Thirty-Five

Last night's run… Leah didn't know how to explain it, how she felt as she rushed through the woods, surrounded by the rest of the part. But there was one thing for certain: there was a huge difference between running along the shore of Lake Michigan during the day and running through a deserted forest in the middle of the night.

Both enjoyable, but Sag Valley… damn.

It was because of the run that Leah didn't dread heading to work hours later. She wasn't exhausted even as she was running on less than three hours of sleep. Quite the opposite; she had woken up feeling like she had downed two bottles of Red Bull and that 5-hour energy drinks without the side effects.

It was amazing.

"When are we going again?" Leah asked as she waited for her order. She was splurging this morning: besides the usual cup of coffee (needed today out of an addictive habit, not out of necessity), she had ordered three steak and egg sandwiches. Three—Jacob was impressed.

"You enjoyed it?"

"I felt free," Leah admitted. She felt loose. The usual work and personal-related stress were there, but it didn't plague her mind as much as it often did. "Just like you said I would."

"Sometimes, I do know what I'm talking about," Jacob said with a wink, and then, "Not tonight though. Paul and Jared are pulling a double and Quil gotta prep his bar for the Bears' home-opener Sunday."

"It takes him two days to prep?" Leah asked, grabbing her food from the counter.

"There's gonna be a lot of eager Bears fans," Jacob said, leading Leah out of the restaurant and then, "How about Sunday night? It'll be after the game. Everyone should be free then."

"You make the plans," Leah said, patting Jacob's shoulder. "I just follow them."

The rest of the morning was normal. Everyone was doing their usual work without much interruption. The covens and their affiliates seemed to be laying low today. The feds were still questioning Felix and other unlucky Volturi members caught by US Customs agents; the other Volturi were missing in action, most likely in Moldova, as rumored.

The police weren't done with the Volturi, but there wasn't much anyone could do until they came back.

The only important update of the day didn't concern vampires: Collin and the Night Fangs had apparently headed off to St. Louis in the morning and would remain there into things calmed down—a couple of their guys were in police custody, waiting for sentences. Thanks to their cooperation, most would get off somewhat easy: weapon possession and assault charges were better than multiple murder-two one's.

And, like anyone could forget, Rosalie had been recently arrested and then released.

Just how everyone suspected.

"Hey, Black, Uley and Call, in the conversation room in five," Paul announced as he walked past them to head to his office. "We have a special guest."

The special guest ended up being Rosalie Hale.

And she was not happy.

"You had me arrested for conspiracy," she accused everyone, namely Paul and Jenks. The usual pleasantries hadn't been exchanged; Rosalie had no time or patience for it. She seemed out for blood, but more subtly. If Leah hadn't known the woman, she would have been scared. "What is the meaning of this?"

This conversation was solely between Jenks and Rosalie; the others, simply an audience, could interject but only if they needed to. Rosalie was ready to go to head with the captain and the prosecutor. She didn't have a lawyer with her for she planned to represent herself. Generally, doing so wasn't the wisest idea, but this was Rosalie. She could handle it.

"I'm sure you heard about Lauren Mallory. Now, I may not know the circumstances behind her untimely death, but I'm sure there is a connection to the ambush at your client's party. And I can't imagine your people being happy about her talking to the feds."

Rosalie bristled. "I am not a member of a criminal organization."

"No, but your client is," Paul said.

"I am personally not a member of a—"

"Calm down, Miss Hale," Jenks said. "I do not intend to charge you with anything. I had you arrested because I needed to get your attention."

Rosalie was offended. "Congratulations, counselor," she snapped, closely her arms, scowling deeply. "You certainly have my attention."

"Good."

"What do you want, counselor?"

"Hours after I threatened to speak to the feds about your client's role in Lauren Mallory's disappearance, she was found. Alive and well," Jenks said. "I know you have something to do with it. Knowing you, you cut a deal with her. You offered her money for her silence."

"Really?"

Smirking, Paul reached into his desk, pulled out Lauren's check and handed it to Rosalie. Usually, he wouldn't handle evidence in such a manner, but even if the fixer decided to rip it up, he had already made authenticated copies of it.

Rosalie glanced down at the check—her expression immediately turned from absolute annoyance to worry, and then back to irritation. For the first time in years, it seemed like she couldn't think of a question or a good comeback.

Jenks reveled at the silence. "This was found on the table inside Lauren's apartment."

"My name isn't on that check," Rosalie said.

"No," Paul said, "But your client's is."

"My client was Carlisle Cullen," Rosalie pointed out. "He died a few weeks ago."

Jenks raised an eyebrow. "You don't work for him anymore?"

"It's kind of hard to work for a dead person, counselor."

Jenks snorted and reworded his question. "You don't work for his family anymore?"

"I cannot confirm nor deny..."

"Ms. Hale, did you make a deal with Lauren Mallory?" Paul asked.

"I gave her an option. A realistic option—it was to help her out," Rosalie explained. "What she chose to do was her prerogative."

Jenks frowned. Rosalie wasn't helping his case at all. She wasn't giving him any new information. "Your deceased client signed this check. Was he trying to bribe Lauren for her silence?"

Rosalie continued to stare at the check. "I am not sure," she said. "Maybe it was a settlement, just in case Lauren tried to bring the family to court over what happened at Mike's Bar."

"You don't know?" Jenks found that hard to believe. "Wasn't he a client or yours?"

"What is your point?"

"Ms. Hale, this is not the time to play games."

Rosalie handed the check back to Paul. "I am a fixer; I only know what I need to know. Carlisle didn't need to tell me everything," she insisted, and then asked, "What is all of this really about?"

"Do you have any idea about why Lauren was killed?" Paul asked.

"I supposed she was killed because she knew too much. Maybe someone believed she would testify in court—I don't know. All I do know is that if my client wanted her dead, he wouldn't have offered her all of that money—now, whether that money was for Lauren's silence or just a settlement is up to interpretation. But considering that my client is now dead, we will never know the truth, will we?"

Leah leaned back her in the seat and listened carefully. Rosalie was protecting Edward, but why? Sure, she was technically her legal representation, but it seemed that she favored the old boss over the new.

"You have a point," Jenks admitted with a shrug.

Leah didn't know if Rosalie knew that they were playing with her.

Rosalie rose from her seat. "According to the press, Mike Newton is a prime suspect," Rosalie carried on. "He confessed to the murder even before questions were asked. He said that it was his decision."

"You know, and I know that Mike Newton didn't make that decision all by himself," Jenks said. He noticed the aggravated look on the fixer's face. "You can't harm him, Ms. Hale; he's under protective custody."

Rosalie tried to compose herself. "Will my charges be dropped?"

"Sure."

"Am I free to leave?"

"Sure."

"Thank you, counselor, and for the record, I did not want Lauren dead. Her murder is literally the last thing I need right now."

"I don't doubt that," Paul said. "Have a good day, Ms. Hale. Officer Call will be leading you out."

Embry escorted Rosalie out of the office.

Jenks would only say for a minute longer before leaving himself, seemingly satisfied.

"He got what he wanted?" Jacob asked.

Paul nodded. "He got what he wanted," he confirmed. "The great Rosalie Hale is rattled. Rattled people make mistakes. I'm sure she's going to mention to her friends about this."

"She's hell-bent on protecting Edward," Leah said.

"No shit."

"Bring him in for questioning?" Jacob asked. "We know he forced Mike into killing Lauren."

"Remember what happened the last time?" Paul shook his head. "It was essentially a wash. What we need is hardcore evidence. It's great that Mike is talking and all, but we need more than that. Any of you guys got a plan?"

Leah and Jacob exchanged looks.

Jacob didn't seem to have anything.

Leah crossed her arms and dropped her head, deep in thought. There had to be something they could do, something could use as evidence. Everything they had was essentially hearsay and unconfirmed rumors (and a slew of lawyers who had no problems ripping the police department into shreds). But Paul was right. They needed something admissible in court. They needed—

"I got an idea."

"Thank you for reaching out to me about this," Jenks told the trio, standing inside his office sometime later. "Honestly, it's something we should've done months ago. I apologize for not bringing it up then or even when I was at the station earlier."

"In everyone's defense, we've all been pretty busy," Leah said, getting some affirmation from Jacob on her right and Embry on her left. "So, can we make this happen?"

The glint in Jenks' eyes told Leah that they could.

"Alright, so here's the deal," Jenks began. "Thanks to House Bill 185, a court order is no longer required to do a wiretap. As long as we have probable cause and a string of violent felonies you have to investigate..."

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem," Jacob said. "That shouldn't be a problem at all."

Jenks nodded and carried on, "As you all know, "The approved wiretap cannot last for more than 24 consecutive hours, and a written record of said wiretap must be submitted to the court within one business, following the expiration of said wiretap."

"Sounds good to us," Jacob said, checking for any objections from Leah or Embry.

They had none.

"Good. If you want more time, you will have to submit another justification," Jenks said. "But judging on how our favorite criminals are acting, that shouldn't be too hard. Any questions?"

No one had one.

"Seriously, why didn't we think of this before?"

"We did, sort of," Jacob said, getting the equipment ready. They were inside their trusted "spy van" (as Embry would call it), parked about two miles from their target in Gold Coast. They were far enough for the vampires not to detect them, even via scent). "This is just more involved. Thanks for the suggestion, Leah."

Leah responded with a smile. She was admittedly excited; this was the first time listening to a wire directly. "Let's hope we get something."

"We will," Jacob promised. "We will."

The trio had received a tip from Benjamin, who still was working undercover somehow unscathed, that there would be some action happening in the Cullen House tonight: Rosalie was visiting and Jacob and Irina were scheduled to arrive soon.

"We got Rosalie Hale," Leah announced as she heard the fixer's faint voice over the speakers. "Mark this as pertinent. I'm pretty sure this conversation is about to get interesting."

"With all due respect, you're a goddamn fool," Rosalie said.

Edward made a sound in his throat, and then, "Consider yourself lucky you're a dear friend…"

"The only reason why I'm here is because I'm such a dear friend. If you were anyone else, I would have dropped you as a client the moment I heard the news," Rosalie said. "Did you know he was going to kill Lauren?"

"No," Edward curtly replied. "I only wanted him to fix the problem he started. Lauren Mallory reportedly had spoken to the feds about what happened at Mike's.

"The feds? Even if that was the case, how could you allow him to off a potential witness? The one you'd just paid off? Edward, you just became the head of the Cullen's, the Olympic coven; you cannot afford another run-in with the law. Both locally and federally."

"Don't you think I know that," Edward snapped, and then stopped to take a deep breath before continuing. "Rosalie, I didn't think he was going to kill the girl."

"You told Mike to fix the problem. Oh, come on, Edward, you've been in his business long enough to know what that implies."

Edward let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't think he was going to kill her," he repeated.

"What did you think he was going to do, Edward? Talk to her?"

"Not kill her," Edward insisted. "I know why you're mad, but I can't understand why you are so worried. So, Lauren is gone. She had no redeeming qualities, and Mike has already confessed…"

"You're not worried?"

"What is there to be worried about?" Edward asked. "The cops already have a confession, so Jenks should be happy."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. Mike Newton talking—you know they're going to try to offer him the best plea bargain they can come up with?"

"And what good will that do? Yeah, he may be able to get out of prison early, but what life is he going to live? His business is gone. His family hates him, and there are plenty of people who are out to get him. If I were him, I would rather stay in prison. Don't worry, Rosalie; he's not going to talk."

"What if he does?"

"Rosalie—"

"It is important that we look at this situation from all angles. We need to take into account all scenarios," Rosalie quickly added. "What if he talks? He can pin you for solicitation, among other things."

"Then, I will personally handle it."

"Oh, I sure hope you do," Rosalie said. "I don't want to sound paranoid, but you had better pray that Mike didn't bring your name up during the interrogation."

"Would it matter if he did?" Edward asked. "According to all vital records, I've been dead for almost a century. They can't hunt down a dead person."

"If we were dealing with any other police department, I would have agreed with you, but this is Chicago. They know about vampires—"

"And how would they be able to incarcerate our people?" Edward quickly shot back. "Wasn't that the reason Barba had allowed Jasper and Irene to leave on bail without a fight? Because of what they could possibly to the human inmates? Speaking of Jasper and Irina, when should I be expecting them?"

"They should be released later this afternoon."

"I'm having Emilio pick them up, along with their lawyers. We will discuss further actions in my apartment—You're welcomed to come, although, I don't think it's advisable, given the fact that Mike may mention your name to the cops.

"You need to be more optimistic, Rosalie."

"I am optimistic, thank you. I wouldn't be in this profession if I wasn't."

"Either Edward's lying to Rosalie or Mike is lying to us," Embry said.

"I suggest the former," Leah said. "Mike quite literally has nothing to lose. He's a dead man either way."

Jacob agreed. "Edward values Rosalie's loyalty. He doesn't want to jeopardize this by admitting his involvement. It seems that Rosalie really wanted Lauren to escape."

Leah nodded. Despite her affiliations, Rosalie didn't have to do what she did for Lauren. She wanted the young woman to return to her hometown and stay the hell away from Chicago. She had everything arranged, but Lauren didn't take heed to the warning.

Again, Leah wasn't the one to victim blame, but Lauren had completely misjudged the situation and paid for it.—Leah turned turn the dial on the recorder so that she could listen to another channel, coming from the foyer of the home. That was where Esme, Tanya, and Carmen stood, waiting for Jasper and Irina's arrival.

She pressed the speakers closer to her ear and listened as she could hear a car pulling it to the house.

"It must be them," Leah said.

"They're here," Esme announced, opening the door. Carmen clapped while Tanya remained silent. "Let's give them a warm welcome, okay?" she suggested to the Denali's before greeting both guests. "It's so nice to see you."

Based on the tone in her voice, Esme's focus seemed to be more on Jasper.

"I haven't seen you in ages. I have a right to pinch your adorable cheeks. Has anyone ever told you that you have them? Because you certainly do," Esme said. "I'm glad you're home, Jasper."

"You and me both," Jasper said. "How's Edward?"

"Always worrying about your brother," Esme said affectionately. "He's fine. Considering. I don't think he had expected to take over things so soon."

"Yes, Carlisle's death was a shock."

There was a pause, and then, "Indeed…"

"She did it," Embry declared. "I don't even have to see her face. She's not being sincere."

Jacob nodded.

That's what I've been telling everyone, Leah thought before returning her attention to what she could hear over the headphones. There was some shuffling, probably Esme leading Jasper further into the house. She could pick up some female-sounding voices growing faint in the background.

"Is Tanya okay?" Jasper asked. "I expected a much better welcome from her. I know she wasn't too happy about Irina being arrested..."

"I think she's a bit under the weather," Esme said. "I heard that she's trying to be a vegetarian... It's not working too well."

"Oh, I see."

"Speaking of being under the weather... you look like you need tons of blood."

Esme ordered someone to fetch the best human blood they could find.

"Mrs. Cullen, I appreciate your concern, but it's not necessary."

"Of course, it is. You're like a son to me. Of course, I need to make sure you're alright, especially after being in jail for so long."

"It was only for a few weeks."

"Semantics." She ordered him to sit down. "Look at you; you look absolutely ghastly."

"Of course, I do," Jasper quietly joked. "I'm a vampire."

Esme let out a soft chuckle. "Well, more ghastly than usual. Drink up, now."

"I'm already dead, Mrs. Cullen," Jasper said, and then, thank you."

"No need to thank me, dear."

"Wait a minute: I'm confused," Paul said the following morning after Leah, Jacob, and Embry gave him a summary of what they had heard the afternoon before. "I thought we were only getting the wire to obtain evidence of Edward's involvement in Lauren's murder? Not Esme's involvement in Jessica's murder?"

"Does it matter what murder is it?" Leah asked. "They're all connected."

"We're working on Mike. Edward denies all involvement, which of course, no one believes," Jacob told Paul. "The Esme conversation just happened to fall on laps."

"We don't have the evidence against any of them," Paul grumbled.

"We have probable cause to arrest Esme," Embry contested. "Captain, listen to the recording. Esme clearly killed her husband."

"Why should we arrest her, only for her to be let go hours later?" Paul replied, shaking his head. "Listen, I get it: she did it. We know that, but until we have concrete evidence. Hard enough for me to tell the higher powers to shove it and the Deal up their asses, we can't touch her."

Leah's eyes widened—oh, she didn't know it was like that. Sure, she knew Esme had some very powerful people on her side. But from the way Paul made it sound, she was more untouchable than Edward. Than some of the members of the Volturi.

"For murder one," Jacob said, not giving up. "What about everything else?"

"What, that she's a part of the Cullen family? Of course, she is. She was married to Carlisle Cullen," Paul replied, growing more frustrated. Not at the cops in front of him, but the entire situation. "No one is giving her up. Her lawyer has everyone shook, ready to sue the department in a blink of an eye—"

Embry jumped in. "She's clearly making power moves."

"Do we have concrete, admissible evidence of that?" Paul asked.

Embry dropped his head. "No."

"The feds aren't even looking into her," Leah pointed out.

"Their focus is the Volturi—"

"Who's chilling in Mol-freaking-dova," Jacob said. "A country with no extradition treaty with the United States."

"So, we can't do anything?" Leah asked Paul. "Is that what you're telling us? To just, on paper, accept that Esme had nothing to do with Jessica's murder. That Demetri had killed her?

"Well, he did," Paul stressed, and then, "Get me something on Edward, please. I need to have someone in handcuffs. Preferably soon. And then, we can work on Esme."

"Thank you all for being here this afternoon," Edward began the following evening. "It's been a while since we have been able to be in the same room without the justice department breathing down our necks. We should toast to that."

"And before I forgot, I want to especially thank you, Ms. Rosalie Hale, for taking the time out of your oppressively busy schedule to attend this meeting."

"It's no problem. I'm always happy to help."

"I was under the impression that this meeting was about family affairs," Tanya said. "Shouldn't only members of the Denali and Cullen families be in this room?... No offense, Ms. Hale."

Rosalie didn't reply.

"Tanya, although Rosalie isn't officially a member of the Cullen's, she still plays an important role in the family," he explained.

His explanation didn't satisfy Tanya, who decided to spark a little argument about the subject

"As important as the topic of my role in the Cullen family might be, shouldn't we discuss more pressing matters like, for instance, the recent changes to the family leadership and Jasper and Irina's case?"

"You're absolutely right, Rosalie." Edward slammed his hand down on his desk. "Let's get started officially—so, as all of you know, there have been changes to the Cullen's since the ATF raid back in May: Carlisle is unfortunately dead…"

"May he rest in peace," Jasper muttered. "I thought he would be able to pull through."

"We all did," Tanya said.

"Yes, but we will talk about that when Jasper and Irina's case is over—Moving on, Carlisle has entrusted me with leading the coven from now on, and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to keep the family together… And the alliance between the Cullen's and the Denali's."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"In terms of our business, nothing will change. We will maintain all contracts and all obligations, but we won't take in any more vendors or buyers," Edward said. "Our focus needs to be on Jasper and Irina's case. Thankfully, Rosalie has been on top of the cause, and with her help, I'm sure we'll be able to get through this obstacle on top. Right, Rosalie?"

"Of course," Rosalie said.

"Great!" Edward clapped. "What do you have for us?"

"As you all know, Jasper and Irina's trial is set for one month from now. The good news is that none of you are being charged for murder or the transportation of illegal contraband," Rosalie said. "The bullets found at the ATF raid did not belong to you, and you were not involved with the selling of said bullets. But you are being charged for conspiracy, attempted murder, battery, and possession of a deadly weapon…"

The list kept going on and on.

"How much time are we talking? For Emmett, too?"

"It depends," Rosalie said honestly. "It could be life or could be less than twenty-five. It depends on the prosecutor."

"Who's prosecuting their case?" Edward asked.

"Carolina Barba."

"Shit."

"Can't you find a way to get a special prosecutor?"

"We don't exactly have the legal justification for doing so," Rosalie replied.

"She's going to be a problem," Edward said.

"That is an understatement," Rosalie said.

"Why don't we just kill her?" Tanya suggested like it was the most obvious thing to do. "It would make our lives so much easier. She can't prosecutor anyone if she's buried six-feet under."

"Tanya isn't wrong," Edward explained to everyone. "When threatening someone doesn't work, killing them is an option. But I've been in the game for many years, and I know that offing someone doesn't always solve the actual problem," Edward explained to everyone. "Carolina's been subjected to threats for years, but all it has done was more justification for the arrest warrants. Knowing Carolina, she probably considers any attempt on her life as a testament to her dedication to the job."

Everyone was silent.

"Killing Carolina isn't a short-term solution," Edward concluded. "Let alone a long-term one."

"So, if not kill her, what should we do?" Tanya asked. "We can't just sit here and let her ruin everything."

"We won't have to," Rosalie said. She had a plan; it wasn't going to be popular, but it was the safest one she could think of, short of fleeing the country. She had just realized what game Carolina Barba was playing. "I know this doesn't sound like a good idea, but I'm going to need to you all to trust me on this one..."

"Of course, we trust you," Jasper said. "You haven't failed us yet."

"Thank you, Jasper—I think it would be wise for you to accept the charges and the best plea deal Barba can offer. Go to prison for some years and then live your lives."

"What?" Irina exclaimed.

"You want Jasper and Irina to turn themselves in?" Edward asked, surprised. "Just like that?"

"This is bullshit!" Tanya exclaimed, leaping out of her chair. Irina and Carmen had to coax her back into her seat. "Complete, absolute bullshit!"

"Rosalie, explain," Edward demanded.

"Turning yourselves will make appear compliant," Rosalie explained. "And if I know Barba as well I do, she can be very generous with plea bargains if you cooperate."

"She wants to put us away forever," Irina pointed out.

"Not with these current charges, she doesn't," Rosalie said. "Neither of you are being charged with murder. Neither of you is getting life. If Carolina wanted to, she could find a way to slap murder charges on the both of you."

"And how would you know that?" Tanya snapped. "Did you have a conversation with the bitch?"

"Tanya," Carmen chided.

"What, Carmen?" Tanya snapped. "She is a bitch. She's been trying to bring us down for years."

"She's a federal prosecutor," Rosalie reminded Tanya. "It's her job to try to bring you down, and to answer your previous question: no, I didn't have a conversation with her. I didn't have to; I'm well aware of her reputation and her intentions."

"So, even if that is the case, Rosalie, why would Carolina, of all people, want to ensure that Jasper and Irina have lighter sentences?" Edward asked.

"She's obviously holding out to offer a plea bargain," Rosalie explained. "She wants Jasper and Irina to talk in place of a longer sentence. Your families aren't the only ones the feds are after. I know they're not too thrilled about the Volturi's escape. They have Felix, but he's not the big boss, and without an extradition treaty with Moldova, the feds can't force the government to give the coven up."

"I thought they were in Volterra?" Carmen asked.

"They were, but then they decided to move to a county that isn't obligated to extradite anyone wanted by the US government," Rosalie explained. "Moldova."

"Rosalie has a point, Boss," Jasper jumped in. "From all of the interviews, I gather her issue isn't with us, exactly—well, at least not as much as it should be. She's not too fond of us, but she does seem determined to destroy the Volturi legally—"

"Which is precisely why I think it's wise to cooperate with her," Rosalie stressed. "She's not dumb. She's not going to have you guys go to trial. Trial means having a jury and Carolina knows the danger of discussing the details of the case in front of the general population..."

"So, she wants us to be rats," Edward said.

"Yes, and no. She doesn't want to talk about our families. She wants to know about the Volturi and Victoria's coven. It's not ratting if you're spilling information about your enemy."

"Turning ourselves in would give her everything she wants," Irina still contested. Sure, Rosalie's explanation sounded plausible, but it was a considerable risk.

"Unless you all want to flee to Iran or another country the US doesn't have an extradition treaty with, this is the best offer we have," Rosalie told everyone.

"We're not fleeing," Edward sternly decided. "Okay, this is what's going to happen. We're going to see what deal Barba can offer and then, and only then if it's worth it, Jasper and Irina will take the plea." He continued before Irina could protest. "If she doesn't offer anything advantageous, we will have to resort to drastic measures. How does that sound, Tanya?"

"I would rather kill her right now, but I suppose that I can't find much fault in your plan," Tanya said. "Though I don't like the thought of giving up Jasper and… Irina."

"Good to hear. Meeting adjourned," Edward announced. "We will definitely keep in touch. Jasper and Rosalie, if you don't mind, can you both stay behind for a few minutes?"

What's going on between Tanya and Irina?" Edward wondered moments later.

"So, you've noticed as well..." Jasper said.

"It was hard not to."

"Maybe they had a disagreement?" she suggested.

"They haven't seen each other in over two weeks," Edward pointed out. "Maybe it's not serious. Maybe you're right, Rose; it's probably a sibling spat."

"Has she told you anything?" Rosalie asked.

"She doesn't tell me everything," Edward said, regrettably. "But you seem to be as in the dark about the issue as I am, so I can guess that it doesn't impact the court case. But I didn't ask you two to stay back just to talk about Tanya…."

"What will happen when I eventually go to prison?" Jasper quickly asked. "Being that I'm your number two?"

"We'll discuss that when the time comes," Edward said. "I'll still have Emmett in charge of security. Lord knows we need all the help we can get in that area. Although the Volturi is more or less out of the picture as of now, we still have enemies."

"Like Victoria."

"Like Victoria," Edward agreed. "But like I mentioned before, we'll handle her when this case is over. We have enough issues to deal with for now… Rosalie, be honest, is there anything we can do to get Carolina off our backs?"

"Unless you flee, like I said, but I don't think you would want to do that. If you leave, Victoria's coven and her allies will take Chicago."

"She's right," Jasper muttered. "Look, Irina and I will just take the best plea."

"If they take the plea, what will their sentence look like?"

"Most likely less than twenty-five," Rosalie said. "If Carolina likes what she hears, we might be able to get them out in less than ten."

"It's better than life," Jasper said.

"It's better than life," Rosalie agreed.

"I'll think about it," Edward decided. "I'll let you know by the end of the week."

"It seems that it's time for me to go. Duty calls—I'll catch up with you later." She exchanged her goodbyes with Edward and Jasper and left the room.

"It's a damn shame she's not a part of the coven," Jasper mused moments later. "Her presence would have been instrumental."

"Rosalie wants no part of the coven," Edward said. "If Emmett couldn't convince her to join, what makes you think I can?"

"You sell yourself short, boss."

"Nah, I consider myself to be a realist."

"Of course."

"This shit is gold," Embry said, removing his headphones.

The wire had ended.

"Doesn't say much about Mike though," Leah admitted.

"They just threatened a federal prosecutor's life," Embry said, flailing his hands. He looked to Jacob for some affirmation.

"Edward talked her off the ledge…somewhat," Jacob said, and then, "No, but you're right. This is good. They're weighing their options. They knew we and the feds are onto them."

"And that Jasper's Edward's number two," Leah added. "And the fact that Edward's considering making a deal with prosecutors."

"The feds will be happy," Jacob said. "With Edward put away, they can now focus on the Volturi."

"But Edward's one man," Leah argued. "Someone can easily take his place."

That was what she was always afraid of.