Chapter 24

Monday dawned bright with the sun shining bright and warm. Clad in a light green summer top, marble style brown miniskirt, chocolate brown leggings and kitten heeled brown boots with a light leather jacket, I left home early. I had one stop before school and that was to include Toby in the cause of making the girls suffer and he was all-in.

Being framed for blinding your step-sister after being forced in a relationship by the same sister and becoming the most hated person in the whole of Rosewood does that. Jenna was instructed of keeping an eye on him while Mona thought that the idea of hiring him was her own.

At school I found out that the vending machines were broken down AGAIN and that someone had been sneaking into the school. Bit was pouting all day without her dose of coffee as well.

"Mama needs coffee"

She pouted in a way that made her identical to E.T.

"I knew I should have stopped for a few cups at the Cafe"

I replied and we both began laughing. At the tables nearby I could see Hanna all frustrated with Caleb. What did he do for her? I resisted the urge to smile seeing Bit follow the tight pants of Caleb as he walked away

"Want his number?"

Pulling my phone to give Bit the number I sent a text to Hanna. Luckily I don't need to know everything to rattle their feathers.

Reading 'the name of the rose' at the library during free period I took the time to hook up my laptop at the servers of the school and print a new backup ID. At the same time I got wing of what exactly Caleb had done for Hanna and just what he wanted next.

Not even Ali could ruin Hanna's reputation as easily as it'd do if Hanna did accept a date with Caleb. I stayed in the library until everyone left and then I approached the librarian.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course dear"

"Do you have any typewriters?"

She gasped as if such a thing was despicable

"I'm sorry dear, why?"

I shook my head

"I'm doing research for an article about how computers took over simple things. The library is so well stocked so I thought I would ask you"

I buttered her up but no dice. Guess I'd have to sneak in the school paper room later.

After school I stopped by my advisor's office to sign up for some of the clubs 'to enhance my college applications' and to stop by Charlie's office to hand him the samples.

"I know that face. Spill it kid"

"Nothing"

I raised both hands up in the air. He squinted but let it go, for now

"Is there any chance someone followed you?"

"Someone?"

"the Cullens Charlie. For the past month or so I can feel eyes on me everywhere I go"

He frowned

"I made up a story of you choosing to go back to your mother the day the Cullens took you away. I asked Billy to keep an eye on them and then left myself. As far as anyone knows I'm doing what every forty year old cop does. Retiring in Florida."

I took a bite of my egg salad

"Did you make a conscious decision to come here? Maybe Alice saw it"

"No Bells. I really did have in mind to join an old academy buddy of mine in Florida and offer my services at his P.I. agency. Then I saw Alison's story in the paper and thought I'll check in on you"

I smiled at him and nodded. As far as I know Alice can't see spurt of the moment kind of decisions.

"Are you sure Alice didn't see you deciding to come here?"

he turned the tables on me. I shook my head

"I rarely ever let 'Bella' make any decisions and the rest of my psyche confused Alice. Sometimes she could see my future and others she couldn't. She was convinced I'd be a vampire myself once"

"And you're not"

Charlie smiled. He knew all about the Cullens being vampires for years. As a boy he had joined one of Billy's famous bonfires and learned their legends. When the Cullens moved back and Billy clamed up, he put two and two together. It really wasn't hard.

"not yet, at least. I have a bit less than a year till I'm hunted down"

After a few breaths Charlie changed the topic

"How are you? Are you alright? Do I need to worry?"

"I can take care of myself Charlie. You don't need to worry about me. You should worry about that hickey. Kind of ruins the professional image"

Te blushed deeply. Huh, so that's where Bella got it from

The police scanner I had made a couple weeks ago rusted as I drove by the school. Parking and waiting I saw Hanna and Aria leave it.

"Smile, you're on candid camera"

I took a few pictures even though I know they didn't break in. It was resident hacker who lives in the school.

Next afternoon we were cheering Emily at her meet. Angelica and I were seating next to each other munching on hot dogs, fries, sodas and some more hotdogs.

"Watching sports always makes me hungry"

She commended and we burst laughing feeding her lil pup bites of the dog.

"Did you call him?"

I asked when she was looking at Caleb who smiled at her passing by us

"He's busy with the prom queen"

She said quietly.

"Not for long. If my friend wants to eat, it's my job to hunt"

I said Alison's line. Lucky for me, it went right above Angelica's head. To amuse me I sent Aria a text to sick her after Hanna who would probably own up and Caleb would be free. He'd still work for me while he thought he worked for Jenna. All in a day's work.

After the meet was over Emily went to bond with her swim-nemesis and much to Angelica's amusement her casual flirt picked up.

"Keep my dog tonight?"

"Of course"

a wink later she was gone with Caleb and I was left holding the leash.

"Seems it's you and me tonight pup"

At least I have something to occupy me at home. And that something decided to sleep in Hanna's basement. I flexed my fingers before tapping away unlocking the buried secrets of Caleb Rivers and the social services. He's been everywhere in the states including Seattle. A hacker from Seattle living in rosewood.

Before I went to bed I got an email from Charlie. He 'convinced' a girl in the lab to keep him in the loop about Ali's case. The blood in the sweater wasn't Toby's.

It was the sweater I had stolen from him but how had it gotten in Ali's grave? Better yet whose blood was it? I had only altered the report to say it's contaminated but I didn't change the truth. The blood wasn't Toby's to begin with.

Rolling my eyes I opened the yellow pages and called an exterminator. Hanna has infestations in her basement.