Disclaimer: I do not actually own any of the Twilight Saga's characters; it doesn't stop me from manipulating them or picturing them in uniform.
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Thanks to those of you who reviewed, I feel loved. Anyway, Edward's not showing up in this chap, but the next one. Hope you enjoy nonetheless.
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Edward – 22
Alice – 19
Jasper – 22
Rosalie – 22
Emmett – 26
Carlisle – 41
Esme – 35
Bella – 19
Jacob – 25
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Chapter 2
BPOV
After everything had settled down, Jacob shifted slightly, looking at the blonde. "I think we should get this done now, Rosalie." He said, and she nodded. Both turned toward me, and I blushed from the sudden attention. I smiled tentatively, which the woman returned.
"Hello Miss Swan, my name is Rosalie Hale." She introduced. "I'm a criminal sketch artist. Officer Black has informed me that you are able to produce an accurate description of the people who killed your mother. You got a clear look of both their faces?" She asked, her tone slightly doubtful. I nodded.
"You did too, Ms. Hale." I murmured, causing her to give me a confused look. Jacob blinked at me, and then his gaze slowly trailed to the emergency exit through which the station's shooter exited. "Yeah, Jake, that was one of them." I muttered. I felt him tense next to me, and shivered. "So yes, I can now say I can provide an accurate description of both." My voice, I was surprised to hear, was solid. I was glad that for once it wasn't giving away the absolute terror I was still trying to reign in. Rosalie and Emmett looked at each other, and Emmett nodded slowly. She looked back at me.
"Well then Miss. Swan-"
"Call me Bella." I cut in, hating to be so formal.
"Alright Bella," She amended. "Jacob and I will take you into one of the interrogation rooms so we can start on the profiles. It just gets us out of the way so forensics can try and find the bullets." She smiled. I nodded, but a voice in the back of my mind highly doubted that they would. She nodded again, obviously oblivious to my thoughts, and led me toward the back of the station. I shuffled after her, my thoughts straying. I avoided the obvious thoughts in the forefront in my mind, not able to deal with the importance of them at this moment. Instead, I focused on petty things. I began comparing Rosalie to myself.
It was obvious that she was far prettier than I was, even a blind man could see that. She had long, flowing blonde hair which she had tied half-up, allowing it to still cascade down to pool around her waist. She frankly had the body of a model, and knew it, by the looks of the clothing she wore. Her neat, bark blue suit jacket and matching skirt had an obvious feminine quality to it, accenting her curves tastefully.
She wasn't dressing up for just anyone, I mused. I looked back at Emmett, who was talking with another officer, snapping on forensic gloves. Apparently he was going to help look. The way Ms. Hale looked at him was quite obvious that she was enamoured, which wasn't helped by the way she threw herself at him after we got up. He seemed to feel the same about her, but it was harder to read the hulking, bearlike man.
"Bella." Jacob called, causing me to jump as I came out of my reverie. I blushed again when I realized they were both staring at me, and quickly scampered through the door that Ms. Hale held open for me, bowing my head so my hair would curtain my flaming face. I could hear Jacob snickering as he followed me in. I turned to shoot him a glare, which only caused him to snicker harder.
"All right, Bella, let's sit down at first describe the female." Ms. Hale said curtly, her tone becoming instantly professional. "If you could begin describing the woman's facial structure, features, anything you can remember. I'll show you periodically to spur on more detail, and then when we're done, we'll take a quick break before moving onto the other one." She smiled gently. "If at any time you need to pause, just tell me. I know how stressful this can be." I smiled back at her, and she promptly went to work setting up her sketch pad and pencils.
I closed my eyes. It was easier for me to imagine –or remember- when my eyes were closed. I envisioned the woman, and eventually began to describe her features, the sharp slant of her jaw, mid-set cheekbones. She could have been beautiful, I mused, if she hadn't already proven herself a monster. I told Ms. Hale about her altogether wild, catlike disposition. I told her about her hair, a mane of vivid, fiery red curls, which simultaneously seemed both groomed and in a constant state of disarray, and about her eyes, which were dark. I couldn't tell the color of them, because I could not see past the crazed light in them, which made her seem all the more menacing.
After about an hour, Ms. Hale called for the break she promised, and I slumped wearily in my chair. Jake watched me worriedly, but I waved his concern off. Ms. Hale looked between us, and slowly rose, motioning for Jacob to follow her.
"Bella we'll be right back, I need to talk to Officer Black for a moment." She replied to my curious expression, smiling. "Then we'll come back, and if you're ready, we can finish up, alright?" I nodded, and watched both leave the room. A sudden wave of nausea rolled over me, and I groaned. Slumping forward, I pressed my face against the cool metal of the table, and focused on breathing.
JPOV
Rose led me from the room, much to my displeasure. Bella wasn't looking so good, and I wanted to stay with her in case she needed me. But, the blonde's expression told me not to argue, and I didn't particularly want to get into an argument with her… again. I was wrenched from my thoughts when I nearly ran into her, which wouldn't have been altogether unpleasant, except for the fact that her husband was standing in behind of her. I grinned sheepishly at the both of them, and Emmett merely rolled his eyes.
"Considering what Bella's told us," Rosalie hedged, earning all of our attention. She was nervous, I blinked. She didn't like what she was about to say, or knew that it would upset one of us. I felt my stomach clench. Emmett and I frowned down at her, causing her fidgeting to get worse.
"Just spit it out Rose." I advised in as gentle a tone I could. She nodded, and then sighed.
"I think Bella should be placed under witness protection." She mumbled. My eyes widened, and I was unprepared for the white-hot anger which coursed through me. Was I not good enough to protect her? Why would they want to stick her with people she didn't know, and would probably not be comfortable around, when I was perfectly able to keep her safe?
Emmett seemed to know my train of thought, because he put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "It's not that you wouldn't be able to keep her safe, Jake, but psycho-bitch has already seen you, she'll know you're a cop. We need to have Bella stay with someone who they don't know, otherwise we'll never catch them and Bella will be in more danger. Besides, think about it; why would crazy come in here, when she's wanted for murder, unless she was desperate? It just makes more sense." I sighed, and relaxed. He did have a point. "Besides, without her to keep you distracted, you can work with me and Jasper in catching these loons." Emmett grinned.
Jasper's head popped up from behind a desk, his light, olive-green eyes glittering with curiosity and confusion. "I heard my name." He stated simply, walking over to us. Emmett grinned at him conspiratorially.
"We're just trying to convince that if Black here leaves Ms. Swan with W.P.P, then he'll have more time to help us hunt down and arrest the ones responsible for this.
"Would he be allowed to join us? He doesn't even have a partner…" Jasper murmured, looking me over a couple times as if trying to construe something from my expression or the way I held myself. "Stop being so defensive, Jacob, I'm only pointing out what my partner fails to see." I blinked at him. How did he know what I was thinking?
"I'm only partner-less by choice." I reminded him. "I was supposed to be assigned one later this year anyway." I frowned, remembering the write-up I had gotten of the apparently good natured, excitable cop fresh out of academy. Joy… Returning to the present situation, I shifted when I noticed our chief walking toward us, his eyes wary. He knew we were up to something. In many ways, he reminded me of my dad, with the sad, blatantly obvious difference of my father's inability to walk anymore. I grinned at him and threw him a half-assed salute. He rolled his eyes at me.
"Something the matter gentlemen… And lady." He asked, already suspecting the answer. Rosalie giggled at his own correction, leaning against Emmett companionably. I rolled my eyes. Could they be any more obvious?
"Actually Chief, this is perfect." Jasper smiled. "We were just about to come find you anyway. Officer Cullen and I were wondering whether we could join Officer Black in investigating Renée Swan's murderer." Chief blinked at us for a minute.
"Her daughter's the one in the interrogation room, right?" I nodded, half leaning toward it. "She fell asleep; I just came back from there to check on her." Chief grinned at me. God, did everyone know? At that moment, I caught Rose smiling sweetly at Jasper. Now, this would have been very flattering if we didn't know what was coming next. She shifted against her husband, and batted her eyelashes at her twin. We all groaned in annoyance.
"What do you want, Rose?" He asked wearily, his gaze skeptic. She pouted a bit but rebounded quickly.
"Well, Alice works in that department, doesn't she?" She asked, her tone thoughtful. My attention was caught, and I stared at the blondes. That was right. Emmett acquired a 'oh, right' look, and seemed a bit sheepish that he hadn't thought of it sooner. I watched them warily. Alice Cullen, Emmett's sister and Jasper's fiancée, worked in the Witness Protection Program, I'd forgotten. I mulled the prospect over in my head. This could work… I returned my attention to the conversation when Jasper turned to me, smiling. "I'll make sure Ms. Swan's taken care of, through Alice. She's the type of person she'd like." He chuckled, running his fingers through his hair in a manner, which reminded me of the other Cullen in the police department. It was funny, how they'd managed to branch themselves out into different departments…
"Where's your brother?" I asked Emmett, and he shrugged.
"Thought you didn't like Edward." He accused, eyeing me. For some strange reason I couldn't quite explain, there'd always been a mutual hatred between Edward Cullen and I. It had just grown into routine. I shrugged.
"'Cause you guys usually hang around as a group, that's all." I brushed it off and turned to go back to Bella. "Rose, can we finish up, please?" I asked softly, causing her to jump slightly.
"Oh, right." She scampered after me after kissing Emmett's cheek gently. Jasper and I rolled our eyes and I continued walking, back to the girl I loved, who was probably falling to—Wait, the girl I loved? Where the hell had that come from? Sighing, I shook my head and followed Rose into the room, eager to finish this up as fast as possible, and get Bella home. We had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.
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Relatively anti-climatic, but sue me, I was running out of things to say. Anyways, you guys know the routine, Read & Review, please and thanks ^^
- Reina
