Chapter X

"I thought you said that we'll be going to the orphanage," I commented, as Edward pulled up next to a driveway. "Didn't you say that yesterday?"

"The kids are on a trip to the zoo," Edward answered.

"I'm really worried about Rosalie," I said, with a sigh. "I know we're not close, but something tells me that I need to look out for her, or something bad will happen. You must be concerned about her, so you must be aware of her welfare."

Edward gave me a strange look. We spread the blanket on a patch of grass and began setting out the plates and dishes.

"Her welfare?" he inquired, handing me a fork.

"She won't commit suicide, will she?" I asked.

"What is it that you aren't telling me?" he said, a little frustrated. "I want to help, but the problem with all you girls, is that none of you would tell me the whole story! I love you Bells, but I can't handle how you won't tell me what's going on with my own sister! Please! You're driving me crazy! I'll never lie to you, and you know that! Is there something you're afraid will hurt me? Nothing will. I know you care for her as if she's your sister, but please!"

"Well! What do I have here?!" sneered the voice of my nightmares. "My fucking, whoring bitch of a cousin! Is she troubling you, bro? How much did you pay her to be your precious whore? Did she satisfy your every need?"

My heart filled with dread, as a shadow loomed over me.

It was the Grinch that stole Christmas.

The worst criminal that ever lived in American history.

The Grim Reaper himself.

Jacob.

Edward calmly shuffled in front of me, creating himself as a barricade between an angry Jacob (I could literally see steam from his ears like an angry bull) and a terrified me. Jacob's eyes narrowed and had a fierce red glow.

He shoved Edward aside as if he was nothing but a piece of paper, and grabbed my throat. I choked in fear, and was more afraid than I ever was!

"You will die today!" Jacob hissed. "I will enjoy cutting your body into a million tiny pieces and blending them together in a mixture! Oh, wouldn't it be tasty? I can just imagine chewing your sweet fingers, one by one, thinking of all the trouble you landed me in."

I vomited on his feet.

Jacob stared at me in disgust, and slapped my cheeks.

Edward jumped on his back, but he was thrown off and whacked into a tree.

"Stop!" said a figure (Rosalie?!) near the trees. "You've gotten away with sexual assault once, but now you'll be locked away for rape and abuse!"

"Well," jeered Jacob, releasing me and sauntering to Rosalie. "I remember you! Your screams and cries were so melodious! A perfect song to my ears! You and your friends think you're better than the rest of us, just because you're all stinking rich! I showed the world that even rich bitches won't be safe on the streets at night, and are whores just as much as the desperate prostitutes! Scarring your angelic face, arms and legs were the best part! I would do it all again! In fact, since Bella's more useless and hopeless, I'll show her what's in stall for her! You'll be my guinea pig! Second time in a row would be more fun than the first, don't you agree?!"

Rosalie backed away, determination on her face.

"You won't dare do it again," she said, strangely calm. "You may think that I might be traumatised again, but that won't happen. I went down last time, but I rose from the grave. Now it'll be you that'll go down, and hopefully will stay there."

She held up her iPhone, and after a minute, I realised that she had recorded and filmed everything from the moment Jacob stormed onto the meadow!

"You will go to Court," Rosalie said boldly. "I will stand as a witness and you will be sentenced for life at the least! I'm sure with this video recording, there's enough evidence to convict you alone, but with Bella and me as chief witnesses and Edward as a bystander witness, there'll be more than enough to prosecute you for at least twenty five years!"

Jacob lunged for it, but Edward casually tripped him over.

He landed with a loud thump at Rosalie's feet.

Before he could get to his feet and attack either Rosalie, Edward or me, a blur appeared and in a flash, I saw Emmett pushing him tirelessly to the ground.

"Rose tipped me off," Emmett informed me. "She said that it's life-threatening and an emergency. I dropped what I was doing with Jasper, and came here at once! I see that it was worth it! She also mentioned that you'll be hurt if me or Jasper don't turn up. Now, what should I do with this apparently useless piece of scum? Do you give me permission to beat him up until he's senseless? I need some practice, and he'll be a perfect target!"

"No!" said Rosalie and me in unison.

"No?" said Emmett, slightly taken back.

"He's wanted by the police," said Rosalie, jerking her head at Jacob's direction. "He's the son of a bitch that raped me. He's also the one responsible for all the cuts and bruises on Bella's skin. With what happened today, he'll be in prison for life."

"Wow," said Edward, embracing me tightly. "I owe you one, Rosalie. It must've taken you all your energy to confront him!"

"Bitch!" spat Jacob, struggling in Emmett's grasp. "You fucking whores!"

"Let's go," I decided. "The sooner we call the police, the better."

Edward held me and Rosalie back for a minute.

"is this a bit weird to you?" he asked, eyeing both of us. "Coincidence that he found this place? Hardly anyone knows about it!"

"I'm sorry for ruining your breakfast," apologised Rosalie. "Bella accidently told me where you're going, and I thought of it as the perfect opportunity to find evidence to incriminate that bastard. I know I should've told you, but I was afraid you would ruin the plan. Edward, you know how edgy you get when you care for our safety. At least now Jacob would be imprisoned! I'll explain everything when we have a family meeting. Including Bella of course. I know you're angry because that son of a bitch desecrated your secret meadow, but still-"

"I'm not angry at you," Edward assured her. "I'm happy for you."

"You are?" said me and Rosalie in unison.

"It's brave of you to do this," Edward explained. "If I was you and faced with a creepy guy who threatened my life, I wouldn't even think of this! I would do something pretty stupid like run home. Forget about the picnic breakfast."

"Yeah," I agreed. "What you did was worth more than a hundred picnics! I can go back home peacefully now that Jacob's imprisoned!"

The Cullens sat in the living room, across and next to each other, with Carlisle at one end near the TV, and Esme at the other.

I snuggled closer to Edward.

"I guess you all know why you're here," began Carlisle. "Rosalie, Emmett, Edward and Bella have caught a criminal. What we should do about him is a question. Yes, we should call the police, but is there anything else we should say to them?"

"Kill two birds with one stone," said Alice calmly. "Tell the police that Bella was being abused by Jacob, and show him the scars on her arm and face as evidence. While doing that, implicate her Uncle Billy. He hadn't helped her when Jacob tortured her. He might've even joined in. Bella can be the primary witness against them. Rosalie will be the primary witness and victim to Jacob being her rapist and the murderer and assaulter of her friends. He'll be sentenced to life, and Billy will be incarcerated for most of his life with perhaps a chance of parole."

"Yes," agreed Jasper, from his position near the dark shadows at the corner of the room. "Isabella, I had a suggestion for you. After your uncle and cousin are jailed, the house will be yours. Why not clean it up a bit and sell it? We'll al help you clean it. You can live with us for the time being, and after you sell the house, you can use the money you earnt and start a new life with Edward. That house is full of memories that you won't want to remember."

I hadn't actually thought about that…

"It's up to you," said Edward, kissing my cheek. "I'll help you in all your decisions. If you want to sell it, I will assist you in it."

"I'll think about it," I said, giving Jasper a grateful smile. "Thanks Jasper, but I really want to see Jacob safely in prison before selling any houses. I can't sleep safely and soundly until he's legally prosecuted and placed behind iron bars under high security. If I am planning to put up my house for sale, I'll look to you for advice. I promise."

Jasper nodded blankly and resumed his neutral expression.

Esme picked up a phone and handed it to me.

I tentatively took it from her hand and stared at the small screen in front of me. The numbers on the keypad jumbled and flew around in my mind. I felt every pair of eyes in the room on me. Edward squeezed my shoulder encouragingly. I looked up and met Rosalie's determined eyes, followed by Alice's optimistic ones. Hope surged in my heart, and confidently, I pressed the three numbers, knowing once and for all, that I would never see Jacob ever again.

"The jury is bound to agree with us," said Alice confidently, as we left the Court room. "There are women in it, and they know what the experience is!"

"Really?" I said, biting my lip.

"Bella," said Esme, before Alice could say anything else. "Why don't we go out and have a talk? I'm sure the others can manage without us for three hours or more. We can go for a walk in the closest mall and wait for the final verdict. We don't have to wait here, all tense and nervous. I'll buy you a drink and some lunch. You must be hungry."

"I'll call you when the verdict's out," Edward promised. "Hopefully it'll be in our favour and by tonight, we'll all be drinking and toasting to a change of fortune for you. Have fun with my mum! I promise I'll see you later tonight!"

We gazed at each other for a moment.

I reluctantly broke away and went with Esme in a cab.

"I want to help you," she said quietly. "I haven't had the time to have a good talk with you lately, but now that the Jacob matter is almost over, I suppose it'll be wise for me to clarify the truth about your mother once and for all. Yes, everyone lied to you about her. I admit that even I did. Everyone might say that I'm truthful, but please, don't view me as a constant liar. You were with Edward, and full of doubt before. I don't want you committing suicide and ending your life. Edward will be devastated. Are you ready to hear the absolute truth?"

"There's more?" I said, in barely a whisper. "Is my mother a prostitute, or is she a charity worker? So many people told me different versions. Why didn't you tell Edward the truth? He can keep a secret. I know he can! I fully trust him!"

"Trust is different to sinking in."

"What is there that's the truth then?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Well…what did she look like as a teenager and young woman?"

"I suppose we should start at the beginning. She's beautiful. A lot like you. Renee had medium length long hair, a round face full of laugh lines and the prettiest, most innocent blue eyes I'd ever seen. I guess you inherit her innocence. You know, one of the greatest gifts in the world that you can receive is innocence. A child has innocence when she is born, but slowly loses it to the temptations of evil in the world. Sometimes, their innocence is ripped from their flesh."

"You mean like Rosalie."

"Not just Rosalie. There are many other young girls and women that were in the same boat as her. Yes, people-including me-told you that your mother is a charity worker or a prostitute (or both), but there is something that only me and your father knew. Not even Carlisle knew about it. I guess by now, you know what I'm talking about. Yes, she was suspected of murder, but Charlie Swan didn't have anything to incriminate her. He did discover something else about her past. It regards your Uncle Billy. I know I should've told the Court, but it was so private!"

"Why are you telling me then?"

"You are her daughter, and you are looking for your mother's identity. She won't mind if I tell you. Just please don't tell anyone else. It might endanger not only you, but Edward and the rest of our family. I cannot risk another death on my behalf."

"Huh? When did someone die that's close to you? All your children are alive and well! You and Carlisle are having a great relationship, and there's nothing wrong with your marriage! Rosalie's rapist has been caught, and will be jailed as we speak!"

"Your Aunt Sarah."

"She died after childbirth."

"Carlisle performed an autopsy and read the report. There's nothing on it that indicated she died of the after effects of childbirth. He told no one. You may think us Cullens are perfect in everyway, but we're not as clean cut as we're made out to be. We all have sinned and are consumed with guilt. I know you think we're the perfect family. I can see it in your eyes. You don't have to say anything. Carlisle didn't tell anyone except for me about the autopsy report. He should've told the police, but he didn't. That weighed greatly against his conscience. She was poisoned a few weeks before giving birth. There's no evidence to prove that he was responsible, but both me and Carlisle have a strong belief that Billy killed Sarah. It's possible, but we can't prove it."

"What does this have to do with my mother?"

"Your mother was raped. She was never a prostitute. It was just a rumour that spread after she sunk into depression and became interested in Goth. Everyone believed she was a prostitute. She kept it a secret for a long time, but I guess she wanted to see proper justice and told Sarah about the assault. She was raped by Billy."

I stared at her, dumbfound and amazed.

"What about the money?" I asked. "The desperation? Eviction?"

"I made it up," said Esme miserably.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I didn't think you'll handle the fact that your mother was raped by your uncle, who killed his own wife when he found out that she knew about it."

"I understand. You're a really good actress. What about Phil Dwyer? Did he really know my mum? Is he a man that I can talk to or find? I trust you, but I don't know whether it is truth or lies regarding her life. Is it true about the stillborns and miscarriages?"

"No. Charlie just wanted one child-you."

"He didn't want another one?"

"No. He's a police officer, and one child is safer than a brood. I'm really sorry, Bella. I guess I should've told you the absolute truth from the beginning. Another thing you should know. Your mum and aunt were about to have legal action against Billy. They had evidence, but hid it somewhere before they died. You might want to find it."

Esme lied, I thought. Why? I expect it in Jacob, but Esme? She's so motherly! Is she telling the truth this time, or is she covering up from last time? Maybe I shouldn't believe her…maybe I should ask this Phil Dwyer before I make up my mind. If she's right and they're really close to each other, he's bound to know secrets about her.

"Here," said Esme, handing me a set of keys.

"What's this for?" I inquired, looking at the keys curiously.

"Your legacy," she replied, opening the door for me. "The keys are for the files in your dad's office. He left you something valuable. Only one other person has the same keys as you, and that's Carlisle. Even the policemen don't have the same ones."

The two of us roamed around the mall, looking, talking and pointing at various artworks and figurines in two dollar shops and other parts of the mall. Neither Esme nor I were bothered to buy anything. Looking at them seemed more fun than actually buying and keeping them. I checked my watch, and three hours had passed in a flash.

"Why's it taking so long?" I wondered.

"The evidence is all there," said Esme, with a frown. "Your statements have all been made, and all the Judge needs is the jury's unanimous decision. It's not a hard case. All they have to do is agree that what Jacob and Billy did were wrong, and they deserve life sentences each. It's not brainwork. Is there someone who actually believes them innocent?! I don't think any of us are still hungry. Do you think it's a good time to return back to the courtroom for the final decision, or should we stay out here for another half an hour for them to make up their minds?"

"Wait another couple of minutes?" I suggested. "Maybe they have a power outage or something? Any small thing can happen as we speak. I'm a hundred percent sure that Jacob and Uncle Billy will be behind bars in a short time."

Esme nodded slowly.

I had never seen Esme this tense and nervous before!

My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket.

I picked it up at once.

"Bella," said the voice (Edward) at the other end. "I have news. In a way, it's good, but also bad. The jury had made an unanimous decision. Are you ready for it? They have decided that without physical evidence linking that bastard son of a bitch to the murders of Rosalie's friends, and even with eyewitness accounts, he is not guilty of first degree murder. However, he will be sent to jail for rape and assault, and will stay there for a minimum of fifteen years with no chance of parole."

Again, extremely rushed and it probably doesn't make sense, but I felt the need to upload a chapter! Please review and make my review count 100 or 100+! It'll be the best birthday gift a fanfiction writer can receive! :) Oh, if it does reach 100, I'll acknowledge EVERY CONSTANT reviewer in the next chapter AND read and review a story of each of theirs (reviewer's choice)! Please review! :)