Chapter Thirty Four

Jasper

I could feel the tension and animosity before I reached the door of the motel room. Something was very wrong, although what it could be I had no idea. Bella had seemed relieved and happy to discover that Charlotte and Peter had come all this way looking for her so what had caused this atmosphere?

I hesitated as I heard low voices from inside, it sounded as if the conversation was both important and private.

"Bella, there is a lot to explain and some of it isn't going to be easy, but please believe me when I say that nothing we did was intended to hurt you. Peter and I... well, we took advantage of a situation, something we shouldn't have done but…"

Bella's voice cut across Charlotte sounding cold and hard.

"Did you know my mother? Were you her friend?"

Charlotte hesitated before replying in a very small voice, "no."

"So that was a lie too. Are you responsible for her death?"

"No."

This time Charlotte's voice was stronger and I could feel her horror at being asked such a question.

"Then what did happen? All I can remember is a vague memory of an accident, everything spinning around and someone screaming. I guess that must have been my mom."

Charlotte was struggling to face Bella all alone, especially as her 'daughter' was acting so hostile and I reached out to grab the door handle only for another hand to close over mine.

"This is my mess too, Major. I'll deal with it. You keep an eye on Ashley, will you?"

I nodded and motioned for the girl to follow me to the truck, we could wait there until this was over. I was sure none of those involved wanted her to hear what was said and I could hear just as well in the truck as hovering here outside the door like some eavesdropper.

Peter

I could have screamed, why now? Why did Bella have to discover the truth and confront Charlotte with it right now, in the middle of this clusterfuck?

I opened the door and walked in noticing how defensive Charlotte looked and how upset and confused Bella was.

"We got your friend out, Bella. She's safe with the M… Jasper in the truck. We need to get moving before the cops come looking for us."

Bella opened her mouth to object or ask more questions, I didn't know which, but there just wasn't time to go through everything right now.

"Bella, I know you're looking for answers and I promise you as soon as we get clear of here you'll get them but for now I need you to trust me. It's not safe here for any of us. We need to move now and I have no intention of putting your friend in any further danger by allowing her to hear what we have to say to you. OK?"

Bella looked unhappy, but I think she understood I was telling her like it was and she got up from the bed and walked over to the door stopping in front of me and looking straight into my eyes.

"OK. I'll trust you, for now, but we need to talk and I'm not going to be jerked around pop."

I nodded, "You won't be but do me a favor and remember how much your mom loves you. Don't give her a hard time until you know the facts. You can cuss me all you like, but… leave her be."

Bella nodded and walked out while I took Charlotte in my arms, trying to comfort her.

"It's gonna be OK, Charlotte, I promise. We'll sort this out but how much does she know?"

"Enough, she found the clippings I kept about the accident and her father and now she's confused and angry."

I winced, it couldn't get much worse, but I hoped once we had explained what happened Bella would give us a second chance, whether we deserved one or not.

Of course she would then be in terrible danger but hopefully, the Volturi were not aware of what we had done or watching for us to slip up. Of course, we would do all we could to protect her, but against the might of the Volturi guard, I wasn't sure how much good that would do.

Jasper

Bella came out of the room stiff-backed and looking serious, but when she saw her friend huddled up in the back of the truck she ran over and climbed in with just a nod of acknowledgment in my direction. If only she had known how much I wanted to take her in my arms and hold her close, drown in her scent and never ever let her go.

I got out to give the girls a little space, although I could, of course, hear everything they said.

"Ash, are you OK? I'm so glad you decided to leave."

Her friend burst into tears again and they cuddled for a few seconds before Ashley could manage a few words.

"He left me, Bella. Timothy said he couldn't cope with me too, and left me behind. If your dad hadn't turned up with his friend I would have been taken away by the cops. I'm sorry I didn't listen, Bella. You were right all along."

Bella hushed her, stroking her hair and soothing her as Charlotte and Peter appeared with the bags.

I slipped into the front passenger seat, Charlotte was the right person to sit with the girls and try to make sense of what was going on. I recognized this even as I felt an almost overwhelming urge to take Bella in my arms and never let her go. Peter slid behind the wheel and started the engine looking around anxiously.

"Let's hit the road. I have no idea where to go or what the fuck we are going to do, but we have to get out of Louisiana and quick. If that cop catches up with us, we are going to be in even more trouble than we already are."

"Just head west, I think that police chief may have caught my Texan accent and he'll likely look that way first. We need to find somewhere to hole up with that kid, she's not going to be able to travel far by the look of her."

Peter nodded and glanced over his shoulder.

"You got that right. I'm just relieved it's her who is pregnant and not Bella, we've got enough on our plate as it is. Do you think the Volturi knows what we did?"

"I doubt it, they've got enough on their plate, keeping an eye on nomads and troublemakers. Besides, you and Charlotte have always kept a low profile."

He nodded, but I could feel the fear coming off him in waves.

"I just hope you're right, Major."

I did too or I would find even more problems keeping Bella safe until she understood what we meant to each other. I wasn't even sure I could persuade her that we were mates, did a human feel the pull? The other thing bothering me was why I hadn't felt the pull more strongly and why even now I had the feeling that something stood between us. Not Peter or Charlotte, not even the fact Bella was young and human. No, this was something more nebulous, something I couldn't see or touch but a barrier nevertheless. If it didn't fade I would have to speak to Carlisle, he might know of the phenomenon or point me in the direction of someone who did. My happiness, my life quite literally might depend on it.

It was easy to see that Bella's friend was in a whole heap of trouble, not only was she probably pregnant but her husband of only a few days had left her to face the music while he scurried for safety and she was convinced that her mother would show her the door as soon as she heard the news.

Personally, I couldn't understand any parent leaving their teenage daughter to face such adversity alone. Whatever the girl had done, she didn't deserve to be cast aside like an unwanted item. Bella was extremely worried about her, but I knew Charlotte would be busy working out what she could do to help, that was her way.

"Ashley, listen to me. I'll go with you to see your mom and explain the situation. I'm sure the marriage probably isn't legal anyhow, but we can try to find Timothy and make sure he provides for you and his baby."

"She won't let me back home, she always told me if I got knocked up I'd be out on my ear and she meant it."

"Moms say a lot of things they don't really mean. She loves you and I'm sure she will want to help you all she can but if not, then I promise you that we will help you."

I could feel Bella's gratitude for those words, although Ashley was skeptical, but then if her own mother would refuse her help why should anyone else offer?

We crossed the state line, drove another fifty miles, then stopped at a small motel off the main highway and booked three rooms for two nights. Ashley looked all in and with Bella and Charlottes help she was soon in bed and the girls were trying to reassure her so she could get some much-needed sleep.

"We can't stay here too long Peter. We don't know how far that cop will spread his net looking for the girls. He certainly seemed to have a hard-on for the pastor and his cult and I guess the more witnesses to their behavior the better for him."

"Well, we can't go home. Charlotte talks about taking Ashley back, but she's not really thinking straight. She's gonna have to call the bitch first and see how the land lies. The cops may well have been in touch with her mom asking her to call them if her daughter gets in contact. It's a fuckin mess, Major."

"You can say that again. Why don't you go back to the ranch for a while? It would take the cops some time to trace you back that far and it's fairly isolated. Darius could probably throw a spanner in the works too to keep the trail murky."

Peter nodded, smiling bleakly.

"Looks like we'll be right back where it all started. So much for patting ourselves on the back at getting through Bella's childhood without a slip. Do you think she'll forgive us for the lies? I guess neither of us really thought it through, keeping her dad's identity from her I mean."

I shrugged.

"I don't know Peter, that was a pretty serious decision you made there, but Bella knows you love her. She'll work it all out in the end, I'm sure, but you could be in for a rough ride on the way."

He grimaced.

"Yeah, and I'll bet you're laughing yourself silly at that thought."

I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought of his comment when he sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Nah, I'm sorry, Major. That was uncalled for. I guess I owe you a lot in the way of apologies for the way I've behaved of late."

I relaxed and sighed in turn.

"Captain, you've always been a fucking jerk. Why change the habit of a lifetime now? So long as Bella's safe, that's all that matters to either of us. But I guess you'll be seeing a lot more of me now."

We turned, startled by the sound of bitter laughter that rang out and saw Bella standing at the door of her friend's room.

"Well, well. The plot thickens. I think we need to talk pop."

Peter nodded and opened the door of their room.

"Sure, come on in. I'm sure Charlotte will be along in a minute."

I turned away to give them some time alone.

"I'll try to contact Darius, see if he can tell us what's going on with the cops."

"Oh no, Major…."

Her voice dripped with sarcasm,

"You should come too. You have some explaining to do as well."

I glanced from Bella to Peter but she was calling the shots for now and he just shrugged so the three of us went inside to be joined by Charlotte, who had heard the exchange, moments later.

It was plain that Bella herself was dead on her feet, she'd been through too much recently and much of it was distressing, confusing, or both. Despite this, no one suggested what we were all thinking, that she rested before the confrontation. She would only have refused and accused us of trying to put her off.

We waited as she looked from one to another of us before lowering her gaze to her hands that rested in her lap.

"I really don't know where to start. I was so angry with you, mom, and pop when I found those clippings that I wanted to make you suffer. Thinking about it now I'm still angry, but I should have confronted you right away. It would have been better all round."

She looked up straight at Charlotte.

"It was your writing on the file, so maybe you can tell me the truth now? And please, don't try to hide anything. I deserve to know the truth, all of it."

I stood up.

"Look, this really has nothing to do with me, I don't know the story. I understand you have questions for me too, but I think under the circumstances they should wait until this is sorted out. I'll go talk to Darius and then keep an eye on your friend. I will tell you what you want to know, I'm not going anywhere Bella, trust me."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Trust has to be earned… Major. However, for now, I'll accept that you're not going to do a runner."

I nodded and with a final glance at my friends I left them to their story and prayed that Bella would understand that they had meant her no harm.