You all know who owns all things Twilight. Need a hint? It's not me. Thank you samrosey and Jennifer for all your help with this chapter. The Sparkly Red Pen rocks!

Chapter 3

Jake held onto my arm and steered me back towards the black limousine. We slowly passed the different headstones and I couldn't help but think about the circumstances that brought those people here. Which ones had died peacefully, surrounded by those who loved them and how many had died at the hands of someone else, or like Charlie of their own depressed desire. The last two days had passed quickly, as if I was watching a movie instead of starring in it.

The ride back to Sue's was quick. No one tried to make conversation and that was fine by me. Jake would occasionally squeeze my hand and I would squeeze his back. He had been my shadow for the last two days, even going with me to the station where I filed a report on Angela. Ben had been unable to get in touch with her and her parents hadn't heard anything either. We did know that she had never purchased her plane tickets to New Orleans. Ben had checked her bank account and no money had been taken out. Even stranger, the last activity on her credit card was when she got gas the same day she met with Edward Cullen. I didn't mention him to Paul but I probably should have. I'm not even sure why I had kept that to myself. My face burned when I remembered calling his house the other night.

Once we got to Sue's, I stepped out of the limo brushing off another one of Jake's attempts to help me. We were expecting most of the town to be here and I was desperate to get out of this dress and put on jeans. Charlie would understand. I reached behind me and tried to grasp the zipper. Stupid dress. I opened the bathroom door and popped my head out but I didn't see anyone. I could hear people across the house but no one that could help me with my problem. I shut the door and reached back around in an attempt to pull the small zipper down but my arm wouldn't twist. Resolved to the fact that I would have to venture out and find Emily or Sue to help me, I left the bathroom and waved at Emily who came over.

"Can you help me with my dress? I can't reach the zipper?"

Emily gave me a small smile and tugged the zipper down to the middle of my back.

"Thanks. I'll be out in a few." I scurried back to the bathroom and tugged on my jeans and a plain white tee. I also changed into the Chucks I had made sure to pack. I brushed my hair with my fingers and took a deep breath before going back to the living room. It seemed like the whole town of Forks was here. I recognized many of my old teachers, schoolmates and even Charlie's dentist from Port Angeles. Renee and Phil were unable to make it but they had sent a beautiful flower arrangement which I put next to a picture collage of Charlie's closest friends and family.

I wasn't sure of the proper etiquette, so I made my way over to Sue. There was a line forming in front of her with people wanting to give their condolences, once again. I gave small smiles to everyone that came over and wiped tears from my cheeks. The Cullen family was the last in line and Esme Cullen pulled me into a hug.

"Words cannot say how much my heart breaks for you." She whispered.

"Thank you." Even to me, the words sounded robotic, after saying them for the last three days. "Thank you for coming. It would have meant a lot to Charlie.

"There are no hard feelings, Bella. Your father was a great cop." I wondered if that's how she really felt. After all, who could forgive someone who had almost sent their son to prison?

Carlisle squeezed my shoulder and Jasper and Emmett both shook my hand. I wasn't surprised when Alice put her arms around my neck and patted my hair. When she finally let go, Edward took her place, arms included. The weight of his arms on my shoulders made me want to melt against him. He smelled so good and I didn't dare blink when his mouth moved closer to my ear.

"I need to talk to you. Alone."

He straightened himself and looked me dead in the eye, waiting for my answer.

"Okay, fine. Give me a minute." This seemed to satisfy him, because he quickly caught up to the rest of his family. I turned to Sue and told her I was going outside for some air and would be back in ten minutes. I spotted Jacob talking with Billy and Sam across the room. I hoped I could sneak out without him noticing.

I knew without looking that Edward was following me. Even after all these years, his presence demanded my attention. All of my senses focused on him. I stopped half-way down to the water and pivoted to face him. His hair was in its normal state of disarray and he rubbed his jaw.

"Why did you want to talk to me?" The words came out harsher than I meant and I saw him blink and then move his hands to his hair.

"I wanted to know if you've heard from Angela." I was taken aback. I had expected he wanted to tell me how sorry he was again.

"No. But I filed a missing persons report and Paul is looking into it. Do you know anything?" He didn't answer me, so I plunged ahead. "I know you met with Angela the day she disappeared and I told Paul." Okay the last part was a lie, but I was resolved to tell him today. It was stupid for me to keep it to myself anyhow.

"Bella, I talked to Paul last night. I told him everything that Angela and I talked about. I swear I have no idea where she is."

"What did you talk about with Angela?" I kicked at the sand keeping my eyes on the toe of my shoes.

"I can't tell you, Bella. It's too dangerous. Besides, you'd never believe me even if I did."

"This is my best friend that we're talking about here, I don't understand. Why can you tell Paul and not me?" I whined, wincing at my child like tone.

"You know Paul's a cop, Bella. I would tell you if I could. I just…I can't. Please trust me, though. "

"Trust you? Ha. How about you trust me, Edward? It's okay, don't worry. I'll find out on my own!" I blew a chunk of hair out of my eyes and searched his face for something, anything that would give me a clue. Was he being preemptive by telling Paul or was he actually telling me the truth?

"You read too many Nancy Drew books when you were a kid?" He cocked his head to the side. "If you know what's good for you, please keep your nose out of shit that doesn't involve you, Bella."

"Are you threatening me, Edward? I'm not scared of you." Okay, that was a lie. He did scare me-a little bit.

He snorted, but didn't speak. He was looking back at the house and when I turned I could see Sam and Jake jogging over to us.

"Are you okay, Bella? Why are you out here with him?" Jake sneered in Edwards's direction, not even bothering to hide the his hatred.

"I'm fine Jake. Come on, let's go back in." I pulled him closer to me, looping my arm with his. I expected Sam to follow, but instead he and Edward stayed. They were still there when we made it back to Sue's.

"I don't like him, Bella. You shouldn't be alone with him."

I waved Jake off. "It's fine. Edward doesn't scare me."

Once back inside, I kept my eyes on the door but even after the rest of the Cullen's left, Edward and Sam still hadn't come back. I was actually starting to worry, except I wasn't sure if I should be more worried about Edward or Sam.

Sam walked into the kitchen an hour later as Emily and I were putting the leftover food in Tupperware containers. He didn't even mention Edward. I quickly finished up in the kitchen and sat down next to him.

"What did you talk to Edward about?"

"Nothing."

"Really? You spoke about nothing for an hour?" No answer. "I'm going to Charlie's. Paul said the house is clean and I can't stay in Forks forever, so I should start packing things up."

Almost all of Charlie's things were going to Good Will. I just had to organize everything that was going and they would send a truck out.

"You want some company?" Ah, he could speak.

I shook my head. "No, I think I need to do it by myself." I patted his thigh and stood up. Sam looked like he was going to say something, so I waited; but he just pursed his lips together and gave me a small smile.

It didn't take me long to get to Charlie's. The sun was just starting to set. I pushed my key through the lock and opened the door. I headed into the kitchen first, avoiding the living room. I flicked the light on and let my eyes adjust to the bright yellow. The paint had been my mom's last ditch effort to brighten up the house. Charlie had never changed it. In the distance I could hear thunder and I knew the storm would be here before I wanted it to be. While Forks was mostly rainy, actual storms rarely made their way through, but when they did they were often brutal.

I opened the fridge and found it almost empty. The remaining things would be fine for a few more days. There were no dishes in the sink and no mail on the table; the kitchen was spotless. I decided to go to Charlie's room to pack most of his clothes. That should be pretty easy since it all was going to Good Will. I opened the basement door since I knew he kept empty boxes down there. The light was in the middle of the room and I navigated the stairs in the dark, remembering that the bottom step was rotting.

I wasn't scared of the dark per-se, but I didn't waste any time finding the string, yanking the light on. I turned in a circle trying to locate the extra boxes. I found them tucked into a far corner as I stepped over boxes filled with old fishing gear or pictures …years of odds and ends that Charlie had collected. I jumped when I reached the corner because the thunder was so close. Maybe I should do this tomorrow. Another loud boom made my decision for me and I hurried back to the stairs. I didn't see the foot locker and screamed as my sneakers caught, projecting me forward.

Fucking shit.

A small cardboard box was lying on top of me; I had tried to hang onto it when I fell. I pushed it off me, spilling the contents in the process. I sat up and started to shove the papers and pictures back into the box but as one picture flipped over, my blood went cold and I sat back on my heels.

NO!

The basement suddenly seemed a lot smaller as my mind told me to leave everything where it was and get out! But my body was frozen, my eyes fixed on the blonde girl in the photograph. I didn't recognize her. Not that anyone would be able to recognize her with her face bruised and bloodied like that. The picture shook in my hand and I scanned the pile on the floor looking for another picture. It was like a proverbial train wreck. I needed to see what the other pictures showed. I couldn't look away. The second picture I grabbed was of the same girl, I think.

Her blonde hair was around her shoulders and her arms were tied above her head in this one. A red handkerchief was stuffed into her mouth. Her blue eyes were open and it was scary how much I saw in them. She was naked and when I looked closer I could see a small silver T that hung from her belly button.

Tanya Denali. I wasn't sure, I mean it was still hard to tell but it made sense. Why did my father have this? He never brought work home with him. Not to mention that the photos were nothing like regular police photographs. They had never found the body of Tanya and surely if someone had sent these to my father as evidence it would have made the papers. I would have heard of it.

My stomach twisted and tried to revolt against me. I broke out in a light sweat. I continued to look over them, swallowing back the bile as I did. There were more of the girl that I thought was Tanya. Then the girl in the pictures changed. Now, the girl had dark brown hair that hung past her shoulders. Jessica Stanley. She was posed the same as Tanya had been. I turned over more pictures. A red head that I have never seen before. A short girl who looked familiar but I couldn't place her name. I scooped up a handful more and started to peek through them.

The pictures seemed to be taken in the same place. A small room with no windows. Sometimes there was a chair. In other pictures, it looked as if the girls were hanging from the ceiling.

Another wave of thunder caused me to drop the pictures. My heart was thumping so fast, I was sure it would beat right out of my chest. I picked the stack back up with shaky hands, unable to stop myself. The girl in this picture seemed to be pleading to whoever took the picture. Her mouth was in the shape of an "O" and her dark eyes held the same fear that Tanya's had. I knew without a doubt who she was. Her black hair was cropped close to her ears and her russet colored skin stood out. Leah Clearwater.

What the fuck?

More thunder crashed and I quickly remembered my original plan to get the hell out of the basement. I hurriedly shoved pictures and papers into the box and hoisted it under my arms. I turned to head back upstairs.

I had been so distracted with the pictures that I had never heard the footsteps.

I didn't even know how long he had been standing in the basement doorway, looking at me. He didn't say anything. A round of lightning and thunder killed the light. I could just barely make out his form as he walked down the stairs. I couldn't run. He was blocking my only exit. I backed up as far as I could. Grasping for anything, my fingers wrapped around something hard from the top of Charlie's old tackle box at the same time that he stepped in front of me.

Before you come at me with the pitch forks, chapter 4 is already written I just need to get the finishing touches done. In the meantime feel free to let me know who you think it is and what you think of the story so far. And what is up with the pictures? Stick around to find out.

Oh, I got a few private PM's asking what I listen to when I write. The answer is everything. My playlist and Pandora runs the gamut from AC/DC to Bright Eyes and then back to George Strait. This week I have been on a Beastie Boys and The Bloodhound Gang kick.