Part 78: Case 5 - Rise From the Ashes - Investigation (Day 2) - Part 4

Case 5 - Rise From the Ashes
Investigation (Day 2) - Part 4

We left off questioning Marshall.





: Ms. Starr told us something... She said that you were a detective until two years ago.
: It was always my dream to be a rawhide wrangler on the scene of the crime...
: That's all gone now... Like a drinking hole in a prairie fire.
: You're still investigating the SL-9 Incident with Ms. Starr, aren't you?
: That was my case... It's all "solved" on the record books. But it smells like a bad game of poker. I can't let it go...
: That's all there is to it.
: What kind of case was it, anyway?
: We've heard the name so many times, but no one tells us what actually happened.
: ...
: There are some things you're better off not knowing, Bambina. Anyway, that case is officially dead as of two days ago.
: Two days ago... the day of our case!
: That's right...
: The evidence transferals.
: (Edgeworth was talking about the transferals, too.)



: I know what maybe two of the machines in here do.
: O-only two of them? There must be a dozen!
: Like I said, bambina, Me and machines, well...

I have no idea if that's a period/comma error or a capitalization one.

: I like them about as much as I like stewed cauliflower with my steaks.
: The easiest ones to understand are these here security cameras.



: If nothing happens, the tapes are automatically erased every few hours.
: And Officer Meekins and Detective Goodman, are they on one of those tapes?
: I reckon they might be.
: (You're the security guard and you "reckon"!?)
: One more thing.



: (Thus the card reader by the door.)





: Hey! I've seen that somewhere before!
: Sorry, Bambina. I can't show you more than that.
: Huh?
: I haven't heard whether this is related to the case, yet.
: Mr. Wright! I saw a number on that record just now!
: I've seen that number before!
: (Maybe there's some way I can prove that record is tied to the stabbing.)



: Sorry, but could you explain what this whole "transferal" thing is about?
: We keep only evidence from solved cases in this room. They're kept here under the presiding detective's supervision for two years.
: So we can re-investigate them if it turns out there was a mistake, see?
: So what happens to the evidence after two years?
: It goes to sleep forever in the underground vault at the Police Station.
: That's what we call "transferal." We do it every February.
: I see now...
: "Transferal" is like a funeral for old cases. Two years after a case is solved... it's closed forever. Dead. Never to be reopened again. Never to be reinvestigated.
: (And that happened to SL-9 two days ago...)

Now, we can present Goodman's ID card.



: Ah, the one that was on the ground in the parking lot?
: The number on this is... "5842189."
: Officer Marshall!
: Show us the ID number on that ID card record!





: It was used at... 5:14. Right before the stabbing!
: What's more, there's only one of them cards in the world!
: So, when the incident occurred, Detective Goodman was in the evidence room!
: (But wait, wat did Officer Meekins say?)



: So you asked Detective Goodman to show his ID card. What did he do?
: That's the thing! Suddenly he pointed a knife at me!



: (Why would he have pointed a knife at Officer Meekins?)
: Alright, compadre, you win.







: (I've got an idea... Maybe I should show this list to other people with IDs here...)

Marshall has nothing more for us, so...





: (It's quiet... the investigation must be over here.)
: So this is the evidence room?
: It really is kind of like a graveyard.
: Graveyards are supposed to have grass and trees. This feels more like a morgue.
: N-nice try, M-Mr. Wright. Y-you can't scare me!



: Eeeeeeek!
: Whoooooah!





: I wouldn't recommend going around smacking ghosts on the head, pal.
: So, is it true what I heard?



: Heck, if anyone asked me "sir, can I borrow $50?" I'd give them $50, no problem.
: So, go ahead! Investigate that room to your heart's desire! Knock yourself out!



: So, Chief of Police Gant...
: will loan anyone 50 bucks?
: Even me!?



: Oh, so that's what you were talking about...
: Actually, I was put in charge of the investigation for today.
: Just for today?



: But guess what!? You got permission from the Chief...
: So now you're boss for a day!
: (Gee, thanks.)



We receive a copy of the floor plan for the evidence room.





Now, we're going to question Gumshoe before we explore, because exploring is going to be time-consuming.



: So, Detective Gumshoe, you're boss for the day?
: That's right! It's an honor!
: After all, the murder took place right here, in the Police Department!
: But, if you're the boss...
: why are you all alone!?
: Where are your underlings?
: ...
: They're using our findings from yesterday's investigation to prepare for the trial.
: (In other words, Detective Gumshoe got kicked out of the investigation again...)
: I'm adamant, though!
: I'm going to take control and put this case to rest!
: And in my own evidence locker, pal!
: You have a locker in here, too, Detective Gumshoe?
: Hah hah, of course!
: I am a detective, after all.
: They gave me a locker that only I can open, pal!
: "Only you can open"...?



: I'll always believe in Mr. Edgeworth, no matter what happens.
: So... Mr. Edgeworth is with the inquiry committee now, right?
: They're trying to figure out who's responsible for the mess-up in court today.
: I see...
: I guess this is what you call "fate." Mr. Edgeworth just can't get away from that case...
: That case...?
: Yeah, that case!
: The SL-9 Incident, of course!
: That was the beginning of the end for Mr. Edgeworth.
: (Maybe we can get him to tell us more about the case...)



: This place is more high-tech than you might think.
: Every locker is fixed so that only one detective can open it.



: Well, that's the thing, pal. ID cards can be lost.
: Why, I'm on my third card since entering the force already.
: That sounds like a lot.
: Yes, but even I can't lose my own right hand!
: "Right hand"...?
: Oh!
: You mean, your fingerprint?
: Exactly, pal! The lock for each locker is coded with a fingerprint!



: Funny, they look like normal lockers...
: These are the latest model!
: There's a trick to the handles, see?
: The handles?
: On the other side of the handles is a sensor,
: and if the wrong person touches it...
: Bzzzap! You get a shock!
: If that's what happened, my hand would be black and smocking every day!
: In any case, the locks aren't that obvious.
: There's even some people in the force that don't know about the fingerprint locks!





Now we can show Gumshoe the ID card records. Maybe he's on them.



: This is the ID card record of the people who came in here on the day of the stabbing.
: Ah, I heard the rumors.
: So, it was Goodman who came in here at the time of the murder...
: Whoooooooooah!!!
: Wh-what is it?
: Th-th-th-th-th-th!
: That second number...
: It's not your ID number is it, Detective Gumshoe?
: Mr. Edgeworth!
: What...?
: The second number on this list...
: belongs to Mr. Edgeworth!



: What... Whaaaaaaaaat!?

We note his name down on the list.

: (Why would Edgeworth have come to the evidence room!?)

Next, we present the safes, to learn more about them.



: If you can open it...
: they'll give you 50 cents!
: Note: the Police Department lacks faith in its lock system.
: After all, Detective Goodman was stabbed here after opening his locker...



We can also present either the SL-9 note or the switchblade.



: I bet Edgeworth was the most surprised of anyone.
: Because of the SL-9 connection?
: That was Mr. Edgeworth's first big case you know, two years ago.
: That was the first time the world knew Edgeworth was a man to be feared!
: But, why would evidence from that case turn up now?
: I guess it's not over, pal.
: Maybe there are some loose ends left on that case...

Presenting Edgeworth's knife or parking stub...



: What would drive Chief Prosecutor Skye to do such a thing?
: ...
: W-wait, I didn't mean...
: I mean, sure, of course someone else really did it!
: Someone who must have, um...
: Someone who must have a grudge against Mr. Edgeworth!

Now, let's start to look around.



: Wow! Look at this big pile of junk in the corner!
: That looks like... a car door.
: There's a pair of handcuffs attached to the frame.
: Maybe the guy they caught was some sort of escape artist and he got away.
: Hey, that's one of those human profiles for range testing.
: He's been shot square in the forehead.
: Better him than us.



: There's something sticking out of here.
: Looks like a shirt. I guess it must be evidence for some case.
: I wonder if Detective Gumshoe put this here.
: There you go, pal, making me out to be some kinda slob!
: I'm not responsible for the evidence here.
: That said...
: I bet that evidence locker was opened recently.
: How do you know?
: If you leave things hanging out like that, the evidence gets dirty or ripped. The guard checks on that kind of stuff and notifies the detective responsible.
: How many times have I had him breathing down my neck about some silly evidence...
: Sounds like Detective Gumshoe leaves evidence hanging out a lot, too.
: I bet he doesn't tuck in his shirt under that trench coat, either.
: If you're going to talk behind someone's back, don't do it right in front of them, pal!



: This place is stuffed with evidence... stuffed with dreams.
: I'm not so sure about the dreams.
: Mmph!
: It won't open.
: I guess I should have known.
: Hey, pal, our security is high-tech around here!



: Some sort of bulky equipment is gathering dust here.



: Ah! That's my personal pole!
: I never did get around to using it...



: Right, pal. That's that metal detector!
: The one that led to the solving of that case out on Gourd Lake, remember?
: Oh, right! Wow, that feels like it was ages ago.



: Oh, that! That's a radiolocator!
: I'm sure it will come in handy in solving some case sooner or later.
: (That cheap-looking box?)
: You can't judge a person or a machine by their cover! You gotta look at their heart!

Next time: More exploration.