The Gift

Disclaimer: Stephenie Myers owns all Twilight and the Characters

Chapter 25: A Lead

EPOV

I stood looking out the living room window as the snow was lightly falling. It has been twenty-four hours since Bella was taken. I couldn't sleep last night at all. I tossed and turned having nightmare and nightmare. Nightmares of never finding her, nightmares of finding her but it being too late, and the worst nightmare was losing Carly as well as Bella.

"Daddy," Carly said bringing me back to reality. "Is mommy home?"

"No sweet girl," I answered. How in the hell do you tell a four year that her mother may never be coming home. Snap out of it Cullen. Shit! "Don't you like staying here with me?"

"Yes," she said laughing as I tickled her. "I want mommy too."

"Soon," I told her as I stopped tickling her. I leaned down and kissed her forehead as my phone started ringing. Pulling it out of my pocket and looked to see who was calling. "Why don't you go over and play by the tree?"

"Okay," she said skipping over.

"Jenks," I said answering the phone. "What did you find out?"

"The bitch has been busy since the divorce," he replied. "How much was your divorce settlement again?"

"Three quarters of a million dollars," I said questioningly. "You should know that since you were my divorce attorney."

"She's out of money," he told me.

"What the fuck," I said shocked. How in the hell could she have gone through all the money. When those words came out of my mouth I notice Carly turn around looking at me with a weird look. "Daddy knows that he said a bad word. I'm sorry."

"Daddy," he said laughing. "When in the hell did this occur?"

"Long story," I said taking a deep breath. "That will have to wait. Now back to Tanya."

"Of course," he said as I heard him shuffling around some papers. "She never let go of the life she had with you. The clothes, the cars, the nightlife, the fancy dinners and the trips overseas, basically anything you gave her."

"What has she been up to for the past seventy-two hours," I asked basically pacing the living room floor.

"The only activity that I have is about sixty hours ago," he said stumbling through it.

"Damn it Jenks," I said getting pissed. "I need to know this information."

"She's near Forks," he said quickly and I dropped the phone. "Edward, Edward, are you there."

"Yeah," I said picking up the phone. What in the hell was she doing here? She's supposed to be in Alaska with her family. "Where exactly is she?"

"Christmas Eve she made a purchase at an Outdoor store," he said as I took deep breaths. "All that was purchased was rope, and a hunting knife."

"Anything else," I said as my heart dropped into my stomach hearing about her purchases. I had just hoped that Tanya hadn't done anything to Bella yet.

"Where's First Beach," he asked and I caught my breath.

"About twenty minutes from here," I said in a whisper. "Why?"

"She used her credit card there forty-five minutes after the outdoor store," he then said to me. Then it hit me. She was here all along. The only place down near First Beach is Grandmother Lizzy's beach house that she left me in her will.

"The beach house," I told him, and I heard him gasp. "That is where she was heading."

"Why do you think that," he questioned me. I needed to get off the phone so that I could get there.

"It's the only place I would never take her," I said to him. That house had too many memories of Bella and I. I didn't want her to ruin what I had left of Bella. "I got to go. Thanks Jenks."

"Anytime," he said and I hung up the phone.

"Hey," I heard Alice say walking into the living room. "Was that Jenks on the phone?"

"Yeah," I said trying to think of something to lie about to tell her. "He just wanted to wish us a belated Merry Christmas."

"That's sweet of him," she said sitting on the couch. "How are you today?"

"Like I could crawl out of my skin," I told her sitting beside her. "I just want her home. You want to know what the worst part is."

"Sure," she said taking my hand.

"I didn't tell her," I said taking a little breath and holding some traitor tears at bay. "I didn't tell her that I loved her yesterday."

"Breakfast," mom yelled from the kitchen.

"It will be okay," she said trying to reassure me. "I can feel it, everything will be okay. Come on let's go eat."

"I'm not hungry," I told her as she got up. "Why don't you take Carly with you?"

"Carlybug," she said walking over to her. "Let's go eat breakfast with everyone."

"Okay," she said standing up and taking Alice's hand. "You coming daddy."

"No," I told her walking over towards them. "Daddy is going to go change clothes and do some things. I love you sweet girl."

"I love you too," she said as I kissed the tip of her nose.

Once they were down the hall I made my move. I ran up to my room and changed my clothes. I know that I should call Charlie, but I have to do this on my own. I had to think about how to get Bella back and do it as safely as possible. Even if that meant playing the bitch's game, but smarter than her. After I was dressed I reached for a little box on the top shelf of my closet, Grandfather Masen left it for me. I just hoped that I didn't need to use it today. I went back downstairs and out the door to the Vanquish. It was quiet and it could get me out of here without being detected. Once I was on the road I headed towards the beach house to get my girl and bring her home.

"I'm coming," I said to myself.

CAPOV

"Where's Edward," I said as Carly and Alice came in for breakfast.

"He said that he was going to shower," Alice told me taking a seat.

"Poppie," Carly said running over and hugging me. "Morning."

"Good morning," I said kissing her and putting her on my knee. "Are you hungry?"

"Please," she said with a big smile and I could see Bella in her smile. I had to take a breath when she smiled, because it hurt. "Okay. Why don't you go and seat between Emmett and Jasper."

"Okay," she said jumping off my knee. Then boys knew my reason of putting Carly between them. They didn't mind at all because that meant that they could goof off and get away with it.

Everyone just sat there in silence eating. It just didn't seem right. How were we supposed to act normal when there was a piece of this family missing? Just as Esme was clearing the table the doorbell rang.

"I'll go," Jasper said getting up. When he got up Esme stopped what she was doing and sat down.

"Carlisle," she said worried.

"We can handle it," I told her holding her hand. Just then Jasper walked in with someone familiar. "Charlie."

"Carlisle," he said before he was tackled by Carly. "good morning everyone."

"Pawpaw," she said when he picked her up and hugged her.

"Are you being a good girl," he asked her smiling. He looked like the living dead. He clearly hasn't had any rest since yesterday.

"Yes," she said and we couldn't help but all laugh.

"Where's Edward," he asked looking around. "I have some information on Mike and some other things that he will want to know."

"Emmett," Esme said speaking up. "Can you go and get your brother?"

"Sure," he said running out of the kitchen yelling. "Oh Eddie-boy where are you?"

"Did he ever grow up," Charlie said letting out a small laugh.

"No," I said laughing with him. "To think he will be a dad this time next year."

"Really," he said shocked.

"Dad," Emmett said running back in. "He's not upstairs anywhere."

"Check the cars," Alice said speaking up before Charlie and I could speak.

"Poppie," Carly said tugging on my arm. "Where's the beach house?"

"The beach house," I said puzzled. "Carly, who told you about the beach house?"

"Daddy," she answered. "He said she never went there on the phone."

"Dad," Alice said cutting in. "He said that Jenks called to wish us a belated Merry Christmas."

I didn't listen to her as she continued to talk. I dug my phone out and called Jenks.

"Jenks speaking," he said when he answered.

"It's Carlisle," I said in a stern tone. "What did you tell Edward this morning?"

"He wanted information on Tanya," he said and I put it on speaker for Charlie to hear. "I told him that she has ran out the divorce settlement money. She wouldn't give up that so called fancy life that she wanted with him. Also that she used her credit card twice in the last sixty hours. Once at an outdoor store in Forks where rope and a knife were purchased. The second time was at a gas station near First Beach."

I hung the phone up not saying anything. I could kill my son for doing this. How stupid could he be?

"Carlisle," Charlie said cutting in. "Is this Elizabeth's beach house on First Beach."

"Yes," I said still thinking about Edward. I was about to say something else but Emmett ran back into the kitchen.

"The Vanquish is gone," he said as I saw Esme turn white and Charlie heading towards the door.

"Charlie," I said to stop him I knew exactly what he was going to do and I wanted to go as well. "I'm coming with you."

"You sure," he asked.

"Yes," I answered turning towards Esme. "Bella may need medical attention if she is at the beach house."

"You're right," he said thinking about it a little more. "Where's your medical bag?"

"Hall closet by the door," I said as he walked out. "I'll bring them both home I promise."

"You better," she said when I kissed her. "Then you'll have to treat your son when I beat his ass."

I hurried out of the kitchen and out the door to Charlie's waiting cruiser. As we headed towards First Beach I just hoped that we would get there in time. If we do and they are both okay. I will kick my son's ass from today until next Christmas for leaving without telling us.