Chapter Twenty Eight

Carlisle

I'd finally discovered Alice's whereabouts and through the strangest of sources, Chief Swan in Forks Washington, a man I had thought I would never speak to again. As it was his tone was hostile but I understood that, after all, we had abandoned his daughter without a word leaving her broken hearted and a father finds something like that hard to forgive.

"Doctor Cullen, Bella told me she'd seen you again at the hospital where she works and I used my official position to get your private number. I haven't heard from Bella recently and I can't contact her. Putting two and two together I came up with your name as a likely reason for that. Care to tell me where she is? I really hope your son isn't messing with her again, I know you told me he was abroad with his new girlfriend but you'll appreciate my skepticism after all his track record isn't exactly good with girls."

I needed to be very careful, I didn't want any suspicion pointing in our direction and if he learned about the murder and Emmett's possible involvement he could make things very difficult for us.

"I'm sorry Chief but I haven't seen Bella recently. She told us that she wanted nothing more to do with the family and we respected her wishes but I did hear she was going away for a few days with her friend Kerri."

I happened to know Kerri had gone home to Dallas to stay with her family since the murder and hoped he wouldn't try to contact her, then I remembered she had changed her cell phone recently, the new one had been a gift from Emmett in fact.

"Right, I tried her phone too but it's coming back as out of service, I guess she changed her number. Do you have any idea how long they planned on being away? I guess maybe I'm just a little over cautious where Bella's concerned right now."

"I'm afraid I don't Chief Swan."

"Right, well, are you all planning on coming back to Forks or is Alice just on a flying visit? I didn't get the opportunity to speak to her when I saw her the other day."

I was stunned, Alice was back in Forks? Why would she go back there? It looked like Esme and I would have to take a trip back to the house if we wanted to find out what she was up to.

"Esme and I will be paying a flying visit too, as a matter of fact, we're thinking of putting the house on the market."

"Good idea, better than leaving it empty, that just encourages break-ins. I didn't recognize her friend so maybe that was the realtor but she looked a little young. AS a matter of fact I thought maybe you'd added to your foster family, Doctor."

Alice had someone with her? Now, who could that be? Surely not Victoria, no, besides she certainly wouldn't look too young to be a realtor.

"No, we haven't and I'm not sure who Alice's companion was, could you describe her to me?"

He hesitated, it was a rather strange request after all so I added what I hoped would be a convincing reason for it.

"Alice has been acting out a little and there's one particular girl who's a bad influence on her."

"I see, well this girl was young, about fourteen maybe a little older. She was slim, about Alice's height with long blonde hair scraped back from her face."

That sounded suspiciously like Jane Volturi but why would Alice be meeting with a member of the Volturi? It didn't make any sense but then none of this did! I thanked Chief Swan for his help, assured him that this wasn't the girl that had us worried and finished the call. The last thing we needed was for Charlie Swan to show too much interest in a member of the Volturi, who knew what might happen as a result!

When I explained the situation to Esme she booked tickets for the earliest flight to Seattle she could get and I contacted Jasper and Emmett to tell them what I'd learned. Emmett was scandalized by Alice's actions but Jasper just snarled loudly and I knew if he ever came in contact with her again there would be serious trouble. When I asked him if it was possible the Volturi were involved in Bella's abduction he felt it was doubtful.

"The Volturi wouldn't use Maria, they'd pick up Bella themselves, besides what do they have to gain from kidnapping her? No, I think this is more personal and I mean Alice Cullen personal, and when I get my hands on her she's gonna wish she'd died in that asylum."

Alice

I'd tried to keep a low profile in Forks and hadn't realized Bella's father had seen me and, even worse, seen Jane until Carlisle and Esme appeared at the house. When I saw their expressions I knew that the game was up but it didn't really matter, nothing mattered any more so I just stood back and watched as they walked in.

"What's going on Alice and what exactly was your part in it all? Please tell me you aren't responsible for that girl's death and Bella's abduction."

I shrugged, Esme already knew that if I said it was nothing to do with me it would be a lie but I decided to explain my actions, I didn't want them to think I was pure evil.

"It doesn't really matter what I say now, it won't change anything but I did have my reasons. I'm sure you'll look very superior and tell me I should have known better Carlisle, but I was played by Aro."

"Aro Volturi? Is he responsible for Bella's abduction? But why? And if it had anything to do with Edward why wait so long? Explain yourself, Alice."

I slumped down on the dust sheeted sofa and looked at my feet, I couldn't bear to see the condemnation in their eyes.

"I've been played all along, Jane showed me a photograph of a girl, a girl who looked so much like me and said she was my niece, that the same vampire who changed me also took my sister. She didn't die like I thought, she was sold as a pet to a renegade vampire and had a baby by him. A few years ago the Volturi destroyed him for breaking their laws on secrecy and discovered the girl who had been changed at thirteen, right on the edge of being regarded as an Immortal child. They made a deal with me, they would allow my niece, my only living relative to live if I helped them destroy our family."

Esme's expression had changed, she was horrified and I wasn't sure whether it was by my tragic story or what Aro had wanted me to do.

"I agreed, I couldn't let them kill her, not my own niece. Aro wanted the powerful Cullen family destroyed and I was the tool he would use the ultimate pawn. I destroyed my sister's marriage, broke Emmett's heart and put Bella in the hands of a madwoman. Jasper was already lost to me, I couldn't blame the Volturi for that, but I put him in terrible danger for the sake of jealousy along with his two friends although I can't regret what I've done to them, they always looked down at me, thought I wasn't worthy of Jasper's love."

"Did you send Victoria to kill Bella, Alice?"

I was finally able to meet Carlisle's eyes.

"No, that was just luck for me. I wish things were different and that I could help put right all the wrongs I've done but I don't know how. I betrayed everyone who loved me, Carlisle."

"So, what's changed, Alice? Why do you say Aro played you?"

"Because the girl wasn't my sister's child, she was just a girl who looked a lot like me. I did it all for nothing and now I've lost everything. Jane stood here yesterday and broke the truth to me, smiling all the while she did so. She said you would never forgive me and that my only option was to join them now."

When I finished speaking Esme came over putting her hands on my arms and staring into my face,

"Why didn't you tell us what was happening, Alice? We could have helped you."

I shook my head,

"They said I couldn't tell anyone or my niece would be executed and I believed them."

Carlisle still hadn't moved or spoken and I looked at him beseechingly but he shook his head in disbelief.

"Alice how could you? You destroyed lives and relationships, deceived your family who stood by you and would have continued to, you even sold out Bella your friend. I can't begin to take in the enormity of your betrayal. Jasper and Emmett are driving into a potentially lethal situation trying to put right what you have done. A young girl died horribly because of you, how could you even contemplate the things you did?"

Then he walked out and got back into the rental car, started the engine, and sat waiting while Esme pulled back and looked at me torn between us.

"Carlisle is very hurt by your actions, we've lost our family, one of your brothers is facing a murder charge, he and Jasper possibly driving to their death. What were you thinking?"

She dropped her arms and glanced out the open door at the car still idling at the bottom of the steps then she too turned on her heel and walked out to join Carlisle. Without a backward glance, they drove away, leaving me alone here with my guilt.

Carlisle

I couldn't believe what our daughter had done, how she had blindly believed Jane and ruined the family I had built up so carefully for my Esme. My first son was estranged and I missed him terribly, what he would do when he found that he and Rose had been manipulated into each other's arms? He would have to be told, well, they would have to be told, eventually, as would any more of the family that lived through this maelstrom. As to the problem of Alice herself, I was at a loss. We couldn't just abandon her but I wasn't sure any of us could find it in our hearts to forgive her or trust her again. Well, I guessed Esme would forgive her eventually because it wasn't in her nature to bear grudges but she was unique in that respect. My next move must be to contact Edward and Rosalie, we would need their help if we were to have any chance of saving Bella, well Jasper and poor Bella. I just hoped there was enough of a connection left between us for them to respond to my summons for help.