Phoenix Wright (成歩堂龍一) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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aceattorneythenovel2016-10-01 03:42 pm
thewrightway) wrote in aceattorneythenovel2016-10-01 03:42 pm
Chapter 5: Beyond the Cross Examination (English terminology)
Continuing on, the second witness entered the courtroom. Mr. Knight from the 'Pegasus Book Center'. Naturally, he's not in his 'Bookington' costume today.
“My name... is Reed Knight. I work in a book store...”
Mr. Knight mumbled his introduction almost impossible to make out as he began his testimony.
“I was wearing a mascot costume for work. During my break, I went into the hallway and sat on the bench while wearing my costume. I saw Ms. Cutter move between waiting rooms, but I didn't make anything of it at the time. Also... I saw the attorney there walking down the hallway. That's all. I didn't see anybody else.”
Come to think of it, that reminds me.
When I was going to the owner's office. I do recall seeing Bookington sitting in the corner.
Prosecutor Blackquill spoke.
“The waiting room doors were always within his line of sight. This book store employee didn't see anyone... Nobody went near the waiting rooms other than the defendant.”
Hmm... A simple, yet troublesome testimony.
Anyway, I better start the cross examination.
“Between what times were you sitting on that bench?”
“Uuuh... The promotional character event was supposed to finish at 1:00 PM... But because of the number of customers, it overran slightly... I stepped out into the hallway at probably around 1:05 or 1:06 PM. I then sat on the bench the whole time until a bit after 1:40 PM.”
It was probably around that time when I saw Bookington on my way to the elevator. There's no contradictions. But... Something is still bugging me.
“You were wearing the costume the whole time?”
“... I just said that, didn't I?”
“I thought it'd be uncomfortable in there. Why didn't you remove it during your break?”
“I'm... kinda shy... I feel calmer when I'm inside the suit...”
Just looking at the guy, it's pretty clear he's not lying about his shyness.
However...
“I've heard that mascot suits severely restrict your field of vision. Can you really confirm that it was Ms. Cutter you saw in that state?”
“Yes... of course. The field of vision inside a mascot suit is definitely narrow. You can't look up, down, left or right. However you have a clear view directly in front. I can confirm that I saw both Ms. Cutter and yourself, Mr. Lawyer.”
Going by the fact he saw me, that would mean he's not lying about seeing ahead clearly... I guess.
But something about that still bugs me.
“So you saw nobody else other than Ms. Cutter and myself? You're sure of this?”
“Ye... yeah...”
“Objection! There is a clear contradiction in the testimony.”
Mr. Knight flinched as I pointed this out.
He's definitely got something weighing on his conscience. I continued with confidence.
“Ms. Cutter and I weren't the only ones to pass through that hallway. There's at least one other person who passed through who isn't mentioned in your testimony. Witness, were you really on that bench for the whole time?”
“O-o-o-o-of course! I was sitting on the bench the whole time!”
You could tell just by looking that Mr. Knight was losing his composure. Large drops of sweat formed on his brow.
I plunged straight for the truth.
“Ms. Cutter's manager, Mr. Porter left the waiting room to buy her a drink. Why didn't you ever see him?”
“Silence!”
Prosecutor Blackquill butted in.
“The manager left the room immediately after the defendant returned from the stage... at 1:05 PM. The witness previously testified that he entered the hallway at around 1:05 or 1:06 PM. Which means the witness entered the hallway just after the manager left. There's no contradiction.”
Mr. Knight put a hand to his chest in relief.
I continued on.
“I'll concede on the manager. But what about the other person?”
“Other... person?”
The boutique employee Fabio Lewis used the staff toilets. According to his testimony, this was at 1:08 PM. Did you not see Mr. Lewis in the hallway?”
Mr. Knight began sweating profusely once more.
“I-it must have been before I went out into the hallway then...”
“That's odd. Just after Mr. Lewis entered the hallway he saw Ms. Cutter moving between rooms. If you really saw Ms. Cutter, there's no way you could have missed Mr. Lewis. In order to move from the boutique's back door to the bathroom, he'd have to walk right in front of you.”
While wiping away his sweat, he made a quick rebuttal.
“O-o-o-of course I saw him! I just forgot to mention it!”
“You forgot such an important detail? Well, let's revise your testimony. Please describe Mr. Lewis for us. What was he wearing? What colour were his clothes?”
Mr. Lewis has an eccentric fashion sense. You wouldn't forget him easily.
Mr. Knight became flustered. He stiffened up and looked at the ceiling.
“You never saw Mr. Lewis. Which means you also never saw Ms. Cutter. You learned of her movements later and spoke as if you had witnessed her. That's because...”
“N-n-no way... Y-you're wrong... I... I didn't!”
“That's because, you weren't in the hallway. You left the costume sitting on the bench in your place, so that you could move around freely!”
“Ah, ah, ah... Argyaah!?”
Bull's eye. Mr. Knight was seriously rattled. He let out a shriek, shattering his glasses with fragments flying everywhere.
Right, I've broken through. Mr. Knight's testimony has crumbled! Which means, having used his costume as an alibi, Mr. Knight himself is the most suspicious... It's time to drive it home.
Mr. Knight pulled out a spare pair of glasses and put them on, before letting out a howling scream.
“I'm not lying. I was inside Bookington the whole time, sitting on the bench! If anyone's lying, it's gotta be that Lewis guy!”
“... What?”
“His testimony is a lie! Because, because, he couldn't have used the staff toilets. If he says he used the bathroom, then he's lying!”
... Wha...
What on earth?
Mr. Knight had made a full recovery and was full of spirit as he stood.
“The toilets were being cleaned. If you think I'm lying, then ask the mall staff. No one could have used those toilets!”
Wa-wait, what. What does this mean about Mr. Lewis's testimony then...?
I looked to Prosecutor Blackquill. Prosecutor Blackquill seemed to be as dumbfounded as I was.
So Mr. Lewis was lying in his testimony after all. Just as Apollo had pointed out. But lying about the toilet... It seems we'll have to look further into Mr. Lewis's testimony...
But I once again picked up on something odd.
The toilets were being cleaned? Something was off about Mr. Knight's testimony.
“Mr. Knight. How did you know the toilets were being cleaned?”
“Huh? It was obvious just by looking!”
“How so?”
“It's obvious. The sign. Have you never seen a restroom undergoing cleaning? They put a little sign to say cleaning in progress at the entrance!”
“– Earlier, you said this. 'The field of vision inside a mascot suit is definitely narrow. You can't look up, down, left or right.' Do you recall that?”
“......!”
Mr. Knight began to sweat profusely again. It was even worse than before.
“Could you really see a small sign on the floor from inside the costume? I thought you couldn't see up, down, left or right?”
“Well... Well, I... um... could see... that... much... probably...”
“Let's test it out. Let's bring in the Bookington costume and a cleaning in progress sign.”
There was no need for that. Mr. Knight let out a scream of “Argyaaah!?” and his glasses shattered again.
He put on another spare pair and spoke despondently.
“Sorry... I'm sorry! I really did... take off the costume... That's when I saw the sign... I was also lying about being in the hallway the whole time...”
“What... what that...!?”
Prosecutor Blackquill groaned.
He gave Mr. Knight a deathly stare. I understand his anger at having learned that his trusted witness was lying but... it's terrifying.
Mr. Knight confessed through his tears.
“I'm sorry. I never thought it would come to this... My lies... they were all for Trucy... Trucy Wright!
“Trucy!?”
I was taken aback, I wasn't expecting her name to come into this.
What is this man saying...!? Is he really accusing Trucy of the crime!?
Trucy stood up in the gallery and shouted.
“I know nothing about...”
Having just been cowering behind his tears, Mr. Knight's expression immediately changed.
His eyes glittered, his cheeks flushed. Not just his expression, but his voice also...
“Uwaaaaaaaah Trucyyyyyyyyyy! You're the super cutest in the galaxy, Trucyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy–!”
“...!?”
Trucy shot up, looking ready to flee.
Th... this fierce voice... I recall hearing it somewhere...
“I heard him in the audience, I think...”
Apollo whispered.
I also recalled. I heard that voice somewhere behind us during Trucy's magic show.
... Eh? Does that mean that voice I heard was Mr. Knight...?
The judge's eyes widened.
“What is the meaning of this? Witness, do you have some kind of relation to Trucyy Wright?”
“It's Trucy, not Trucyy.”
Trucy corrected him, taking offence.
Mr. Knight spoke dejectedly once more.
“I'm... just a fan... a huge fan... the biggest fan in the galaxy...”
“You falsified your testimony for Ms. Wright's sake? What do you mean by that?”
“I... wanted to see the event no matter what. Trucy's magnificently splendid adorable magic show... But I was working... Even on my break... I figured I wouldn't be allowed to...”
“So you snuck out leaving the costume in your place.”
Geez. That was one helluva false alarm...
Apollo spoke up.
“Come to think of it, when we saw him at the book store he said 'Tr, Tr, Tr'. I'm assuming he must have been shocked to see Trucy.”
Tr, Tr, Trucy! is probably what he was trying to say. He was shocked to see his favourite magician suddenly appear, went into a panic and ran away to hide inside Bookington... Makes sense.
“... Vanish...”
A voice rumbled from the pits of hell. It was Prosecutor Blackquill. His whole essence was emanating bloodlust...!
I spoke up.
“Mr. Knight's testimony has crumbled. The 'eyes' that were supposedly keeping watch weren't actually there. Which means we cannot dismiss the possibility of someone else other than Ms. Cutter entering or leaving the room!
“Silence!”
Prosecutor Blackquill roared. The hawk on his shoulder spread its wings threateningly.
“Even so, it doesn't change the defendant's suspicious behaviour. It still stands that she was discreetly trying to sneak into the other waiting room...!”
“–I would like to hear the testimony of Mr. Fabio Lewis once more.”
I said.
We've overturned the claim that he was going to the bathroom. This would be my opening for a breakthrough...!
Mr. Lewis stood at the witness stand once more.
He was already informed of the contents of Mr. Knight's testimony. He appeared to be rather nervous.
“Mr. Lewis. You previously told us you 'went into the hallway to use the staff restroom'. However, new testimony contradicts your claim.”
“...”
“At the time in question, the staff facilities were being cleaned. There was no way you could have used the bathroom there.”
“Indeed, that's why I headed straight back to the shop! And afterwards I went to the public bathroom for customers instead. After all, there's nothing to stop employees using the public bathrooms as well in such an instance! Got a problem with that!?”
“No... There's no problem...”
“Do you really want to know which bathroom I went to!? Are you really that interested in what I do in the bathroom–!?”
... Absolutely not!
I pointed to the court record.
“You yourself earlier stated 'The precise time I entered the hallway was 1:08 PM. By the time I'd finished my business and returned to the shop, it was 1:23 PM. ' ... See?”
“...!”
“If you immediately returned to the shop upon realising the toilets were being cleaned, what about those fifteen minutes? What exactly were you doing during that time?”
Mr. Lewis fiddled with his scarf and kept on blinking. It seemed like he was desperately searching for a decent answer...
This was definitely an important point. I really need to shake this testimony for all it's worth.
“You previously testified against Ms. Cutter. The fact you would go as far as to lie to incriminate her... Why is that?”
“...”
“It wouldn't be because you're involved in the murder yourself, is it?”
“Of course not!”
Mr. Lewis screeched, placing his hands on his cheeks.
“Absolutely preposterous! I know nothing!”
“Then please testify. What were you doing during those fifteen minutes in the hallway?”
“That's... That's... Hieeeeeeh!”
Mr. Lewis pulled off his scarf. He was trembling fiercely...
“I, I know nothing...! Murder... As if I'd get involved in something so ghastly–!”
“Then let us check your fingerprints.”
I spoke softly, to try and calm Mr. Lewis's agitation.
“Finger... prints...?”
“We'll compare your prints to all those found within the scene. If you're truly uninvolved in the incident, you've no reason to refuse.”
“Th-th-that's... Th-th-there's no wa... y... Guaaaaah!?”
Mr. Lewis's eyes rolled back and he began to foam at the mouth.
... I've really rattled him now. There's no mistaking it. He's hiding something important...
The test results were soon made clear.
The bailiff delivered the documents to me. I'm sure that these will confirm my suspicions...
“...!?”
... Eh? Wh... What the? This is...?
I'd naturally assumed that Mr. Lewis's prints would appear at the scene... That his fabricated testimonies were to cover for his own misdeeds...
However the results from the fingerprint comparisons had betrayed my expectations.
“There's not a single fingerprint from Mr. Lewis in our crime scene, waiting room B...!”
The judge stared blankly at my statement.
“Oh...? Is that so? In that case, Mr. Lewis is clearly not involved in this incident...”
“However, waiting room A! His fingerprints were found everywhere inside that room...!”
“Eh... Eeeh? What was that...?”
The judge tilted his neck as if doubting his own ears.
I can hardly believe it myself. But scientific analysis doesn't lie.
I looked to Mr. Lewis, his eyes rolled back and his hands fluttering.
“What's the meaning of this, Mr. Lewis? Please explain. Why were your fingerprints inside waiting room A!? Not only that, but everywhere! The chairs, table, dressing table, lockers... Your fingerprints are on almost every surface within that room!”
“I... I... I'm just... Aaaaaah! A pure angel with a love of beautiful things! That's all I aaaaaaam!”
Mr. Lewis crumpled upon the witness stand.
“Mr. Lewis! Explain yourself without hiding anything. What were you doing before and after the incident!?”
“I... I juuuust... love... beautiful... things... so muuuuuch...”
“If you don't have a proper explanation, you could be implicated as an accessory to murder!”
Mr. Lewis screamed “Nooooooo!” and then finally began to tell the truth...
“... I just get all heated up when I see something beautiful. I want to have it for myself...”
Mr. Lewis spoke, having finally calmed himself.
“It's not the first time. A lot of times... well... when I get the chance, I take beautiful things... for myself...”
“... That is, you steal them?”
Mr. Lewis covered his face when I spoke.
“The goddess of beauty tempts me! In the face of such temptation, I'm naught but a weak lamb...!”
... So basically, you're a thief.
So until now, Mr. Lewis has continued to steal things. Which means in this instance–
“It's true I went into the hallway to use the bathroom. It just so happens that at that time I coincidentally saw Ms. Cutter. A popular idol would obviously have beautiful things in her room... like costumes or accessories! With that in mind... I just...”
So he snuck into waiting room A just after he saw Ms. Cutter leave. And he left his fingerprints while searching all over the room...
“The jacket hanging on the back of the chair was so cute! It was love at first sight! I couldn't ignore the goddess of beauty's temptation!”
“... Then you stole it?”
“I'm sorrrrryyyyyyy–!”
Mr. Lewis smashed his forehead into the witness stand.
In order to hide his own crime, he claimed Ms. Cutter was wearing her jacket. Perjury is a serious offence.
“Where is the stolen jacket?”
“I discreetly hid it inside my own locker before taking it home...”
I nodded and turned back towards the prosecutor's bench.
Prosecutor Blackquill had turned his back. After all, his two witnesses he'd had such confidence in had both their testimonies crushed. An incredibly irritated aura emanated from him...
“It's now clear that the defendant was not wearing her jacket when she moved between rooms.”
“...”
“She was only wearing a simple sleeveless one piece dress. There was nowhere she could conceal a large knife!”
“... The defendant was wearing long boots.”
Prosecutor Blackquill turned back around.
His face was terrifying, yet calm. The hawk on his shoulder had also calmed down.
“If she had the knife in her boots, she could carry it without it being conspicuous. This stupid thief was too focused on all the things he could steal to take a close look at the defendant.”
Hmm... It's a bit of a stretch, but there's no obvious holes in that logic...
“More importantly, we have another decisive witness.”
... He's got more?
No, I've turned over some overwhelming odds already. I've just got to work past this next testimony too!
“Our next witness – is this man.”
The third witness took the stand, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Um, my name is Sebastian Porter. My occupation is as Melody Cutter's manager.”
The manager, Mr. Porter, huh?
The fact that Ms. Cutter asked Mr. Porter to leave the room to go shopping... is a fact already well known to us. Has he got even more testimony that will throw suspicion on Ms. Cutter?
“Melody told me 'I'd like you to buy me a drink', so I left the waiting room. I had trouble finding the 'banana green tea melon honey soda' she asked for, so I went around a lot of vending machines. When I was unable to find it anywhere, I finally asked in a convenience store within the mall, only to find out it was a new product that wasn't being released for another three days yet... With no other option, I settled for buying her a regular green tea and returned to the waiting room. However, Melody wasn't there and I heard a voice coming from the room next door. I went back into the hallway and tried to enter waiting room B, but the door was locked.”
Lo... Locked...? The door to waiting room B...?
This is the ultimate testimony for the prosecution! The reason Prosecutor Blackquill had been so calm is because he still had this card up his sleeve.
But, I can't back down. I began the cross examination.
“Around what time did you return to the waiting room?”
“It was 1:37 PM. I knew I had to be back before Melody had her act, so I was frequently checking my watch, so I'm certain.”
“Whose voice was it you heard coming from waiting room B?”
“It was Melody's.”
“And what about Mr. Ukulfaskul's voice?”
“I didn't hear it... as far as I recall.”
“What was Ms. Cutter saying?”
“I heard her say 'Today is the end of it' in a worked up state. After that, she was speaking too quietly for me to make out any words.”
Today is the end of it... What could that mean? If she'd never met Mr. Ukulfaskul before, isn't that an odd thing to say?
Ms. Cutter was looking downwards. This... is pretty bad...
I continued my questioning in desperation.
“So the door to waiting room B was locked... What did you do then?”
“I knocked on the door and called out to her. I said 'Melody, you're on soon' and she replied 'I know', but she didn't open the door. I then returned to waiting room A. The room has two doors, one in the hallway and one on the wing of the stage. I figured I'd check on her in waiting room B from the stage side door.”
“Did you see inside waiting room B?”
“No. By the time I came out onto the wing of the stage, Melody had come out from waiting room B. She looked pale and unsteady on her feet so I asked 'Are you okay?'. She replied 'I'm fine. Get me my jacket and knife'. I then went back to waiting room A... but I could find neither the jacket or the knife there. By the time I'd returned to tell her I couldn't find them, she'd already gone on stage in the chaos in her bewildered state.”
I desperately searched for a thread to pull on... but...
The hallway door was locked. The other door connects to the wing of the stage, where Trucy and the staff were the whole time. Which means...
“Which means the room was inaccessible.”
The conclusion I didn't want to admit to was spelled out by Prosecutor Blackquill.
“The only ones inside were the victim and the defendant. It was impossible for a third party to have entered. Are you still going to insist that your client is innocent?”
“...!”
Think. Were there any contradictions in Mr. Porter's testimony? Any odd points? Any chance that Mr. Porter was lying...?”
I decided to ask Ms. Cutter.
“The statement that the door to waiting room B was locked... Is it true?”
Ms. Cutter lifted her head and gave a small nod.
“It's true. I locked the door.”
“...! Why did you do that?”
“...”
She looked down again.
If Mr. Ukulfaskul was being persistent in unwanted advances, the normal reaction would be to leave the room and go back to her own one, not locking the door.
What reason did she have the lock the door...?
“The envelope.”
Prosecutor Blackquill spoke as if to answer my question.
“Envelope?”
“The one that stupid thief testified about. When the defendant entered the room she was holding an envelope.”
That's right. What's the story behind the envelope...?
“We found it at the scene. It was in the victim's bag.”
“Eh...”
“There was cash inside. Quite a lot of cash.”
“Eh... Eeeeeeeeh–!?”
I was taken aback with shock.
Prosecutor Blackquill continued, not giving up his pursuit.
“The banknotes found inside the envelope had fingerprints from both the victim and the defendant. You understand the significance of this, Wright-dono?”
“...”
“The defendant gave the victim an envelope filled with cash. It seems there was some reason she had to pay him money in secret. For that reason, she chased off her manager and locked the door.”
This... This can't be...
I thought they had never met before? He wasn't being persistent in trying to obtain her contact details? Was everything you told me all a lie, Ms. Cutter...!?
Prosecutor Blackquill went to seal the deal.
“The defendant was being blackmailed by the victim. That was her motive to kill him!”
The once silent gallery became an uproar.
I was out of answers, I stared blankly at Ms. Cutter.
Ms. Cutter lifted her face and shouted through her tears.
“It's true I was giving that man money. But, I absolutely did not kill him...!”
“My name... is Reed Knight. I work in a book store...”
Mr. Knight mumbled his introduction almost impossible to make out as he began his testimony.
“I was wearing a mascot costume for work. During my break, I went into the hallway and sat on the bench while wearing my costume. I saw Ms. Cutter move between waiting rooms, but I didn't make anything of it at the time. Also... I saw the attorney there walking down the hallway. That's all. I didn't see anybody else.”
Come to think of it, that reminds me.
When I was going to the owner's office. I do recall seeing Bookington sitting in the corner.
Prosecutor Blackquill spoke.
“The waiting room doors were always within his line of sight. This book store employee didn't see anyone... Nobody went near the waiting rooms other than the defendant.”
Hmm... A simple, yet troublesome testimony.
Anyway, I better start the cross examination.
“Between what times were you sitting on that bench?”
“Uuuh... The promotional character event was supposed to finish at 1:00 PM... But because of the number of customers, it overran slightly... I stepped out into the hallway at probably around 1:05 or 1:06 PM. I then sat on the bench the whole time until a bit after 1:40 PM.”
It was probably around that time when I saw Bookington on my way to the elevator. There's no contradictions. But... Something is still bugging me.
“You were wearing the costume the whole time?”
“... I just said that, didn't I?”
“I thought it'd be uncomfortable in there. Why didn't you remove it during your break?”
“I'm... kinda shy... I feel calmer when I'm inside the suit...”
Just looking at the guy, it's pretty clear he's not lying about his shyness.
However...
“I've heard that mascot suits severely restrict your field of vision. Can you really confirm that it was Ms. Cutter you saw in that state?”
“Yes... of course. The field of vision inside a mascot suit is definitely narrow. You can't look up, down, left or right. However you have a clear view directly in front. I can confirm that I saw both Ms. Cutter and yourself, Mr. Lawyer.”
Going by the fact he saw me, that would mean he's not lying about seeing ahead clearly... I guess.
But something about that still bugs me.
“So you saw nobody else other than Ms. Cutter and myself? You're sure of this?”
“Ye... yeah...”
“Objection! There is a clear contradiction in the testimony.”
Mr. Knight flinched as I pointed this out.
He's definitely got something weighing on his conscience. I continued with confidence.
“Ms. Cutter and I weren't the only ones to pass through that hallway. There's at least one other person who passed through who isn't mentioned in your testimony. Witness, were you really on that bench for the whole time?”
“O-o-o-o-of course! I was sitting on the bench the whole time!”
You could tell just by looking that Mr. Knight was losing his composure. Large drops of sweat formed on his brow.
I plunged straight for the truth.
“Ms. Cutter's manager, Mr. Porter left the waiting room to buy her a drink. Why didn't you ever see him?”
“Silence!”
Prosecutor Blackquill butted in.
“The manager left the room immediately after the defendant returned from the stage... at 1:05 PM. The witness previously testified that he entered the hallway at around 1:05 or 1:06 PM. Which means the witness entered the hallway just after the manager left. There's no contradiction.”
Mr. Knight put a hand to his chest in relief.
I continued on.
“I'll concede on the manager. But what about the other person?”
“Other... person?”
The boutique employee Fabio Lewis used the staff toilets. According to his testimony, this was at 1:08 PM. Did you not see Mr. Lewis in the hallway?”
Mr. Knight began sweating profusely once more.
“I-it must have been before I went out into the hallway then...”
“That's odd. Just after Mr. Lewis entered the hallway he saw Ms. Cutter moving between rooms. If you really saw Ms. Cutter, there's no way you could have missed Mr. Lewis. In order to move from the boutique's back door to the bathroom, he'd have to walk right in front of you.”
While wiping away his sweat, he made a quick rebuttal.
“O-o-o-of course I saw him! I just forgot to mention it!”
“You forgot such an important detail? Well, let's revise your testimony. Please describe Mr. Lewis for us. What was he wearing? What colour were his clothes?”
Mr. Lewis has an eccentric fashion sense. You wouldn't forget him easily.
Mr. Knight became flustered. He stiffened up and looked at the ceiling.
“You never saw Mr. Lewis. Which means you also never saw Ms. Cutter. You learned of her movements later and spoke as if you had witnessed her. That's because...”
“N-n-no way... Y-you're wrong... I... I didn't!”
“That's because, you weren't in the hallway. You left the costume sitting on the bench in your place, so that you could move around freely!”
“Ah, ah, ah... Argyaah!?”
Bull's eye. Mr. Knight was seriously rattled. He let out a shriek, shattering his glasses with fragments flying everywhere.
Right, I've broken through. Mr. Knight's testimony has crumbled! Which means, having used his costume as an alibi, Mr. Knight himself is the most suspicious... It's time to drive it home.
Mr. Knight pulled out a spare pair of glasses and put them on, before letting out a howling scream.
“I'm not lying. I was inside Bookington the whole time, sitting on the bench! If anyone's lying, it's gotta be that Lewis guy!”
“... What?”
“His testimony is a lie! Because, because, he couldn't have used the staff toilets. If he says he used the bathroom, then he's lying!”
... Wha...
What on earth?
Mr. Knight had made a full recovery and was full of spirit as he stood.
“The toilets were being cleaned. If you think I'm lying, then ask the mall staff. No one could have used those toilets!”
Wa-wait, what. What does this mean about Mr. Lewis's testimony then...?
I looked to Prosecutor Blackquill. Prosecutor Blackquill seemed to be as dumbfounded as I was.
So Mr. Lewis was lying in his testimony after all. Just as Apollo had pointed out. But lying about the toilet... It seems we'll have to look further into Mr. Lewis's testimony...
But I once again picked up on something odd.
The toilets were being cleaned? Something was off about Mr. Knight's testimony.
“Mr. Knight. How did you know the toilets were being cleaned?”
“Huh? It was obvious just by looking!”
“How so?”
“It's obvious. The sign. Have you never seen a restroom undergoing cleaning? They put a little sign to say cleaning in progress at the entrance!”
“– Earlier, you said this. 'The field of vision inside a mascot suit is definitely narrow. You can't look up, down, left or right.' Do you recall that?”
“......!”
Mr. Knight began to sweat profusely again. It was even worse than before.
“Could you really see a small sign on the floor from inside the costume? I thought you couldn't see up, down, left or right?”
“Well... Well, I... um... could see... that... much... probably...”
“Let's test it out. Let's bring in the Bookington costume and a cleaning in progress sign.”
There was no need for that. Mr. Knight let out a scream of “Argyaaah!?” and his glasses shattered again.
He put on another spare pair and spoke despondently.
“Sorry... I'm sorry! I really did... take off the costume... That's when I saw the sign... I was also lying about being in the hallway the whole time...”
“What... what that...!?”
Prosecutor Blackquill groaned.
He gave Mr. Knight a deathly stare. I understand his anger at having learned that his trusted witness was lying but... it's terrifying.
Mr. Knight confessed through his tears.
“I'm sorry. I never thought it would come to this... My lies... they were all for Trucy... Trucy Wright!
“Trucy!?”
I was taken aback, I wasn't expecting her name to come into this.
What is this man saying...!? Is he really accusing Trucy of the crime!?
Trucy stood up in the gallery and shouted.
“I know nothing about...”
Having just been cowering behind his tears, Mr. Knight's expression immediately changed.
His eyes glittered, his cheeks flushed. Not just his expression, but his voice also...
“Uwaaaaaaaah Trucyyyyyyyyyy! You're the super cutest in the galaxy, Trucyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy–!”
“...!?”
Trucy shot up, looking ready to flee.
Th... this fierce voice... I recall hearing it somewhere...
“I heard him in the audience, I think...”
Apollo whispered.
I also recalled. I heard that voice somewhere behind us during Trucy's magic show.
... Eh? Does that mean that voice I heard was Mr. Knight...?
The judge's eyes widened.
“What is the meaning of this? Witness, do you have some kind of relation to Trucyy Wright?”
“It's Trucy, not Trucyy.”
Trucy corrected him, taking offence.
Mr. Knight spoke dejectedly once more.
“I'm... just a fan... a huge fan... the biggest fan in the galaxy...”
“You falsified your testimony for Ms. Wright's sake? What do you mean by that?”
“I... wanted to see the event no matter what. Trucy's magnificently splendid adorable magic show... But I was working... Even on my break... I figured I wouldn't be allowed to...”
“So you snuck out leaving the costume in your place.”
Geez. That was one helluva false alarm...
Apollo spoke up.
“Come to think of it, when we saw him at the book store he said 'Tr, Tr, Tr'. I'm assuming he must have been shocked to see Trucy.”
Tr, Tr, Trucy! is probably what he was trying to say. He was shocked to see his favourite magician suddenly appear, went into a panic and ran away to hide inside Bookington... Makes sense.
“... Vanish...”
A voice rumbled from the pits of hell. It was Prosecutor Blackquill. His whole essence was emanating bloodlust...!
I spoke up.
“Mr. Knight's testimony has crumbled. The 'eyes' that were supposedly keeping watch weren't actually there. Which means we cannot dismiss the possibility of someone else other than Ms. Cutter entering or leaving the room!
“Silence!”
Prosecutor Blackquill roared. The hawk on his shoulder spread its wings threateningly.
“Even so, it doesn't change the defendant's suspicious behaviour. It still stands that she was discreetly trying to sneak into the other waiting room...!”
“–I would like to hear the testimony of Mr. Fabio Lewis once more.”
I said.
We've overturned the claim that he was going to the bathroom. This would be my opening for a breakthrough...!
Mr. Lewis stood at the witness stand once more.
He was already informed of the contents of Mr. Knight's testimony. He appeared to be rather nervous.
“Mr. Lewis. You previously told us you 'went into the hallway to use the staff restroom'. However, new testimony contradicts your claim.”
“...”
“At the time in question, the staff facilities were being cleaned. There was no way you could have used the bathroom there.”
“Indeed, that's why I headed straight back to the shop! And afterwards I went to the public bathroom for customers instead. After all, there's nothing to stop employees using the public bathrooms as well in such an instance! Got a problem with that!?”
“No... There's no problem...”
“Do you really want to know which bathroom I went to!? Are you really that interested in what I do in the bathroom–!?”
... Absolutely not!
I pointed to the court record.
“You yourself earlier stated 'The precise time I entered the hallway was 1:08 PM. By the time I'd finished my business and returned to the shop, it was 1:23 PM. ' ... See?”
“...!”
“If you immediately returned to the shop upon realising the toilets were being cleaned, what about those fifteen minutes? What exactly were you doing during that time?”
Mr. Lewis fiddled with his scarf and kept on blinking. It seemed like he was desperately searching for a decent answer...
This was definitely an important point. I really need to shake this testimony for all it's worth.
“You previously testified against Ms. Cutter. The fact you would go as far as to lie to incriminate her... Why is that?”
“...”
“It wouldn't be because you're involved in the murder yourself, is it?”
“Of course not!”
Mr. Lewis screeched, placing his hands on his cheeks.
“Absolutely preposterous! I know nothing!”
“Then please testify. What were you doing during those fifteen minutes in the hallway?”
“That's... That's... Hieeeeeeh!”
Mr. Lewis pulled off his scarf. He was trembling fiercely...
“I, I know nothing...! Murder... As if I'd get involved in something so ghastly–!”
“Then let us check your fingerprints.”
I spoke softly, to try and calm Mr. Lewis's agitation.
“Finger... prints...?”
“We'll compare your prints to all those found within the scene. If you're truly uninvolved in the incident, you've no reason to refuse.”
“Th-th-that's... Th-th-there's no wa... y... Guaaaaah!?”
Mr. Lewis's eyes rolled back and he began to foam at the mouth.
... I've really rattled him now. There's no mistaking it. He's hiding something important...
The test results were soon made clear.
The bailiff delivered the documents to me. I'm sure that these will confirm my suspicions...
“...!?”
... Eh? Wh... What the? This is...?
I'd naturally assumed that Mr. Lewis's prints would appear at the scene... That his fabricated testimonies were to cover for his own misdeeds...
However the results from the fingerprint comparisons had betrayed my expectations.
“There's not a single fingerprint from Mr. Lewis in our crime scene, waiting room B...!”
The judge stared blankly at my statement.
“Oh...? Is that so? In that case, Mr. Lewis is clearly not involved in this incident...”
“However, waiting room A! His fingerprints were found everywhere inside that room...!”
“Eh... Eeeh? What was that...?”
The judge tilted his neck as if doubting his own ears.
I can hardly believe it myself. But scientific analysis doesn't lie.
I looked to Mr. Lewis, his eyes rolled back and his hands fluttering.
“What's the meaning of this, Mr. Lewis? Please explain. Why were your fingerprints inside waiting room A!? Not only that, but everywhere! The chairs, table, dressing table, lockers... Your fingerprints are on almost every surface within that room!”
“I... I... I'm just... Aaaaaah! A pure angel with a love of beautiful things! That's all I aaaaaaam!”
Mr. Lewis crumpled upon the witness stand.
“Mr. Lewis! Explain yourself without hiding anything. What were you doing before and after the incident!?”
“I... I juuuust... love... beautiful... things... so muuuuuch...”
“If you don't have a proper explanation, you could be implicated as an accessory to murder!”
Mr. Lewis screamed “Nooooooo!” and then finally began to tell the truth...
“... I just get all heated up when I see something beautiful. I want to have it for myself...”
Mr. Lewis spoke, having finally calmed himself.
“It's not the first time. A lot of times... well... when I get the chance, I take beautiful things... for myself...”
“... That is, you steal them?”
Mr. Lewis covered his face when I spoke.
“The goddess of beauty tempts me! In the face of such temptation, I'm naught but a weak lamb...!”
... So basically, you're a thief.
So until now, Mr. Lewis has continued to steal things. Which means in this instance–
“It's true I went into the hallway to use the bathroom. It just so happens that at that time I coincidentally saw Ms. Cutter. A popular idol would obviously have beautiful things in her room... like costumes or accessories! With that in mind... I just...”
So he snuck into waiting room A just after he saw Ms. Cutter leave. And he left his fingerprints while searching all over the room...
“The jacket hanging on the back of the chair was so cute! It was love at first sight! I couldn't ignore the goddess of beauty's temptation!”
“... Then you stole it?”
“I'm sorrrrryyyyyyy–!”
Mr. Lewis smashed his forehead into the witness stand.
In order to hide his own crime, he claimed Ms. Cutter was wearing her jacket. Perjury is a serious offence.
“Where is the stolen jacket?”
“I discreetly hid it inside my own locker before taking it home...”
I nodded and turned back towards the prosecutor's bench.
Prosecutor Blackquill had turned his back. After all, his two witnesses he'd had such confidence in had both their testimonies crushed. An incredibly irritated aura emanated from him...
“It's now clear that the defendant was not wearing her jacket when she moved between rooms.”
“...”
“She was only wearing a simple sleeveless one piece dress. There was nowhere she could conceal a large knife!”
“... The defendant was wearing long boots.”
Prosecutor Blackquill turned back around.
His face was terrifying, yet calm. The hawk on his shoulder had also calmed down.
“If she had the knife in her boots, she could carry it without it being conspicuous. This stupid thief was too focused on all the things he could steal to take a close look at the defendant.”
Hmm... It's a bit of a stretch, but there's no obvious holes in that logic...
“More importantly, we have another decisive witness.”
... He's got more?
No, I've turned over some overwhelming odds already. I've just got to work past this next testimony too!
“Our next witness – is this man.”
The third witness took the stand, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Um, my name is Sebastian Porter. My occupation is as Melody Cutter's manager.”
The manager, Mr. Porter, huh?
The fact that Ms. Cutter asked Mr. Porter to leave the room to go shopping... is a fact already well known to us. Has he got even more testimony that will throw suspicion on Ms. Cutter?
“Melody told me 'I'd like you to buy me a drink', so I left the waiting room. I had trouble finding the 'banana green tea melon honey soda' she asked for, so I went around a lot of vending machines. When I was unable to find it anywhere, I finally asked in a convenience store within the mall, only to find out it was a new product that wasn't being released for another three days yet... With no other option, I settled for buying her a regular green tea and returned to the waiting room. However, Melody wasn't there and I heard a voice coming from the room next door. I went back into the hallway and tried to enter waiting room B, but the door was locked.”
Lo... Locked...? The door to waiting room B...?
This is the ultimate testimony for the prosecution! The reason Prosecutor Blackquill had been so calm is because he still had this card up his sleeve.
But, I can't back down. I began the cross examination.
“Around what time did you return to the waiting room?”
“It was 1:37 PM. I knew I had to be back before Melody had her act, so I was frequently checking my watch, so I'm certain.”
“Whose voice was it you heard coming from waiting room B?”
“It was Melody's.”
“And what about Mr. Ukulfaskul's voice?”
“I didn't hear it... as far as I recall.”
“What was Ms. Cutter saying?”
“I heard her say 'Today is the end of it' in a worked up state. After that, she was speaking too quietly for me to make out any words.”
Today is the end of it... What could that mean? If she'd never met Mr. Ukulfaskul before, isn't that an odd thing to say?
Ms. Cutter was looking downwards. This... is pretty bad...
I continued my questioning in desperation.
“So the door to waiting room B was locked... What did you do then?”
“I knocked on the door and called out to her. I said 'Melody, you're on soon' and she replied 'I know', but she didn't open the door. I then returned to waiting room A. The room has two doors, one in the hallway and one on the wing of the stage. I figured I'd check on her in waiting room B from the stage side door.”
“Did you see inside waiting room B?”
“No. By the time I came out onto the wing of the stage, Melody had come out from waiting room B. She looked pale and unsteady on her feet so I asked 'Are you okay?'. She replied 'I'm fine. Get me my jacket and knife'. I then went back to waiting room A... but I could find neither the jacket or the knife there. By the time I'd returned to tell her I couldn't find them, she'd already gone on stage in the chaos in her bewildered state.”
I desperately searched for a thread to pull on... but...
The hallway door was locked. The other door connects to the wing of the stage, where Trucy and the staff were the whole time. Which means...
“Which means the room was inaccessible.”
The conclusion I didn't want to admit to was spelled out by Prosecutor Blackquill.
“The only ones inside were the victim and the defendant. It was impossible for a third party to have entered. Are you still going to insist that your client is innocent?”
“...!”
Think. Were there any contradictions in Mr. Porter's testimony? Any odd points? Any chance that Mr. Porter was lying...?”
I decided to ask Ms. Cutter.
“The statement that the door to waiting room B was locked... Is it true?”
Ms. Cutter lifted her head and gave a small nod.
“It's true. I locked the door.”
“...! Why did you do that?”
“...”
She looked down again.
If Mr. Ukulfaskul was being persistent in unwanted advances, the normal reaction would be to leave the room and go back to her own one, not locking the door.
What reason did she have the lock the door...?
“The envelope.”
Prosecutor Blackquill spoke as if to answer my question.
“Envelope?”
“The one that stupid thief testified about. When the defendant entered the room she was holding an envelope.”
That's right. What's the story behind the envelope...?
“We found it at the scene. It was in the victim's bag.”
“Eh...”
“There was cash inside. Quite a lot of cash.”
“Eh... Eeeeeeeeh–!?”
I was taken aback with shock.
Prosecutor Blackquill continued, not giving up his pursuit.
“The banknotes found inside the envelope had fingerprints from both the victim and the defendant. You understand the significance of this, Wright-dono?”
“...”
“The defendant gave the victim an envelope filled with cash. It seems there was some reason she had to pay him money in secret. For that reason, she chased off her manager and locked the door.”
This... This can't be...
I thought they had never met before? He wasn't being persistent in trying to obtain her contact details? Was everything you told me all a lie, Ms. Cutter...!?
Prosecutor Blackquill went to seal the deal.
“The defendant was being blackmailed by the victim. That was her motive to kill him!”
The once silent gallery became an uproar.
I was out of answers, I stared blankly at Ms. Cutter.
Ms. Cutter lifted her face and shouted through her tears.
“It's true I was giving that man money. But, I absolutely did not kill him...!”