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~C~

The kid looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. His eyes were blood-shot, his hair was a mess, and he was still in the same rumpled clothes he'd had on the night before. He smelled like smoke.

"That was some fire." Charlie poured himself a cup of coffee and held the pot up questioningly at Edward.

"No thanks." Edward put his hands in his pockets and looked around George's office. "So you're setting up camp here?"

"For now." Charlie walked around the desk and sat down. "That building was a lot of things for this town; Courtroom, Police Station, City Works, City Hall… It's going to take a lot of adjusting, but the city has to run. Now the fire station is doubling as the police station - you don't mind, do you?"

"No." Edward took another tentative step inside. "Why would I?"

Charlie shrugged. "I can't read you Cullen. Sometimes I get the feeling you hate my guts."

Edward cracked a smile, the first one he'd ever given Charlie. "I don't hate your guts. I just have a slight problem with law enforcement in general, based on my history. You understand."

Charlie smiled dryly, "I do. And since you already have a problem with me, I might as well ask: Where were you yesterday evening?"

Edward's smile faded. "You're asking me?"

Charlie nodded. "You were pretty riled up in my office yesterday. I think I have a right to ask, being Chief of Police and all."

"I was home with my sister. She can vouch for me." He felt the tips of his ears turning red, a sign that his temper was about to become a problem.

"I'm not accusing you." Charlie saw Edward's eyes flash.

"That's what it sounds like."

"I'm going to be asking everyone. It's my job."

"Is that all? Is that why you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, you can go. Get cleaned up, take a nap. You boys earned it. That was quite a blaze."

I've seen worse, Edward thought, but he said, "How's Bella? How's her foot? Is she alright?"

Charlie studied him. His voice was anxious, his eyes worried – overly worried for a guy who didn't really know his daughter. "She'll be alright. She's home today, resting up."

"Okay." Edward breathed out a sigh of relief. "I'll see you around Sheriff."

"Wait. Edward?"

He stopped in the door way and turned around, eyebrows raised.

"I've been thinking about it, and I'm going to need to hear your story first-hand …" He saw Edward's eyes narrow and Charlie put his hand up to stop him from speaking.

"Now I know I said it wasn't any of my business, and it isn't, as long as your troubles stay in your past."

Edward was motionless in the doorway. Only the flush around his ears and neck gave Charlie an indication that his words were impacting him. When he spoke, he kept his voice even. "You think my past has something to do with last night's fire?"

"The fire was suspicious Edward. You know that. You know the patterns and the signs. It was clearly arson. The investigation is just beginning. I have no leads, but you show up in town and within the week we have one – no two – unexplained fires."

"I thought you said you believed me before when I told you I didn't do it."

"I do believe you, but I'm not convinced that this guy isn't out there waiting for his chance at revenge. I plan to keep these thoughts to myself, alright? I'm not accusing you. You understand that?"

Edward nodded, jaw tight.

"I'd like us to work together. I'm going to ask you to do me a favor. Get in touch with whoever it is who's supposed to be keeping tabs on this James guy. Find out where he's been, what he's been up to, and let me know. If you don't want to do it, I will. It will put my mind at ease."

Edward nodded again. "I can do that."

"I'm not trying to make your life miserable." Charlie rose from the desk and walked toward Edward's rigid form. "I feel like we've gotten off on the wrong foot. Can you understand my suspicions? Can you understand why I need the whole story?"

Charlie watched the muscles in Edward's jaw tense, as though he was fighting the urge to open his mouth. Finally he nodded. "I understand." He ran a hand through his hair. "I can tell you, but I don't think it'll do any good. James couldn't have gotten to me this fast."

"From what I've read, he's a slick one."

Edward shook his head. "Not that slick."

"We'll see." Charlie looked up at the clock. "You had anything to eat recently?"

"No."

"Let's go down to the diner and talk. Breakfast is on me. Then you can go home and put your feet up."

Edward shrugged and followed the Sheriff out. He was dreading the upcoming conversation. The thing he hated most in the world was reliving that day, but he figured this was the only way to get the Sheriff off his back. If this is what it took to wipe the slate clean, to really start over, he was game for it. He was almost sure.

~*~

Jessica Stanley had worked in her father's diner since she was old enough to call, "Order up!"

She loathed the place; the grease, the noise, the same faces day after day, the flirtatious old men, the picky old women, even the insanely cheesy name; Knives & Spoons. Who thought that was clever besides her father? No one. The only time it made sense was when it was written down in address form. Knives & Spoons, located in Forks. It was ridiculous.

Her goal in life was to get out of that wet little town full of boring ordinary people. As soon as she had enough money saved she was going to get an apartment in Seattle and a job waitressing for a bigger and better restaurant, a real one. Then she could make money faster and maybe even save up enough to move to out to LA. Maybe even to New York City, where life would be fast-paced and exciting. She couldn't wait to get out of Forks. She would do anything to get out.

The only thing she liked about her job - her life - was the gossip. She lived for it. She thrived on it.

And today she had a nice little nugget that was sure to turn the town upside down.

She went down the bar, refilling coffees, and listening to the regulars talking about the fire. She smiled.

"What's that smirk for?" Her best friend Lauren sat at the end off the bar, picking apart a muffin and trying to figure out what it would take to get Edward Cullen's attention. A shorter skirt? Should she re-color her hair? Something lighter?

"No reason." Jessica leaned on the counter and went back to her own muffin, pretending to be on a break.

"Oh come on. I know that look." Lauren leaned forward. "You know something."

Jessica shrugged and looked up to the ceiling, still smiling. "Maybe."

"Tell me. What is it?!" The glint in her friend's eye was unmistakable.

She couldn't hold back anymore. "Alright." They leaned toward each other and Jessica cupped her hand around Lauren's ear. "I know who started the fire."

Lauren leaned back in surprise. "What?" She spoke loud enough that conversation around them stopped. "You know what?"

Jessica pretended to be appalled, but secretly reveled in the attention. "Hush." Then she staged whispered. "I know who started the fire."

Old Mr. Martin, who was sitting a couple of stools to their right leaned toward them, his eyebrows raised. The other customers in near-by chairs were doing the same, straining their ears to eavesdrop.

"Who?" Lauren's muffin was forgotten, her eyes were wide.

"Edward Cullen." She said is name slowly and deliberately to make sure those who wanted to overhear them, heard correctly.

Murmurs broke out around the room. Rumor started. Mission complete. Jessica's smile grew.

"No!" Lauren shook her head, looking aghast and delighted at the same time. "How do you know?"

"Well, I was walking in for my shift yesterday, and I passed City Hall. The sun was out – for once – so all of the windows were open a little. I heard a bunch of shouting, so I stopped to look. And there was Edward Cullen, all up in Sheriff Swan's face, going on and on about how the Sheriff doesn't respect his privacy and shouldn't be digging into his business. He was freaking out. I mean, he was, like, furious."

"So?" Lauren frowned. "That doesn't mean he started the fire." Part of Lauren wanted to believe Jessica's story. How exciting! Edward Cullen was a bad boy with a dark side, and she loved bad boys. On the other hand, she would have a hard time seducing him if it was true, and he was sent to prison.

"Well no, you're right." Jessica nodded, but smirked.

"There's more, isn't there?"

Jessica nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. Well, I got curious you know? I wanted to find out what his past was all about. What he was freaking out about, you know? What he was hiding. So I did a little research." She paused for effect and wiped a crumb from the counter.

"And?"

"And Edward Cullen killed some people in a fire when he was a teenager." She was almost too giddy to get the words out. A murderer in their midst, and she was the first to know.

"No way!"

Jessica nodded. "Yeah, but before it could go to trial, his dad – who's apparently like an insanely rich surgeon or something – paid off the brother in the family and he confessed to the whole thing. He said that it was all his doing, and that he framed Edward and everything. Apparently they were really poor and needed the money, because his dad died in the fire, and his mom was sick.

"Anyway, nobody believed the guy, but they couldn't really do anything because he confessed. So Edward went free, even though everyone was like, totally convinced that he was guilty."

Lauren was shocked. "But why would Edward do that? Why would he start a fire like that?"

"He was dating the girl who was killed." Jessica said it like it should have been obvious. "It was a crime of passion. She probably cheated on him or something."

"I don't believe it." Lauren sat back in her chair and shook her head.

"It's true." Jessica took a big bit of muffin and spoke through it. "It's too bad. He's incredibly hot, even when he's mad."

"So you think he started the fire because he's mad at the Sheriff?"

"Absolutely." Jessica picked up her plate and topped off Lauren's coffee. "I heard everything through the window. He was furious, and he looked, I don't know, dangerous. He had to have done it. He - "

Suddenly her eyes focused on the door, and her voice dropped. In fact, the whole room went silent. Lauren turned around just as Jessica whispered, "Well speak of the devil. I have to get back to work." She picked up their things and disappeared into the kitchen.

Lauren continued to stare shamelessly at the two people in the doorway. Sheriff Swan was standing next to a grim-looking Edward Cullen. They both seemed to sense the tension in the room caused by Jessica sharing her theories.

"Morning, everyone," Charlie finally spoke as he led Edward to a booth in the corner. "That was some firework show last night huh?" He was looking at Old Mr. Martin, but seemed to be addressing the whole room.

"Yes sir," Mr. Martin replied, "haven't seen a show like that in all my years."

Another voice broke in. "Any leads on what caused it Sheriff?" Beth Cope's eyes were trained on Edward, looking speculative.

"No, ma'am. It's early yet though. Don't you worry. We'll get it sorted out."

"I'm sure you will," Mr. Newton agreed from across the room.

Edward was quick to recognize the familiar tension in the air. He was accustomed to the suspicious stares and murmurs. He wasn't a stranger to speculation in their eyes. He hunched his shoulders as he slid into a booth with Charlie and glared back at them darkly.

Somehow, already, they all knew.