Chapter Forty Eight
Charlie
Driving back home I tried to understand Sue's behavior but it was beyond belief and I had no reason to suspect Bella hadn't told me the truth. I'd heard enough at the reservation to make it clear that Sue had deliberately tried to send my daughter away without allowing her to contact me. If it had been a matter of fear that finding out my daughter was still alive would make any difference to the way I treated her children then that was crazy but I guess understandable in a warped kind of way but this was something else entirely.
Some of what I had heard on the reservation came back to me. Old Quil's question, 'What happens if Bella comes back again looking for her father?' And Sue's reply, 'She won't. I told her that Charlie wanted nothing to do with her. That he never did and that's why he didn't keep up the hunt for her. I told her to go back to the leeches she seems so fond of.'
Besides the utter betrayal of her words, there were other strange and undecipherable comments. She mentioned a pack, a pack of what? This pack was collected by Seth and sent to hunt for Bella. There was something to do with a treaty too and Bella's companions, the men I had met when I found her had been described as foul creatures.
I had a lot of questions for Sue and for those I had always considered my friends, the Quileute elders, Billy and Quil himself. It now appeared they had secrets from me and had actively colluded in keeping me from my own flesh and blood, the daughter they knew I had been devastated to lose.
Arriving back in Forks I wondered whether to go home or make straight for the reservation. Sue must have become worried about my absence. I had been on the reservation doing some work on the community center when I left without a word to anyone and that had been hours ago.
It was almost midnight now so decided to drive to the house and pulled into the driveway when I saw the downstairs lights were on. Sue's station wagon wasn't there but she could have put it away in the garage as she sometimes did, but if she wasn't there then someone else was, maybe Seth and I knew he had the answers to at least some of my questions.
As I walked up the porch steps the front door opened and Seth appeared looking relieved.
"Dad, where have you been? Mom was going frantic. She called in at the station in case you'd stopped off to talk to old friends and then drove all the roads between the res and here and then went back to the res to see if anyone there had seen you."
"I'll call her and let her know I'm home but first Seth, I want to talk to you."
He frowned but did not look unduly worried., more puzzled if anything.
"I've just made fresh coffee, would you like one?"
"Yes, thank you."
I was angry with him and his mother, but it wouldn't do to show it yet and he wasn't really to blame, he hadn't lied to Bella, after all.
Sitting opposite him at the kitchen table I stared into my mug stirring the strong brew absently while he continued to gaze at me, frowning.
"Are you OK, dad? You look kinda funny. Maybe I should call mom, she's really worried about you."
"No. I'll call her in a minute. Seth, what is the pack?"
He froze like a deer caught in car headlights and I watched him as he struggled to find something to say.
"The pack? I don't know what you mean. What pack?"
"I was hoping you could tell me since you went to collect them earlier today."
He swallowed nervously but I continued to watch him knowing how uncomfortable that was making him feel.
"No? Then how about the treaty? The one that still exists."
He was perspiring now and looked flushed and guilty.
"Treaty? I don't know anything about a treaty. Are you sure you're OK, dad? I have no idea what you are talking about."
I sighed heavily and got to my feet, I wasn't going to come the heavy with my stepson, he wasn't the one at fault here although it was clear he was covering for his mother. It was clear he knew what the pack and the treaty were, but equally clear he wasn't going to tell me.
"OK then. I guess I'll drive over to Quil's place and ask him."
"You're going to the res?"
"Yes, and you're coming with me. I don't want you calling the minute my back is turned and forewarning your mother or Quil. Come on, get your jacket. You can drive."
Flustered he got to his feet and grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair, but as he reached for his cell phone I snatched it up.
"I'll hold on to that until we get there. Here."
I threw him the keys and followed him out to the car locking the front door and pocketing the key. I had the nasty feeling that I would need to watch my back and be very insistent if I wanted the answers to my questions but one way or another I would get those answers before I left the Quileute reservation although I also wondered if Sue would be coming back with me. I no longer trusted my wife and that left a bad taste in the mouth and a pain in my chest, the pain of betrayal.
Seth drove slowly as if unwilling to arrive at the village, but eventually we pulled into the center of the village which was unusually active for this time of night. I saw Sue's car parked outside the community center and indicated for Seth to pull up behind it, blocking it in. The lights were all on in the center and the parking lot held a few cars. I recognized these as belonging to the elders who lived outside the village, so there was a council meeting in progress. The plot thickened!
"Right, well it looks like I won't have to go looking for Quil and your mom, they're both inside. Let's go."
Seth accompanied me dragging his feet but I wanted him where I could see him until I confronted the others so I motioned for him to speed up.
Inside the center the whole council of elders was present, minus Sam Uley. They were sitting around a table talking animatedly until they noticed us at which point the room went deathly quiet. Sue, who had her back to me, turned around and recognizing me she got up and crossed to my side.
"Charlie! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Seth shake his head and she tensed, but the smile, a little fixed now, remained on her face.
"We should go home. It's late and you're cold. Where are your gloves?"
I pulled my hand free and fixed my eyes on her face.
"I think we should stay. I have some questions and I intend getting some answers. Seth, get two chairs and come sit down with us."
No one spoke as Seth did as instructed and sat down the other side of his mother but all eyes were fixed on me.
"Charlie. This is a council meeting, only the elders are permitted to attend."
"Good. It's the elders I was going to ask about the meaning of two words I heard earlier today here on the reservation. The pack and the treaty. Anyone care to enlighten me?"
I glanced around, every face held the same look of horrified surprise.
"Well, I see you all recognize those words. How about you Sue? Do you want to tell me what they mean? After all, you know because it was you I heard utter them while talking to Quil here. And while you're at it, maybe you can explain why you lied to my daughter and drove her away?"
Sue was stunned and horrified by my filled her eyes and she glanced at Quil for guidance or support, I didn't know which, but she said nothing.
"Well, let me jog your memory. My daughter came to you earlier today looking for me, Bella. Remember? And you lied to her, you told her I wanted nothing to do with her, that I wasn't interested. Why would you tell her such things? You know how hard I searched for her, how I never stopped hoping she would turn up one day. So, why? It had something to do with her companions, the guys I met along with Bella earlier. Oh, by the way, thank you for telling me where they were staying. You called them leeches and foul creatures but I found them to be just guys who seemed to be looking out for her."
She shook her head slowly but still didn't speak so I turned to Quil.
"Then how about you Quil?"
He sighed heavily, then spoke very seriously and slowly as if speaking to a child.
"Leave it be Charlie, No good can come of opening this subject. Trust me, you are better off and safer staying ignorant. All I will say is that Sue acted for the best of intentions, to protect you. Those men you met with your daughter are not what they seem."
"And you expect me to swallow that crap and go home as if nothing has happened? Sorry, that's not good enough. I'm not leaving here without some answers."
"I cannot give you what you want Charlie, it is out of my hands."
"Then who can? Bring him on, let him tell me what the hell is going on here. Who is he? Give me a name, a number, something Quil."
He shook his head slowly looking very uncomfortable and the other elders lowered their gaze to the tabletop as if was suddenly absolutely fascinating.
Thumping the table in my frustration I almost shouted my next words "TELL ME."
From somewhere behind me I heard a soft voice speak,
"You want answers to questions you should not even know to be asking, Chief Swan."
Every head jerked up and I turned around to see a young man, not that much older than Seth standing in the doorway. Yet as I studied him it became apparent that he was older than he looked, and he carried with him an air of authority.
"And who are you?"
"The person you were just asking for. The man with the answers you seek."
I stood up and offered him my chair.
"Then sit down and give them to me."
He locked eyes with Quil.
"This situation has gotten out of control. Where is Sam Uley?"
Quil didn't answer, he merely shook his head.
"And the others?"
"Only two returned."
"They should never have become involved in this business, it was not connected to the tribe or the reservation. You realize you are now defenseless?"
Quil nodded.
"The council may leave, but you should all consider who you will choose as your new chief elder and arrange what is necessary."
Everyone rose and left with the exception of Seth, Quil, and Sue.
"You too Seth. You were dragged into this, but you should have considered your actions and now I hope you will think on their consequences."
Seth fled from the room and the stranger walked around the table to take the chair opposite me, next to Quil who suddenly looked years older and very tired.
"I didn't get your name."
The young man stared at me with eyes that appeared to be boring straight into my skull to read the thoughts that lie inside.
"I didn't give it, and my name is unimportant. Suffice to say that I am the man you were demanding to speak to although whether I actually tell you anything depends."
"On what?"
"On whether I feel you are strong enough or stupid enough to hear it."
"Look here, my wife drove my long-missing daughter from…"
He cut me off abruptly.
"I know what happened, it's why I am here. It's also why a tragedy occurred Chief Swan, one that I must also deal with although none of that is of your making."
"A tragedy? What tragedy? What's going on here? Will you stop speaking in riddles and tell me what the fuck is going on."
I was getting frustrated now, sure he was playing games with me.
"Tell me Chief Swan, or may I call you Charlie?"
"I don't give a crap what you call me."
He smiled but it never reached his eyes.
"Very well, Charlie. Tell me, have you heard the Quileute legends?"
I frowned, "Sure, I grew up playing with Billy Black on the res. I heard the legends hundreds of times."
"Good. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps they were more than just fanciful stories?"
"No. Well, yes. I guess as I got older I understood they were like fairy tales. I mean they teach kids to be wary of strangers, to avoid straying off and going into dark places alone, that kind of thing. Why?"
"I just wondered how open-minded you are."
"Very. As a cop, you have to be."
He smiled, "Really?"
I glared at him, beginning to lose what little patience I still possessed.
"I understand you met your daughter earlier?"
"Yes."
"And her companions."
"Yes."
"What did you think of them?"
I frowned, what kind of question was that?
"I mean, being a police officer how did you sum them up?"
"They appeared to care about Bella and she was comfortable in their company. What else was I supposed to see? Are you telling me they're criminals?"
"Not in the accepted sense, no. They are, however, extremely dangerous individuals if crossed."
"I don't understand what you're getting at. Either they are criminals or not and they didn't strike me as such. They looked like they could take care of themselves admittedly, but so do the young guys on the res."
"How true and yet…"
For a moment he appeared to be moved by something but then he continued.
"Let me ask you another question. Just one more."
He added the last when I began to protest.
"Go on then."
"If I were to tell you that the knowledge you seek could result in your death what would you say?"
"Bullshit. I can take care of myself."
Now his smile was genuine.
"I'm sure you believe that Charlie, and under normal circumstances, it's probably true but these are not normal circumstances and what I said is true. If it were to get out that you knew the secrets you ask to be told it would mean death for you and this death you could not avoid or fight off. Whether your daughter already knew about her companions before...well, before the terrible incident, I do not know but she most certainly does now and that puts her at great risk, but she has protection, a protection that you do not. And protection I am not sure I would be willing to offer you."
"I'll take my chances."
He was silent for so long I thought he was going to refuse. As I thought about his words I knew I should have scoffed at his theatricality, the doom ladened words he uttered, but something stopped me. The knowledge that what he said was true, either that or he was the most fluent and convincing liar I had ever come across. He seemed to believe his words and looking at Quil I could see the truth in his expression. What the hell had I stepped into?
Suddenly he leaned forward and began to speak and as I listened I understood that I had walked straight into a real-life horror movie populated by the monsters of my kinds worst nightmares.
