Chapter 11: What Now?

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight.

We sat in the back seat of the cruiser. I had my arm around Jacob's shoulders, since his wrists were cuffed behind him, and pressed my cheek to his. "We'll get this cleared up in no time."

Jacob laughed humorlessly. "I always dreamed of riding in Charlie's cruiser, but I thought I would be up front with the chief."

He was quiet for a few minutes, but then he turned his head toward me, his eyes glistening with moisture. Softly, he muttered, "I didn't do it, Bells. You believe me, don't you?"

I covered his lips with my fingers. "I know you didn't. The night when Edward came to my room, I felt a draft later on. It woke me up, but I thought it was the cold air blowing in from outside my window. The next morning, the box with the jewelry was gone. It had to be Edward. I even have an email from Alice that proves he took it."

Removing my hand, I let Jacob speak.

"That same night, I was in your house too. I was desperate to see your face. When I left, I literally bumped into the leech as he was returning. He said he had to fetch something.

"If he took it though, then what I don't understand is how that box got in my dresser. I would've noticed that stench if some vamp had snuck into my room. He couldn't have gotten past us onto the rez either."

"But what if it wasn't a vampire? Lots of people go in and out of your house; maybe you wouldn't have been aware of it."

"I guess."

"Someone had to have planted it, that's obvious; the question is who."

Jacob hung his head, and sighed. I just wanted to scream!

Dad stood by as Trent escorted Jacob into the police station, and sat him on the chair adjoining the desk. "Hey, chief, do you mind if I call it a night? My wife's folks are in town."

"Sure, go ahead, Trent. Thanks for all your help."

I glared at my father, as he watched his deputy exit the building. "Jake is not a criminal, Dad. Do you think you could remove the cuffs?"

He waited a beat, making sure Trent had gone, then pulled the key from his uniform pocket. "Bend forward, Jake." Leaning over him, Dad unlocked the handcuffs and removed them.

"I didn't want those on you in the first place, but with my deputy standing there, I was forced to follow police procedure. If he ever squealed that I played favorites, I'd be brought up on charges myself."

The key went back inside the pocket, and putting his hand in the other, Dad handed me some money. "Why don't you go get something for us to drink, while I take a couple of photos of the prints, and send them on to headquarters?"

By the time I got back from the vending machine, my dad was behind the desk, on his computer, sending off the set of prints.

He looked up when I returned with the sodas. I handed one to Dad, and Jacob, then sat next to my wolf boy.

"Okay, Bells, say what you have to say about this matter."

I reached over, squeezing Jacob's hand. "I know for a fact that Jacob couldn't have stolen that box of jewelry. Edward already had it at their new home. Alice emailed me, and said he'd been staring at the two pieces for days, and I can prove it. Let me get on your computer, and I'll show you the email right now."

"Sorry, I can't let you do that, kitten. I'm waiting for the report on those prints, and it may take a while. Garry will be here in another twenty minutes for his shift. I'll have him take you home, and you can forward that email here."

His eyes traveled to my sweetheart. "I have to admit, you seem pretty calm about all of this, Jacob."

"Like I told Bells, I didn't do it. You won't find my fingerprints on that box, 'cuz I never had my hands on it. Edward's insane with jealousy. He's popped his ever-lovin' cork, and this is his way of gettin' even with me for stealing Bella away from him."

That got me thinking that the only way the person could leave that box was through Jacob's bedroom window. "Speaking of prints, can Garry go over to Jake's, and put some of that powder on his windowsill?"

Dad leaned back in his chair, laughing. "Oh, Garry will love that. He's always complaining there's not enough excitement happening around here."

Garry arrived and I started to leave with him. When I looked back over my shoulder, Jacob waved at me, and shrugging, said, "I'll be fine."

Our first stop was at the Blacks' home so Garry could dust for fingerprints. He was pretty thorough, doing the windowsill, the dresser drawers, and the wall behind the bed.

Billy watched from the doorway, and I whispered in his ear. "Jake's out of the handcuffs. He and Charlie are shooting the breeze, waiting for headquarters to check out the prints from the box."

With that chore out of the way, Garry took off. I said goodbye to Billy, and promised to call with any news. I walked over to my truck, climbing into the cab.

I couldn't wait to get in the house, and as soon as I arrived, I rushed up the stairs and headed straight for my computer. It seemed like forever for the darn thing to wake up and say hello. Oh my gosh, I was in a hurry to bring up that note from Alice, and the stupid piece of junk practically wheezed and went back to sleep. A half hour had gone by, and I was still shutting it down, and restarting it over and over. How annoying!

Calling the station, I whined to Charlie about my non-cooperative PC. "Dad—I can't make the crappy computer stay open long enough to retrieve that email."

"Well, don't worry about it. Those prints are from a local small time hood, named Avery Brock. Garry turned over the other prints, and they're trying to pair them up now. Come on back, they should have a match by the time you get here. Then you can take Jacob home."

I breathed a sigh of relief. My boy was in the clear.

Jacob was behind bars, lying on a cot when I entered the station. Whaaaat?

"Why is he in there?" I complained.

"Calm down, calm down. The poor boy was exhausted. He wanted to take a little nap, that's all. He was tired. The door's unlocked, go on in."

The door creaked as I opened it and stepped into the cell. I sat on the cot, bent over him. One of his arms snagged my head, and two hot lips captured mine. When he finished, I chastised, "My dad is sitting there across from us. He has eyes, Jake."

"So?"

"He can see us."

Jacob sat up. "I repeat, so? He's pretty savvy. Don't ya think he's onto us by now?"

"But it's embarrassing."

"Why? He knows I love you. He's sure of your feelings too, so what's to hide?"

Our conversation was interrupted by Dad. "Hey, kids, come look at this."

Jacob and I leaned forward expectantly, as Charlie went over the second report. "This Avery fellow was mighty sloppy. His prints were everywhere."

Dad scanned the computer screen, and straightened in his seat. "This is interesting; some of the prints from the windowsill happen to be my daughter's. Hmn …"

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Now, how do you suppose they got there?"

Jacob swallowed loudly and stared up at the ceiling. I could see he wasn't going to be any help. I was on my own.

Red-faced as usual, I concocted a story. "Well, remember when Jake was mad, and avoiding me? I needed to talk to him. So one day I went around to the back of his house and leaned through his open window, to see if he was hiding in his room."

Jeez, Charlie was nodding his head, but anyone could see that she was lying through her teeth. Hell, the face paint was a dead give-away! Thankfully, he didn't call her on it, and better yet, didn't put me on the hot seat. For once, I wished I had the bloodsucker's talent to read his mind. We didn't have to spazz out too long though, 'cuz, Garry had gone out and came in at that moment, dragging in the cat un-burglar that stuck that box in my drawer. He was a scrawny little guy, with tattoos all over, a red bandana around his long hair, and a bar piercing one of his eyebrows.

The telephone rang, and Garry went out the door again to see about a domestic squabble.

Charlie had us sit as witnesses while he interrogated the guy. "We know you planted that container in Jacob's room. It'll go easier on you, if you tell us who put you up to it."

Like we didn't know. Duh … that was a no-brainer.

Avery sneered at Bella's dad. "I ain't tellin' you nothin'. I want an ambulance chaser here first."

Directing his comment at me, Charlie said, "Do you want to press charges, Jacob?"

"Nah, what for? Cullen wanted to irritate me, and he did. Game over."

Avery twisted in his chair and looked at me. "Hey, man, thanks."

"No problem. Eddie is a pretty scary dude."

"No foolin'. He had these weird mustard-colored eyes, and he was so pale, he looked like a vampire or somethin' Scared the sh** outta me."

The guilty burglar suddenly jerked in his chair, realizing he'd said too much.

Digging a little deeper, Charlie asked, "Did you know what was in that box?"

The guy's face sobered, his jaw muscles clenched tight. He clammed up, pushing his back against the chair rest.

"We already know who hired you, so you may as well tell us."

The guy looked at me and shrugged. "Hell, no … And I didn't want to, neither. I just did what he asked."

"Let me enlighten you. It was a ring and a diamond. Did he say how much they were worth?"

The punk threw his head back. "Pfft! No, and I don't really give a crap. He paid me ten grand to do the job, and I did it. That's all."

Charlie continued, "The stone was valued at fifty grand. Didn't it occur to you that if he was paying you that much, that the contents of that little box must've been worth a lot more?"

"You think I'm stupid? Of course I thought of it, for a whole two seconds. There ain't no way a pawn dealer would have enough green on hand, and I'd havta beat the bushes for a freakin' buyer. Besides, if that rich weirdo found out, what would he do to me? I'd probably be pushin' up daisies by now. He gave me the heebie-jeebies, I tell ya. My skin's still crawlin'."

Drumming his fingers on the desk, Charlie exhaled sharply and peered straight at me. "What do you want me to do with him, kid?"

"Let him go. It wasn't his idea."

Avery nodded; his greasy brown hair flopping over the bandana and onto his forehead. "Yeah, what he said."

Charlie strode over to Avery, and removed the cuffs. "You lucked out this time, but I want you out of Forks, you hear?"

"You got it. I'm not dumb enough to wait around for that freako to nail me."

After the thief left with Garry, Charlie let Bella look up her email account, and she forwarded Alice's note to him.

"Well, I guess that clinches it. I'll contact the Cullens in the morning and have them come pick up this stuff."

He took the cursed box, placed it in the safe, and took the key with him.

Yawning, Charlie muttered, "It's been a long day. You go on and drop Jacob off. I'll see you at home, huh."