Turnabout Decaf

Apollo looked to the two that he entered with. It was obvious that they wanted him to do all the talking, so he swallowed his fear and decided to bring up the big issue.

"Actually, we were wondering if we could talk to you about a Mr. Bunt. Does that name ring any bells?"

"Oh! Mr. Bunt? Oh hes a great friend of mine! Why do you ask? ♥" As she spoke to Apollo, she fiddled around with a strand of her hair.

"O-Oh, no reason..."

Justice! Head in the game!!

"Actually, there is a reason. I'd like to ask you more about Mr. Bunt. Have you spoken to him recently?"

"No, not really. ♥ All I know is I'm gonna be a witness in the trial hes in tomorrow. ♥ "

Sonata stopped and stared for a moment. "You mean... You witnessed the crime?!"

"A witness? How is witnessing a crime not important news...!"

Apollo began to sweat frantically.

Is this girl serious? There's no way anyone can be this air headed...!

"Yeah, I'm a witness! Didn't you see me at the coffee shop? ♥ " She smiles sideways.

"At the...coffee shop? I don't remember anyone else at the shop..." Apollo turned his head to Ema. "Do you??"

"I don't think so... Where exactly were you?"

She replied politely. "In Mr. Oscar's office ♥ . I was applying for a job, but he said he had to go to the kitchen really quick. Shouldn't you ask all these questions when I'm on the stand Mr. Lawyer and Ms. Detective? ♥ " Her tone changed a little, as if she was hiding something. "Well, I'm supposed to be having guests over so if you don't mind I'm going to have to ask you to leave ♥ ."

She nudged them outside and closed the door with a "Chaio♥ "

"Polly... She's a suspicious one. I mean, we found the bloody fingerprint in his office. I don't trust her..."

"I think you may be right...this is the first time I've been forcefully shoved aside. It's not easy to see that she's hiding something...But it's obvious that she wont spill a word until tomorrow...The prosecution probably has s-"

Apollo stopped and turned to Sonata, remembering that she was still beside them just in time.

*Ahem* "The prosecution will aid us in the fight against Oscars killer."

Furthermore, I still want to get to the hospital to speak with Mr. Bunt...

"Alright, lets see if we can find anything out from Mr. Bunt."

The trio walked to the hospital, just in time to see Alita Tiala walking out of the room. She noticed Apollo and sighed. "It's you... you must be on Oscar's case too..." She shed a tear and walked away, not allowing the three to speak to her.

Ema gave a small sigh. "What was that all about? I mean, she wasn't angry with you or anything... That's odd. I guess jail must change people alot..."

"I can't really say without knowing it myself...but she seemed pretty sad when she first asked me to take Wocky's case..."

If anything, that girl deserves an actual Oscar...

Apollo noticed that neither of the girls wanted to enter the room first. As always he was the first one to do anything. He stepped in slowly and looked around to see just where Mr. Bunt was located.

Mr. Bunt was laying on his bed. He looked pretty banged up, considering he had bandages just about everywhere. "So... you heard I'm here. Apparently, Alita accidentally hit me with her car. She drove me to the hospital really quick. I feel kinda bad she had to see me like this..."

Ema couldn't help but ponder this statement. "She hit you?"

Now that I think about it, both of the tapes we got showed it was pretty dark outside. I wouldn't be surprised if I accidentally hit someone on a night like that...

"Wait... The tapes!" Ema took out the tapes and played them side by side. Sesam was wondering who would even bring a traffic tape into a hospital. As the group watched the videos (along with a hiding Alita), they noticed that both of the cars were the same. And by close inspection... the drivers weren't.

Apollo noticed the injured man laying on the hospital bed as well.

Wait a minute! How is he hurt if the car didn't hit him?!

It took Apollo a little bit to remember both tapes were present. He kept himself quiet and watched them as they were played.

Oh, right...I'm just so used to everything the prosecution presents being some sort of twisty turvy lie...

"So...hold on. Is it just me, or did those cars look identical? I think I can make out the same license plate even..." Apollo squinted his eyes and leaned in really close.

Alita stepped in in astonishment. "That's MY car! H-how did she get my car?! Damn you, Melody! You tried to kill him!" She collapsed to the ground, tears rolling down her eyes.

Ema seemed astonished by this. "S-so Melody tried to hit Mr. Bunt?! Why, and with Alita's car?" She calmed down and sighed. "How can these tapes even be possible? Both took place during the same time, at the same place... I just don't get it. Polly... I think our investigation is over now. We need more evidence to figure out exactly what the heck is going on."

Poor Polly, its almost like he's being stabbed at by all of these happenings... But why? What do a Murder, Theft, and Hit-and-run have to do with this case...?

Apollo was deep in thought at the time.

They couldn't have happened at the same time. One was obviously staged... but by who...and why... The one where he doesn't get hit had to have came first...

Apollo's thoughts were broken by the cries of a woman nearby. He turned his attention to see Alita who had been up until now watching them. Apollo didn't speak up in response to Ms. Tiala's tantrum.

Murder...Theft...Hit and Run. The doctor, panties and Mr. Wright. These are the same three things that happened when I was just starting out. They can't be connected...the only piece to tie them together is Ms. Tiala. Someone had to have been waiting...waiting for the night she got out of prison.

"It's not that late...is it? I thought we still had tons of time! We still need to speak with our client once more. I have a few questions...! And Mr. Bunt! We should ask him what happened! Maybe he remembers!"

Apollo protested the halt of the investigation. So many questions on the tip of his tongue, and so little time.

"Well, if you want... But I don't know what to ask. I'm so confused about all of this... well, Mr. Bunt, lets start with you. Umm... what do you think happened on that night. I mean, with all of the other suspects we have, I'm fairly certain you aren't the killer (I hope). Will you testify in court tomorrow?"

Sesam nodded. He told them all he had known. About Oscar, about their client, and about... Ms. Athens. Alita had alot to tell about Melody too. Supposedly, she was a close friend to Alita. She had been going to school to pursue a career in acting.

No wonder she was friends with Alita...

She also had been going to school to learn about theater and how to record movies.

Ema was confused by this. "But, if she was going to school to become an actress, why would she apply for a job at a coffee shop?"

Apollo could only stand and watch as he finally got what he had set out to do the entire day. He got Mr. Bunt in the courtroom. The snide, self indulgent man they met on the park bench had no choice but to answer his questions now, and he had a ton.

"Well, sometimes someone just needs a second job, just for the time being. That's how I got the name courier boy, remember?"

Apollo reminded them all that he too had a second job.

"I think it's best if we go see our client once more before tomorrow..."

Uh-oh. If this girl is an actress...I just hope the judge doesn't fall for her too soon...

Ema agreed. The three (Sonata's still with us), parted ways while Apollo and Ema left for the detention center. Mr. Bell was sitting in the room, silent. He greeted the duo when they arrived. "Ah, you come again! Is there anything you need to know?"

Apollo took out his handy-dandy notebook (Bonus points if you still remember where that came from), but when he went to reach for a pen, he remembered he had leant it out earlier.

"Well, I was wondering if the name Melody Athens rings any bells."

(BLUES CLUES I loved that show.)

"Well... I probably have met her before but I don't remember much... All I know is she was a very pretty woman." Frederick blushed a little.

Wow... if he only remembers her looks, Polly's in trouble. I'm sure she's gonna put on her best dress for the trial tomorrow.

After 'pretty woman' was the only description he got from the man behind bars, Apollo began to sweat furiously. Just as he feared, he would get nowhere with blunt force. His only hope was finding her twitch, and fast. But with Sonata helping, it shouldn't be THAT hard.

I'm sure we can still do this...Alone, maybe not, but if Ms. Baad really DOES want to help us, then we shouldn't have a problem. Two heads are better than one...even if one calls me hair horns...

"So uhh... what else can you tell us about Ms. Tiala?"

"Oh she's the one who tried to take the Kitaki's money right?"

Ema started to sweat. "Okay, clearly you don't know a lot about her..."

This whole case is starting to frustrate me...We need to speak with all three possible suspects, and Mr. Bunt by tomorrow's end...Will we even have enough time?

Apollo decided it was best to hand up his coat for the night. He thanked the officer for letting the duo speak with his client and returned to the anything agency for the night. He turned to Ema, this was usually where they parted ways.

"I just hope everything gets resolved by tomorrow..."

"Yeah, me too..."

Ema hugged Apollo goodbye and left for her apartment.

(TO BE CONTINUED IN THE COURTROOM)