Part 52: Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes - Trial (Day 3) - Part 4

Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes
Trial (Day 3) - Part 4









: It was the murderer and Robert Hammond!



: What are you saying!? That contradicts what you just told the court.
: You said that Robert Hammond had been killed 25 minutes before the gunshot!
: Y-yes, that's right.
: Also, might I mention... The defendant, Mr. Edgeworth, has admitted to being on that boat.
: Er, right, Your Honor. (Crash and burn...)



: Mr. Wright! Your client has already been declared guilty once!



: (*sigh*)
: Bah! I'll ask you again! Explain who is standing on the boat!



: Miles Edgeworth and Robert Hammond!



: Yes, I believe you are mad! That is exactly what I've been telling the court this whole time! You're agreeing with me! And yet, what did you just say?
: That Robert Hammond had been killed 25 minutes before the shot on the boat!?
: Y-yes, that's what I said!
: I was just testing you, von Karma!



: Mr. Wright! Your client has already been declared guilty once!



: (*sigh*)
: Bah! I'll ask you again! Explain who is standing on the boat!





: Of course, it was Edgeworth and the murderer!



: After the murderer killed Robert Hammond at 11:50... He assumed the guise of Mr. Hammond and met Edgeworth!





: Wh... What!? Are you serious?
: Yes. Edgeworth won't tell us why he went to the lake that night. However, I have a hunch.
: That night, Robert Hammond called Edgeworth to the lake. Now, Edgeworth didn't know Robert Hammond's face that well.



: That's why he didn't suspect anything when the murderer took Robert Hammond's place!
: ... I'm not sure what to make of all this.
: L-Ludicrous!
: Mr. Wright. Tell us the name of the murderer then!





: (On second thought, that's a really dumb answer...)
: (I might get a laugh or two out of the crowd, but that's about it.)
: Uh, Nick? Something on your mind?
: Huh? Oh, uh, nothing. Hah hah. *groan*



: Y-yes, Your Honor!
: The murderer's name...? Right! It's...



: The murderer is none other than Lotta Hart!
: ... The investigative photographer...?
: Um, yes.
: You're saying that young lady dressed up like Robert Hammond and fooled Mr. Edgeworth?
: Y-yes, well, she did look sort of manly.



: I am ashamed I actually listened to this utter nonsense.
: Listen!
: You came to this conclusion based on a piece of evidence.



: If you didn't have this photograph, you never would have made this claim!
: Correct? And just who was it who went out of her way to give you that piece of evidence?



: It was... Lotta Hart.



: Why would the murderer go to all that trouble just to deliver you decisive evidence!
: ...
: I guess... they wouldn't.





: (Whoops.)
: Mr. Wright! Can you really tell us the name of the murderer!?
: (Uh oh, he looks suspicious! I'd better bluff and bluff good!)
: The murderer's name...? Right! It's...



: Actually, I don't know the murderer's name.
: Y-you don't know!?
: Bah! Again, you waste my time!



: I don't know because he never told us!



: ...!
: The murderer is the caretaker of the boat shop, that old man!



: At 11:50, he was the one who killed Robert Hammond.
: The caretaker of the boat shop!?
: Wh-where did he do this!? There weren't any boats on the lake then!
: Why would he have to go all the way out on the lake just to shoot someone?
: May I suggest... That was the real scene of this crime was not in a boat!
: What!?
: W-well then, where did the murder take place!?









: Here, of course! The boat shop, where he lives.
: That way he could meet with the victim without anyone seeing!



: Do you have proof that the boat shop was the scene of the crime!?
: Recall Larry's testimony if you will.









: He heard a gunshot, Your Honor! Even though he was wearing headphones at the time! In other words, the gunshot was very, very close by! And where would that be if he had just returned a boat?
: The boat shop...!





: Mr. Wright! What happened that night on Gourd Lake!? Please tell the court, from the beginning!
: Y-yes, Your Honor.
: Nick, are you sure about this...?
: Um, not really. But, I think if I start at the very beginning... And I take it slow, I might just be able to figure this out...



: That night... The caretaker of the boat shop called Robert Hammond to his shop.





: That was when the gunshot that Larry heard was fired. After that, the caretaker put on Robert Hammond's coat... He became Robert Hammond!







: It was Miles Edgeworth...
: N-Nick! How could that be!? Wasn't that old man holding the pistol!?
: Uh, yeah. Good thinking!
: That was easy, Nick! What I'm worried about is what you're thinking!

This drops us off right where the right answer would.





: He shot twice. Both missed Edgeworth, on purpose.
: Wait a minute...
: Y-yes?
: Why would he shoot twice if he didn't mean to hit anyone?
: Uh... (Details! Details!)
: Know this, Mr. Wright. The moment you run out of explanations is the moment you lose.







: B-because the first shot missed?
: Missed?
: Yeah, he was aiming for Edgeworth, and he missed...



: What are you saying?



: Huh? Oh, uh, right.
: (Uh oh... I'd better figure out just what it is I'm trying to prove here.)

Which leaves us at the correct answer.



: I believe he shot twice to create a witness, Your Honor.
: Create a witness...?



: That ensures that anyone who heard the shot would be look at this lake. Indeed, Ms. Hart did exactly that after hearing the first gunshot. Next! The murdere waits a bit and he fires again. Then...





: Leaving the pistol in the boat behind him.
: ... I see!
: To someone looking from the edge of the lake... It would appear that one of the men on the boat had shot the other! The murderer didn't know about the automatic camera, of course.



: That's why he shot twice to draw attention to the boat!
: Hmm...
: Once you realize that, everything else falls into place!
: The boat shop caretaker swam back to his shop. Then he put Mr. Hammond's wet coat back on the body. And threw the body into the lake!
: This is what happened, Your Honor.
: These are the events that transpired that night on Gourd Lake.





: ...
: Bailiff!
: Bring out the witness from before! The boat shop caretaker! Quickly!







: Very well. While we are waiting for the caretaker... I would like to ask the defendant, Miles Edgeworth, a few questions.
: Mr. Edgeworth. Please take the stand.



: Mr. Edgeworth... You heard what the defense has said?
: Yes.
: Well? Why did you go to the lake last night?
: ...
: What Wright has said was mostly correct. Astonishingly so, actually. Yes...



: The letter was signed, "Robert Hammond." He asked me to come to the boat shop by the lake at midnight on Christmas Eve. He said he had something very important to discuss with me.
: Something important?
: ... I'm sorry. I can't say what it was.
: Hmm...



: Bailiff! We are conducting a trial here, I ask that you remain quiet...
: The witness has disappeared! He isn't at the boat shop, either!
: What!?
: What should I do?
: F-find him, quickly! We cannot allow him to get away!





: Mr. von Karma! Your witness has disappeared!
: ... A search warrant has already been issued.
: Hmm...
: It goes without saying that I cannot declare a verdict under these circumstances.
: I will extend the trial until tomorrow, the final day allowed. I request that the police department utilize all its forces to find that witness! Am I understood?
: ...
: One more thing. Just who is that boat shop caretaker?
: I think his identity has become very important to this trial. I want him, and I want to know who he is.
: ...
: Very well. Court is adjourned!







: Yay, Nick! You did it!
: Yeah... Well, at least we got out from under that guilty verdict...
: And what about Larry! That was something else!
: Even von Karma didn't know what to do with his testimony!
: Larry really helped us out!
: Sure, once I sifted through his "unique" testimony. Still... he did save us. I just wish our cases weren't so down to the wire all the time.
: I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel like it's us on trial instead of our clients!
: Hey, Edgeworth...
: ...
: Umm... Mr. Edgeworth?
: ! D-did you say something?
: Don't look so pained! I mean, it looks like you're probably going to get off the hook!
: You could try to smile just a little...? Relax!
: ... I'm sorry... But... I fear it's not over for me yet.
: Wh-what do you mean?
: Wright... There's something that's been troubling me for a long time now.
: And I don't know whether or not to tell you...
: Edgeworth?
: No... there's so little time left. I want to tell you, to get it off my chest, but... ...
: Hmm. I can't make up my mind. ...
: What is this about, Edgeworth?
: ... It's... a nightmare I've had. A memory of a crime... that I committed.
: A crime you committed?
: A memory... of a murder.



Next time: Many mysteries remain.