Ace Attorney: Secrets beneath Secrets

Turnabout Betrayal, Part 8

April 22

Deirdre's Apartment

2:45 PM

Deirdre Brigit

I was sitting on my couch, leaning over to pet Kiki. She had been working hard all day, and it was time for her to take a moment to rest. She wasn't used to me being home daily yet, and honestly, I wasn't either. However, it wasn't like I had any choices in adjusting. I had to stay with my sister if I wasn't at work. She could always use the extra help around the house, especially with money even tighter now that I couldn't work much.

I had taken on a job as a waitress since the betrayal incident to keep income streaming in, but I had today off. I was already starting to miss my time working as a lawyer, and it hadn't even been a month.

"Deirdre, do you need anything?"

I looked up to see Hiroko Toshi, my older sister's nurse, walking into the room. After my sister, Moira, had lost use of her legs in a car crash a few years ago, we had hired Hiroko to take care of her. I couldn't exactly stay home to look after her when I had to bring money in, so I had Hiroko helped her out when I couldn't.

"I think I'm alright," I told her, though I wasn't exactly telling the truth. I really needed to find my job as a lawyer again, but even if I tried to apply for another law agency, nothing immediate had happened yet. I was put on the waiting list over and over again only to never get a call back. I technically still had my job down at Morix, and I didn't want to abandon hope, but I needed something to fall back on if Chrysalis and Mr. Morix decided to keep everyone away forever.

"Alright... I'll be here if you need anything," Hiroko told me with a small nod. She seemed to be able to sense that I didn't want to talk to anybody, so she walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the living room of my apartment with Kiki.

I had heard about a murder at the Prosecutor's Office a few days ago, but I didn't know how to approach an investigation, especially since I wasn't sure if I still had a job. Maybe I could go and see the trial. I was sure the lawyer who had taken it on had everything under control. Besides, could I even be sure I still had a job? There was too much uncertainty surrounding my life. I couldn't spare some time to see the trial when I needed to go to the restaurant and put in some time.

Granted, I didn't have work the next day, and if I did want to come in later on, I could do so in the afternoon. It wouldn't hurt too much if I decided to slip away to watch the trial, right? I needed some time to myself anyways, and a trial was always a good distraction.

April 22

Shield Household

2:50 PM

Lily Shield

Robbie was out working, and Mother was busy as well. I was alone in the house for the day. The Prosecutor's Office had been thrown into turmoil when a murder took place, and Robbie was helping out with the police investigation somehow. He hadn't been in the mood to give many details when he got home. Mother was still working as a judge, meaning she didn't get home until late with all the paperwork she had to do during the day. I felt awful for her, having to do so much, but she never let me worry too much while she was around. I had to do it on my own time.

Maybe I could go and check on Robbie sometime soon. That would be a good idea, right? It wasn't like he could stop me or anything, which means it was my choice. I didn't want to go against him, but I didn't have much of anything to do anyways. All I could do was sit like a lump on a pickle until Robbie and Mother got home.