****A/N****

Hi everyone! Happy Tuesday. It finally feels like fall today here where I am. I'm ready!

I'll probably post another chapter later today or early tomorrow.

S. Meyer owns all things Twilight.

Chapter 19- Little White Lies

BPOV

After I told Detective Cullen I was ready to give my statement, he looked down at me and asked, "Are you sure?"

I knew I was sure, but I was worried his idea of a statement and my idea of a statement, were completely different. I still didn't remember anything from that night, and I was just hoping going through the exercise of talking about it, would spark something.

In a raspy tone I said, "Yes...I'm just...I'm worried I won't provide anything helpful. I don't remember anything from that night. In fact, I can't recall anything from the entire day."

"Let's just see where it takes us ok? I'll call my partner and have him come down. We can set it up for later this morning if that's ok with you?"

I nodded my head distractedly, something else important on my mind. I really needed to contact Angela and Jake.

" Detective?"

He raised an eyebrow.

" Um, I really need to reach out to a few people to let them know I'm ok. I haven't seen my cell phone anywhere. Do you think someone would loan me a phone? Or maybe the hospital has one I can use..."

Before I finished my sentence, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to me. "You're welcome to use mine if you'd like."

"Thank you."I said, as I reached for it. Our fingers touched briefly, as he handed it over, and I looked up into his face.

He cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair, "I'll just wait outside to give you some privacy."

I looked at the phone and thought about what I wanted to tell Angela and Jake. I had thought about it last night while I stared at the ceiling, and made my decision right before I fell back to sleep.

I wasn't going to tell them what happened.

If I told them the truth, the two of them would come out here. I knew they would. That, or they would pressure me to come home. Maybe not Ang, but Jake for sure would try to make me come back.

And what could they really do if they came out anyway? Angela already took almost all her vacation time when she came to Forks when Charlie disappeared, and I didn't know if I could take Jake hovering over me twenty-four/Seven.

I got mugged. It happens. Life goes on.

And if I was being completely honest, the truth was, I wasn't ready to go back to Washington. I wasn't. I wanted to stay in Chicago, even after what happened.

I came here for a reason. I came here to do everything I could to help find Charlie, and that hadn't changed because some random asshole mugged me. I still had two more months until I needed to call Christy, and the apartment was paid up too. No, there was more I still wanted to do here, there was.

And if you go home, then what? What's there for you to go back to really?

That thought came out of nowhere, completely unsolicited, and it surprised me.

I was happy with my life in Washington, wasn't I? Hadn't I even told Charlie that the last time we spoke on the phone?

But without Charlie, what was holding me there? I knew I should move on from my job, I knew I should. I just hadn't had the guts to do it. My mother was dead, not that we were ever close to begin with, Angela had her own life in California, and Jake...well Jake needed to realize he and I were never going to be more than friends. It was time for him to face that fact, and find someone he could be happy with.

My gut was telling me to stay.

Yeah, but your gut also told you to go to Chicago by yourself, and look where that landed you.

I wasn't going to think about that right now, there was too much on my mind, and my brain could only handle so much.

I decided a text to Angela and Jake would be best.

I felt like a coward for texting instead of calling them,but my voice wasn't one hundred percent yet, and I didn't trust myself not to lose it if I talked to either one of them. Besides, if I called, they wouldn't answer anyway, since they wouldn't recognize the number.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

I just wasn't ready to talk to them yet.

I texted Angela first.

"Hey Ang. It's Bella. Sorry I haven't been in touch. Lost my phone over the weekend. Someone loaned me theirs so I could reach out to you until I get a replacement. Didn't want you to worry. Call you soon. Love you!"

Technically that was true. My phone was lost...

Liar.

Next I punched in Jake's number and sent the same message.

I put the phone down and blew out a breath. There, that was done.

Once my voice was stronger, and I got a new phone, I would call them, I would.

As soon as I put the phone on the table, I saw it light up with an incoming text.

Shit. I felt my stomach drop. It had to be Jake.

I picked up the phone, but didn't want to look at it. I finally got up the courage, and peeked at the screen. It wasn't Jake, and I breathed a sigh of relief as my eyes read the text.

" Dinner this weekend? I'll cook. Call me." The contact at the top said Tanya.

I dropped the phone and immediately turned it over face down on the table, as if it had cooties. I couldn't get it out of my hands fast enough. That was a text for Detective Cullen.

Even though I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, I felt guilty. It was none of my business.

A few minutes later, Detective Cullen came back to the room, and this time he knocked first.

He peeked his head in the door. "Ok, if I come in? I've got someone with me you might like to see."

I nodded my head, and he walked into the room with a smiling Esme behind him.

My face lit up when I saw her. She was carrying a large bouquet of flowers in her hands. "Good morning dear. How are you? Did you sleep well? Sorry I'm late, I stopped to visit Carlisle. I told you this was his hospital, right?"

I nodded, letting her know I remembered.

"He'll pop by to see you later today."

She set the flowers on the table. They were really beautiful, and I could smell the fragrance as it drifted over me. I closed my eyes and inhaled. "Thank you so much, they're beautiful."

She gave me a huge smile when she heard me speaking.

"So, Edward tells me you're ready to be questioned today. Are you sure you're up to it?"

I saw Detective Cullen watching me from where he stood by the window.

"Yes, I'm sure. I have a lot of questions too."

I picked up the phone from the table and held it out, looking towards Detective Cullen. "Thank you for the phone."

He walked over to the bed, took it from my hand and placed it back in his pocket.

"You're welcome. Were you able to speak with your family?"

"Um, no, I just sent a few texts, I'll call them when my voice is back all the way."

"Well I'm glad you were able to get in touch with them. I'm just going to go in the hall and call my partner. You two visit for awhile, and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Once he left the room, Esme sat down in the chair next to my bed. "You're really looking so much better today dear."

Oh my God, how much worse did I look before?

After seeing my reflection in the mirror this morning, I couldn't image anything worse than that.

Esme was arranging the flowers on the table and said, "So, you were able to reach your family and friends?"

" I texted Jake and Angela and told them I would call them when I get a new phone."

She continued to arrange the flowers, but kept silent and didn't ask any more questions about the phone calls...or lack thereof. When she was satisfied with the placement of the stems, she looked over at me.

"What else can I do for you? Can I stop by your apartment and pick up anything? Toiletries? A favorite shirt or something else of yours that you'd like, to make you more comfortable?"

I thought about it. It would be nice to get out of this hospital gown, and maybe into my favorite sweatshirt, especially if I could get a shower later today, but I didn't want her to go to any trouble. It was nice of her just to visit with me.

"No. Thank you so much for offering. I don't want you to go to any trouble. Dr Nelson said I'd be going home in a day or two. I can stick it out until then."

She didn't look convinced. "Nonsense. It's no trouble at all, I want to do something for you, and that would be a nice start."

I was really tempted to have some of my own things and finally gave in. "That would be nice Esme. I would like that, thank you."

"Wonderful. You can give me a list before I leave today, and I'll have Edward take me over."

Just then, Detective Cullen knocked on the door, and I smiled a little to myself, knowing he was making an effort not to catch me off guard again.

He walked in and sat in the chair opposite Esme. "Emmett will be here in a few minutes and we can get started. Are you ready?"

Ready as I'll ever be.

Next up...Bella is questioned. See you soon! As always leave me your thoughts!