Chapter Twenty Nine
Carlisle
I called Esme from the car and she answered so quickly I thought she must have been waiting for a call, obviously not mine though as she sounded flustered when she recognized my voice.
"Carlisle? Where are you?"
"I could ask you the same thing, I thought you were coming to see Bella?"
"Oh, I was, but I was delayed by a call from Edward, he and Rachel are cutting short their holiday and coming home, I think it turned out to be more expensive than Edward anticipated although with Rachel and Alice together I think a shopping spree was always on the cards. How is Bella by the way? Does she need anything? I thought I might pick up a few things for her on my way."
I wasn't sure I believed her and I hated this feeling of suspicion I now had when I listened to her. Still, surely she wasn't the one who told Jacob where to find Bella? Unfortunately, that left only two possibilities, Edward who had already shown his willingness to intervene, or Alice, or possibly the two in cahoots with each other. Where had I gone so wrong? I never thought in my wildest dreams that anyone in my close-knit and loving family would stoop so low and the shock of finding out just how wrong I had been upset me terribly.
"Well? How is she? Please don't tell me there's been more trouble?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, there has and Jake is dead as a result."
She sounded genuinely shocked by the news and insisted on all the details which found me just outside Seattle and close to home although I felt reluctant to go there. Somehow it was no longer the warm and comfortable space I had always seen it to be, something dark lurked in its corners these days that made me very uneasy.
When Esme didn't press her desire to see Bella and check on her personally I was perturbed but as she then pointed out, she wasn't sure she would be welcome with Peter and Charlotte in attendance. Unfortunately, Esme had taken an instant dislike to Jasper's friends and the feeling was mutual which meant they seldom visited and as Alice was also extremely reserved around them I was quite glad. I found Peter too coarse and abrasive for my taste but Charlotte was a warm-hearted woman and I was quite sure given time that she and Esme could have become close.
When I eventually drove up to the house I found Esme busy preparing for the return of the children she loved so much, or some of them at any rate and she was not amused that I had no idea when Rosalie and Emmett would be returning home. Esme liked to have all her 'children' around her and was most upset that we wouldn't be having a grand family reunion after all.
"I blame you, Carlisle, you should never have sent Emmett and Rose to pick Bella up, it was very dangerous. Neither of them has any experience with the wolves and it could have been a trap."
"But it wasn't Esme, and everyone is safe. Emmett and Rosalie just felt that while there is still a danger to Bella they could be better occupied helping Jasper."
"Does he need any help? I got the impression he was quite capable of looking after Bella alone, he certainly didn't want my help."
Now I understood her attitude, she was jealous, first of Jasper taking her place as Bella's caregiver and now because Rose and Emmett had chosen Jasper and Bella over her.
I decided to be quite open with her and explained that Jake had told Jasper that a member of our family had told him where Bella would be. She rose up in righteous indignation.
"And I suppose you're immediate reaction was to blame me? You seem far too eager to jump to conclusions, Carlisle, and every one is to my detriment. What exactly have I done to make you so suspicious of my actions all of a sudden? Is it because I argued with Jasper over taking Bella away from your care? Or because I postponed my trip to see Bella until I finished my phone call with Rachel? Do tell, I can't wait to hear your answer."
Esme's eyes flashed with anger and I knew whatever I said would be wrong so I opted for a neutral silence at which she turned her back on me and stormed out of the room. I had to discover what was going on before it caused a rift between Esme and myself and I fervently hoped that I wouldn't discover she was involved in anything unsavory. My life which had been so happy and settled before Bella resurfaced in my ER was now a pool of suspicion, tension, and ill feeling and I hated it.
Esme
I thought I had handled that very well leaving Carlisle on the back foot, let him talk his way out of my accusations. Unfortunately, he wasn't stupid and had felt the undercurrents flowing through the house. What I could not allow was him putting two and two together and making four. If only he hadn't involved Jasper things would have been finished to my satisfaction by now but instead, I was running around putting out fires and covering my back, not a position I found at all comfortable. Well, it was up to Oscar now, surely even he could manage a simple murder and that's all I asked of him. Find the girl, kill the girl, and make sure it couldn't be traced to either him or more importantly me!
Carlisle locked himself in his study muttering about catching up on some paperwork and I waited until I knew he was engrossed before making my next call. Alice and the others were already at the airport but I thought they should be aware of the situation, it would give them plenty of time to consider their stories during the flight.
Edward was devastated to hear that Jake had failed and died in the attempt, he still wanted Bella as far from Jasper as possible. I thought he was living dangerously, Rachel was a very jealous woman who wouldn't think twice about slipping a metaphorical knife between his ribs if she thought for one second he still had feelings for Bella. I knew he would be plotting his next move although what he thought he could do now that his only worthy ally was dead I had no idea.
Alice was angry but not surprised.
"I didn't see the outcome but let's be fair, Jake was never going to beat Jasper in a fight, it is intriguing how far Jazz is willing to go to protect Bella though, don't you think? Rachel is seething that she missed all the fun. I think he has the hots for Jazz, all that testosterone lacking in Edward. She keeps asking me what he's like as a fighter and a man. I could just imagine her all excited and sparkly eyed watching Jacob Black and Jazz slug it out toe to toe, she should have been a Roman, no gladiator would have been safe from her attentions."
She promised to keep an eye out because I knew Jasper wasn't stupid enough to stay in Forks long, he would want somewhere no one else knew about. Jake's big mouth had made sure of that. Depending on how close to Forks Oscar had men there was a possibility that they could fire the house with everyone inside, I'd been very clear how dangerous Bella's protectors could be and gave orders they were to take no chances. He was still complaining about the two men he had lost but I gave it no mind, they were dead and their bodies probably feeding the fishes by now, besides, there were plenty more like them in his organization and he wasn't getting a penny extra from me to compensate him for their loss.
Edward
So, once again Jake had fouled up and this time he was dead. That was a pity, he had been such an easy mark, just wind him up and point him in the direction of Bella. If anyone could get through my 'brother's defenses and take her it should have been the wolves but no, somehow they just couldn't do it. Not that I wanted Jake to have Bella but he was preferable to Jasper Hale. The thought there might be something between my 'brother' and Bella was more than I could stomach.
"It's such a shame we weren't there, don't you think Alice? There's nothing quite like the spectacle of two Alpha males in mortal combat."
"Really, Rachel? I would have thought it beneath you to watch two animals tearing at each other."
My wife turned to me with a look of long-suffering on her face, as if I was an imbecile.
"Edward, you are far too civilized to understand the powerful magnetism of warriors fighting for their lives or their love. It's so thrilling."
"Well, it's over and we missed it. Anyway, I would have thought you had more important things on your mind, like how you are going to apologize to Carlisle for mislaying his message. I must admit I don't even remember you answering the phone that night."
"Probably too busy trying to think up another plan to upset Jasper, do you think he'll come looking for you now? I mean he knows it was you who put Jacob on his trail twice now. I do hope that if he does you are up to the challenge."
I glared at her,
"Of course I am, my gift gives me the edge every time and please try not to look so excited at the thought of me being dragged into a brawl with him. If I didn't know better I might think you were jealous of a human girl my dear."
Rachel went very quiet when that barb hit home, true Bella was no beauty and she certainly wasn't as sophisticated and worldly as my wife but I had to admit she did have a certain something that I couldn't define.
It concerned me that my wife was showing so much interest in Bella and Jasper, I knew she measured me against Jasper and found me wanting but only because she valued brute strength and cunning as opposed to brains and superior intellect.
"You know, I think if it was possible you'd take the little human, damaged as she is, and keep her as a mistress. Tell me, Edward, what is it that you see in her? Is it like a pet? I mean do you long to take her for a walk on a lead and pet her? Would you like to have her lying on a rug at your feet and fetching your slippers?"
I heard Alice titter and glared at Rachel.
"Don't be absurd. She means nothing to me, I just don't want Jasper ruining what's left of her life."
"Oh let him, they'll have fun together and then when she gets bored he'll do the right thing and kill her. Much more manly than running away."
This time I was the one who felt the barb and fell silent, I would get my own back, I'd put a limit on my credit card, that would hurt her much more than anything I could say. Brains rising above petty bitchiness!
In truth, I sometimes wished I had stayed with Bella instead of leaving her and ending up married to Rachel although I would never admit as much. Bella was the better woman kinder, softer, and more loving. I should have stayed and changed her as she begged me to do but that was all in the past now and I had chosen Rachel.
I wondered if Bella had been frightened of the battle between Jake and his pack and Jasper and his friends if she had begged them not to fight. Rachel would feel it only right that so many would be prepared to sacrifice their lives for her but Bella. No, Bella would feel unworthy of such a noble gesture and hate herself more with each protector who laid down his life for her. How was it that I had fallen in love with two such different creatures?
The flight was tedious manly because I had to endure Rachels thoughts of Jazz and Bella because for one thing she didn't try to keep me out, she knew it would infuriate me to be compared, badly, with that savage. I did get a flash of something about the message she had forgotten to pass on but it was so quick I couldn't make it out. Was there something going on? If so I was determined to discover what. Life was very complicated right now but very interesting too.
