Turnabout Histories: Turnabout In Law Part I

[madimpossibledreamer]

Unfortunately, my laptop died and ate part of this case.  I hate rewriting things, but I will, eventually.  (I only just noticed it didn't keep everything.  Bleh.)  Fortunately, I was able to get research ebooks working, so I should be churning out a new chapter of Shadowed Suspicion soon.

Main Points:
Ace Attorney AU
Chapter I of Turnabout In Law
Summary: A husband comes and asks Edgeworth to defend his wife in court, and Phoenix gets to see first hand Edgeworth's investigation style.
First case of Edgeworth & Wright!
Word Count: 3,084
Rating: T

 

"Hey, wait!  Where are you going?"  A female voice.

No answer.  The intruder runs away, giving no indication of who they are.

The woman grabs her skirts to give chase.  She finds someone lying on the ground at the base of a flight of stairs, but no sign of the running person.

She decides to turn on the lights and turns, only to see that the person she thought was just lying on the stairs was actually a body, missing an arm, lying in a pool of blood.  She screams.

 

October 13, 10.56 A.M.            

Edgeworth & Co. Law Offices

            Wright sighed.  So far, it had been pretty boring.  Then again, for all Edgeworth had talked about having more cases than Wright had, he hadn't seen any evidence of that claim.  At least he and Edgeworth had begun to bond again, but he was actually beginning to miss work, as crazy as that sounded.  He was reduced to staring at pencils and pads of paper.  Maybe he should brush up on his drawing skills a little more again.

            He literally startled and knocked over his aluminum pencil container when a man barged into the office, the pencils spreading all over the floor.  The man looked flustered, red-eyed, like he hadn't slept, and stains, suspiciously like blood, could be seen on the bright yellow clothes.  He also had what looked like an explorer's hat on.  (Okay, if he ran all the way here from the Amazon jungle, I would be seriously impressed.  I don't know if they need the aid of defense lawyers in the Amazon, though.)

            "Please, you've got to help me!" he managed to gasp, seriously in a panic.

            Instantly Edgeworth was at the man's side, offering a cup of...was that coffee?  (Maybe his clients actually drink all of his tea and coffee.  Or maybe he's just trying to get rid of the ground coffee that he dislikes so much.)  "It would help greatly if you could calm down and tell us the story from the beginning," he soothed.  (...He seriously is good at dealing with people.  I would never have guessed.)

            The man swallowed the cup all in one gulp, and surprisingly didn't start coughing at how hot it was.  "My wife—they think she murdered the head of our family.  But she couldn't—she wouldn't hurt anyone!"

            "...Please continue."  Edgeworth sat on Wright's desk, facing the visitor, who'd sunk into the chair as if it was a welcome respite.
            "...Uncle Moss keeps talking about the family name and honor and how that means this case should be resolved as quickly as possible, but I...I can't abandon my wife!  My Ruby!"  The man's head sank into his hands, the strain showing in his shoulders.  (He really cares about her.)

            "How long have you been married?"  The tone was gentle, and Edgeworth seemed to even be doing his best not to glare at the man.

            Their potential client smiled sheepishly.  "...Three days, actually, but I really love her."

            Edgeworth stared at Charley fixedly, as if the plant had all the answers, finger tapping quietly against the side of his own saucer.  "So, was this the first time your wife met this head of the family?"

            The man started.  "H-how did you know that?  You're like one of those natives we met on that expedition in '23."  (...Oh, good, he's confused about the date.  That will help a lot.)

            Edgeworth twitched, and a psyche-lock appeared.  (...Okay, that's odd.  What's he hiding?)  "I merely used logic.  There's nothing strange about that.  And would you mind telling us your name before you continue?"

            "Oh, yes, of course.  The great explorer, Beige Lemures, at your service!"  (Ouch, he has a booming voice when he wants to be loud.  I prefer the quiet, sincere one.)

            "Thank you.  Now, please, continue."  (Edgeworth's calmed down again.)

            "Yes, right.  She's the one who found the body, late last night.  She won't tell me why she was up, but I understand perfectly.  The restless spirit of the explorer!"  Boisterous, that was the word for it.  Also loud.  "We first knew something was wrong when she screamed.  She's taking it well besides that, though.  Brave soul.  The courage that led Magellan to attempt a circumnavigation of the globe, despite the fact that he died on the voyage.  The irresistible thirst for knowledge that led several on a quest through parts of the darkest Africa!"

            Edgeworth had moved his gaze back to the man, looking vastly unimpressed.  Eventually, the man noticed and nodded.  "Back to the point.  A man of business, I see.  Good form!"  He deflated a little upon a continued stare.  (The stare's almost as scary as the glare.)  "The police are saying that she had motive—that the old man didn't like my Ruby and would have forced a divorce.  A ridiculous statement.  He didn't altogether approve, but he didn't disprove, and several aspects about her intrigued the old man.  They won't let me speak to her either.  Of course, old Uncle Moss thinks it's perfectly valid.  I wouldn't be surprised if the old coot gave them the idea for motive in the first place.  He's not a bad sort, mind, but tends to meddle and thinks he knows best, you understand."

            An odd smirk came over Miles' face.  "I believe I might know the type, yes."  (...H-hey!  ...and this time he's not reacting as if he can hear my thoughts.  Odd.)

            "...Still, I don't believe she'd either kill, or even be able to kill in such a fashion.  The arm was cut off.  Ghastly sort of thing, the sort of ritualistic killing of a barbarian.  The thought that my sprite of a wife could do that is ludicrous to say the least."  The man pushed down a little more on his hat.  "I'd sooner believe it was my uncle, though any idea that he might have had motive is ridiculous, too.  Still, he at least has the strength for it."

            Edgeworth nodded.  "You have a like for guns, I would presume."

            Lemures grinned boyishly.  "Oh, that's putting it mildly, my dear chap.  I'd discuss them with you, but you don't seem to be a gun person yourself."

            Miles acknowledged the point.  "Fencing is my strong suit, although swordsmanship of any kind is rather enjoyable.  Perhaps you would fancy a saber duel at some point."

            "Sounds interesting, but I'd prefer you save my wife first."  Beige stood, holding out a hand to shake.

            Miles only hesitated for the shortest second before reaching out to shake the hand in front of him.  "I'll see what I can do, Mr. Lemures."

            "Bully!" (Edgeworth looks really confused, but he's not going to mention it.  And I guess I have a better understanding of his expressions than most, because it doesn't look like he caught that at all.  I think I've only heard it myself from a few movies Maya checked out.  That would be in the other universe.)

            Edgeworth showed Beige Lemures to the door, bowed as he held it for the explorer, and then closed it, coming back to sit opposite of Nick.  "Well, what do you think, Wright?"

            "...Shouldn't we be heading to the detention center?" he asked, confused. 

            Edgeworth shook his head.  "I like to be slightly better informed, and it's the morning.  Visiting hours won't be over for a while yet.  What did you think of Mr. Lemures?"

            (So I get to figure out how he normally goes about cases.  This'll be interesting.)  "He was pretty sincere.  And he loves his wife a lot."  The fact that those steely grey eyes didn't move an inch from his face at all meant that he was supposed to say something else.  "Uh...he doesn't seem particularly competitive, or he would've taken you up on the offer.  I'd think you'd be one of the last people to get distracted by something like that in the middle of a case, though."

            Was it just his imagination, or were Miles' eyes twinkling with amusement?  "I'm glad you have so high an opinion of me.  But of course, the fencing itself wasn't the point."

            (Of course it wasn't.  That man has plans within plans.  I'd get dizzy thinking about all the twisty logic things in his head.  And I'm pretty sure he'd get lightheaded if he tried doing anything the straightforward way for once.  Let's see.  Well, if it's anything like the ways he plays chess, it's an evaluation of the opponent, a way to get into their head...)  "Oh!" he exclaimed.

            One silvery eyebrow merely raised in question.

            "....You think he might have done it.  And you want to see what sort of guy he is.  And..."  Something else about the conversation, the way it had gone, a reason why.... "...you wanted to test how strong he was.  Figure out whether he was capable of sawing a man's arm off."

            The corner of Edgeworth's mouth twitched into the smallest of smiles.  "Yes.  Very good.  I don't particularly want to think he's our killer, but presuming we take this case on, the woman, Ruby Lemures, is our client, not her husband.  We are not obliged to take him at his word, no matter how honest he appears."

            "I thought believing in our client was the first rule of being a defense lawyer."  (I didn't mean to sound so confrontational about it.)

            Miles shrugged and directed his glance to the bottom of the bookshelf.  "I learned that lesson with Engar—" He paused.  "That's right, you never finished that case.  You...came here during the middle of it.  It may be difficult to hear, Phoenix, but...Matt Engarde was guilty.  Not of the murder itself, but of hiring an assassin.  I didn't want to believe it myself, but the evidence was extremely strong, and Adrian Andrews was a frightened, innocent person, not the murderer.  She was merely guilty of taking DeKiller's calling card away from the scene and leading to the investigation itself, forcing drastic action on a number of fronts.  And, of course, trying to frame my client, because she needed to know he wasn't going to get away with it."  His expression became closed off, reminding Phoenix unhappily of DL-6.  "I hated to think it at the time," he continued softly, almost talking to himself, "...but I had become like Prosecutor Wright.  So focused on a win record and saving the client that I lost sight of the fact that some might always be guilty.  I'm not omnipotent.  I can't tell everything about an individual.  I lost sight of an important truth—that truth, justice, not a 'not guilty', was the goal I should be striving for.  The entire courtroom should strive for that end."

            (Half of me wants to punch him, but I know that's not the appropriate response.)  "But if we believe in our clients, and the Prosecutors disbelieve, won't we end up in the same place?"

            "I...think I found a balance."  Suddenly, Miles was unsure again, glaring hesitantly at flowers in a corner of the room.  "Believe in the client, but don't let that belief blind you.  Be aware that you could be wrong, but follow each line of logic to its conclusion.  Have some confidence in yourself, but keep room for doubt in your mind always."

            "..."  (I never thought I'd see Miles Edgeworth, Philosopher.)  "That sounds much easier than it probably actually is."

            The hint of a smirk was back.  "Oh, believe me, it's both simple and very difficult.  Then again, most things in life are."  Deflecting the conversation, eh, Edgeworth?  He removed a slim pad from his organizer and pushed a few buttons.  A holographic grey block showed up.

            (Oh yeah, Edgeworth also gets to play with all of the coolest toys, even though he's not even a Prosecutor anymore.)  "You're going to have to show me how to use that stuff.  We didn't have holographs in our courtrooms, and I have the feeling they'd be more useful, if only because they're cool and have better impact than just slamming a piece of paper down on a table."

            Miles nodded shortly.  "Of course.  After all, we wouldn't want you to look any more bumbling in court than usual."  (Hey!)

            "...Being skeptical also helps you figure out the truth before you take on a client, doesn't it?"  That was kind of cheating, but it's not like he expected anything else from Edgeworth.  Not that he wasn't honorable, but finding the loopholes was something the man did rather well.

            "Sometimes it helps me find a guilty client before I take them on, yes."  Edgeworth got up and placed the gadget on the desk in front of Nick, so that they both could look at it.  "It doesn't help that Beige Lemures was so in love with his wife.  Good for their marriage, I would guess, but the man is hardly in a position to accurately assess whether his wife might be guilty."

            "There's nothing wrong with love, Edgey!"  (Even if you've never fallen for anyone, that doesn't mean that the world shouldn't have some love in it.  And help, now I'm sounding like Pearly.)

            "That's not what I was saying at all."  A frustrated sigh, as the other defense lawyer came to stand next to him.  "I was merely pointing out that he was no impartial third party.  The singleminded attitude he displayed shows that he would probably ignore any clues of a murderous frame of mind from his wife, or that he would think nothing of killing to protect her.  That much obsession on a single aspect of life is dangerous."

            Wright only felt partially mollified, particularly when he heard the barest trace of a whisper come from the magenta-clad lawyer's direction.  "...He reminded me of you, Wright."  What was he referring to?  (Ohhh, wait, I bet he's talking about Do-Miss Hawthorne.  I suppose he has a point, but I'd rather not think about that.  So I'll just pretend I didn't hear that.)

            "Okay, that makes sense.  I don't fully agree, but..."  He couldn't think of what he wanted to say next, and fell silent.

            He was somewhat surprised when Edgeworth reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, just for a moment.  "Of course not, and I wouldn't want you to.  You're not me, and as such you are entitled to your own opinion, separate from mine—even if that may occasionally make you wrong."

            (Act like you're really surprised, and Edgeworth will probably fall apart.)  "I'm not wrong.  I'm Wright," he joked, grinning stupidly.

            Miles merely rolled his eyes and touched a few buttons on the device, making a flight of three dimensional stairs suddenly pop up above Phoenix's desk.  He did seem the slightest bit more relaxed, though.  "I modified a few basic functions so that I could re-create crime scenes in order to think about them.  It's a technique, borrowed on a much smaller scale, from Prosecutor Faraday.  And everything isn't green.  I have a sneaking suspicion that's her favorite color."  Further button pressing caused a small stick figure in purple, missing one arm, to appear at the bottom of the stairs.  "Until we have further evidence, I believe it is best to start from the idea that the head of the family was killed here, so a pool of blood should be added to the scenario."  The crimson spread realistically, and Phoenix's stomach felt a little queasy.

            "We know of three of the players in the scenario, our potential client..." A red figure in a skirt was added, in the midst of a scream, "...her husband...." a yellow figure appeared, somewhere in the hazy background, "...and this mysterious Uncle Moss..." soon joined by a green figure.  Edgeworth picked up a stylus, writing several things by each of the figures.  He soon moved away with satisfaction, so that Nick could look as well. 

            The notes were as follows:

            Mysterious Head of the Lemures—the victim.  Supposedly was going to ask Beige Lemures to divorce his new wife (possible motive for murder?)  His arm was removed, but was it how he was killed or postmortem?

          Ruby Lemures-Our potential client. Described as 'gentle' by her husband.  Accused of murdering the victim, because he was going to force a divorce (after only three days of marriage).  Obviously, discrediting this motive would be the most productive at this point in time.  Her husband is convinced of her innocence.  Additionally: is she strong enough to have removed the arm of the victim?  Circumstances the night of the crime: First to discover the body.  Screamed upon finding it, but subsequently calmer.  Potentially important: Why did she refuse to tell her husband why she was awake and walking around the house?

          Beige Lemures-Husband to the potential client, and the one that asked us to take the case.  Believes in his wife.  Possibility: Given his devotion to his wife, would the current motive suggested by the prosecution be equally or even more applicable to him?  Is he a rash sort of man, or would he wait and try to convince the Head of the Lemures to change his mind before stooping to drastic action?  Evaluation of type of murderer-gun, seemed to consider removing an arm 'beastly'.  Acting, or really wouldn't particularly care for the bloody mess?  (African hunter merely appearance, or does he gut animals?  In which case, more suspicious)

          Moss Lemures-The mysterious uncle to our potential client.  Seems awfully insistent that the case be wrapped up quickly, and potentially gave police a (fictitious?) motive.  Described as 'meddlesome', and believed by Beige Lemures to be strong enough to do the deed.  Important question: Does he dislike Ruby Lemures?  (Potentially yes, trying to get her convicted quickly for a murder, mention of family honor=possibly saw Miss Ruby as a commoner marrying into a prestigious family?)  Additionally: did he have a motive for killing the Household Head Lemures?

            Wright sat back, feeling a little overwhelmed.  "O-okay, I think you've covered everything."

            He was corrected by a thoughtful tone.  "Everything we know.  We're still missing some of the most important pieces of the puzzle."

            "Well, I think we should probably go to the detention center to find more of those pieces," Phoenix remarked, and Edgeworth nodded, turning off the gadget and tucking it into his organizer.  He didn't bother picking up his suit jacket, though.

            At the door, he finally noticed Nick's quizzical look.  "The vest is formal enough for investigation, and it's rather warm for October."  Phoenix nodded and decided that he didn't particularly need his full suit, either.