Witness

Chapter eleven

Jasper paused and sighed. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to rub away his obvious signs of exhaustion.

"We figure Davis must have come to the same conclusion about the mole as we had. To ensure his charge's safety, he went off the grid with Edward in tow."

It took a few moments to process what his words meant. As soon as it hit me, I couldn't contain the eruption. My entire body tensed.

"Are you telling me that you don't know where they are? But, you said the tip I gave you...it led you to Marshall Davis...was he already gone by the time you got there?"

Jasper grimaced and shook his head.

"Bella, we don't know where Edward is. Thanks to your tip, Marshall Davis's body was discovered last week."

No! I refused to believe that! I began to rise from the chair as the venom in my voice strengthened.

"No...No! Marshall Davis is the only one protecting Edward! He has saved his life over and over! If he's gone...who's left to make sure Edward isn't killed?...Wait! No! Don't you dare say it! Edward's not gone!"

His hands lifted in a sign of surrender.

"Easy, Bella. As far as we know, Edward's fine."

Slowly, he stood up and approached me. I allowed him to guide me over to the small couch, while waiting for his explanation.

"Davis was found alone and there weren't any indications of another victim. We think he had already stashed Edward before they caught up to him. I knew Davis; he was a good friend. He would have died before giving up the locations of any of his charges. We can't be certain that he was killed protecting Edward, but it is my belief."

His gaze turned towards the window. Our eyes followed the same path until we seemed to be both staring at the view outside. However, I couldn't tell you if I was seeing trees and grass, or another building, or cars and people milling about. I was lost inside of my own mind, trying to understand all that I had learned that day.

Jasper continued explaining what was currently happening with the case, but I only caught certain points.

"We are in the process of re-assigning all of his charges to other Marshalls. I have instructed everyone involved to inquire about Davis's safe houses and other hiding spots. His body was located in Arizona, so we are concentrating our search there. I'm sure that he wouldn't have traveled far from wherever he stashed Edward."

As Jasper was talking, I began to wonder why the other agents had taken me like they did. Since it was my tip that led them to their fallen comrade, you would think that they would have been grateful. Instead, they were aggressive and had very little patience with me. There was still more going on than I was privy to.

"Jasper, what aren't you telling me? The other agents obviously do not know about Edward's condition...there is obviously things that I haven't been told...why all of the secrecy?"

I watched as his expression changed from contemplative to sad and then finally to determined. The fingers of his left hand reached up to his hairline and tugged lightly. I could see the battle in his eyes, as he tried to decide whether or not to share all of the information with me.

"Bella, I need you to stay calm and listen to everything I am about to tell you. It is going to upset you, and I'm not even sure I should be sharing this...but maybe it will remind you of something that will actually help with the investigation."

My gaze met his, and I took a deep breath. I promised myself that I would control my emotions and not allow the way I feel to block any chance of helping Edward.

"When Davis went off the grid with Edward, the agency decided to take a closer look at everything. It wasn't too long before they discovered…"

A large huff exploded from my chest, cutting him off.

"Me...they found out that the Marshall had broke the rules by letting Edward and I stay in contact."

I chanced a glance at Jasper. His eyes were narrowed and seemed to be staring right through me. He began to nod. I wasn't sure if he was agreeing with my statement or with something else that had crossed his mind. After a few minutes, he let out a deep sigh, and turned away. I would have thought that action indicated the end of our discussion, but I soon came to realize that it was simply a defense mechanism for Jasper. He was about to relate something that was sure to cause him difficulty.

"The agency bugged your dorm room, mirrored your cell phone, and put spyware on your laptop." His hands, once again, lifted in surrender. "Don't ask. After a few months of monitoring with no leads gained, the agency determined that you were a dead end. They pulled back and began to go in a different direction…"

His left hand raised to his face, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. I could barely hear his soft muttering, but it sounded like he was saying that Alice was going to kill him. I could feel his discomfort. Although I was beginning to dread whatever it was he needed to tell me, I also had a strong feeling that it was past time for this conversation. Taking a deep breath to calm myself as much as possible, I reached out and gently grazed my fingertips along the side of his arm.

"Talk to me, Jasper."

Slowly, his hand lowered and he turned back to look directly at me.

"Davis was more than just a good friend, Bella. He was my mentor when I first joined the Program. Even though the agency thought there wasn't any reason to stick with you, I knew better. Davis never did anything without a good reason. He wasn't getting 'soft' as some of the other agents had theorized. I pled my case, but the agency wasn't willing to devote any more of its precious resources or agents for what they considered to be fruitless."

I closed my eyes, nodding my head. I understood. I, too, loathed my helplessness with the whole issue.

"Bella, do you remember when Alice joined you mid-semester?" He paused momentarily, making sure I was following his train of thought. "I convinced the agency to front her tuition if she agreed to watch out for you. Alice had been wanting to go back to school and finish her degree but didn't have the means. I needed someone to be my eyes and ears, so to speak."

My eyes met his gaze.

"Did she know?"

His head shook slightly, side to side.

"She knew that I was some sort of law enforcement; she had seen my gun and vest. She didn't know about the Program or anything about the case. She just knew that I was worried about you."

Tears welled up in my eyes. I was quickly becoming overwhelmed. First, I was grabbed right off the street, then I was interrogated for hours, and now I find out that my best friend was a plant? I felt like I was going to be sick. Somehow, I managed to force the words past the humongous lump that had formed in my throat.

"I...I...need to go lie down."

Just before I stepped through the doorway of the back bedroom, Jasper's voice stopped me.

"If Alice was here, she would tell you that the friendship that blossomed between the both of you was real and cherished. Yes, you two becoming roommates was arranged by the agency, but everything else was all you."

I didn't respond. I don't think I could have said anything if I wanted to. I was barely holding back the sobs as it was. Shutting the door, I quickly found my way to the bed. Curling up with the pillows, I allowed the tears to fall.

My eyes were puffy and my entire body was sore. I must have fallen asleep while I was still holding my body tight in the fetal position. Slowly, I stretched my stiff limbs. A small groan vibrated from my chest. As I rolled onto my back, I felt the blanket pull down from my shoulders. I was confused, at first, knowing that I hadn't taken the time to cover myself before falling onto the bed. Jasper must have checked on me, and draped the blanket over me. I appreciated his thoughtfulness, and realized that he had been looking out for me this entire time.

I glanced out the window, and took note of the darkness outside. I felt drained, not just emotionally but physically as well. I decided to roll over and allow myself to get a few more hours of sleep.

"Isabella...it's been too long. After so many years of seeing your beautiful face daily, I am afraid once a month just isn't enough for me."

I could feel the warmth of the blush as it began to spread across my face and down my neck. James was a flirt, and while I was definitely used to his ways by now, they still affected me.

"It's good to see you, too, James. How is the new job going?"

We were enjoying our meal and the light conversation of two friends just catching up. We had both been disappointed when his application to the Hale Clinic was rejected. We had similar interests with the chemistry side of medicine and had worked on our senior projects together. It didn't take him long, however, to bounce back and find a comparable position within the research and development department of a local pharmaceutical company.

"So, Isabella, any new admirers to speak of?"

He always found a way to include this type of inquisition into our conversations. I was able to put him off during school, claiming that I didn't have time for a relationship. I carried that excuse on into my residency. Now, however, we were both free from the demands of our education and training. I knew my old standby would no longer be viable. A cold chill ran down my spine, as I looked into my former lab partner's darkened gaze.

Edward's words of warning pushed their way into the front of my mind. "If something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts. You are very perceptive, Bella. Don't doubt yourself."

Suddenly, I found myself sitting straight up in bed. My heart was racing and I was close to hyperventilating. Closing my eyes, I tried to calm myself. As soon as I could breathe deeply, I moved to the side of the bed and began to stand. The world didn't tip, so I took that as a sign that I was good to go. Quickly, I walked out into the front room.

Jasper was in the small kitchen, making what appeared to be a fresh pot of coffee. I cleared my throat, hoping to make him aware of my presence. He smiled.

"Good morning, Bella. Would you like a cup?"

When I didn't answer right away, he stopped what he was doing and turned towards me. One look at my expression was all it took. He was immediately standing in front of me, grasping both of my lower arms in his hands.

"Talk to me, Bella."

I chuckled slightly under my breath. He was using the words I had spoken to him, just hours earlier. I recognized it as a tactic to help me feel more secure, but I didn't care. It was working. Slowly, I moved us both back over to the couch. We sat facing each other, one leg bent across the cushion. I pulled my arms back and crossed them over my waist. I could feel the slight rise and fall of my abdomen as I filled my lungs with large amounts of oxygen. Finally, when I felt as if I could complete a sentence without gasping for air, I opened my mouth to speak.

"Yesterday, the other agents asked me about James Hunter."

I waited, expecting Jasper to interject, but he didn't. He simply waited patiently for me to continue.

"He...After learning of Alice's placement, I began to question the other relationships I had back then. Most of my peers and I have gone our separate ways, but there are a few that still keep in contact. Obviously, Alice...also Angela, Jessica, and James."

Jasper looked as if he wanted to ask questions, but instead of interrupting my train of thought, he remained silent.

"Angela is now a stay-at-home mom, Jessica and Alice both work with me at the clinic, and then you already know about the monthly meetings with James. I always thought he was just flirting...that it was just a part of his personality...but I think it was more than that. He was always asking me about admirers, if I was seeing anyone, if I had left someone back home. He was very persistent. I finally told him that there was someone special, but our timing was off. He continues to question me, each month, if the timing has worked itself out yet. I thought it was just our little joke...but this last time his tone and the way he was looking at me…"

I didn't realize my body had began trembling while I thought of our last interaction. Jasper's warm embrace was comforting. He was rubbing my back and repeating that I was safe. I felt the wetness on his shoulder, and realized I was crying.

"I'm so scared, Jasper! I don't know who to trust anymore!"

A loud knock on the outside door startled us both. Jasper squeezed me slightly, then pulled away. Stepping over to the entryway, he opened the door just a crack.

"Agent Whitlock...they are ready to continue downstairs."

I heard Jasper acknowledge the man's words and then watched as he shut the door. He looked over to me apologetically. I nodded silently. My break time was over.

Jasper insisted that I eat something before we left. I was grateful, as I soon learned that the remainder of my day would consist of that small room and little nourishment. I tried to be as cooperative as I could, but most of what they asked me I had no clue about.

Finally, the agents were convinced that I had given them all I could. They agreed to let me go as long as I continued to cooperate in the future.

"You will need to return to your regular routine. The less obvious that something is amiss, the better. Remember, we will be watching you."

I stood and turned, giving Jasper's lower arm a gentle squeeze while trying to hold back my feelings of annoyance and contempt. He pulled me into a tight hug, whispering words of praise and encouragement next to my ear. I took a few deep breaths and then proceeded to walk out of the small, cold room.