Chapter Fourteen

Alice

I had a surprise for the family, I wasn't coming back alone. I had known long before I met Jasper that we were not true mates but that we needed each other for a time. I wasn't very good travelling alone and he wasn't doing well on his own either. My place was with the Cullens and I knew he needed Carlisle's help if he were to cope with being a vampire much longer so I arranged the meeting in Philadelphia and let Jasper think we were meant to be together. He was handsome and funny when he let himself relax and we made a good couple. I wasn't going to refuse his advances and our relationship was fun for a while even after we became a part of the Cullen family.

I could see my future well enough, right up to the time Bella Swan appeared on the scene but then everything went to hell in a hand basket. I could tell she wasn't right for Edward, or he wasn't right for her, yet I also understood she was important to us in some way. I couldn't see her future or that of any of us while Edward was involved with her but I knew Jasper and I were coming to the end of the road. I hung on and when we were tasked with keeping Bella safe from James I thought I understood why. Then when it was over and James was dead the feeling we needed to be together was gone, we had fulfilled our fates as far as the family was concerned and I still had the visions of my true mate to cling too even though I hadn't seen him in any visions since Forks.

Jasper and I broke up as I knew we would some day and he disappeared but although both Esme and Rose had asked me to locate him for them I couldn't, nor could I explain my failure, he was just not there any more yet I knew he wasn't dead. Then to my relief, I saw my mate again and that's why I had gone off on this extended holiday, to finally meet him in the flesh. Now I was bringing him home to meet the others but I knew there was trouble back there. Nothing serious for us but a dark void in the future, almost the same as the darkness that had obscured my visions when Bella had been around.

As soon as we got the introductions over, chatting as we made for the hotel Rose had booked overnight, I asked for the family news expecting to hear something to explain my feelings but there was nothing. Everyone was fine, Edward was enjoying his teaching post, Esme's business was working out great and Carlisle was happy at the hospital. So, what was going on? I would need to speak to Carlisle in private once we got home because if there was anyone who could keep a secret it was him!

Esme

I couldn't wait for Carlisle to leave for his shift at the hospital, I had told him what I was going to do and nothing he nor Edward had said changed my mind. Edward had already left but I didn't think highly of his tracking skills and it sounded like Bella needed help now. Of course, Carlisle thought I was wrong about Edward's abilities but that didn't cut any ice with me, Edward was through telling me what I should do.

However, when I tried Jasper's cell phone I got the same message as always, his phone was switched off and his voice mail full. It had been that way ever since he left and I knew both Rose and I were probably responsible for filling up his messages. So, if I couldn't get in contact with him direct I would have to go through his friend. Peter would find a way of getting a message to Jasper if he didn't know where he was already but I would have to step gingerly, Peter was not a fan of the Cullen family.

I rang his number and waited apprehensively hoping that Charlotte might answer, she was less abrasive than her husband even if she didn't like us much either.

"Whitlock ranch."

It was Peter, just my luck.

"Peter? It's….."

"I know who you are, I recognized the voice. What do you want Esme? He's not here, I already told your family that a hundred times."

I thought Rose and probably Emmett had tried to reach him here but it hadn't helped Peters disposition any.

"This is something of an emergency, well of a sort."

There was a long silence and I realized he was waiting for me to continue.

"You won't know about Edward's human girlfriend but….."

"Bella Swan, yeah I know. Don't tell me she's had a lobotomy and gone back to him."

I ignored the slur,

"No, she's missing, she vanished from her mother's home in Jacksonville leaving her baby daughter behind and no one knows where she went or why."

"So? What's that got to do with The Major? You hinting the kid is his? Cos that's a crock of shit."

"No, I wasn't hinting at anything. I just think it's suspicious behaviour on Bella's part and I know Jasper had a soft spot for her so I wondered if he might help find her."

I heard a peal of sarcastic laughter before he answered again,

"Esme Cullen, the brain rot has finally gotten to you too. The Major isn't interested in any human, especially Eddie boy's cast off although I hear she had more fucking sense than anyone else. Did she really tell him where to shove it?"

"She broke up with him, yes."

"Well, she can't be all bad then but I don't know where he is and he's not answering his phone as I guess you know or you wouldn't be forcing yourself to speak to me. So, I guess you're fresh outta luck. Send Eddie boy maybe she'll turn him into a Roman candle, this time, we can but hope."

The line went dead and I knew he'd cut me off, well I'd tried, there was no one else who might be able to contact him, I'd done all I could. Now I had to hope Edward could find Bella and help her with whatever problem had made her run abandoning her baby daughter in the process.

Peter

I fucking hated hearing from the Cullens, especially as all they wanted was a way to get a message to The Major. I wasn't the fucking Pony Express. This had to be the best excuse yet, though, Bella Swan? The Major hardly knew her. All he'd done was run interference for the ass hole Eddie boy and help kill the psycho tracker James who had the hots for Eddie's girlfriend. What I couldn't shake though was the odd feeling I'd had recently that was growing ever stronger. Usually, it meant a friend in trouble, or more specifically,The Major, although he was more than capable of taking care of himself.

Was this call just a coincidence? Or was my feeling somehow wrapped up with the vanishing human? I wished Charlotte was here, she'd soon make sense of it all but she'd chosen this time to go visit an old friend in Austria or Australia or some such fucking place and wouldn't be back for another month. I could have gone too but Marcie was another person I couldn't fucking abide. She looked down her nose at me because I wasn't polite and well mannered like her friends. Well, fuck you, lady! Besides I had a few things I wanted to do, wash my hair, pluck my eyebrows, pick my toenails, real important things I couldn't put off so Char went on her own.

Maybe I should follow the itch between my eyes and see where it led but first I'd get a message to The Major although there was no telling when he'd pick it up. These days he was testier than me, acting like someone had stuck a broom up his ass sideways!

I left a short message on his cell phone knowing he'd pick it up, he'd got that phone telling everyone his messages were full but there was a way to leave one in an emergency and I knew how. I didn't tell him much just that Bella Swan was in the shit and if he wanted to help he'd get his ugly fat ass back home tout suite. The rest was up to him if he rang me I'd give him the details, which amounted to fuck all, because that's all I had. Bella Swan ran off leaving a rug rat behind. In the meantime, I'd take a trip to Jacksonville and look up mommy, see if she knew any more and maybe the itch would die down because it was driving me fucking nuts right now. Of course, if it was all a heap of horse shit then no one need know I'd ever left the ranch!