IF LOOKS COULD TRULY KILL
Disclaimer: The Cullens, the Swans, and most of the characters mentioned in the story that are known from Stephanie Meyer's beloved Twilight Saga, are all hers and hers alone. I neither have nor wish to pass them off as mine. I do appreciate the fact that she did bring them to life and allows us to play with them in our imaginations. The only thing I will claim is the current storyline.
This chapter has been beta'd by the remarkable dowlingnana. A huge thanks to her for putting up with and then correcting my errors.
"Mrs. Cullen, there is a young woman here wanting to see you for a moment privately. She says that she knows both you and Mr. Cullen. Do you wish to talk with her?"
"I guess, tell her to enter, please."
"Since she wants to speak privately, I'll step out into the hallway, but, will be within calling if you should need me. Don't hesitate." The nurse told Bella while looking at the young woman the whole time as if trying to tell her not to try anything harmful towards her patient. Then she stepped outside closing the door behind herself as she went.
"Hello, who's there?" Bella asks.
"Mrs. Cullen, I wanted to come and tell you how sorry I am about all of the problems that have been thrown your way. It was never my intent to be a part of the conspiracy that would separate your two, but, I had no choice in the matter. I was threatened with harm to my child if I did cooperate. Please forgive me." The woman pleaded with Bella.
The voice sounded familiar, but, Bella wasn't able to put a name or a face to the voice. "Excuse me, but, I have no idea who you are. Would you mind telling me your name?"
"Yes, Mrs. Cullen, I was Mr. Cullen's personal assistant, Nadine Johnson."
CHAPTER 26: FINALLY SOME ANSWERS, HOPEFULLY
"I know who you are, but, what I don't know or understand is why the hell you are hell now. What is it that you think you can gain by coming to me now?" Bella speaks with coldness dripping from each word. "I think you have created enough problems in my life starting a year ago, so, what are you trying to do now? Perhaps, it would be better if you left and never approach me or my husband again."
"Mrs. Cullen, I realize that you have reason to question my motives, but, please, I only want to set things right as best I can. I need help myself and believe that the only way I can get the aid I need is by coming to you and explaining everything that happened and what is going on at the moment. So, will you please at least hear me out?"
Bella stayed quiet, trying to think of what needed to be done. She remembered recently thinking that Nadine Johnson more than likely knew more than what had been said. But, the big question was, is she in any state of mind to fairly listen to what she had to say? The silence stretched on for quite a number of minutes causing Nadine to become nervous and wondering as to whether she would be allowed to speak what needed to be said.
"I guess I'll go since you don't wish to -" but, Bella quickly interrupted her in mid sentence to say, "I don't think I'm in the correct frame of mind to listen to you, but, you owe more than just me an explanation. So, with that being said I will offer you this option; talk with more than just myself about what you have to say. If you will agree to that then I will be willing to listen to what you have to say.
"Make no mistake, I don't trust you, but, at the same time I do believe that you have more to offer than what has been stated in the past and I want to know what it is. The problem is that the way I feel about you will influence how I listen to you, so, I want others that will be more objective than what I can be."
"I will agree to what you want. The reason being as I said, I need help also."
"Sit down somewhere in the room and I'll have a call or two made to get others here to listen while you speak." With that being said Bella calls out for the nurse and waits for her to re enter the room to see what her patient needs. Bella tells her to dial the phone for her to speak with Dr. Cullen.
Moving over to the nightstand on the left hand side of the bed, Nurse Hartford runs through the contact list and locates the proper number. When the phone starts ringing she waits to hear someone answer, "Please hold, Mrs. Cullen has requested to speak with you."
"Hello?"
"Bella, is there are problem?"
"Yes; no; maybe; could be; I don't know yet."
"Well, that certainly clears everything up." The speaker remarks with a slight chuckle. "Now, you want to try and explain all of that mess?"
"I have a visitor with me that has a need to talk and wants some help. The problem is I'm not sure that I can be objective enough to listen to, let alone help, her with whatever her problem might be. And, to be truthful, I'm not even sure that I would want to. So, that is why I'm calling you. I need for you to come back up with my dad and your son to listen to her."
"Can you give me any more information than that? Even a clue as to who we might be talking about?"
"Nadine Johnson." After that last utterance from Bella the airwaves were silent for a heartbeat or so, then, "Did I hear you correctly? Nadine Johnson? The one that was Edward's personal assistant?"
"You got it. That's the person and she's here now waiting for you to get here so she can tell us what she knows."
"We're on our way." And with that reassurance the call was disconnected.
Bella held the phone out in the general direction the nurse had been when she had handed Bella the phone. Quickly taking the phone the nurse replaced it on the nightstand and started taking note of Bella's vital signs. While she was doing that Bella spoke, "The others I called will be here shortly. Are you able to stay until then?"
"Mrs. Cullen, I can stay as long as I need to because I need the help badly." And with that said Bella settled in her bed with thoughts of what this woman could say or might know were racing around in her mind. Nadine sat quietly in a chair that was situated against a wall, but, was giving every signal of being nervous about what is about to occur. And, the nurse was seated close to the bed quietly observing both young women, but, offering not a word.
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At the mention of that one name all activity in the room had come to a sudden halt. Edward's head snapped in the direction of his father and began to listen more intently to Carlisle's conversation with Bella. Not that there was much said as it all seemed to be pretty much to the point.
"Dad, what is going on about Nadine Johnson? Who is the 'we' that is on the way?" Edward questioned as soon as he was able to ask.
"That was Bella on the phone. That young woman, Nadine Johnson, is in her room wanting to talk with Bella and saying she needs some help. Bella felt she wants others there to talk with this young woman and that you should be one of the persons there."
"Let's go." He says without pausing for anything further to be said.
"Edward, hold up a moment, she didn't say much, but, she did say that Charlie and you should come with me. But, I also think that Ms Denali should come as well since she will be dealing with Bella's security."
"But, dad, what all did she say?"
"Nothing other than she didn't think she could be objective about what the woman had to say and the fact that the woman also needed some help. She wanted us there to listen and then advise what we could or should do. Not in those words, but, that was the meaning of what she was saying.
"She requested that I bring her Charlie and you, but, I know that you are going to ask, so, I'm going to tell you before you do. I think Ms Denali should be there because she is a professional with no emotional involvement and would be able to look and listen to what Nadine has to say from a different perspective than what the rest of us would.
"And, yes, I agree Charlie is a professional, but, he is still a father whose daughter has been hurt by this person, so, that could interfere with his judgment calls the same as it might with you or me. But, with Tanya Denali the only interest she has is catching the person that is guilty of criminal activities." With all of that said Edward kept his mouth shut since he could think of anything to contradict Carlisle's reasoning.
Without further discussion Edward, Charlie, Tanya left with Carlisle and headed for the hospital to see what Ms Johnson had to disclose about the whole situation. No one started any conversation during the drive to the hospital as they each were lost in their own thoughts and had questions own their own as to what all this woman had to contribute to the current situation.
After parking, it was difficult for each to move at a reasonable pace to get to their destination; Bella's room and an intense conversation with one Nadine Johnson which each knew was the starting point that brought Edward and Bella to point they are facing now.
Never had it seemed that things were more determined to move in slow motion more than what it was doing at that time. Patience has never been one of Edward's strong points, but, any that he had completely left him right now. The elevators were moving even slower than necessary.
Finally, arriving to the floor they wanted the door opened for all four to exited and moved down the hallway towards the one door that a police officer could be seen sitting outside in the hallway. The officer stood as he recognized each person that approached and nodded to each in turn. They acknowledged him before opening the door and entered the room, closing the door behind the last person to enter.
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Bella heard the door open and the movement from both the nurse and the other occupant in the room. As she glanced in the direction she thought the door was Carlisle spoke to her letting her know who had entered the room.
"Edward, Dad." She spoke while holding out a hand to each she had addressed. Each man moved on opposite sides to the hand that was being offered.
"My love, how are you doing? Is there anything I can get you? Are -"
"Good grief, Edward, slow down. I'm doing fine. Just nervous about tomorrow morning, but, doing as well as I can at the moment. We do have things to talk about, but, right now we need to hear what Nadine had to tell us.
"Dad, will you handle the necessary questioning since you would know more of what would be important and what isn't at this point?"
"If that is what you want, of course."
"Bella, you doing okay, considering the recent visitor?"
"Yeah, Carlisle, I'm fine. A bit confused as to why she's here now, but, curious about what all she has to say. I would be to emotionally involved that is why I think it better to have you and Dad here. But, Edward has a right to hear the answers also and that is why I felt he needed to be here." Bella explains.
"Dear, we have one other person with us. Tanya Denali, the police officer that spoke with you before and has been put on suspension. She will be acting as a guard for you to insure your safety from whoever is trying to get near you. The whole family felt that she would be the best option under the circumstances." Carlisle informed her before she could ask the why.
That information kept Bella silent while she thought through the information Carlisle had given her, but, in the end all she offered was, "Can we begin?"
Before anyone could utter another word the nurse rose and left without saying anything and closed the door quietly behind her. At the sound of the click of the door locking into place the young woman that had remained standing by the wall began moving forward with her hand out stretched as if to shake hands with each of the four people in there.
Introductions were made, everyone got seated and then Nadine Johnson begins to tell her story from the beginning.
A/N: Okay Nadine is ready to talk and everyone has gotten ready to listen. What can she tell them that might lead to the stalker? Where is Patrice Roche? Who killed the Interpol Agent?
Please review and let me know your thoughts. This story will update once every two to three days weeks for the present time just until I bring another story or two to completion then updating will be closer together again and I hope you will enjoy it the same as you have my other ones.