Chapter Thirty Five
Esme
I was relieved that our visit to the Whitlock ranch had gone so smoothly. While I'd never had cross words with Peter personally, I knew he could be a very prickly customer and Carlisle had warned us both to be careful before we left. So, he was delighted when we got back and were able to report we had been made most welcome.
"I think Bella is a good influence on Peter Whitlock. He seemed far more relaxed than he was at Alice's wedding."
Carlisle smiled, "I think Alice rubbed him up the wrong way. She can be a little condescending at times. Besides, I think they were both jealous of the friendship the other had with Jasper."
"Really? Isn't that a little juvenile?"
Carlisle shrugged, "Who knows. I'm just glad I won't have to play referee this time.
"Bella is going to invite Alice to the wedding."
He groaned, "Well, on her head be it. I'm a little surprised though. She seemed very nervous about meeting Alice again which is understandable under the circumstances."
"She was very grateful for the help Alice gave you. Besides, it won't work unless they are friends. I mean, how can we have family get-togethers if Bella and Alice refuse to be in the same room as each other?"
He smiled, "I love your optimism, Esme. Let's just say things are certainly going to be interesting."
"Anyway, enough about that. I'm dying to know what's happening with the Kings. Have there been any developments?"
"Oh, yes. The police and the IRS raided the business premises and the family compound and took away computers and files. They also searched Sophia's apartment and found the USB drive."
"How do you know so much?"
"Emmett and I have been monitoring the situation and Jenks has been in touch. He's nervous because the IRS is putting pressure on him to reveal his source."
"Can they do that to a lawyer?"
Carlisle smiled gently, "No my dear but it doesn't stop them from trying."
"And have you heard from Edward and Sasha?"
He sighed, "Yes. Sasha is most upset that they had to leave. It seems she was enjoying herself a little too much with Magda. I think she's sulking, although Edward hasn't actually used that term."
"Well, let's hope she gets over it by the wedding. I don't want anyone ruining Bella's big day."
"I'd say with Peter, Alice and Sasha there it's a big ask."
I groaned, "I hadn't thought of that. Oh well, we'll keep our fingers crossed. In the meantime, Rose and I have a couple of little tasks to accomplish."
"Be careful, Esme. Patrick may not have been involved in the illegal activities of the business but that doesn't mean he wouldn't use any means to help his father out. If he puts two and two together and figures out that Bella is involved he could cause problems."
"Carlisle, Rose and I will be extremely careful. Besides, if Bruce and Magda report the picture missing aren't they laying themselves open to a suggestion that they were involved in the arson attacks? I mean, how else would they have gotten their hands on the painting? Bella can prove she had possession of it and they can't prove she gave it or sold it to them."
"Maybe you're right but a man who could hire someone to burn down two buildings might not stop there. We don't know what he's capable of. If Bruce suspects Bella is involved, who knows what he might do, besides, we do not want the police looking too carefully at this family."
"Carlisle, they don't know Rosalie and as far as Bruce is concerned I'm the owner of an events planning company. Where is the connection to Bella?"
I thought my husband was being overcautious. I think Sasha's little adventure had put him on edge.
Rose and I decided to liberate Hugo first. It shouldn't be difficult to dognap him although finding him a hideout would be more problematic. Then dear Alice came to our aid once more. She sent me a text.
"Esme, I have a friend with a large property just outside Lake Havasu City and he's happy to rent it out on a short term let. I thought you might like a place for Hugo and Emmett can train him there."
I turned to Rose, "Train him? What on earth is Emmett hoping to do?"
She smiled, "A small surprise for Bella, that's all."
I rolled my eyes, Emmett's surprises usually led to mayhem. "Please rein him in Rose. There are enough possible ignition points at this wedding to cause an explosion as it is."
"Don't worry, Esme. Emmett knows what he's doing and Bella will love it. Besides, if it was all going to go wrong wouldn't Alice have warned us? Now, about that painting. How are we going to get into the compound to steal it?"
I wasn't sure because the family would be on their guard after the official visits. Getting in and out wasn't a problem for two vampires but carrying a large painting through the house and across the compound was slightly more problematic without damaging it or the frame or getting caught.
"I guess we could cut it out of the frame, Esme. What do you think?"
"No. We're going to get that picture and we're going to get it intact. I'm just not quite sure how yet."
"Maybe Alice will come to our aid. She seems to be popping up all over the place. It's almost as if she knew all this was going to happen and made plans to…"
We stared at each other as the penny dropped. Alice had seen all this but instead of warning Bella or us beforehand she allowed things to develop then appeared to steer us in the right direction, just like a guardian angel!
"Esme, I'm going to strangle my sister the next time I meet her. Why would she keep quiet and let Bella go through all this grief? I thought she and Bella were friends. Or do you think she's doing it to get her own back on her for taking Jasper?"
I smiled at Rosalie, "If you remember it was Alice who left and Alice who has her mate. No, I don't think she was being mean. I think she saw the possible outcomes and decided that leaving well alone would give Bella the best possible future."
Rose thought about this for a while before agreeing, albeit grudgingly.
"I guess so. I remember her saying that when she first understood her gift she tried changing the outcome of situations."
"Yes, and she soon learned that doing so often brought with it more problems. I'm sure if she'd seen that Bella would have been in grave danger she would have given us a nudge. I think she's working for Bella's happy ever after with Jasper."
Rose sighed, "I guess you're right. It's going to be strange if Alice and her partner turn up for Jasper's wedding though. Whatever you say."
"Oh, I'm sure Alice will handle it with equal grace as Bella will. Besides, I think Bella will have eyes only for her new husband and it's her he's marrying. He's not going to notice Alice at the party."
"And Bella is a better match for him anyhow. They just seem so right together."
"Right. Enough about them. How are we going to get inside the King family compound?"
Rose was silent for a while then turned to me with a gleam in her eye. She had an idea.
"Maybe we don't have to."
I frowned, "But the painting is there."
"Yes, but who says it has to be us who retrieves it?"
"What do you suggest? Hire ourselves a cat burglar?"
"No. I have another idea. Come on."
She dragged me out to the driveway and I climbed into the car still mystified, "Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
When she pulled up outside Patrick's house I turned to her, "Are you out of your mind? What makes you think he's going to steal the painting and give it to us?"
"Well, he has nothing to do with the fires and Bella is sure he would never hurt her so here's his chance to prove it. He knows by now that his family is in serious trouble but he doesn't know Bruce King is responsible for what happened to Bella. I think if he was to learn that then he might want to distance himself from the family."
"But he'll only have your word for Bruce being the one responsible."
"If he finds the painting in the family home that will be proof enough don't you think? It's worth a try surely?"
I wasn't so sure and I was confident that Carlisle would not like us getting involved any deeper but there was no talking Rose out of her plan.
"You stay here, Esme. He knows you. Let me handle this."
She was gone before I could protest, leaving me here to wait and decide what I was going to tell my husband when we returned.
Rosalie
I didn't think I would have much trouble persuading Patrick to let me in. Firstly, he was a ladies man and secondly the mention of Bella's name was enough to get me inside.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak to me, Mr King."
He looked troubled, but then he had good reason to with the IRS breathing down his neck.
"What's this about? Who are you and how do you know Bella?"
"Could we sit down? It's a little complicated."
He agreed reluctantly and led me through to the lounge where he had been drinking scotch. The place looked unkempt and I wondered if this was as a result of shock at learning his father was a crook or losing Bella? Whichever, it had driven him to drink. Bella had told me that Patrick didn't touch alcohol. Well, he may not have done in the past but he appeared to be making up for it now!
"Mr King, I'm a friend of Bella's."
He leaned forward, "Is she OK? I'd really like to talk to her. I was so worried when I heard about the fires. I know I acted stupidly and I'd like to apologize. Is that why you're here?"
I shook my head, "Bella doesn't know that I'm here. I'm pretty sure she'd be pissed if she found out."
He frowned, "Then why are you here, Miss…"
"Rose, you can call me Rose. I'm here because I think you deserve to know the truth about the fires."
"I'm sorry? The truth? What truth?"
"The person who set the fires was hired to do so."
He became grim, "Are you trying to pin the fires on me? I would never have done something like that. I was angry, sure, but I never hated Bella. I love her."
"If I thought you'd been involved it would be the police sitting here, not me."
"Then what? Who hired him?"
"Your father, Bruce King."
He jumped up shaking his head, outraged at my accusation, "How dare you. My parents loved Bella. They were devastated when she left me. Leave now before I call the cops."
I continued calmly, "You can do that if you wish, but it would only cause even more problems for your father."
He thought about that then continued his attack.
"What proof do you have? This is ridiculous."
"Do you remember a painting that Bella bought and hung in her bedroom?"
He frowned then nodded, "Yes. I thought it was awful but she liked it. What's that got to do with anything?"
"That painting is currently in your father's study at the house. It's been seen there."
"Seen? By whom? No one goes into my father's study. It's kept locked."
"Nevertheless, it was seen there. And what I want you to do is to retrieve it for Bella."
He looked totally confused, "Sorry? You accuse my father of hiring someone to burn down my girlfriend's gallery and apartment and then expect me to break into his study and steal a painting?"
"If he didn't arrange the fires then how did he get his hands on the painting?"
He frowned then poured himself a large whiskey and downed it in one go.
"No. My father isn't a criminal. This trouble with the IRS is a mistake. Why should I believe you?"
"You don't have to, but I thought you might like to make things right with Bella. Returning that painting would go a long way towards doing that."
He reached for his phone.
"I'm going to call the cops."
"Feel free. When they get here I'll tell them exactly what I've just told you. What do you think will happen if they search your father's house and find the painting?"
He studied me for a moment, "Why are you really here?"
"It's very simple actually. Bella thinks you are a fundamentally good man. I'd like to believe her so I'm prepared to give you a chance to prove it. Plus, she loves that painting."
"Are you the one who set the IRS on my father?"
"No." Well, it was true. I hadn't been involved in that.
"And if I get this painting that you say that my father has. How do I get it to you? And how do I know you'll give it back to Bella?"
"I'll be in touch, and are you really going to question my honesty, Mr King?"
He studied me and I saw him shrink back. I may be beautiful, but I could also be intimidating!
"Alright. I'll go to my father's place and see if it's there."
"Thank you. Oh, by the way, there is just one other thing."
"Oh? What? You want money to keep quiet?"
I got up looking at him scornfully, "You couldn't buy my silence, Mr King. No, I'll want Hugo too. He is her dog after all."
He frowned, "A painting and the dog? That's it?"
"Yes, Bella values the things she loves, not wealth. Oh, and please don't keep me waiting too long. I'm inclined to become impatient."
His hands were shaking as he picked up the empty whiskey glass.
"I'll see myself out while you pour another. You should probably clean this place up and grab a shower. Bella would hate to see the way you've let yourself go."
And with that passing shot, I walked out, feeling good.