A Victim for Six Years

Chapter eight: The Witness Takes the Stand

I could practically feel the chills running down my spine. There was a silence throughout the courtroom before the judge says,

"You May give your opening statements."

Now, Manfred was clutching his right sleeve, his eyes closed as he mumbled to himself, before looking at the Judge and saying, "In this case, I will prove that Franziska Von Karma not only went against her judge's orders by fleeing the courtroom, but also attacked an innocent prosecutor, and his fifteen-year-old daughter."

Phoenix took in a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled, before saying, "And I will prove that Franziska Von Karma did nothing of the sort, and is, in fact, the reason that Piper Edgeworth was even able to join us to witness today." Franziska looks nervous standing beside Phoenix, almost as if she was intimidated by him. I hear a small chuckle come from the other side of the courtroom. I turn to see Manfred Von Karma now staring at Phoenix, an evil grin snaked across his face.

"You amuse me, Wright." He said, his voice so gravelly it felt like it almost made my ears pop. "Tell me, what relationship do you have with the defendant?"

"Pardon me?" Phoenix asked, getting skeptical right off the bat.

"You say that you will prove her innocence. How can you be so sure, Wright? Surely you must have a reason. Have you talked to her at all before this case? Have you run into her, perhaps, outside of this courtroom?"

"I'm surprised that you wouldn't know this, Von Karma." Phoenix said, looking Manfred square in the eye. "I feel as though your own daughter would let you know if someone ruined her spotless winning streak, but as a matter of fact, I have. I've defeated Franziska in multiple cases in which I've defended a client."

Franziska huffed a bit. My guess is either she didn't like Phoenix pointing out that he'd beaten her in cases multiple times, or she knew what I had already realized: Manfred was stalling the court for some reason.

"So...would you say that she is one of your rivals, Mr. Wright?"

It seems like Phoenix was getting even more skeptical now. "How and why is this relevant to the case, Mr. Von Karma?" He asked.

Von Karma didn't answer. He only said, "just answer the question, Wright."

I don't think Phoenix liked that order too much. He fired his first objection of the case.

"OBJECTION!!!!" He exclaimed. "These questions have absolutely Nothing to do with the case at hand, your honor!!!! Von Karma is stalling for something!!! He should've called his first witness by now!!!!"

"OBJECTION!!!!" Von Karma fired back before the judge could say anything. "The lawyer's relationship with the client could have anything to do with the case!!! They could have been colluding together to try and take down Edgeworth and his daughter!!!"

"HOLD IT!!!!" Phoenix yelled, again before the judge could answer Von Karma's claim. "There's no sense in me colluding with Franziska for murder of the two. What would I get out of it? What would be my motive? Why would I defend an innocent man, against YOU, might I add, Mr. Von Karma, six years ago, only to attempt to kill him now?!!!"

As Von Karma began to raise his arm to object again, and I began to get comfortable in my seat preparing for a showdown, the judge banged his gavel twice before Von Karma could get a word out.

"Order!!!! I will have order!!!" He announced, then looked at Von Karma. "Mr. Von Karma, I see no reason as to why we should carry on with nonsense questions. Mr. Wright has made it clear that you have been stalling for some reason. While it's not relevant why you were stalling at the moment, neither were your questions. Your objection is overruled. Now, if we can act like adults here, you may call your first witness."

The whole courtroom went quiet for a few moments in shock. No one tells Von Karma what to do.

After a few moments of the shocked silence, Von Karma spoke again. In a voice so gravelly and slow that it was almost scary, he mumbled, "The Prosecution will call Detective Gumshoe to the stand."

Gumshoe slowly got up from where he had been sitting beside me, and made his way towards the witness stand.

"Witness, state your name and occupation for the court. Now." Von Karma demanded. Just great. He's already calling the judge's demands for him. This is gonna be a great trial...