AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Joe stood atop Punchy's head as Pierce began his testimony.




"Hold it! There is a possibility of you being out late last night. This reasoning can be gathered from the existence of the feather Isabelle's found."




"Indeed, you had no motive, and murdering him does seem more inconvenient than murdering Coco. This would make it seem as if you had nothing to do with the matter. However, each of us has been given the task to perform the perfect crime. Having a motive to kill him and a way to kill him conveniently would make you less suspicious in this court."




"You've got that wrong! The murder weapon was Whitney's shovel! Whether you possess weapons or not has nothing to do with this case!"

"You're not entirely free from suspicion either!"

"Tsk, tsk..... I believe you're mistaken about that shovel, rookie."

"It hasn't been proven that it's possible that I drugged Whitney, so when could I have used her shovel as a weapon? Did Whitney just not notice me taking such a large object from her house? Did she invite me in and let me take it? Oh! Maybe she blindfolded herself and I snuck in then!"

Pierce glares angrily at the group.

"Just face it! You're grasping at straws!"

"It may not be possible to prove that you were the one to drug her... but it is possible that you took the shovel from her house while she was drugged."

"Hmm..... Perhaps."

"But I believe Lucky said that the body wounds from the shovel were inflicted POST-mortem. As in after Cranston died."

"Yes, but Cranston's throat was still cut with a wide, sharp instrument. What could it possibly be other than Whitney's shovel?"

"I think you're thinking about this backwards, sport. If you were to use a shovel to kill someone, you'd strike with the blunt end, rather than the blade, wouldn't you? Shovels are too imprecise for stabbing someone."

"But you wouldn't need to use the shovel, other than for framing me. You have a crowbar."

Pierce strokes his beak.

"Oh, I'd nearly forgotten I had that old thing. Never found much use for it, anyway. Believe me, that crowbar has gathered enough dust to prove it hasn't been moved in days. And I doubt you'll find any recent signs of use on it."

"You had it out a few nights ago, you idiot. That's not enough time for it to get dusty. Or did you just roll it in the dirt a little bit?"

"But if the crowbar was the murder weapon, it would have to show signs of being cleaned at some point, right? I can give you my personal guarantee you'll no such signs on it."

Pierce clamped his beak shut as he finished speaking.

"So what, then? You cleaned it, then rolled it in the dirt?" Whitney rolled her eyes impatiently.

"Guys..." Punchy starts, trying to catch everyone's attention. He's immediately interrupted by Pierce.

"G-guys...!"

Joe looks down at Punchy. "What is it? Go on."

"The shovel isn't the only sharp tool we have! We have axes, too!"

Pierce sighed, opening his beak once more.

"This is becoming tiresome....."

"Whitney, you were just at my house. Everything is exactly where I left it after your visit."

Pierce taps the table impatiently.

"Now how many more times do I have to tell you all that I haven't used my tools for days?!?"