Awakening

Summary – A mysterious accident that wasn't an accident. A woman with no memory. Murder. Police Chief Charlie Swan knows it was no accident and he enlists the help of P.I. Paul Lahote to help solve the mystery surrounding the woman. As fragments of her memory return with the help of Dr. Carlisle Cullen, can Charlie and Paul piece it altogether before the killer strikes again?

Author Note – Here is a murder mystery/romance that I have started. It is just the beginning but I hope you will enjoy the twists and turns as the story unfolds. I thought about making it a human story but opted to keep the characters as they are – vampires and shape shifters.

Prologue

Forks, Washington – Police Station

Charlie Swan stared down at the legal pad that lay on his desk. He had jotted down several notes from a phone call he had received several minutes ago. He kept staring at the notes before leaning back in his chair, a frown on his face.

"Hey boss." A voice called to him.

Slowly lifting his head he found himself staring up at his deputy, Jack Foster.

"Found her purse out in the woods." Jack said. "We at least have an identification on the victim now."

Charlie sat up in his seat. "That's something, at least. What's her name?"

Jack looked down at the wallet he was carrying. "Katherine Miller, age thirty, from Eugene, Oregon."

"Anything else in her purse, Jack?"

He shook his head. "Nothing but a candy bar, couple of pens and a notebook."

"Notebook?" Charlie asked as he pushed his chair back from his desk and stood up. "Nothing in there?"

"Just doodles."

The chief of police sighed as he ran a hand through his still brown but rapidly greying hair.

"I'm heading down to the hospital to see how she's doing, just leave the notebook on my desk."

Jack nodded. "You got it boss."

Charlie grabbed his jacket that he had wrapped around the back of his chair and began to head towards the doors. He then paused and turned around to look at Jack. "Call Paul and find out when and where he can meet me."

"I'll call him right now."

An hour later – Forks General Hospital

Charlie walked through the automatic doors and into the main lobby of the hospital. It was fairly quiet, only a few visitors sitting by the windows, staring out into the foggy evening as they talked on their cell phones. He walked past the welcome desk, past the gift shop to his right, noticing a few stuffed animals staring out of the darkened store.

He glanced at his watch as he reached the elevators and pushed the up button. It was almost seven pm; entering the elevator, he pushed three and waited. Within two minutes the doors opened and Charlie stepped out, heading towards the nurses' station.

"Good evening Sherriff Swan." A young volunteer greeted him. "How are you…and the family?"

"We're all doing well, Nancy." He replied. "Bella, Edward and Nessie will be back from holidays in a couple days' time. Be good to see them, they've been gone over a month."

"Oh, I bet you have missed them." She said as she picked up the phone. "I assume you're here about our Jane Doe, so let me page Dr. Cullen for you."

He nodded and walked towards a visitors' room just off to the left of the nurses' station. He unzipped his jacket and hoped Carlisle wouldn't be too long for he loathed hospitals – the smell, the noises of heart monitors and other machines, the sight of distraught families – especially when it was him that had to inform someone that they lost someone dear to them. It was part of the job, he knew that but it was the one part he absolutely despised.

"Charlie, how are you?" A voice greeted him.

The chief of police looked up at Carlisle Cullen and gave a small smile. "Pretty tired, been a long day, Carlisle."

The physician sat down next to him. "Nancy said you were here about our Jane Doe. Did you find anything out?"

"One of my deputies found her purse not far from where her car crashed into the trees and luckily her wallet was inside so we have her name – Katherine Miller, from Oregon."

Carlisle remained silent for several seconds. "Well, at least that's something." He replied slowly. "But how did her purse end up outside the car?"

"That's a good question, Carlisle." He replied with a sigh. "The garage where we had her car towed called me, and from what they said, it was no accident she crashed."

"It was deliberate? But why?"

"Another good question, Carlisle."

The two men sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes, each lost in thought. Finally, Charlie spoke. "How is she doing?"

"She's stable and can be released in a few days' time." Carlisle said. "She had a narrow escape, she's very lucky."

Charlie eased himself out of the chair as he nodded his agreement. "Do me a favor, Carlisle."

"What's that?"

"Call me the moment anyone calls to ask about her or tries to see her." He instructed. "I don't have any idea what's going on here, and whoever tried to kill her once might try again if they think or find out she is still alive."

"You got it. Anything else?"

Charlie reached into his jacket pocket as he felt his cell phone vibrate. He looked at the screen to find a text message from his deputy, Jack. Contacted Paul. He will meet you here at the station about 9 pm. He looked up at Carlisle. "Two things. First, a safe place for her to stay here in Forks. I would take her but I'm never home."

Carlisle nodded. "I'll arrange it with Esme. Katherine can stay with us."

"Perfect, and second, it probably won't do much good but when can I try and talk to her?"

"Sometime tomorrow afternoon should be fine."

The Chief of Police smiled gratefully and said before turning around to head to the elevators, "Until tomorrow then."

TBC