Chapter Twenty One
Carlisle
Thus far I had avoided Aro but I knew eventually he would find out about Bella and then I wondered what he would do, try to find her? Send Demetri to search her out? I hated that thought but I supposed it was inevitable unless she had found a way of making herself invisible or Jasper had put her under his protection but if Edward found out she was still alive and with Jasper he would leave Volterra permission or no permission and Aro would never allow that. He'd kill Edward rather than allow him to leave now he'd got him to Italy at last. Esme came in eventually to find out what was going on.
"Carlisle something has happened, the brothers have been in closed conference for the last few hours and I haven't heard anything from Emmett. I think the two things are connected and I think you know more than you've told us. Rose is beside herself, do you know anything that would help?"
"No. Nothing that would help I promise you"
"But you know something don't you?"
"I can't tell you Esme, its too dangerous."
"For who Carlisle?"
"Edward most of all I suppose."
"Then I want to know, it affects us all not just Edward."
I thought about it, she was right of course, it did affect us all but it could also put Bella at more risk."
"If I tell you Esme it will put others at risk too."
"Who? Someone more important than the family? Than Edward? Who are you protecting Carlisle?"
"Esme do you want to be responsible for possible deaths?"
"Yes Carlisle I want to know. Stop keeping me out."
"Very well but I have warned you. Bella Swan is still alive and he thinks she might be looking for Jasper. That's what Emmett told me, he smelled her at Darius apartment."
"Bella? Alive? But that's wonderful."
"Is it? Edward will go to find her and if he does do you think she's likely to run to him and forget what he did? Don't forget we're only here because we allowed her into our world. What do you think the Volturi? Aro? Will do when he finds out and he will now Esme. As soon as Edward knows he will too."
"Do you think Jasper can keep her safe from the Volturi? Or his friends?"
"If he changes her yes perhaps. After all once she's one of us it wont matter that she knows but that may not be enough to keep the rest of us alive."
"Do you think Aro sent Emmett against Jasper? He can't hope to win that fight Carlisle and what will Rose do without him?"
"You're assuming Jasper will kill Emmett. He may be as reluctant as his brother."
"I hope you're right Carlisle because this is all about to blow up in our faces. I'll try to avoid Aro but I can't keep my thoughts from Edward for long."
"I know and I suppose I was being naïve to think I could keep it from everyone but ask Edward to come and see me. It will be better if he hears it from me rather than your thoughts so see if you can keep your thoughts to yourself for a few minutes, long enough to get him here."
Edward
When I saw Esme I knew something was terribly wrong, her thoughts were clouded and Esme never did that unless it was serious. I wondered if there were bad news about Emmett but I thought I would probably hear before the others did so, I spent time with the Volturi brothers unlike them.
"Carlisle wants to speak to you Edward, its very important."
"Very well. I'm not doing anything else for now but I wanted to spend a couple of hours in the archives, I think I might be getting close to Bella's killer"
My words had a strange affect on her but I wasn't able to make sense of her jumbled thoughts. Poor Esme had been affected badly by the news of Bella's death, she had hoped Bella would become another daughter and I knew she blamed me for forcing them to leave as they did, without a word of goodbye. I knew where to find Carlisle, Caius had been complaining he'd shut himself in his lab for over a week, he was always the suspicious one, whereas Aro had merely shrugged,
"Its nothing out of the ordinary brother, don't fret so. Remember when he was here before he spent weeks locked up alone by choice, its just his way."
I wasn't so sure this time, he usually discussed his theories and experiments with me but this time he'd just locked himself away and even Esme wasn't allowed in.
Carlisle
I knew Edward was suspicious and when he asked for admittance I tried to cloak my thoughts for the few minutes it would take to tell him what I knew and suspected.
"Edward thank you for coming so quickly"
"What's going on Carlisle? Why are you and Esme hiding your thoughts from me? Is it Emmett? Has something happened to him?"
"I have no idea what's going on with Emmett, I haven't heard from him in days but when he did ring in he had news he wanted kept from the Volturi. You know I assume that he was sent with the guard to find and kill Jasper?"
"I didn't know but I thought that might be their task. Have they found and killed him? I didn't think Emmett had it in him."
"Edward that's uncalled for and below you."
Edward rolled his eyes but seeing I wouldn't go on until he did so, he apologised and I carried on.
"They found the apartment in Boulder where his friend Darius lived."
"I didn't know he had any except that maniac Peter Whitlock."
I stopped, glaring at him, he had become colder and more arrogant since moving here and I didn't like the new Edward at all.
Edward
I was sick of Carlisle's admonishments but I apologised once more hoping to get this interview over so I could find out what was happening with Emmett and the other guard.
"Emmett found something shocking in Darius apartment."
I sneered at that, not in the least surprised but didn't say anything hoping to coax him on,
"Bella's scent was there, she had been in his apartment."
"Are you telling me that it was one of Jasper's sick friends who did that to her? Killed her? Where is he now? I'll get permission from Aro to leave Italy so I can get revenge for her."
"Edward shut up and listen. Bella had been in that apartment recently. She's still alive."
I was stunned, alive? How could that be?
"Is he sure?"
"Yes. She's with Jasper's friends"
"But the Volturi are on their trail. If they find Bella she'll be killed too. We have to warn them, I have to go find her and keep her safe."
"Edward do you think she'd be happy to see you after all that has happened, all those words you said to her?"
"I did it to keep her safe Carlisle. Safe from that freak."
"Think back to the things you said to her. She's hardly likely to be pleased to see you."
"I can explain, I will keep her safe by staying at her side this time. How can we contact her?"
"I've already done all I can but Aro will soon know she's alive, if the guard reach Jasper or if he reads our thoughts."
"That's why you shut yourself away? To keep your thoughts to yourself? You could have told me I would have kept the secret."
"Really? I'm not so sure Edward, you are with Aro far too often, all he would have to do is brush against you and he would know."
"I'll keep my distance but I need to know what Emmett and the others are doing."
"Be careful Edward, you could make things infinitely worse."