
“I know it’ll be great, Maggie, don’t worry.” Trucy tapped a finger to her chin. “Polly and Athena might still be investigating at the theatre. Maybe you should go see if you can catch up to them. If you tell them I sent you, they might give you some good quotes or something. At least Athena will. Polly will probably just tell you he’s fine.”
“I mean, I’d like to, but I highly doubt they’ll just let me walk right in. I’m sure there’s police all over the place, and I’m a reporter, not an attorney or anything. They’re there to keep people like me out.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Trucy replied. “If you get in there and tell Apollo and Athena that I sent you, they’ll definitely help you out. And you’ll be at the trial tomorrow, right? You can have the interview with all of us afterward!”
“You’re really optimistic, aren’t you?” Maggie winced as soon as that came out of her mouth – it was harsher than she intended. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“
“No, it’s okay,” Trucy interrupted her. “I know what you’re saying. I was really nervous before. But then Polly and Athena came, and Polly… he reminded me that he believes in me. And so I believe in him too. Both of them. That’s why I can be like this.”
“You’re really strong, Trucy. I’m really glad to have met you.” Maggie smiled, standing up. Trucy stood as well. “Thank you for talking to me. And by the way… your show was really amazing so far. I hope I can get a good seat when you open for real.”
“Front row, if you promise to write a glowing review.”
“I write it as I see it. So… probably so.”
“Good luck investigating, Maggie! And… thank you.”
Leaving Trucy behind, Maggie exited the detention center with bolstered determination. She was going to find the truth behind this crime, if only for Trucy’s sake. And if she could write an eye-opening article, all the better. But first, how to get past those guards…