FIFTH TRIAL

[stagemanagers]

[The sound of the courtroom doors opening is louder and deeper than the stairwell doors were, as if they understand their dramatic importance.

It's time for yet another trial.

Natalie's podium has joined the other somberly-decorated ones in pretty short order. Unfortunately, the other ones are left entirely as they were - no pillows, food, or coffee provided by the Opera staff. You'll just have to try and make this quick. The Balladeer sounds like he'd like to get this over with as well when he speaks up.]

I'm sorry, Heather. I really didn't think... [He sighs.] Okay, go ahead.

Comments

[dieformymusic]

[Alright so. Barely anyone but he and Raoul had sleep and the suspects were on the second floor. Great. Maybe Balladeer has the right idea for once.]

I found a handhund buried in the garden. It might have been used in the murder. When I checked the chamber it was empty and no bullets were lying around

...the owner of the gun should come forward sooner than later. It might be easier to prove you didn't do it. If they didn't do it.

[trettende]

[ Much as Hans might not like Winslow, he can't deny he did actually find something useful... Bleh. ]

Does the gun you found match the gun Jezebel had?

[dieformymusic]

...no, no owls were present on it.

Just an ordinary gun.

We can leave out Jezebel as the owner.

[trettende]

Great. So we still have no idea whose gun it is.

[ Someone's still pissy from not sleeping... ]

I think the fact that it was buried should be incriminating enough. The gun you found has to be the murder weapon.

ey yo

[dechagny]

[As much as Raoul wants this trial over and done with, suddenly something comes to mind.]

Hold on. Is there...is there a way to tell if the gun was actually used recently? It wouldn't be hot, and the dirt might obstruct things, but...blast it, who here has some knowledge of gun use?

[So either they confirm the usage of the gun or pin down some suspects.]

[allicareabout]

There should be some gunpowder fouling still on and in the barrel, if it was fired recently.

[...A lot of people get shot in Chicago.]

[dechagny]

Would the dirt it was buried in obscure that?

[He's sorry, he knows you're all tired but let's fucking check our shit here so we can pin it on this dastardly foe without a doubt.]

[inforapenny]

...I've never handled a gun before, but I know that firing one leaves residue. If it'd been fired recently, there should still be residue in the chamber, which unless the, uh. The shooty-- the barrel? was also packed with dirt, then there might still be some residue there.

[dechagny]

It's worth looking, just to be sure. I don't doubt that guns could have come from the merchandise booth, but I want to know if we have the right gun.

[inforapenny]

Yeah, uh. Unless Flynn wants the honor, I can. I can swab it.

[allicareabout]

No, no, by all means.

[inforapenny]

Okay, yeah.

[Annnnd since Raoul is standing right next to him.]

Hey, can- can I see it?

[dechagny]

I believe Winslow should have it, if he found it.

[inforapenny]

...Right. Sorry, tired.

[Annnnd across Hook's empty podium to his other side.]

Winslow?

[dieformymusic]

[Winslow slowly hands the gun, before silently going back to his podium.]

MODS

[inforapenny]

[Billy's going to gingerly set the gun down on his podium.

And then he's going to take a pen out of his pocket, dismantle it for the inside, and then stab his own undershirt to make a hole so that he can rip off some of the cloth.

Which he will then wrap around the ink stick from the pen and shove in the gun barrel, swabbing it around a little before pulling it out.]

[stagemanagers]

[There's a heck of a lot of dirt in there, for starters.

But it's fairly easy to tell that apart from the blackness of gunpowder residue. Of which there is a little bit.]

[inforapenny]

...Crap.

[dontfeedplants]

[That doesn't sound good.]

... What did you find?

[inforapenny]

This gun's been fired.

[dontfeedplants]

...Oh no.

Do... do you know how recently it was fired?

[inforapenny]

...I... No, I don't. See, this - [He holds up his swab for everyone to see.]

This brown here is- is dirt that got into the, uh. The barrel. But there's some specks of black here, too. That's gunpowder.

[dontfeedplants]

But... how did they get the bullets for that? And why just for that gun?