I had not heard from Angel all weekend and we really needed to work on this project. I didn't care about it but I really didn't want to see another person fail the class. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and looked at it. It was Angel texting me asking if she could come over and work on our project. I asked momma and she said it was fine, and Alice wanted to meet her anyway. Mom went into the kitchen and worked on food to feed to Angel.
Alice smiled and skipped to the door and answered it, to talk and let Angel in. She seemed to be in pain, but hid it behind her face. She removed her jacket and put the bag on the floor next to the sofa. "Hello." She smiled meeting Esme and Alice for the first time.
Esme smiled "It's a pleasure to meet you, Angel. What a beautiful name." She smiled. Angel smiled slightly. "Thank it. It was apart of my gran's middle name." She said softly. Esme offered her a seat and Angel sat down. "Really?" She asked.
Angel nodded. "My gran's middle name was Evangeline." She responded to the question. "She was a great lady. She raised me from birth after my mom died. She passed when I was 10." She sight slightly, and tied her hair up into a ponytail. Esme smiled hearing the name. "That's a beautiful name." She responded. We all knew that name was special for Esme, and it was so outdated that nobody used it anymore. Angel's face cringed at the sudden movement of when she grabbed her key to prevent them from falling on the floor, from her lap.
"Are you okay?" Esme asked watching her with concern. Angel nodded passing it off, she was really fighting back the pain - It was radiating off her. I frowned watching, Alice reached over and grabbed my hand and whispered low for myself and Esme to heard. "She hurt her back..She can hardly move it."
"I'm fine." Angel lied. She didn't want to mention how she hurt it. She forced a smile and sat back. Esme frowned slightly. "Are you sure?" she pressed lightly, she was really concerned about Angel..
Angel nodded. "I fell earlier this morning." she admitted. "Landed hard on my back." she lied again. She didn't want to tell them she got pushed down the stairs. She could handle her grandfather hurting her. She could handle the old man being horrid until she could move out next year - to go off to Seattle University.
I looked at her, something about what she said - I knew deep down wasn't true. She was letting off all this nervous energy - again. I looked at Mom and shook my head. Esme came over and sat next to Angel. Esme gently laid her hand on Angel's side.
"Can I get you something for it?" Esme asked, knowing what all Carlisle kept in the house for Emergencies from when Bella was a human. Angel bit her lip then looked up at Esme. "Sure. it might help." she said softly, and forced a smile to her. Esme smiled back and went into the study and grabbed some tylenol, came back out and gave Angel two tablets. Angel took them.
"Thank you." She said forcing herself to sit back against the cushion. Esme smiled and nodded, "Anytime sweetie."
Angel and I worked some on our project and went over what we had to finish. "You can come over tomorrow if you like." I smiled. Angel nodded and looked at her phone.
"That sounds good to me." She said putting her stuff away in her bag. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." She smiled. "See you tomorrow also, Alice." She smiled. Alice got up and hugged her. "Good to meet you also, Angel."
"Nice to meet you also, Mrs Cullen. Thank you for the tylenol. It really helped my back." Angel smiled at Esme. Esme nodded and hugged her softly. "You're welcome sweetie." She said and walked Angel to the door. "Have a good night." She said. Angel nodded "You guys also." Angel replied walking out.
1 Week Later:
I sat at the cafe with Edward. Bella and Alice. I looked over at Alice and placed my hand on her leg. "See anything doll?" I asked furrowing my brows. It was Friday - Angel hadn't been at school at all this week. Alice and I have gone to her house and she wasn't even home at all when we went by. Alice shook her head, "I've got nothing Jazz. Sorry." She said sighing, she even tried texting Angel and didn't get a response.
Edward looked at Alice and I, "She hasn't gotten in touch with either of you?" He asked watching us, and rubbing Bella's back. I just shook my head. "Nope."
"Maybe she is out visiting family?" Bella suggested taking a bite of her lunch.
Alice shook her head, "She told me it's just her and her grandpa now, her gran died 6 years ago and her mom died from complications having her." Alice said sighing, "She said they don't have any other relatives."
"Let's go try her place again - maybe they came home." I suggested getting up to throw our trays away. "If not we could file a missing person's report?" Alice said looking at Bella. Bella nodded, "I'll talk to my dad." She said grabbing her bag getting ready for her next class.
We drove to where Angel lives and went into the house, and we got out. Alice remained quiet and went inside to look around. " I can't believe she lives like this." She said looking around. "Oh god." She said jumping slightly, stepping on a rat and at the sight of more rats. "I hate rats." She said slightly stomping her foot and ran her hand through her hair and turned on her phone as a flashlight, as did I.
We looked around, the electric didn't work, and it smelled horrible here, it was a thousand times worse than the other day. We never did get a chance to go inside though, so it was a shocker. We walked around upstairs and went into the bedrooms, the one bedroom which was the master bedroom was actually nice looking, it had a bed on a bed frame and was made nicely - but the room across the hall was just a few blankets on the floor and a very flat pillow. Alice got curious and opened the closet, it had Angels clothing in it.
"Looks like she goes to the laundromat and keeps them done.." She said softly and looked around more. There wasn't much else in the room, but Angels bag and a small hope chest on the floor next to where Angels make shift bed was.
Alice turned around and stopped, holding up her finger. "Do you smell that Jazz?" She asked worried. She smelled blood. I was holding my breath and shook my head. "It smells old." I said, watching her follow the trail. She led me down to the basement, it was locked, but it was an old door. I used light force and broke it open.
"It's stronger." Alice said worried, turning on her light again. She went downstairs and I followed behind her. I flipped the lights but nothing came on. I went around Alice and opened up the second door. We both heard faint breathing. Alice and I broke the steel door open and seen Angel laying on the floor with chains on her legs. Alice went over and undid them. "Call 911." She said.
I shook my head and felt my blood boil, I placed the call to 911 and we moved her outside. Alice laid her on the ground and called Carlisle in the ER to give a heads up. "It looks like she's been down there all week." She said and kept trying to get Angel to respond. "She's got 10 respirations per minute dad." She said trying to not lose her shit on the phone. "She's been beaten bad, daddy." Alice said on the verge of crying. "Her back is broken open and bleeding." Alice said turning her on her side and keeping pressure on the wound's.
The ambulance showed up and took over with Angel. We told them what we found and spoke with Officer Wayne. He called Charlie and started talking to the other officers. The paramedics loaded up Angel, Alice went with her and called Esme and told her what happened. I followed in the car.. I was seething with anger and wanted to find the old man who did this.
I arrived at the hospital, Alice was in the waiting room and Angel was taken back. I sat down with Alice trying to block out everything that happened. Esme had arrived and came over to sit with us. We told her more of what happened.
Carlisle came out. "She was hurt really bad.." He said running his hand through his hair. "She needed 140 stitches on her back… She also needed some on her arms and back legs too." He said sitting down. " Esme. She's been abused for a long time." He said softly. He looked at her. " We need to help her." He suggested. Esme looked up at him. "We can take her in." She said, she didn't want that girl going back home to whomever did this to her.
Carlisle smiled slightly, he was very proud of his wife and agreed. "We will." He promised. " There is more." He said his smile disappearing. "She's been abused in every way. We had to sedate her to get her to let us treat her." He shook his head, "She's really hurt Us.." He said softly. "I couldn't treat her. She kicked me hard in the chest and told me to not come near her - Can't blame her though for not wanting a male doctor near her. She ended up with a whole team of female nurses and doctors taking care of her in their." He whispered.
I looked over and seen Charlie come in, "Who in the hell could do that to their own granddaughter?" He said, his face was red. We have never seen him this angry. " We're trying to find the bastard who did this." He said sighing. "We have an APB out on Charles Evenson." He said before hearing his phone go off.
Esme dropped her purse on the floor hearing that name. "No.." She said devastated. "It can't be him…" She said looking at Charlie then at Carlisle. "He should be dead." She said, we all seen the tears forming in her eyes.
Edward walked in hearing the conversation. "He isn't mom.." He said looking disappointed. "I…. I couldn't find him that night." He whispered low only we could hear him.
