Disclaimer: I don't own twilight. I'm so sorry for forgetting this in the first seven chapters. Love to all!

Chapter 8

Truth

Bella was asleep. It was almost 11 o'clock. I pulled into a diner in the little town we'd just entered. We were miles from Seattle, and I finally felt like Bella was safe. All night she's been torturing me with those long smooth legs exposed in the moon light. Her lips would twitch as she muttered out my name and many other things I couldn't understand. What was she thinking and dreaming about?

I ordered us two orange juices, and a mixed dozen donuts, because I didn't know what she liked, yet. I hurried back to the car. I didn't want to leave Bella alone for too long. We were still a little too close to Seattle for my liking. We I shut the door to the car I must have been a bit too loud, because Bella shifted over and stirred. She blinked against the intrusive light of the sun and rubbed her eyes. I watched quietly. She was so beautiful.

She looked at me through squinted eyes, and I gave her a gentle smile. I needed to earn back her trust after that wrong, wonderful, stupid and amazing mistake of a kiss. I offered her some break fast and she sat up, but the groaned in pain. I was worried immediately. Had she been hurt while climbing out of that window? Of course then she rubbed her back, stretching, and I realized that she just had to spend the night sleeping in a car. That had to be unpleasant.

"Let me," I offered before I thought about any of the consequences, just like that kiss. She turned away from me tentatively. She brushed her hair to the side, so I would have room to work. Almost as soon as I touched her she gave a groan of relief. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help but think of all the other ways to make Bella moan. So bad, I know.

She kept making little noises that threatened to push me over the edge. Eventually I had to distract myself from it all. "Are you hungry?" I asked. Her stomach grumbled, and she laughed. "I guess that's a yes," I said, laughing, too. She turned back to pick a donut.

We ate and talked almost like normal, if we'd ever had a normal moment. It was nice to feel like no one was watching for a while. I suggested we find a store around here, and buy her some girl's clothes. I didn't mention that I really, really liked the look of her in just my T-shirt. No need to embarrass myself.

"So, while we're on the subject of future plans… what exactly are we going to be doing? I mean, we can't just run away and keep running together," but I want to.

I didn't say that though. I merely answered her with the real plan. "No, I was thinking… we prove you're innocent. Find out who really did it," I explained.

"You mean so we could come back?" she asked. I nodded, waiting for some kind reaction.

"Where do we start?" she asked. She looked determined all of a sudden.

"I got the address of the main witness in your case, but I'm not sure if you really want to see him. The only other person to talk to is Jacob Black… I'm just not sure that's a good idea either," I answered.

"Who was the main witness?" she asked.

"Dr. Laurent Martin," I replied.

"Oh… that's right. He said that I was really violent and crazy… but why would he say that? Do you think he was lying? Why?" she wondered aloud.

"Of course he was lying! You're not crazy at all!" I answered.

"But why? What does he have to do with all this?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Maybe he was bribed. Maybe he was being blackmailed. Maybe… he did it," I offered.

"You mean he framed me?" she asked. She looked upset by this.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. If you don't want to see Dr. Martin or Jacob yet then we'll visit some other people on the witness list," I said, trying to comfort her.

"Okay, who first?" she sighed and asked.

"A Ms. Jessica Stanley," I said, checking the list.

"Our neighbor? The one who found us?" she asked, surprised. I nodded and we drove off in the direction of the small town outside of Seattle, where Bella used to live, called Forks. Jessica still lived in the same house across from Bella's old house. I caught her staring as we pulled up.

"Bella, lie down in the back and let me handle this. I think she'd recognize you, and we need to keep a low profile," I said. She clambered over the seats and moved to the back. I shut the door and made my way to the door. I knocked. I'd never felt so nervous in my life. Bella's whole life was hanging in the balance. I'd either save her life now or ruin it forever. I knocked.

The door opened a young, brown-haired girl stood before me. "Hello?" she said.

"Hi…" I said realizing all I had was a folder and a million questions, not one answer to the endless questions I could see on her face. "Are you Ms. Jessica Stanley?" I asked.

"Yes, and you are?" she asked.

"I'm an investigator, Dylan Adams. I'm looking into a case that you testified in, the case of Ms. Isabella Swan," I answered. I had been thinking about reasons to ask these questions all night, but now I felt sure she would see right through it all.

"That case closed… a long time ago," she answered, still seeking some answers.

"Yes, we're actually looking to Judge Simmons. He was involved in some bribery and we have to look into all the past cases. You know, make sure the records weren't changed, see if there would be any reason to bribe the judge and all kinds of things. Would you allow me to ask you some questions?" I asked.

"Of course, come right in," she said stepping back to let me in. I walked past her observing the open atmosphere of the house. It was nice, but I imagined myself in something a little homier. A little cottage with only a couple bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms meant for me and Bella and a few kids…. Whoa. Too much… again.

"So, I'm going to ask mostly questions from the trial and just see that all your answers match, okay?" I asked. Jessica nodded. "You were the one who found Charlie and Renee Swan dead?" I asked.

"Yes, B-Isabella was in the room, too, knocked out cold," she answered.

"Where and at what time did you find them?" I asked.

"It was in their bedroom. I came over at around nine,"

"Why did you go over?"

"The police department was trying to get a hold of Charlie, but no one picked up the phone. The man on the phone asked me if I knew where they were or if I could go see if they were around, so I did."

"It's not in any of these reports. Why would the police ask you to do that? Why would they have your number?" I asked. She looked confused for a moment.

"I'm not sure. I guess I got so caught up that night that I never bothered to wonder why," she answered, sounding sincere. I believed her, but there was still so much that didn't add up in anyway.

"You said Isabella was knocked out? Do you know why?" I asked.

"I didn't at the time, but during the case an expert witness testified that after an out burst like that it wasn't uncommon for mentally ill people to collapse. Sometimes seeing with their own eyes what they'd done was too stressful for the mind," she replied.

"Which witness was that?" I asked as I looked over the list.

"Some doctor from Seattle… Dr. Gregory… Dr. Grant…?" she muttered testing the sound of each name. My head snapped up.

"Dr. Gray?" I suggested.

"Yes, yes, that's right. Dr. Gray," she nodded. She barely seemed to notice my strange behavior. I would be eternally grateful for whatever distracted her.

"And what do you know about Ms. Swan's illness?" I continued, trying to push back all the theories popping into my head. I needed all the facts first.

"Not much. I always thought she just had a social disorder, but her personal therapist Dr. Martin said she was really violent. She'd have tantrums and hit things and all that. This was the first time she'd severely hurt a person though," she explained. We already knew that was a lie, so no help there.

"And do you remember seeing anything strange on that night?" I asked.

"Well… there was a car outside their house for a while. I was leaving for work and there was a black car in the drive way, but it was gone well before nine that night," she offered. I wondered what color Dr. Martin's car was.

"And was there anything else strange that happened around that time?" I asked.

"Well, now that you mention it, Officer Lowery disappeared around then. He was the deputy when Charlie was chief. He went to visit his daughter a week before Charlie and Renee… passed away," she finished.

"Why didn't anyone look into that? It's a bit strange. Two officers gone in one week?" I pressed.

"Well, Officer Lowery was in Idaho when he disappeared. Besides I found Isabella in the room with her parents and there was the knife with her finger prints. It's a pretty open and shut case right? I mean the only thing better would be someone who saw her stab them," she said. She seemed offended, so I decided that it might be better if I made my escape now.

"Of course. I think that's all I need, thank you," I agreed easily and stood. She looked confused.
"You aren't going to ask about the trial? Or the judge?" Jessica demanded. She suddenly seemed very suspicious; maybe she had been the whole time.

"Uh, well I just… you didn't see anything did you?" I asked.

"No, the only people who spoke to each other at the trial were those two doctors. No one else," she answered, but she was still watching me too closely.

"Alright, thank you so much," I said hurrying to the door.

"Wait a moment! What did you say your name was?" she asked.

"Dylan Adams," I answered, half way to the door.

"You're an investigator? Do you have a badge or something?" she demanded.

"Yeah… I uh… really need to go though… I have a… an appointment," I muttered, almost running out the door and back to the car. In a second I was flying down the rode.

"Hey!" Bella said popping up from the back seat. She started to climb over the seats to the front.

"Get up here, and put on a seat belt!" I ordered. She was scaring the crap out of me. I was driving around 70 miles an hour, and Bella was climbing around without a seat belt on. After all I'd done for her I did not intend to lose her in a stupid car crash.

"Alright, alright, bossy, so I went over to my house, while you were with Jess," she told me.

"What?"