Chapter 2:

"Oh, Bells, I know you're upset, but these things…they just happen and…" Charlie trailed off looking awkward.

Bella moved away, looking at the ground.

Charlie watched her go with an expression of worry on his face. He had no way of knowing that the sudden inexplicable death of Eric Yorkie and the institutionalization of Tyler Crowley, the boy who had nearly the run her over with his van and consequently introduced her to the power of the Cullens(her vampire boyfriend's vampire family), had not bothered her in of itself for more than a few faked tears to satisfy his grieving parents. No, Bella did not have time to worry about that. Her own life was in danger. For surely, no human could have committed the untraceable, bizarre murder that had occurred in the tiny town of Forks; no, a vampire was behind this, and she was certain she knew which one it was.

"Bella?"

She turned to see Edward making his way toward her through the dismal crowd of relatives and friends.

"Bella, I don't want you to worry…"

"What," she whispered, glancing around warily, "I just have a psychotic killer after me. There's absolutely nothing in the world that I should be worried about!"

"Alice is looking into it," he answered calmly.

"Has she found anything yet?" I asked, somewhat relieved.

He hesitated, "No, nothing yet. She can't seem to trace Victoria's movements."

The feeling of security vanished instantly, "So, she is behind it?"

He paused again, "Like I said, Alice can't trace her movements, so we're not sure. And," he glanced around to make sure they could not be overheard, "I looked into Crowley's mind."

"And?"

He frowned, "It's a mess; I'm not surprised they put him in an institution."
Bella sighed impatiently, "I don't understand; why didn't she kill both of them. Why let Tyler live?"

He shook his head, "I don't know, though, one thing I'm sure of, is that something terrified him, something definitely not human. And yet, I can find no trace of Victoria. The pattern…it just doesn't match up to her previous murders. And…" he hesitated once more.

"What," Bella demanded.

"I saw Yorkie's face."

"So?"
He shuddered, "It was…grotesque, to say the least. That, combined with the bizarre medical report…"

"Wait, you have the medical report?"

"Carlisle," he answered.

Bella nodded. Of course his father Carlisle, a doctor, would have access to the file. Not that it would be hard for any of them to get if they really wanted it.

"It's almost as if he was literally scared to death."

"I don't understand,"(funny, it seems she would say that a lot).

"I mean, whatever killed him, was bad enough to have Tyler locked away."

Bella stared at him.

"What can we do?"

"I talked with some of the students. They mentioned something about a tape."

"A tape?"

"Yes, apparently Angela, Jessica, and Mike watched it as well."

"But, what does that have to do with…"
He smiled grimly, "They're dead, Bella, all of them. They all died at the same time on the same night under unusual circumstances. That's what makes me think it couldn't possibly be Victoria, not alone anyway."

Bella gasped. The shock of her friends' deaths was unbelievable, even though she wasn't close with any of them.

"I found the tape," he continued.

"Let me see it," she demanded.

"No," he answered firmly.

"Come on, Edward, it's a stupid tape. What could it possibly do?"

A worried look crossed his face. "I don't want to take the chance."

Bella gulped, "I need to help. Besides, I have you guys to protect me, something they didn't have."

"Alright," he agreed reluctantly, "but I want to watch it with you."

"Deal."