Chapter Twenty Five

Carlisle

Emmett and I were relieved when Esme and Rose took a distraught Alice hunting, we'd both had enough of hysterical females for a while and while I explained what had happened to Edward who had wisely chosen to stay away from the house Emmett sat brooding.

"Well I can see Alice's point of view Carlisle, maybe better than you as I'm not so involved. If I found my mate I wouldn't want her suddenly off limits while some other guy was alone in a house with her, touching her all the time, sleeping with her, doing all the other things people do. Don't forget Bella's part human so who knows. My guess is they shower together...do you think he has to stay with her while she pees? Gross!"

"Edward it will be much easier if you keep those ideas to yourself. The girl is doing what she has to in order to keep Jasper from the pain of whatever is attacking him. Instead of making things worse why don't you think positive. Try to think of something helpful."

I know I raised my voice, something I rarely did, and it upset Edward. Emmett backed me and his brother rounded on him,

"You can shut up. I can't see you sitting by while some guy groped Rosalie. I'm going to join the girls, at least they are talking sense."

He stormed off and I sighed running my fingers through my hair, I really didn't need any more trouble or friction in the family. Looking at Emmett I saw something in his face, a conflict and wondered if he was going to give me more of the same."

"Carlisle, I've been thinking."

"Please don't tell me you think Alice is right and I'm an idiot for sticking up for Bella."

"No, actually I was going to say that something seems off with the whole picture. I mean I know how Rose would have acted if I'd been in Jazz's position and it wouldn't be going to school and organizing school dances. It would have taken a team of horses to drag her away from my side. What you said was right and its not the way Alice behaved. I'm beginning to think maybe Bella's right, at least about Alice not being Jazz's mate and I think you are too even if you don't say it out loud."

"Would you with the women about?"

I sighed heavily and joined him at the table and he grinned for the first time since this all began,

"I guess not, I like my balls where they are."

I looked at the computer screen and saw a message box flashing,

"Who are you trying to contact?"

"Darius again. He must have been in contact with Jazz's friends and he might be able to contact Peter again."

"Why do you want to contact him again? Didn't you have enough of him last time?"

"No, I think he's the only one of us thinking straight. As long as Jazz is under attack then Bella has to stay. We need to find out who's doing it and why."

"And how do you propose doing that?"

"I have no idea, that's why I want to get in touch with Peter. I'm sure he's got some ideas. I want to help Carlisle. Jazz is my brother as far as I'm concerned and you taught us to trust and care for each other."

I felt a little embarrassed at Emmett's words because he was right, we should be finding the attacker not fighting among ourselves.

"Well see what you can find out. I'll keep watch for the girls because I'm telling you Emmett if they find out what you're doing you are a dead man."

Emmett

I had wanted to run it through with Carlisle before I did anything and I was glad he agreed, now I felt I had to go on, I owed Jazz that much, we all did if it came down to it, he was family. I waited impatiently after putting a message out there for Darius,

"Need to talk to Peter Whitlock."

Maybe Peter had already spoken to him and he wouldn't bother getting in touch but he was my best bet. Jazz had his number but it was in his room and for now the house was still out of bounds so he was my only chance. The hours stretched on and I feared the girls would be back before I heard anything but then I saw words appear on the screen

"Why?"

"I want to help."

"Why?"

"Jasper is my brother and he's in trouble. Peter only pointed out what we should have realized. We need to know who is doing this and stop them."

"A Cullen with a brain, what a refreshing change. OK I'll contact him and see what he says."

"Is there anything I can do while I wait?"

"I'll send you a link. I want you to go to the site using the link and watch out for any unusual activity. Anything mentioning The Major or the Cullens, and especially Bella Swan but do not interact or you'll find yourself in the deepest darkest dungeon the Volturi have, we shouldn't be peeking."

"The Volturi? Man you like to live dangerously."

"Yeah well join the club Cullen. I'll send the link, then sit tight until you hear from me again or Peter but do not interact, remember that."

"Will do."

I waited and a few minutes later true to his word Darius sent me a link which I clicked on then waited with bated breath as the link tried to connect. As it flashed through hundreds of different web sites I understood this was a back way and hopefully untraceable as I finally saw data streaming along rapidly. This was going to be a tiring and very boring task but I felt I was helping at last.

By the time the girls got back I was beginning to think Darius had given me this to shut me up but then I saw a flash of Bella's name and my fingers hovered over the keys but I remembered what Darius had warned me and minimized the page so I could contact him again giving him the address of the string that held the name. Bringing up the screen saver quickly to avoid difficult questions from Rose I turned,

"Did you have good hunting?"

She scowled looking over at Alice And Esme who sat together talking quietly, Esme's arm around Alice's shoulders,

"We didn't go to hunt, we went to talk. Alice is being treated terribly by Bella and none of us trust her. She could be working with the enemy whatever Eleazer said. It sounded like he didn't know much about her as it was.

"Well we saw what happened when she left Jazz alone."

"No, we saw what she wanted us to see, she could be doing it herself then all she has to do is to stop whenever she and Jazz play handsies."

"Handsies?"

"You know what I mean Emmett don't act dumb. I think Esme is going to force Bella to let us back into the house soon. She said once she'd got to know Jazz she just had to be in the same room, well then there's no reason why we can't go back into the house now is there?"

She peered over my shoulder,

"Anyway what are you doing? If you want to make yourself useful see what you can find out about this Bella Swan. I'm not at all sure she's who she says she is."

I nodded and turned back to the screen breathing easier when Rose went to join the others then saw a message from Darius.

"Well spotted. Its nothing though or at least nothing to do with The Major. Peter wants your cell number, he'll ring you but keep it quiet. Got it?"

"Sure. Thanks Darius and good luck looking for who ever's doing this."

"Its not finding them that's going to be difficult, its stopping them. Whoever they are."

The screen went black for a few seconds and when it came back to life the page was gone and when I looked in my browsing history it was blank for the past five hours. Darius was thorough if nothing else.