A/N: I want to thank all of my readers for your support of this story and my other ones. You are awesome! If you like Bella/Emmett pairings, check out my story More to Life. Well, we are getting closer to finding out who is responsible for everything and there is a reason. You will find out more about that hopefully in the next few chapters. Enjoy this installment and if you have a chance, please review. THANK YOU!

Chapter 21 – Encouragment

It had now been four weeks since Bella and Alice disappeared. Jasper still didn't know who was responsible for everything, but he did know that when he found out, he would make sure he or she paid for taking away someone so precious to him.

Sorting through the clues on his desk, Jasper ran his hand through his hair. Why could he not figure it out? He had evidence and it was staring him in the face, but there were so many holes and he knew that if he accused someone in Volterra, he had to be solid. The biggest question he had right now is if it is the Volturi, and he was convinced that it was at least someone in Italy, who was behind it? Were they all in on it, or was it one of them working independently? Was it one of their fearless rulers, or someone on the guard? So many questions and the only real answer that they had was that someone in Volterra was playing with their lives and Felix was involved. The other question was why were they targeting Bella? Was it because they were trying to get to Edward and Alice, or was there something else?

Jasper looked up and gazed out the window. He could see the driveway and that was where he first caught a glimpse of Bella as she pulled up in Edward's car with him. He had been fearful that he would not be able to resist her, she had been afraid of the same thing, especially after what Edward had told her of him. He may have been the newest one, but he had been able to defy the temptation she offered. Now as he looked out the window, he could see her smile and hear the words she spoke on that first day.

Burying his head in his arms, he just wanted to forget. Not forever, but he needed to clear his mind for at least a little bit. To get a break so that this mystery did not consume him; it was too late though, he was already consumed with the need to find out everything and to bring Alice and Bella home where they belonged.

"Enough wallowing Jasper. You will never get them home if you have a pity party. You are a former major and fought in the Southern Vampire Wars. You can figure this out. They are counting on you. Everyone is counting on you," Jasper told the empty room.

As he gazed down at his desk, his eyes alighted upon the package he had received from Jenks. There wasn't anything in there that he did not already know for the most part, but there were a couple of strange things that Jenks had found. Bella's mother had to call the police about a stalker four different times. They moved a couple of times to get away and the stalker would find them again. After the fourth time the stalker disappeared, but Renee told a counselor that she felt like she was being followed at times. She said no one stood out as watching her or the same face over and over again, but it was a feeling that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. A stalker is a stalker and there is no proof if it was for Bella or Renee, and he disappeared before Bella turned ten. Other than that, it was the usual medical records and background information that belong to any normal kid. Sure her medical was a little thicker than some, but she wasn't the most graceful when walking and tended to trip over her own feet, so he could only imagine how bad she was when she was younger. Other than the stalker, nothing out of the ordinary and therefore it was another dead end.

Jasper felt like picking up the baseball that was resting on his desk and chucking it across the room to get rid of some of his frustrations. He didn't though because he really didn't fell like patching up a hole right now, and the baseball was signed by Jackie Robinson; he really didn't want to destroy that.

Hands back in his hair, he started to pull and only stopped when his cell phone started to ring. Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he looked at the number and it was blocked. Hitting the talk button, Jasper spoke into the phone with the most ominous voice he could have used, "Hello?"

"Jazz! It's me. I just wanted to let you know that you are going to figure it out. Just breathe," Alice ordered.

Jasper was in shock. Was he hearing what he thought he was hearing? Was that Alice on the phone calling him? Still in a state of confusion, he inquired, "Alice?"

"Well who else sounds like this?" Alice giggled.

"What are you doing calling me? Is it safe? Can you be traced? How is Bella? Is she alright? Does she know anything?" Jasper fired off his questions as soon as they popped into his head.

"Slow down Jazz. We are safe and no this call cannot be traced. I called to tell you that I know you are frustrated, but you are close to figuring it out. I am not sure what you find out though. Sorry. I wish I had more to give you. Bella is fine. She doesn't know anything about why people tried to kidnap her and we haven't been able to figure it out when we put our heads together. I will tell you that I see Italy, but not who it is pulling the strings. See if Edward will talk again. He has to know something since he can read minds, but I don't think he will divulge anything."

"Well that at least confirms my suspicions. Thanks. Can I… can I talk to her?" Jasper asked nervously.

A little giggle on the other line and then Alice spoke softly, "Of course you can."

A shuffle on the line and then Jasper heard the other voice he had missed and dreamed about, "Hey Bella. How are you doing?"

"I am ok Jazz. Alice and I are taking care of ourselves and we are keeping a low profile. Don't worry about us. How are you doing? Alice said you are trying to do everything on your own," Bella stated.

"I am just trying to get answers. Emmett and Carlisle help when they can," Jasper explained.

Bella did not miss the fact that Jasper had left out the name of Edward and that pissed her off. If she was so important to him, why is he pretending that she was just dirt beneath his feet? After the ease at which he was able to leave her before, she was actually not surprised by anything he did any longer. He was full of drama and angst, and lately she had been wondering what she had ever really saw in him. She muttered under her breath, "Bastard!" She knew that Jasper heard her when he started to laugh, "Sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that. I hate your hearing sometimes."

"I know you do, but there are times when it comes in real handy too Darlin'."

"I guess so. Hey, do me a favor."

"I will do anything I can for you," Jasper gave his solemn word. He really would do anything and everything he could for her, and he would not break his promise to her.

Bella smiled at the vow he gave without even knowing what she would request, "So different from Edward. I have a feeling Jasper would go to his grave trying to fulfill his promise." Clearing her throat, she instructed him, "Let the others help more. I know you like to be in charge and everything, but they can be your foot soldiers while you run the command center. They can do more than just look at anything you may collect. You can't do it on your own Jasper. You may be a vampire with super human abilities, but you are not God."

Smirking, Jasper chuckled for the first time in a while, "No, but I would like to think I am pretty damn close Darlin'."

"I will neither agree nor disagree with that cocky statement," Bella joked.

"Because you know I am right."

"Believe what you will. Hey, Alice is telling me that we got to wrap this call up. We will be in touch, hopefully sooner rather than later. Tell everyone I miss them for me."

"I will, and Bella?"

"Yah?"

"Thank you."

"I am not sure what you are thanking me for, but you're welcome. Thank you for trying to find answers. It means more to me than you know. I have to go now. Good bye," Bella spoke softly and hung up the phone before Jasper could say anything else.

Whispering a good bye to a disconnected line, Jasper pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. Even if no information was learned or if it did nothing to advance his search, he had heard from her and he was happy. It was the first time since the girls left that he felt he had a reason to smile and he prayed that it wasn't another month before he would hear from them again. He needed to hear her voice like he needed to solve this crime against his family.

Jasper stood up and made his way to Carlisle's study knowing that the patriarch of the Cullen family would want to hear that Bella and Alice had called. Knocking on the door, Jasper opened it when Carlisle called out to him and found Esme standing next to her mate. This was killing two birds with one stone. "Hi you two," he greeted them with a smile.

Carlisle looked at Esme and then turned his attention back to Jasper. It had been a while since he had seen a smile grace the face of this particular son. "Did you find some new information?" The eldest Cullen asked curiously.

"No, I didn't, but I wanted to let you know that Alice and Bella called. The number was blocked and as far as I know untraceable, so we can't call them, but they are safe and doing well," Jasper answered.

Esme gasped and covered her mouth. If she could cry, she would have, "That is wonderful news. Did they say anything else?"

"Bella wanted me to tell everyone hello and that she missed us all. Alice said that I am on the right track to finding out who is in charge. She only knows that it has to do with Italy," Jasper replied.

Smiling, Carlisle said, "That is good to hear." He felt some relief in knowing that the two missing girls were safe and that they called.

Jasper furrowed his brow and stated, "Alice said something else. She said that Edward has to know something. Since this has to do with Italy, he had to have seen something in the minds of someone while he was there before when Alice and Bella came to find him. With his mind reading capabilities, he has to know something even if it is something minute. So I wonder what he isn't telling us."

Carlisle's eyes grew; of course Edward had to know something. If he was able to glean information from Aro's mind when he was there about wanting he and Alice's powers, then he had to have read everyone else's minds. They already knew that Felix had something to do with this, so what is Edward not saying? "She's right! He has to know something!" Carlisle slammed his hand down flat on his desk causing it to shudder.

"Both of you need to calm down. Maybe he doesn't know anything. Maybe he is just in mourning for the loss of Bella. It is possible that the person behind all of this was not there that day," Esme said in an effort to placate the two men in the room.

Looking at Esme, Jasper sighed, "I wish that were the case Esme, but we do believe that Felix is a part of this, and he was there that day. Even if the person behind it all wasn't there, Felix was and Edward would have read his mind also. I hate to say it, but Edward knows something and he is withholding vital information from us."

With that argument, Esme had no further defense for her son. Jasper was right, but she didn't understand what Edward would possibly be keeping from everyone and why. Knowing that everyone was going crazy trying to get answers and bring Bella and Alice home, he was doing nothing but hindering their mission, "We need to ask him."

"I agree. Do you know where he is now?" Jasper inquired. He was going to get this interrogation done as soon as possible.

"I think he went out for a hunt. He left the house and ran into the woods about an hour ago," Carlisle stated.

"Then we ask when he returns and this time we don't let him run away," Jasper declared with a firm set to his jaw. Edward was not going to get away from him again and use the "depression because Bella is gone" card. He no longer had that excuse and Jasper refused to let him utilize it any longer. If he really loved Bella, he needed to speak up now because as far as Jasper saw it, Edward didn't deserve her and she was meant for someone that was more of a man than he was.