Chapter Fifty Five
Charlie
I made Renee tell me what had happened word by word as I drove her back to the motel wondering if the others would rip her heart out much as I felt like cutting out her spiteful tongue. I knew Bella and Alice had a history but this was taking it to the extreme. I understood why Jasper was so angry, he was incredibly protective of Bella but I hadn't seen the real vampire in him until tonight. Renee was damn lucky Garrett was there to save her life. When she finished speaking it was clear Renee still didn't get it so I spelt it out in simple terms.
"You could have got yourself killed tonight Renee and you've made some serious enemies. Why didn't you ask Bella about the things Alice told you? Or me even? Instead of taking them as the gospel truth."
"Alice was so sure, so persuasive"
"Yeah because you were happy to believe her Renee. Don't you have any faith in Bella's judgement?"
"Well mine didn't lead me anywhere good did it Charlie?"
I knew she was referring to me but I wasn't taking the bait, there was no way I was going to start a row about that old chestnut with Renee, especially when she was in this kind of mood.
"If you feel that way maybe you should stay away."
"You'd like that wouldn't you Charlie? The big tough cop with his fragile little daughter and no wicked mother."
"Actually I was thinking of your safety but knock yourself out Renee. It might be fun to see Jasper and his friends take you apart."
She went silent then and didn't speak again until we reached the motel. Inside the room she looked around sneering
"So that's how you while away your time before your daughter's wedding is it?"
She pointed to the cards scattered on the table and the half empty bottle of scotch I'd poured myself a drink from before getting the call.
"We were playing cards that's all"
She pointed to the stack of dollar bills strewn across the table,
"For money Charlie? So Bella's husband to be is a gambler too? He sounds just right for our daughter."
I ignored her knowing from bitter experience that to answer her would only prolong the encounter. In the end she glared at me and stalked off to the bathroom. The room was empty and quiet but not for long. As I stood sipping my scotch Peter sauntered in.
"Where's the wicked witch?"
"Cleaning up. How's Bella?"
"Coping but I'm telling you Charlie. If she says one more thing I'll rip her fucking head off myself."
"Yeah and I'll help Peter. I think we should put her on a plane back to Jacksonville, she wont stop you know, Renee doesn't know how to."
"Oh she'll behave, I'm going to make sure of that Charlie"
"You're not going to kill her are you?"
"Now how the fuck is she supposed to behave if she's dead Charlie? Wake up man! Listen Bella's at the ranch and its all set for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? I thought it was set for Saturday?"
"It was, but any more trouble and Bella wont make Saturday so I brought it all forward, is that a problem?"
I shook my head seeing a side of Peter I hadn't before, he was worried and angry but at my response he smiled and nodded, the tension leaving his face.
"Good, now you ready for another round of cards?"
Renee
I didn't like these men around Charlie and Bella, they were dangerous just as Alice had said but they were also very fond of Bella and Charlie it seemed. When I came out of the bathroom I saw one of the men was back and alone. He and Charlie were playing cards,
"Where is my daughter?"
Charlie ignored me but the other man put his cards down with a sigh and stood up walking over to face me,
"You know I don't have the faintest where Bella gets her manners and character from but it sure isn't you. Bella is far away where you can't upset her again. Do you have any idea what will happen if you get her upset or do you just not give a fuck?"
I glared,
"How dare you speak to me like that. I know my daughter and I don't like the people she's associating with these days."
"Really? Tough crap. Now you can either promise to shut your trap and be nice tomorrow or I'll stick you on a plane back to Florida tonight, the choice is yours."
"You can't stop me attending my daughter's wedding"
"Oh really? You'll have a problem attending if I snap that scrawny neck of yours and don't for one minute think that's an idle threat because I don't waste time with those. So you decide and let me know."
I turned to Charlie,
"Are you just going to sit there and allow this...this ….animal to speak to me like this?"
Charlie stood up and I smiled at the other guy,
"See"
Then Charlie grabbed his jacket and opened the door,
"I'm going to get some ice, see you later"
As the door shut on him Peter smiled broadly and watched me,
"Looks like Charlie's had enough of you too, maybe I should just kill you now and be done with it."
He approached menacingly and I shrieked holding my hands out in a vain attempt to ward him off but he was far too strong. His eyes burned into my brain, he genuinely frightened me.
"You're going with me to the airport and you are catching a plane to Florida. You will not talk to Bella or Charlie and you will not cause any problems for either of them. Is that understood. In fact you'll tell everyone you and she fell out and you wont talk about her again."
I nodded my mouth dry,
"Good. Grab your bags"
I picked them up and followed him out to the car climbing meekly into the back as he threw my bags in the trunk and drove off watching me in the mirror and I couldn't tear my eyes from his face.
Peter
I waited at the airport to see Renee board her plane and said plane take off feeling a little smug, I hadn't tried that little hypnosis trick in a very long while and I wasn't sure it would work but it had and the bitch was gone. I'd think of something to tell Bella although as long as I hadn't killed the fucking woman I didn't think she'd be too worried. When I got back to the motel Charlie was sitting with the TV on and the bottle of scotch on the table by his elbow the cap off and a large tumbler waiting in his hand, ice already melting in it.
"Did you kill her?"
His voice was tense but as I shook my head he relaxed and put the tumbler down with a sigh of relief,
"Nah, I thought about it but it wouldn't be much of a wedding present for Bella would it?"
"So where is she? Buried alive? In hospital with broken limbs?"
"Give me a little credit for fuck sake. I put her on a plane back to Jacksonville with orders to keep her mouth shut."
"And you think she will? She never has up to now"
"Charlie you just need to know how to ask that's all. Right well I guess we might as well head over to the ranch now unless you're going to empty that bottle."
He shook his head and put the screw top back on,
"If she's alive I'll hang on to it but you can tell me exactly what it was all about as we go, so I did and Alice gained another foe.
