Buckeye's teeth, like a neatly arranged group of needles gleamed at Mugs Silvercup's testimony. "I may be blind, but I intend to paint a beautiful yet horrifying picture for you all to envision. The defendant intended to usurp the throne from the beginning, and she is so bold to announce her intentions to everyone within a ten foot radius."

Chloe grimaced in her seat. Unfortunately, the truth was undeniable, even for someone as brash as herself.

"No doubt," Buckeye grinned. "That someone who is bold enough to tell us she wants to be pirate queen...would be bold enough to kill the current ruler!"

Buckeye turned aside. "I don't know why short sighted children these days feel the need to exclaim that they want to be a king or queen of pirates, but it at least gives the wary among us a reason to watch out for them."

All of Big Joe's men and women traded increduous looks. Chloe's crew soon were behest to a series condemning glares from their rivals.

"Arrjection!" Legal Beard shouted, his finger thrust in Buckeye's direction. "Words do not equal intent. Only actions. You'll have to do a lot more to prove my client had anything to do with this foul mutiny!"

"Getting to that," Buckeye answered. "I have not done legal dealings since I had my both me eyes. But much like the lady justice herself, being blind has humbled me and hardened my stance towards preservin tha law."

Vinnie nodded from his seat. "Dis guy would be so inspirational if he wasn't trying to put our captain in the slammer!"

Ramone mumbled beneath his breath. "I just hope he isn't right. I pray to the sea king and the good heavens on that one!"

"For my next witness," Buckeye said, his hand on his gaval. "I call…Mr. Antonio Sabreheart to the stand! For he, and the rest of my hardy crew were present in the tavern on the night of the murder!"

As the long, shiny haired Antonio strutted up to the stand, he took a bow. "I do like to be the center of attention for you senores and senoritas," he said with a wink. "Emphasis on the senoritas!"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Monica turned bright pink…as did Navi the Navigator. Vinnie's pasty white ears, in comparison, turned bright red, and Chloe could imagine the steam shooting out of them. "Awright buddy," Vinnie snapped. "Just testify already, before I have to testify to your own murder at my hand!"

Antonio Sabreheart faked a gasp. "Can I believe these ruffians! This weird mobster plans to murder me because I'm handsome! Surely if Lady Justice wasn't swooning at me right now she'd have them incarcerated!"

Monica closed her eyes and grimaced. "Vinnie, please reframe from saying anything else that would incriminate us."

"Hey," Vinnie grimaced. "Don't take his side toots. But yeah, I see yer point!"

"Anyway," Buckeye said, turning his head away from the bickering. "Please tell us what you heard last night!"

Antonio ruffled his velvet shirt. "Eet was horrible, mi amigo. I stepped out to use the bano at exactly midnight and I heard footsteps. They were light, but determined, like a child assassin."

Chloe flinched. He seemed to be recalling what she did in her dream last last night. She had gone downstairs in it, after all.

"And then…" Antonio said, and he clutched his chest. Manly tears seeped from his eyes. "I heard the scream of Senor Joe Grande. Big Joe, the long time captain of mi corazon, had been punctured by a true scoundrel!"

Antonio growled and reached for his sabre. "I hope for what you've done, little chica that the sea reaper sinks you a thousand leagues beneath the sea!"

Chloe blanched and shivered. Her lily-white body trembled and she could not get it to stop. With the dreaded dream still looking in her mind, even she didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Arrjection!" Legalbeard cried. "Now did yee see this young lass walk down the stairs."

"Well…" Antonio said, with a sudden nervous grin. "No. But clearly it was her. Who else walks as light as a child?"

Legalbeard ruffled his beard. "Well there are multiple children here," he remarked, pointing at Laura.

"Hey hey now!" Laura squeaked. "Just because I read a lotta murder mystery books don't mean I did it y'all!"

Legalbeard rolled his eyes. "Nah, my point is, unless you have actual proof it was me client, you're shiftier than a sea snake and trying to pin it on her!"

Chloe sighed in relief. She was so thankful that she had a pirattorney to navigate in these murky legal waters.

"Oh ho ho," Buckeye chortled. "If proof is what you want, then proof is what yeh get. I call my third and final witness…someone who was there in the room the very moment that Big Joe's heart stopped."

"Who?!" Legalbeard roared.

"Me!" Buckeye said. "I call meself to the stand!"