A Victim for Six Years

Chapter thirty-two: Resummoning the Detective

Detective Gumshoe came up to the stand within a matter of minutes after the judge banged his gavel. My father wheeled out of the witness stand and joined us in the defense stand. Gumshoe was scratching behind his head in the witness stand. Von Karma looked as ghostly as ever, and the judge was....scrolling through his phone? He must be so bored of this case that he's ready for it to be over.

"Erm, your honor?" I ask. "May the defense ask the witness a few questions?"

The judge looked up from his phone as if just noticing that he had a case to judge. Putting his phone away sheepishly, he nodded. "The defense may ask the witness as many questions as she wishes, as long as the questions are relevant to the case."

I nodded. "Witness, please state your name and occupation."

"Well, I've already been in this witness stand and given that information, but I'm willing to give it again." Gumshoe said. "My name is Dick Gumshoe." He said. "I work as a low-paid detective at the police department."

"We could have...done without the extra detail of your salary, detective." I point out. "Now, we've had you testify already once in this courtroom, however, we believe that we didn't give you enough time to testify. We would like you to answer the question that may be a key component in the puzzle, one of the many mysteries that came with this case." I stared Gumshoe eye-to-eye. This was it. The last testimony before we heard from Vasquez herself. "Why didn't you hear Franziska yell at the attacker?" I ask. "What was going on at the time that Mr. Edgeworth testified the defendant yelled out?"

"Oh, well that's easy to explain." Gumshoe said. I got ready to listen to his testimony, already eager to cross-examine. "As I stated earlier, I had to stay behind to read the criminal his rights. As we've covered in my past testimony, I only heard the one gunshot, which we all thought was the second shot, the one that she got you with." He recalled. "However, if I didn't hear Miss Von Karma's yell, then I'm guessing that it was the third shot that I heard, the one that shot past Franziska. I don't know how loud that Miss Von Karma had yelled, but if I couldn't have heard two gunshots outside of the courtroom, then I surely couldn't have heard a yell, which, compared to a gunshot, is insanely quiet." I thought about that. It would make sense...but then, that would mean that Franziska's guilty. We would have no more evidence to our advantage. Come on, there had to be something we're missing here.

"Well, there you have it." Von Karma said. "The detective says nothing that changes anything. Let's get Miss Vasquez's testimony over with so that I get my guilty verdict and we can all go home." The judge nodded. He began to raise his gavel. No. Not yet. I couldn't listen to Vasquez yet. I had a few more questions for Gumshoe.

"Miss Vasquez will come to the stand to testify." The judge said. He began to bring his gavel down.

"HOLD IT!!!!" I exclaimed. Von Karma roared.

"Are you mad, Miss Edgeworth?! What reason could you possibly have to interrupt a decision?!"

"What reasons have you had to interrupt the judge or me or Phoenix these past few weeks?! Just shut up and listen to my reasonings!!!" I yell back. Immediately after I said those words, I wish I could take them back. I just told Manfred Von Karma to shut up. Manfred. Von. Karma. He may be right in saying that I need to hold my tongue.

He looked at me as though he was a hunter and I was some wild game. I looked at Phoenix. He looked uneasy, but said,

"Rule no. 1 of being a defense attorney, Piper. Don't let the prosecutor see that they get to you. You seem to be experienced enough in that."

"But you also must remember not to say something that could hurt you later." My father pointed out. "Try choosing your words carefully next time. You need to control your temper." I nod. Looking at the judge, I take a deep breath.

"My apologies, your honor." I say for what feels like the third time today. "But I have a few more questions for Mr. Gumshoe."

"Make it fast, Miss Edgeworth." The judge says. "I have a lunch scheduled after this trial."

"Maybe not a smart choice to schedule lunch on the day of a trial, your honor." I mutter just loud enough for everyone in the defense stand to hear, before looking at Gumshoe again. "Detective Gumshoe." I say. "If you'll recall, I was in the courtroom the day of the crime, before the attack actually happened, correct?"

He nodded. "You assisted your father in proving me innocent."

"If you'll recall," I say. "Can you remember who was sitting in the jury, beside Athena Cykes and in front of Ema Skye?"

He scratched his chin before saying, "well, when I looked at the jury as they were chatting excitedly, I think it was Miss Vasquez."

"You would be correct, detective." I say, and open my mouth to prove my point before being interrupted again by a specific prosecutor.

"What on earth are you getting at, Miss Edgeworth?!" He asked. "If Miss Vasquez was in the courtroom the day of the crime, she couldn't have been in the hallway, you're only hurting yourself even more!!"

"Mr. Von Karma, it would be appreciated if you kept your opinions to yourself. Also, I usually don't tolerate people to talk over me, but thank you for expressing your concern." I said. "Now, detective," I say, turning back to Gumshoe. "As you were reading the charged their rights, did you look back at the jury?"

"I suppose so." He answered.

"Did you look in the direction of Athena Cykes and Ema Skye?"

"Yes."

"And who was in the seat in front of Ema, beside Athena?"

The detective scratched his chin a few times before answering, "No one. The seat was empty."

Bingo.