Chapter 19

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If you follow me on FB you will know that I just had a tragic occurrence in my life. I will do my absolute best to update on my stories, but I am asking for a little patience and understanding. This was a very sudden thing, and unfortunately, life gets in the way sometimes, preventing us from doing what we love.

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"Hello," Charlie answered, curious as to what these people had to say. The very last thing he'd expected was hearing this sweet voice on the other end of the line.

"Ah … Hello." Alice's brow furrowed as a man answered the phone. At first, she'd hoped maybe Edward and Bella were once again talking, yet that wasn't Edward's voice—not even close. This tone washing over her was a person of authority, and considering her extensive history with law enforcement, she knew that baritone well. Alice briefly remembered Bella telling her that her father had come down from Washington and had been a state trooper for as long as Bella could remember. This must be Bella's father, Alice guessed, trying again with hesitance apparent as she said, "Um … would Bella happened to be around? I need to talk to her."

"Who can I say is calling?" Charlie wandered through the house, stopping next to the window to spy Bella on her knees on the lawn. He wanted to rush out there and look out for her welfare, but after the way she'd run out, he knew she needed a moment to let everything she'd discovered sink in. "If this has anything to do with Edward … whatever his last name happens to be … I don't think she wants to hear anything about that. Honestly, I think everyone on that end needs to give her some space to digest these recent discoveries."

"I'm Alice," she started slowly, gulping down the lump of discomfort threatening to choke her. She hadn't felt this way in several years, and now, just thinking of reliving that horrid night left her shaken. "You are right, Mr. Swan, I'm guessing, but Bella really needs to hear me out. What my brother did …"

Charlie listened intently to everything Alice related about her past. With every word she spoke, he became angrier and angrier until he was practically fuming with rage. His temper wasn't directed at the voice speaking to him, however. Oh no, he suddenly had the disturbing urge to go dig up this Jason fellow's corpse just to put his own bullet in Jason's head.

"So, you see, Mr. Swan, there is a whole lot of the story Bella didn't get to hear. I really need to talk to her." Alice swiped the tears away, her gaze darting to the door as her daughter appeared on the threshold. That little girl was the sole reason she'd made it through such a heinous event. Not only had Jason ripped her innocence from her that night, but her brother's as well. Yeah, one might say, it was Edward's fault he'd pulled that trigger, yet if it hadn't been for her, he never would've been put in such a position. "Would you let me stop by and talk to her? Please, she's become a significant person to my family and me. I'd hate for her to carry around the wrong image of us—especially when I can put an end to her distress."

"What is your brother's full name? I want to call and get a copy of the case," Charlie replied, feeling a weight settle in his chest. Under the circumstances surrounding this case, he was interested to know why Edward had been charged with murder. Of course, he wasn't a lawyer, but he'd been in the field long enough to understand how these cases went down, and something wasn't adding up. "You might have your work cut out for you when it comes to talking to Bella; she's pretty shaken by your brother's confession. She will barely even talk to me."

"My brother's full name is Edward Anthony Cullen," Alice related as she collected her keys while she told Mr. Swan all of Edward's relevant information. Crooking her finger toward Abby, she hurried for the door, throwing a glance over her shoulder to ensure her daughter followed. She jogged down the sidewalk toward her Jeep and slid into the driver seat. "I believe my dad, Carlisle, will be on his way as well. He was headed out to our lake house to make sure Edward is okay. I'll be by in like twenty minutes."

Alice stuck the key in the ignition and started the engine. She blew a deep breath, trying to cool herself down. Between the moisture clinging to the night air and her rehashing the most traumatic experience of her life, she was on fire. Cranking the air up full blast, her skin barely felt the cool breeze as her eyes slid closed, and she took a deep breath.

"Mom, is everything okay? Is Uncle Edward all right?"

Alice's lashes popped open as she noted the worry in Abigale's voice. Pasting on the best smile she could manage, she nodded, casting a fleeting glance toward her daughter. While she'd never once blamed Abby for what happened to her, sometimes—sometimes she couldn't help the pinch in her gut reminding her how Abby came to be. Fear claimed her as she contemplated her daughter learning of her existence.

A stray tear trickled from the corner of her eye as she considered the possibility it was all about to be exposed. Exhaling heavily, she grabbed her cell and found Jasper's number, mumbling, "Everything is fine, Abby. Edward will be fine … we need to head over to Bella's and talk with her real quick."

"Oh," Abby whispered in a small voice, watching her mother closely. She was ten and not stupid. She'd heard the grown-ups talking through the years, and while she didn't fully understand what all their implications were, something was strange. Then there was the fact she'd never met her dad, but from eavesdropping, she'd learned he hadn't been such a nice guy. Even knowing this caused her heart to patter with dread, her guts twisting.

"Jasper," Alice gulped down a breath as he eagerly answered the phone. "You remember, Bella … Well, Edward told her, but she bolted before he could explain. Can you meet me over at his house and be there … when I tell her."

X

Charlie glanced out at Bella through the window for the hundredth time in the last half hour. He should go out and inform her of Alice's impending visit, but he was worried about how she might react. Even though he wasn't an immediate fan of 'Edward,' he couldn't deny the man's bravery. Why he'd received a murder charge was beyond him. At the very least, he would've thought the charges would've been lowered, considering the incident took place after a horrific event. He wasn't aware of all the circumstances surrounding this case, but he would be exploring and investigating promptly.

After all, if someone had hurt Bella in that fashion, he would've done a lot worse than shooting the bastard. Charlie was on the verge of heading into the backyard when Lucas called to him, drawing his attention. "Papa … Papa … Papa … Juice, 'lease."

Shit, Charlie thought, shaking his head, he'd forgotten all about food in the process of this unexpected nightmare. "Come on; Papa will get you something for your tummy. What sounds good to you?"

"Pizza," he asked with a wide grin, chomping his teeth up at his grandpa.

"Papa can make you a pizza," Charlie said as the screen door opened, and Bella entered the kitchen. Instantly, he noted her swollen pink eyelids, and his heart squeezed in his chest. "Bells, we should talk really quick …"

"Not right now, Dad." She grabbed a tissue from the box and blew her nose. "I don't want to think about it. I should get Luke something to eat."

Charlie quickly headed for the freezer and withdrew a pizza. "Bella, I have Luke … don't worry about him … I need you to listen to me. Alice …"

"Dad, what did I say; I don't want to discuss anything about this with you or anyone else." Bella snapped at her dad as she strode out of the kitchen with purpose. Over the last hour, she'd dealt with every emotion the human body was capable of experiencing. Currently, she felt weak and drained … all she wanted to do was bury herself in her covers and stay there. Entering her room, she sat heavily on the bed, glaring at the wall.

Of all the shit storms she could've walked into, this one took the cake, icing, and the decorations with it. Once again, the tirade of emotions stole through Bella. In a matter of minutes, she coasted through them one by one until she was left wanting to hurl her belongings across the room. She'd never experienced anger quite like this, and the real kicker was, she wasn't angry at Edward or whatever had led him to what he'd done. She was enraged at the fact that fate dealt her a shitty hand more than once, and apparently, it wasn't finished.

That magnetic silver gaze burned a hole into her brain, and no matter how unaffected she tried to be, a part of her still melted. Those rampant sensations Edward had created were significant and something she'd be unable to forget for a long time to come.

She shoved her hands through her hair as another wave of exhaustion swept through her. Kicking her shoes off, she was about to curl up under the coverlet when the sound of the front door opening caught her attention. If she wasn't mistaken, a whispered conversation was being held in the living room before she heard the soft tread of sneakers making their way down the hallway.

With dread filling her, she glanced forward, waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the unexpected visitor to make an appearance. When Alice hesitantly peeked around the threshold, Bella's eyes rolled to the ceiling before returning to her unwanted guest. Her jaw clenched, and she shook her head as her frustration mounted.

How many times did she have to say she didn't want to talk about this? It was right on the tip of her tongue to tell Alice to get out of her house when the person behind her took Bella by surprise.

Jasper …

What the hell did Jasper have to do with this situation? And since when did Alice and Jasper hang out? Even while her brain rushed to connect the pieces of this puzzle she'd obviously missed; she came up completely blank. Yet as aggravated by the whole conundrum as she was, Bella would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued.

Even though Bella's gaze was locked on Alice, and she was reasonably certain she was shooting daggers at the other woman, Alice's hand lifted, and she wrapped her knuckles against the wood. "Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"If I said no, would you go away?" Bella snapped, chewing on her bottom lip, as Alice stepped into her room with Jasper on her heels. Bella blew a breath of annoyance, saying, "I guess not. If this has anything to do with Edward, I'm going to tell you what I told my dad; I don't want to hear it."

Alice cautiously made her way to the bed and sat on the edge. Bella looked fit to kill, and her statement about Edward gave her pause. It was quite possible, she would relate her experience to Bella, and she wouldn't understand why Edward had done what he had. Well, if Bella didn't want to talk about Edward, that was fine. Clearing her throat, she started slowly, "Bella, so much has happened, and you only have a fraction of the details. I … I … I… am going to t-tell you something about myself … I—I don't tell anyone."

The slight tremor in Alice's voice took Bella by surprise. What shocked her to the core was Jasper sitting next to Alice and wrapping an arm around her slender waist. The most intriguing part of the whole situation was how Alice seemed to lean into his embrace after resisting any effort Jasper had used to approach her. While it didn't soften her reserve, Bella felt more inclined to listen as the emotion thickened Alice's voice.

As if right on cue, Jasper handed Alice a tissue as she sniffled. "I-I was a senior in high school, getting ready to … to go to prom …"

When tears trickled down Alice's cheek as she spoke, Bella braced herself, feeling her eyes well up. She wasn't sure why Alice's tears seemed to affect her so much, but in the short time they'd known one another, she'd come to consider this woman one of her best friends. The wall she'd erected over the last hour seemed to crack at the sound of Alice's broken words.

Alice pushed the tears from her eyes, only for more to follow the same path. Clearing her throat, she stared as if she were in a trance. A weak smile pressed her lips as she whispered, "Jasper … Jas … he'd just asked me to go as his date … I was so excited … I'd been waiting so long to go …"

Bella's gaze darted between the couple, noting tears enter Jasper's eyes as well. Now, Bella turned to face Alice, just barely resisting the urge to reach for her. Bella felt the sting of tears as she fought the need to weep … maybe some of those tears were for herself, some for the truth she'd learned about Edward, and some for the pain in her friend's voice. Her throat felt raw as she refused to give in.

"I … I … was home alone when Jason, Edward's best friend at the time, stop by. I didn't think anything of it because he was always around. Usually when Edward was there, but I just let him in, figuring he wanted to wait around for Edward," Alice related with a shrug as another tear slid down her cheek. "Only I started feeling a little creeped out by the way he was watching me. I was g-going to leave him to wait on his own, but when I … when I …"

Bella saw where Alice was headed with this story. Nausea rolled through her stomach at the thought of some guy lurking around Alice … Edward's friend, no less, making his sister feel uncomfortable. Had he been watching her … possibly planning ... Bella's skin began to crawl, the hairs on her arms standing on end, and her breath froze in her lungs.

Was this … Could Edward have …

As the questions circled through Bella's mind, she couldn't hold the tears at bay any longer. Wanting to offer some comfort to Alice, she laid her hand on her arm, noticing the way she flinched at the contact. Bella's gaze flashed to Jasper's find his eyes leaking as well, and her heart constricted, and her chest drew tight.

"H-he grabbed me when I … when I was going to head to my room. He said … He said he saw the way I was always looking at him," Alice shuddered at the thought, her face twisting with distaste, and her head began to shake. "I didn't like him … I never looked at him in any way the could've been … been … taken in an interested manner."

Soft footsteps drew Bella's attention to the door. When she found Carlisle standing next to Charlie at the threshold, understanding rushed in on her. She didn't need Alice to continue this story to understand why Edward had spent time in prison or why he'd killed someone … presumably Jason. Suddenly, Bella felt compelled to offer Alice a reprieve, petting her arm, she said, "I get it, Alice … you don't have to …"

"Yes … Yes, I do … Because my brother gave up a decade of his life protecting me from that monster. The very least I can do is tell you why. I know you said you didn't want to talk about Edward, so I will give you my side … and you can do with it whatever you choose." Alice wiped her eyes on the tissue and combed her hair back from her face. Sniffling back a fresh wave of tears, she continued, "I tried to … to fight him off, but he was a pretty big guy … he pinned me down, fractured my cheekbone from hitting me, and tore off my clothes. He … he … he raped me, and beat me … I think he thought he left me dead."

Now, Bella cried freely, silently cursing herself for acting so rashly when Edward had confided in her. While she wanted to sit here and listen to Alice, she had this need—desperation awakening … she needed to see Edward right now … she needed to tell him how sorry she was for jumping to conclusions and not giving him a chance to explain. Shit … she'd had a feeling she was acting too hastily when she'd run from his house, but now, everything was falling to place.

Why Alice had been so opposed to Jasper; why Edward had seemed so withdrawn when she'd first met him, and why Alice had been so young when she'd become a mother … Holy shit … Abby.

"Jasper and Edward found me on the living room floor. Edward … he … he went and found my dad's gun … Jasper tried to stop him but …" Alice broke off as the sobs overtook her. Jasper hugged her closer now, her head tucked under his chin while he, too, cried freely. Shrugging, she finished her tale, saying, "He went into Jason's house and shot him. He was arrested and thrown in prison … the trial barely lasted two months … everyone said the judge … the judge didn't fully consider all aspects of the situation. We just made the best we could of it after that."

Bella's heart broke in two as she studied the couple. When Jason raped Alice, he'd destroyed the lives of three people that night. Jasper had lost the opportunity to develop a relationship with Alice. Alice relived the nightmare daily and had become a mother way before she'd been ready. Pride filled Bella because it took one helluva woman to get past her trauma and focus on raising a child … Bella couldn't even imagine how hard that must've been.

Then there was Edward …

He'd selflessly sacrificed his entire future to protect his sister. She remembered the first day he'd sat on the porch watching her. The familiar warmth spread through her at the thought of those silver eyes. The urgency to see Edward welled in her chest, and her gaze shot to the window. She'd been such a blind, stupid fool. How could she have acted so rash?

"Alice, I'm so sorry. I had no idea it could've been something even close to … shit." Bella trailed off, her gaze colliding with Carlisle. "Where … where is he?"

Carlisle's head lifted his gaze, watching her intently. "He needed a few days to clear his head. He's pretty upset … devastated right now."

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