"I see there are two glasses on the table. Is someone staying here with you?" Summer asked. "Oooh! What amazing powers of observation! You must be one of those famous detectives, like on television!" Tiffany said. "Oh, no, not me, I'm, er, just a lawyer!" Summer said nervously. "Say, Mr. Big Detective, why don't you go look for clues... In the garbage? Hmm? Miss Melany dosen't like nosey little lawyers... Hmph!" Tiffany yelled. "Oh boy." Summer thought. Summer went to the Grossberg Law Offices.
"Hmm... seems like Mrs. Ackerman is out. Well, maybe I should just wait here for her to come back." Summer thought. *Ah-HHHHEM!* a voice called out. "If that wasn't the most over-the-top clearing of the throat I've ever heard!" Summer thought. "Ah hah! So, you're the one they say has been looking for me?" Jurelle asked Summer. "Uh... y-yes that's me!" Summer said. "She looks even... Grander than I imagined!" Summer thought. "Hmm...? That badge on your collar..? Ah, so you're a lawyer, are you now?" Jurelle asked. "Y-yes, well... Yes." Summer said. "And what do you want? I'm not particularly busy these days... Please, proceed!" Jurelle said. "Not busy...? Then how come no one could get in touch with you?" Summer thought. "Hmm? Something the matter? You came to see the one-and-only Jurelle Ackerman, did you not? Well, here I am boy! What do you want? Out with it!" Jurelle said. "Um... W-well, lady, actually, it's about Laura, Laura Karma." Summer said. "...! Ah... Yes. Laura Karma. Go on." Jurelle said. "Hmm? Why the strange reaction?" Summer thought. "A-cha-cha I'm really quite busy here, son. I can't go taking cases on a day's notice! No, it's quite impossible." Jurelle said. "W-wait a second! How did you know the trial was tomorrow!?" Summer asked. "Urk? Ahem! A-anyway... I'm afraid it's entirely impossible for me to represent her. Sorry. End of disscussion" Jurelle rejected. "What's going on!? She refused me before I even got a chance to ask her! What do I tell Laura...?" Summer thought. "How can you just refuse like that! Please, tell me why you won't take the case!" Summer yelled. "Hmm? Eh, ahem! Well, you see it's just... I'm busy, you see!" Jurelle answered back. "But the client is Kelly Alien's friend!" Summer argued. "Hmm... ahem." Jurelle answered back. "Kelly trusted you... She knew her friend would be in good hands." Summer explained. "Yes, yes, of course I know that. However! I'm sorry but, I must refuse. Sorry. Good-bye." Jurelle apologized. "Creep. Fine. I don't have time to argue with you anyway. I'll go look elsewhere." Summer accepted. "Think not." Jurelle mumbled. "Huh? Did you say something?" Summer asked. "I think not, I said." Jurelle said. "Wh-what do you mean?" Summer asked. "I'm terribly, terribly sorry. But I'm afraid no lawyer worth their salt will take on this particular case. Terribly sorry, m'boy." Jurelle apologized. "Why!?" Summer yelled. "I... Cannot say.... I beg your pardon, but could you leave? Now? I've nothing more to discuss with you." Jurelle asked. "What's going on here!?" Summer thought. "How did you know Kelly Alien...?" Summer asked. "...She... Worked here. A long time ago. Quite the apprentice, that one. Learned my techniques in the blink of an eye! She left one day, quite suddenly... She had a mission, you see." Jurelle told Summer. "A "mission"?" Summer asked. "You could see it in her eyes. She followed it with a burning passion. Never looked back, that one." Jurelle said. "That's... quite a painting." Summer said pointing to the painting behind Jurelle. "Ahah! You noticed! It's my pride and joy! Impressive, isn't it? Well? ISN'T IT? The colour of the sky! The hue of the sea! The weave of the straw hat! It's worth atleast three million. I have no intention of parting with it, of course. No, I won't sell it! Not even to you!" Jurelle rambled. "I wasn't interested..." Summer thought. "It's not for sale!" Jurelle shouted. "I'm not buying!" Summer shouted. "Geez!" Summer thought. Summer went to the Detention Center, where Laura was.
September 6, 3:42 PM
Detention Center
Visitor's Room
"Hiya" Summer said to Laura. "Oh! You're back! Did you find the lawyer?" Laura asked. "Um.. well..." Summer said. "What do I tell her?" Summer thought. "Well, see..." Summer said. "Just be honest!" Summer thought. "I... I really don't think you should use that guy. She... didn't seem healthy. She was all skin and bones!" Summer said. "... What really happened?" Laura asked. Summer stayed silent. "You don't mean... He refused to help?" Laura asked. "Yep." Summer replied. "I see. I've been abandoned, then." Laura accepted. "What about your family?" Summer asked. "I only had Kelly. My father died when I was very young. And I don't know where my mother is." Laura said. "Don't know...? So she could still be alive?" Summer thought. "The women in my family have been mediums for generations. They say a lotta spiritual power runs in our blood. About fifteen years ago, my family was involved in an... Incident. There was a man and he... He... He ruined my mothers life." Laura explained. ""Ruined"...?" Summer thought "After that, she disappeared. Several years after that, Kelly announced she would "become a lawyer" and left the mountain." Laura went on. "So, you live by yourself?" Summer asked. "Yes. I've gotten used to it. Oh, also... I had to be independent or I would lose my powers!" Laura explained. "I feel bad for her, all by herself up on that mountain.." Summer thought. "So, who was this man who, um, "ruined" your mother?" Summer asked. "About 15 years ago... There was an unusual murder case. It made quite a stir, everyone was talking about it, apparently. The police were running out of leads, and they were getting desperate..." Laura went on. "Wait... They didn't use a spirit medium, did they?" Summer asked. "The police convinced my mother to try to contact the victim." Laura told Summer. "Wow... So, what happened?" Summer asked. "The case was solved... We thought." Laura said.
