Chapter Twenty Nine

Edward

Carlisle followed me back to the computer when Sasha disappeared saying she had to get ready for the fundraiser. I had offered to drive her but she declined my offer.

"Someone might see you and I don't have any friends in Phoenix, remember? It's OK, I'll take a cab."

"Be careful, Sasha. We don't want anyone suspecting that you're setting Bruce up."

She turned to me, all wide-eyed innocence, "Why should they think that, Edward? I'm a good catch for their business. Patrick can't wait to get his sticky little fingers on my money. In the meantime they're more than happy to keep me close and if I happen to mention I saw Bruce with another client on my way to the fundraiser why should that cause Magda to suspect me? I know how she thinks and I can tell you that she'll be too interested in finding out who this 'new client' is. Humans are so easy to manipulate which doesn't mean it's not still fun."

I stared at her unsure why I suddenly felt I'd missed something. Her thoughts were like butterflies fluttering all over the place which made it hard to sort through and find the important ones. She was almost as infuriating as Bella in that!

"Sasha, I have to ask you something and I want a straight answer."

She fluttered her eyelashes coyly, "Of course. Don't I always?"

I shrugged, "OK. You didn't have anything to do with Bella's misfortunes, did you?"

I expected her to reply with wounded pride but instead, she just smiled, "Just because I said she could do with a little chaos in her life doesn't mean that I arranged for it. Do you think I'm involved?"

I sighed, "No, not really."

"Good, because that would hurt, to think you felt you couldn't trust me."

"You haven't answered my question though."

She smiled, "No, I haven't. Do you want me to?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

She sighed, "Well, I might have if I'd known the tragic story of Bella and Patrick earlier. Just for fun, you understand, but I'm not the mind reader or clairvoyant remember? I didn't have a chance to organize anything. And if you'll recall, I'm doing all I can to help."

She was right of course, she hadn't had time to set up Bruce for the arson attacks but it was troubling that she would admit that she might have done if the opportunity had presented itself.

"See?" She shook her head a little sadly, "Edward, I told you about my gift/curse before we got married. I thrive on discord and mayhem, they are my life's blood but since I met Bella I feel different. She got under my skin. Like an itch. Trouble is still fun, hence my assignment tonight but I'm getting a little more discerning with it. I love all this chaos because I can quite honestly say with hand on heart, I didn't cause it. Happy now?"

I couldn't help laughing, Sasha's explanation was as tangled as her thoughts but I was relieved that she hadn't had a hand in all this.

"Yes, I'm happy now. Have fun this evening."

"Oh, I intend to. Will you miss me?"

I pulled her into an embrace and kissed the top of her head, "I always miss you when you aren't with me."

"Good. You can show me how much when I get back but don't wait up."

She twirled out of my arms and vanished up the stairs singing to herself as she went. I caught a little of the words and smiled to myself.

"I'm just a devil woman

With evil on my mind

Beware the devil woman

I'm gonna get you from behind."

Carlisle joined me and smiled at Sasha's song,

"I'm pretty sure they aren't the original words."

"Maybe not but they suit Sasha's mood right now, Carlisle."

"Yes, I heard. It was brave of you to ask her outright but I was relieved to hear her reply. She's really enjoying all this isn't she?"

I nodded, "Rather too much I think. Our life is going to seem very mundane when it's all over."

"Is that why you have such a disapproving air about you, Edward? Or is it because we're helping Bella and you still disapprove of that? You do realize that she is one of the family now? She and Jasper are engaged and will be married soon. Can you cope with that, son?"

I scowled at him, "I don't care about Bella either way. I think it's odd that she has suddenly fallen for Jasper. He's hardly anything like Patrick or me, now is he? In a way, I'm glad we live abroad. I'm not sure I could stand the happy couple around all the time."

"That sounds like sour grapes to me. You had your chance, Edward. I think Sasha is a much better match. She'll keep you on your toes."

I snorted but didn't deign to reply. He was right of course, Sasha had a spark of uncertainty in her. With her, I could never get bored whereas Bella was easy to read. She was too normal for the likes of me. Which begged the question. What did my brother see in her?

Luckily Emmett broke in before Carlisle could say anything else asinine.

"We got another message from Alice and this one is just as cryptic. See for yourself."

We followed him over to the computer and studied the message on the screen.

"All the goods you need to go with the money trail. (╯3╰) Alice xx"

I sighed, "This is all a game to Alice. Everything is a game to her. What the hell does that mean?"

Emmett shrugged, "Beats me. I'll google it."

Carlisle pursed his lips, "Well, whatever it means Alice thinks it will lead us to the paperwork we're looking for. So, hurry, Emmett."

We watched as Emmett copied and pasted the message symbols into the search box and hit the button.

A few seconds later he let out a whoop of triumph "Yes!"

I peered at the search results, "So, it means a lover. What the hell does that mean? And why send obscure messages in Japanese emoji's of all things?"

Carlisle nodded smiling, "Let's see if I can catch Sasha before she leaves. Tell her she was right. According to Alice, the sneaky lothario Bruce is keeping all his dirty little secrets with his mistress. That could be dangerous if they fall out, but it means we know where to look."

I decided to point out the flaw in his plan, "When we find out where this mistress lives, that is."

"True, Edward. Let's hope Bruce is a gentleman and picks his mistress up and takes her to dinner. That will lead you to the apartment and leave the place empty for you to check it out."

Emmett

Edward and I left Carlisle to fill the girls in and drove to the King's office where we were relieved to find Bruce still there. He may have lied to his wife about working late but at least he hadn't finished early. As we waited across the street Edward smiled.

"Poor old Bruce, he's not happy."

"Oh, why? I would have thought he'd be over the moon at the thought of spending the evening with his bit on the side."

"Oh he was, he had it all planned out but then a rich client called with a query and he's been stuck in the office sorting out some money that appeared to have gone missing. It sounds like it was an accounting glitch but it's taken ages to trace it. He'll be leaving in a minute."

Sometimes Edward's gift came in handy.

"Luck appears to be on our side tonight."

We followed his Ferrari at a discreet distance although he was so fixed on his destination we could probably have sat on his trunk without him noticing us.

The apartment block where he stopped was an affluent one by the look of the security and I waited while Edward passed the place on foot slowly still reading Bruce's thoughts. It was a large block and we didn't have time to check every apartment. We couldn't follow him in so we needed to know where our target lived.

When he came back he was nodding, he'd got what we needed. He joined me in the car, now all we needed was for the lovers to leave but from what Edward told me that might be some time. Why the hell couldn't they go to bed after dinner for God's sake? But then again, maybe sex after a heavy meal wasn't such a good idea for a guy of Bruce's age!

Bella

The ranch was idyllic, I could live somewhere like this away from the city and all the crowds.

Peter and Charlotte made me feel I was at home, that I'd known them for years rather than days and I liked both of them. Peter took a little getting used to but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He made you work for his trust but once he gave it I had the feeling it was yours for life.

We spent our days riding, walking and talking, always talking. I wanted to know everything about Jasper. He'd lived for so long there was a lot to learn and all of it was interesting. Edward had always portrayed him as a semi-literate savage which was both untrue and cruel. Jasper's knowledge of history was vast, he'd even written several books and had a doctorate in Early American history.

History and horses were his two main passions although when I pointed that out to him he disagreed.

"My overriding passion is you, Bella."

I spent a lot of time blushing, getting used to compliments was more difficult than getting used to Peter's language and insults.

I remembered what Esme had told me, how Jasper was a painter and asked him if he could teach me.

"I only dabble, Bella. I'm not in the same league as the guy who painted the picture you had hanging in your place."

"Yes, that was beautiful. I wish it could have been saved but the fire started in my bedroom so it went up with everything else, including the photograph of Charlie."

I could feel myself becoming upset again and took a deep breath.

"Where do you keep your paintings? I don't think I ever saw them in Forks."

He grinned, "Ah, no. They aren't the kind of painting you hang in a modern house. I don't understand all those black lines and crazy squiggles and block colors they call art these days. Charlotte has a couple hanging in their room, the rest are stored up in the attic."

"Can I see them?"

"If you like, I just hope you won't be disappointed."

I took his hand, "Nothing you do could disappoint me."

"Wow! Now I have a lot to live up to. Just don't tell Peter, I'd never live it down if you do."

The house was deserted, Charlotte had gone into town and Peter was in the stables with the horses so we went straight up to the master bedroom.

Several paintings were hanging on the walls. One was a portrait of Charlotte in a period dress.

"She looks stunning."

He smiled, "She is when you get her out of pants and shirt. That was one of my early ones. It was good for taking my mind off Maria and what happened in Mexico."

I stared at the painting, it was beautiful, and I wondered if he would paint me. Maybe one day I would ask him.

"Are these others your work too?"

"Not the flowers, Charlotte bought those from an old guy who lived close by. Now he was an artist. That one is mine."

He pointed to a painting of an old farm that had seen better days. Broken ploughs and other tools lay scattered around the yard and birds perched on a sagging wooden fence.

"It's so melancholy."

"Yeah, I went back to my home after I left Maria. My family were all dead and the farm was derelict. It stuck in my mind and was driving me crazy until Charlotte suggested I paint it. Once I did that I found I could move past the sad memories."

Up in the attic, there was a huge box filled with sketches and paintings. Most were horses although I saw one of Peter in his uniform and another of an older couple.

"Are they your parents?"

He nodded, picking it up and studying it, "They were born before cameras were in general use and this was my way of remembering them."

"You look like your father."

He smiled, "I guess I do but I'd like to think I have my mother's temperament. She was the quiet thoughtful one."

"Then you do, Jasper."

I picked up some of the pictures and turned to him, "When we get a place of our own can we hang these? Or do you prefer to keep them hidden away? You could make money selling your work. I would have hung it in my gallery."

"Well thank you, ma'am. Sure, if you like. They weren't Alice's kinda thing. You may have noticed she was more modern and in your face. Alice preferred not to look back."

"Well, I like them."

I realized what I had said at this point and hurried to explain myself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume we would live on our own. Not if you prefer being with the family. That would be fine too. I guess I just assumed.."

I tailed off waiting for his response.

"Bella, I don't care where we live as long as we're together but I agree it would be nice to have a place of our own. Peter did suggest we could build a cabin on the ranch if you liked the idea but I was waiting until we got things sorted out before mentioning it."

Tears filled my eyes, that was such a touching idea especially as it had come from Peter who seemed to like his solitude.

Jasper grinned, "I think he just wants someone to bitch to about Charlotte. She thought it was a great idea too but if you prefer to stay with the Cullen's that's fine too. Or we could travel if you don't want to settle down."

I was overwhelmed, "A place to call home will do me just fine as long as we're together but I think we should keep in close touch with the Cullens and the Whitlocks. Everyone has been so good to me. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings."

"Then we'll play it by ear. Which reminds me, Carlisle was going to call again tomorrow with an update and I got a cryptic text message from Alice."

"Oh? What did she have to say? Did she mention me?"

"See for yourself."

He handed me his phone and I scrolled down the message.

"Hi Jazz, tell Bella I'm rooting for you two. I know she'll be wondering. Just to let you know I've let loose the dogs of war." There was a row of smiley faces after the message.

"What does that mean? The dogs of war?"

"I'm guessing it means she's seen something about the fires and told Carlisle. I think they're hot on the scent of the person behind the attacks so we might get good news soon."

I sighed, I wanted to find out who it was and why but it didn't matter as much as it had a few days ago. That was my old life, my Patrick life and now I had a new one with Jasper and I didn't intend to look back, only forward. Besides, what was there to look back on? My home, my belongings were all gone except what Esme and Rose had brought away before the fire. My business was a smoking ruin. My mother had walked away from me, siding with Patrick, and my dad was dead. It was depressing thinking like that so I pushed it all away and pulled Jasper close. He was my rock, my comfort blanket, and my heart's desire. What more could I ask for?