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2/18/18

Ghostly Double

Chapter 37

EPOV

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I dropped to my knees and held my head in my hands. "Oh dear God, no. This can't be happening. Please, God, No."

The area around me was starting to close in, squeezing the life out of me. I couldn't breathe; my chest was crushing my heart.

I wasn't exactly sure how long I was on my knees before someone tried to get my attention. "Edward?"

I barely heard someone speaking to me. "Edward!" I felt my hands being pulled away from my head. "You need to get up. We can't find Bella with you clamming up."

The voice I was hearing, was very familiar, but I still couldn't place who it was. They tried picking me up off the ground, but I was a dead weight. "Edward, if you don't get up, I'm gonna slap the shit out of you!"

That voice - it was starting to sound like someone I knew. "Dammit, son, now!" Then I felt the sting on my cheek.

I, hazily, looked up into the eyes of my father in-law. He was blurry due to my head still spinning. "Charlie?"

"Edward, you need to get up." He slipped his hands under my armpits and pulled me up. I was wobbly until he wrapped his arm around my waist and forced me to start walking. "We need to get to the house. Everyone's meeting us there."

My head was starting to clear as we made our way to the parking lot. I glanced over at Bella's car that still sat waiting for my wife to climb inside, but she wouldn't. A deranged prick took my wife. For what reason? I couldn't tell you until we find Bella. I'd find out every possible way to kill a vampire and I was going to do every last thing I could to torture him.

I wasn't one to think of doing evil things to people, but this person wasn't just someone - he was the one that took my wife. And I was going to be the one to kill him if my father in-law doesn't get to him first.

Charlie didn't follow any traffic laws at all; flipping on his cruiser lights to get back to the house as fast as we could. And if you're wondering, Charlie didn't drive a regular police cruiser. He drove a black, unmarked cruiser with the red and blues in the grill of the car and in the back window.

My nerves felt like they were snapping one by one. I was close to not having any left at all. I didn't know how much longer I could hold it together. I had to, though. We had to find Bella as soon as possible. She was so close to her due, and it was putting me even more on edge. I was praying to God as much as I possibly could that Anthony wasn't hurting her. Thankfully she had enough Vervain in her system and her ring. He'd probably find a way to get around the ring, but the Vervain, I wasn't so sure.

We made our way into the house. I wasn't one for drinking, but the first thing I did was go straight to my dad's liquor cabinet and poured myself hefty mouthful of my dad's Makers 46. It was his favorite and right now, he wouldn't give a shit that I was only 18 for a another week. Charlie probably wouldn't say anything, either. I just needed something a little stronger than what I was at this particular moment - I felt weak.

"Edward?" My mom entered my dad's office where he kept his liquor stash. My dad very rarely drank, but when he did, he liked the good stuff.

I gulped down my drink, savoring the burn inside my mouth and as it smoothly slid down my throat. "Yeah, Ma?"

"You shouldn't be drinking. You need to keep a clear head so we can get Bella back." She placed her hand on my shoulder. "Honey, we'll find her."

I could feel the tears stinging in the corner of my eyes. "What if we can't find her, mom? She could go into labor, right now; it's too soon." I couldn't hold the tears anymore. "We named her Arlo."

I covered my face with my hands and began sobbing, sliding down the wall of the bar. I hadn't cried like this since I was a little boy.

I felt my mother's arm snake along my shoulders while her other hand was on my head as she pulled me into her. "She has to be okay, mom. I don't know if I can live without her - without both of them."

"I know, honey. We'll find her. She'll be fine and the baby will be fine." She rubbed along my back, soothing me. My mother hadn't held onto me like this since I was a child.

I started crying harder. All sorts of visions plaguing my head with every scenario possible that could happen to my wife. The worst of all, her dying.

"We're so happy, mom. Why us? What did we do to deserve her being taken away from me?" I felt snot dribble out of my nose, but I didn't care.

"Oh, Edward. There's nothing you two did that warranted something like this. We've tried everything we could to keep Bella protected. The only thing that could have kept her completely safe, was to keep her locked up in the house." She took a deep breath. "Sweetheart, we all need to be strong, right now. We can lean on each other."

We sat there on the floor for the longest time before someone else entered the room. I heard glasses clinking together and liquid being poured. It could have been a number of people in the house. Everyone, other than my sister, would probably want a strong alcoholic drink to help calm their nerves.

"Son?" It was my dad. I sat up so I could stand. I had never seen the look on my father's face before. Everyone probably had the same expression.

Worry.

He pulled me into a tight hug and I really tried not cry anymore, but I couldn't help it. "We'll get her back. We promise you."

When I finally composed myself enough to face everyone else, we walked out and joined them in the living room. And when I say everyone, it was everyone. Marcus, Claire, Emmett - you name them in our close nit family and they were gathered around trying to get a game plan in place.

There were even two police officers present. They were standing close to Marcus and Claire, writing stuff dawn. Marcus was the one who was talking to them. A moment later, they came walking over to me.

"Edward, this is Officers Mike Oakland and Randall Schmidt. They're friends of mine and Claire's that we've known for quite some time." I reached out to shake their hands. "Yes, they're vampires."

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Please tell me there's some way you guys can find my wife. I already know he doesn't want anything from us. He just wants her, but since he came to town and found out she's pregnant, he's been trying to get her back and wanting her to abort our daughter."

They nodded letting me know that they were listening to me. "About what time was the last time you saw her?"

I had to think back to what time the fireworks started. "We were down by the boardwalk waiting to see the fireworks. They were supposed to start at nine. It was like a quarter after eight when she got up to go use the bathroom at Bruesters."

"When did you realize something wasn't right?"

I put my hand on my forehead and took a deep breath. "It was when the fireworks started and she wasn't back yet, so I went looking for her." I could feel the tears wanting to fall again, but I fought hard to keep them from falling. "My sister Alice has Foresight and when I walked outside from Bruesters, she called and informed me that she saw Anthony taking her. She was hoping she called me in time, but she was too late."

"All right, Mr. Cullen..."

I interrupted them. "You can call me Edward." Then I threw my thumb over my shoulder toward where my had was standing. "That's Mr. Cullen."

"My apologies - Edward. Marcus and Claire have our numbers. We've got some contacts around town that can do some digging. Hopefully someone, somewhere has seen something. We'll be checking all the abandoned building's around the area and we'll run a search to see if Anthony's purchased any property anywhere recently. We'll do the best we can."

I gave them a sad smile. "Thank you. I need all the help I can get to find my wife."

"We'll find her," Marcus said. "Anthony had to make a mistake somewhere."

"Let's just hope," Officer Oakland said, clapping Marcus on the back. Then he leaned forward and gave Claire a peck on the cheek. "It's good seeing you CiCi."

"You, too, Mike," Claire replied. Then she gave officer Schmidt a hug. "Randall, don't be a stranger."

"You couldn't keep me away, CiCi, now that I know you guys are living in town, now," Officer Schmidt said, giving Claire a kiss on the cheek.

I looked at Claire a little funny. "It's just a nick name they gave me years ago. There's a story behind it, but right now isn't the right time."

"When we get Bella home, I expect that story," I said, taking a sip of the drink that my father had poured me. I didn't expect it and I never thought in a million years that my dad would hand me an alcoholic beverage before I was twenty-one.

Bella would probably kick my ass right now if she knew I was drinking. I'd let her if I knew that would get her home.

I glanced over and saw Renee pacing back and forth. She had on hand at the small of her back and the other was on her very large stomach. She was due in a few days or do maybe weeks. I wasn't sure at the moment, but something told me she wouldn't last much longer with the stress of her daughter being kidnapped.

Around two in the morning, because no one could sleep, we were all still at my parents' house. Phil was rushing Renee to the hospital. I knew she wouldn't last the last week or so of her pregnancy. Phil had tried to get her to go home, but all she did was pace back and forth. I knew I was scared to death for my wife, but Renee is Bella's mother and I couldn't begin to wonder how she felt.

When they left, Phil told my dad that he'd call as soon as he had any news.

The hours ticked away. I felt useless; the worry was eating at me. There was no way I could walk into our home and my wife not be there. I couldn't look at the place; it wasn't the same without her. Thankfully, my mom rushed to the phone store and got a replacement for me just in case there was a way Bella could call me.

Around six in the morning, Alice came rushing downstairs. "I see her. She's in a dark room laying on a mattress with a blanket and a pillow. There wasn't anyone else in the room with her. She was rubbing her belly talking to the baby; she's okay."

That gave me some hope. It was a good thing he didn't have her bound and gagged.

I pulled Alice into a hug. "Thank you. Please, please, please? I know I don't ever ask you to do this, but please, if you can, force your visions. Try your hardest. We're at a dead end, right now. We don't know where else to begin."

"I promise," she agreed. "We'll find her, Edward."

My mom and Claire had been wracking their brains and even reading every book of witches that my mother had. Claire even went to her house and got what books she has. She's a pretty powerful witch and they were trying everything, from what I could understand, to try and find something until...

"I got it!" Claire exclaimed. "I have no idea why I didn't think of this first. I haven't practiced in a couple of years, but this has to do it. We can do a locator spell." She turned to me. "Edward, can you get me something that's Bella's? A hairbrush or maybe even her favorite t-shirt."

I rushed to our apartment and picked up a few things. Her brush, her night shirt she wore the night before she disappeared, and her pillow. I wasn't sure which one would do the trick, but I sure as heck hoped one of them would work.

So, for the next few hours, my mom and Claire gathered the things they needed to do the spell. My mom let Claire set everything up since she was the more experienced.

This whole time, I hadn't really noticed who was here and who wasn't. When I looked around, I knew Bella was definitely loved. My brother, Evan was here along with Emmett, whom I really hadn't had a chance to talk to one on one. He seemed like a really great guy. Although, Evan and Emmett looked pretty chummy with each other. That was a good thing.

Marcus was leaned back in a chair with his mouth hanging wide open because he had fallen asleep. Who knew vampires slept?

Jasper had come over as soon as he woke up and was trying to keep my sister occupied. They had made breakfast around eight and were now cooking up some lunch. I wasn't very hungry, but I knew I had to get some food in my stomach before I made myself sick.

By one in the afternoon, Phil had called to give us an update on Renee. She had given birth to not just one, but two babies. I KNEW IT! HA!

I couldn't wait until Bella gets home. She's gonna be so excited to meet her ... wait! "Ma, what's the sex of the babies?"

"Renee had a boy and a girl. Piper Jean and Jackson Philip."

This was gonna make Bella very happy.

Closer to dinner time, Claire said she was going to give it a try and work her magic. My dad, Marcus, Emmett, Evan, Charlie and Jacob were ready to leave the moment Claire gave them a location.

"She's in a basement," Claire said. She kept rubbing Bella's brush in her hands over the smoke that was billowing from a clay pot that was sitting on the kitchen counter. "Definitely a house."

I was getting anxious with my fingers crossed. Please let this work? Please let this work?

My dad didn't want me going because he thought I needed to be at the house just in case. Just in case, what? I had no clue, but he had a another thing coming if he thought I was staying while they went to get my wife.

"Landon and Grilliant...it's a gray house with dark blue shutters."

I went with my dad and Marcus. "Edward, I told you to stay at the house. Let us take care of this."

I shook my head vehemently. "NO! She's my wife who is pregnant with my daughter. I need to be there."

He looked at me through the rearview mirror, pondering his next words. He had to know I was right. "If it were mom, you'd wanna be there."

"You're right." Then he pulled out of the driveway with his tires squealing on the pavement. Evan and Emmett were right behind us as Charlie and Jacob rushed along with us as we sped through the streets.

The streets they were heading for were about a twenty minute drive from where we were and in true lead foot nature, my dad made that journey in about ten minutes.

We parked about four houses away to scope out the house first before we busted in.

Marcus and Emmett went first because they had the speed to get there and hopefully subdue Anthony so we could get to Bella. The house didn't look like it had a basement. Not many houses in Florida have them.

When our slow asses entered the house, it was completely empty except the empty blood bags that were lying all over the kitchen floor. We went from room to room to see if anyone was here. One of the rooms had a mattress, pillow and blanket just like Alice described, but this was definitely not a basement.

I wasn't sure where my dad and Marcus were, so I went looking for them.

Then I found the basement and the door was located off the kitchen.

I made my way down the stairs and found my dad, Marcus, Emmett and Evan standing in front of a mattress, from what I could see.

"Move," I said, pushing them out of the way. "Bella!"

When they moved, there was nothing there but the pillow and blanket that my wife had been laying on.

I dropped to the mattress. "NO! Where the hell is she?"

"I'm not sure son," my dad said. "We can't figure out how he knew we were coming."

"Do you think maybe he had someone watching us?" Emmett asked, appearing truly concerned and I knew he was.

Marcus turned to him. "We don't know, son. The more stuff that happens that concerns Anthony, makes me wonder if we ever knew him."

"Yeah, especially after he conned Emmett's girlfriend away from him. Apparently he killed her," Evan said, trying to make heads or tails of the situation.

My heart was racing and I knew if I didn't get it under control I'd have a panic attack. "Fuck this!"

I got up and made my way up the stairs to leave. I didn't want to be here a minute longer.

When we were back in my dad's car, my knees were bouncing uncontrollably and my fingernails were becoming my next meal. "I don't think he planned on staying there for very long. He didn't have any food for her there."

"I think you're right," Marcus said. "Those blood bags looked like they'd been there for a few days. It appears that he held up there before he decided to take Bella."

"I thought you guys could eat regular food?" I knew they could. I've seen all of them eat. Especially Emmett; he ate just a little more than Marcus and Claire did.

"We do," Marcus answered. "We also need blood, too, but not as often as you might think. The vampires that you do know, we've trained ourselves to go four maybe five days at the most before we need the blood. It's our only way to truly survive. It's hard to explain and I hope that one day I can."

I knew he was only trying to keep my mind off the obvious and I was welcoming the intrusion. "I'd like that."

When we got back to the house, all the women came running out probably expecting us to come back with Bella. "Where is she?"

My mom was just as anxious as I was. I pulled her into my arms, "She wasn't there."

"HOW?" Claire yelled. "That's supposed to be..."

"Claire..." Marcus was trying to get his wife's attention. "We don't know. They had been there, though. He had to know we'd try something like this. It was like he was expecting it."

"This can't be right," Claire said. "There's no other way."

If no one else could answer her, then neither could I nor anyone else.

I'm updating as much as I can today.

RTB