SECRETS AND SPIES
Chapter Fifteen
Trying to concentrate on formulating a plan for tomorrow is hopeless as I can hear Bella moving around directly above me. The thought of her only twenty feet away from me is a distraction I really don't need as I'm still trying to get my head around the disturbing news that Jake has been shot while driving my car. So knowing Bella is in a bedroom under my roof is not helping at all.
San Francisco is over twelve hundred miles away from Denver, which means my options to do anything productive to help Jake are limited. My only hope is the police will have some positive news soon, most importantly that he's still alive and is well enough to shed some light on who attacked him. Now there's evidence that these people are ready to use deadly force, mine and the lives of everyone around me are in serious danger, and this guts me.
Telling Bella about Jake can be left until morning. One of us needs to get a good night's sleep and it's definitely not going to be me. Bella will no doubt flip about being kept in the dark again but telling her now won't help the situation one bit.
Whoever ambushed my car thought they were abducting me and this makes me shudder at the thought. There's no doubt I've had another lucky escape. I now have crippling guilt about what Jake could be experiencing, especially after they realize they've got the wrong person. I still don't understand why they are trying to grab me unless they believe I could be useful as bait or for a ransom?
Guns aren't my thing at all, but I now wish dad had kept a weapon of some description in the house so I could defend myself and Bella. I suppose I could get a knife from the kitchen, even though the sharpest knife would be useless against a firearm. Until last night in the hideout, the thought of owning or using a gun had never occurred to me. Despite living in Colorado for eleven years, I still have a city-boy attitude to obtaining food. In other words, I prefer it wrapped in plastic rather than it's original skin. Hypocritically, I'm hoping Bella's brought her gun with her to California, and then I remember she wouldn't be able to get a weapon through airport security. This means we're vulnerable if these assholes turn up at the house tonight.
I pull myself off the bed and head for the bathroom to brush my teeth. A combination of excess alcohol, air travel, and stress shows in my reflection in the mirror. I'm not a pretty sight. Bella is still moving about until I hear the click of the light being switched off followed by the creaking sound her bed makes as she climbs in. This doesn't help to reduce my stress level as I'm desperate to go up there and keep her company.
As I pull the quilt over my head and try to think of anything other than sex, my cell buzzes. Emmett is texting me from the Chevy.
'On our way. Rosie driving. Rifle and 2 pistols loaded and ready. MFs out there are history if they come anywhere near my Rosie.'
I can't help smiling as it's obvious Emmett is secretly enjoying this. Emmett won't hesitate to shoot first if there's the slightest chance of Rosalie being in danger. I just hope there won't be a fire-fight. I'd never forgive myself if my problems resulted in more injuries or loss of life, on either side.
Even though I'm exhausted, sleep is a long way off. In the dark, the familiar sounds of the city at the base of the hill are louder and clearer at night. They bring back childhood memories of lying here, listening to the clanging bells of the trams, and on foggy nights the repetitive double-blast from the lighthouse horns on Alcatraz. These sounds would lull me to sleep when I was a kid but not tonight as the trams have stopped running by now and bright starlight illuminates the city and the sea.
Memories of my mother are more vivid when I return home and especially in this room. I can still see her poking her head around the door; her petite frame illuminated by the light in the hallway. She would never forget to say she loved me before closing the door, even if I'd been a pain in the ass all day. Tonight there should be two ghosts standing by the door but I can still only see one.
I've been awake for almost an hour staring at the ceiling while good and bad memories of my time in this room flash through my mind when my phone buzzes again. Emmett texts to let me know they've all arrived safely at the ranch where the local Sherriff and his Deputy were waiting for them. Rosalie's father had alerted them after she called to say they were on their way and they'd come along to assure the family they'd be keeping an eye out for any strangers in the neighborhood and would warn them if they were concerned.
My body physically relaxes after receiving this news. Apart from Jake, my friends are safe, which means I have four fewer people, plus Mitzi of course, to worry about.
I close my eyes determined to get some sleep but I still can't switch off. As I toss and turn and attempt to get comfortable, I hear a floorboard creaking somewhere in the house. A few seconds later it creaks again. Instantly I'm alert and my heart rate starts to increase. It sounds like someone is on the stairs. I'm half-way out of bed when the bedroom door opens slowly. I try to speak but nothing comes out of my mouth. I frantically search for something to throw at the intruder when Bella's head appears.
"D'you want company?" she whispers.
I want to cry when I see her.
"Too fucking right I do," I reply and shoot over to where she's standing by the door, only remembering when I'm in front of her that I sleep naked.
Bella puts her hands around my neck and pulls me down for a kiss before looking at my manhood. As she tugs her t-shirt over her head so she's naked as well, she says, "Hmmm … you definitely are pleased to see me."
We fall on the bed and I move on top of her, kissing her passionately until the moment I bury myself in her when I stare into her beautiful eyes. I kiss her again, and when we break for air I whisper in her ear, "I'm not pleased to see you, Bella. I'm fucking delirious."
I'm woken by the smell of bacon seeping under the bedroom door. For a moment I'm confused until I remember Bella is in the house and she was in my bed last night. I want to wallow in that exquisite memory for a while but the double temptation of Bella and bacon is too much.
With one eye open, I squint at the clock which says eight-thirty five, meaning I've actually managed to get six hours sleep, which is six more than I anticipated when I got the first text from Emmett. I 'imagine-write' a Note to Self:
If you're having a bad night, just arrange for the girl of your dreams to seduce you. Job done!'
I hug myself imagining Bella is still in my arms again.
I don't know if I love her yet. There's too much going on in my life to trust my emotions and to think objectively about my feelings for her. Last night was a release we both needed. A mutual attraction on a base level. Fumbling condom application, missionary sex, followed by exhausted sleep. Next time would be better. That's if we get a 'next time'.
My head is heavy on my comfortable pillow and I really don't want to get up. A day of aggravation is ahead of me and I don't know whether I can face it. The bacon wins. I roll out of bed and stagger into the bathroom for a shower.
Bella is singing to herself as I run down the stairs for my breakfast. I stop to listen before going any further as her voice sounds remarkably like mom's from what I remember. This causes another strong childhood memory to return. Mom had such a great voice.
"You sound like the Bee Gee's, without needing their tight pants," I'd say to her, which always made her laugh.
Bella's song is unrecognizable. It sounds good though and at least she can sing in tune.
"Morning," I say brightly as I walk up behind her. She's facing the range and doesn't respond. "Morning!" I shout louder. Bella turns and smiles up at me as she pulls buds away from her ears.
"Sorry," she grins. "Didn't hear you coming down. Hope you're hungry?"
"Starving, but where did you get the bacon from?"
I look over her shoulder at what's cooking and see bacon and pancakes. There was definitely no milk, eggs or bacon in the fridge last night.
"I went out in the garden for some fresh air about half an hour ago and your lovely neighbor put her head over the fence and asked if we needed anything. I thought all the nice people lived in Colorado."
"Nah. Sue's amazing, and she's a hundred percent San Franciscan. Folks here are generally nice people. I'll go over later and thank her."
"She said she's looking forward to seeing you when you have time. Pour yourself a coffee. You've still got time for a ciggie before everything's ready."
"I've given up. Dad hated me smoking so I'm doing it for him. It's made withdrawal easier to cope with."
"Well done you. I wish I could. I'll give it another go when mom's better."
"I'll hold you to that."
"Good. I'll need someone to poke me in the ribs when I reach for one."
I pour two mugs of coffee and watch Bella as she cooks. She's dressed in her usual attire of skin-tight light blue ripped-at-the-knee jeans with a short plain-white t-shirt that hugs her slim figure. Her hair is pulled up in a neat ponytail today and swings back and forth like a pendulum as she moves around the kitchen where she looks totally at home.
As I'm watching her it comes to me that I don't resent her being here. Since mom died, I've hated seeing any other women in her kitchen. Even though this is a totally ridiculous notion, I imagined they were trying to take mom's place. I accept this is an old-fashioned and slightly sexist attitude to have, especially as dad would often help with the cooking and other housework when mom was alive, but it was still her domain and I'd always felt uncomfortable seeing another woman in here.
Bella's presence feels different, and I wonder why I'm totally relaxed watching her make breakfast and 'playing mom'. The answer could be that I've developed strong feelings for her and I want her to be here. It comes as a pleasant and unexpected surprise to discover that I've finally moved on from my rational/irrational prejudice.
"This looks awesome," I declare as Bella places a full plate in front of me.
"You've lost weight lately so you need feeding properly. Plus, we've got a busy day ahead. Find the dentist first, and then we'll drive up to Fort Bragg. It's a long journey so we'll have to get somewhere to stay overnight."
"Fine, but I need to update you on something, but not until after we've eaten."
"Good or bad?"
"I'm not saying. Just eat."
Bella opens her mouth to protest but bites her lip. By her expression, she's already guessed it's bad news.
She brings her own plate over and sits at the table facing me. We eat in silence apart from the occasional complimentary comment from me about the breakfast. After I've cleared my plate and poured myself another coffee, I wait for Bella to finish, sincerely wishing I hadn't given up smoking as my stress-level is rising. I'm not looking forward to telling her about Jake.
"Is your cell switched off?" I ask.
"Yep. My work phone is still in Colorado. I know James is tracking it and I don't want him to know where I am. I've left it in my apartment but I've got an untraceable one with me for emergencies. Why?"
"I got a call from Emmett after you went to bed. A traffic patrol found the Shogun abandoned; I'm not exactly sure where. When they looked inside they found a bullet hole and blood on the front seat meaning it looks like whoever was driving it has been shot and dragged out. We've got to presume Jake's been abducted instead of me as he's not answering his phone."
"Why the hell didn't you tell me this last night?" Bella shrieks.
"One of us needed to get a good rest and it wasn't going to be me, Bella. The others high-tailed it to the ranch and they're staying there until all this is sorted. At least the police are taking our situation seriously now which I suppose is progress."
Bella stares at me open-mouthed. I can tell she wants to be angry with me but she knows I'm right this time. This situation is getting more serious by the minute and one of us has to be firing on all four cylinders.
"Shit! Poor Jake. I hope they don't hurt him."
"I hope not too. If they kill Jake I'll …"
"I know, Edward. This means we've got to move fast. You check out your dad's dentist while I rent a car for the weekend and tidy up."
I head towards dad's study and then remember it had been cleaned out by the intruders. "Shit!" I exclaim when I realize there's probably nothing left in the house to indicate which dentist dad was registered with. I'd placed his wallet in the safe after Yorkie returned it along with his cell phone and his and mom's wedding rings which he wore on a chain around his neck. I check the wallet for cards with no luck. His cell is dead but even if it wasn't, I don't have the login code. This means I have to resort to using my cell to search the internet for dentists in this part of San Francisco, hoping when I see the name of the one I attended until I was twenty-one I'll recognize it. If not, I'm pretty sure I can remember how to get there by car.
Several calls later I hit the jackpot. The dentist who treated dad isn't in yet but the familiar-sounding receptionist says I can drop in after ten.
Bella is cleaning up when I get back to the kitchen.
"Let me help," I offer. Bella throws a cloth at me and directs me to wipe the counter and the table while she washes out the coffee jug.
"I've rented a small SUV," she says as she dries her hands. "Did you call the dentist?"
"Yes, I can go in after ten. Are they delivering the car?"
"No. We'll get a cab. You get out at the dentist and I'll carry on to the rental place and then I'll come back and pick you up. Okay?"
"Sure. Are you ready to leave?"
"Just give me ten minutes. Are you checking in with Emmett?"
"I'll do that now."
I wander into the lounge to make the call. Emmett answers straight away.
"Any news?" Emmett asks.
"No, nothing, which means you've not heard anything either."
"Right, but Jake's picture is all over the TV here. Hospitals have been asked to keep a lookout for him as well. The police have taken the Shogun to one of their forensic yards to see if that brings up anything. I told them San Francisco police already have your fingerprints because of the break-in. They'll want to question you when you get back as you're the last one who saw him. You're in the clear though as they caught the Shogun on a traffic camera when you were in the airport."
"Shit! It never occurred to me I'd be a suspect. Let me know if you hear anything and I'll do the same. I'll call you tonight."
I hang up, glance at my watch, and look around dad's lounge. A week ago I couldn't sit in here as the feeling of loss was too great to cope with. My emotions are in check now, probably because there's a slim chance dad is still alive. My heart races at the thought I might see him again but I know I must be wary of getting my hopes up only to have them dashed again.
Bella puts her head around the door. "Cab will be here in five. You ready?"
"Do I need anything?" I ask as I'm still unclear what we're doing today.
"A change of clothes and your credit card," Bella responds. "It's just a reckkie today."
"Reckkie?"
"Reconnaissance. Sorry, military speak. In other words, we're not going in all guns blazin' until we know what we're dealing with. Okay?"
"Sure. So dentist first then spying?"
Bella laughs. "Yep! Are you sure you're up for it?"
I jump out of my chair, lift Bella up, and spin her around before kissing her.
"I don't know what to expect, but as long as I have my bodyguard to look after me I'm ready for anything."
"Good. But you must fix something in your head, Edward. You're the boss at The Yard; I'm the boss out in the field. Is that clear?"
"Yes boss," I reply as I kiss her again. "Let's find these bastards then."
I shoot up to my room and fling clothes, deodorant and my razor in a bag and run downstairs. Bella is by the door with her backpack which seems to be as full as when she arrived last night. I don't comment as I arm my new security system before following her out the door and into the waiting cab.
The bridge and Alcatraz are under a blanket of fog so no spectacular views this morning for Bella to enjoy. Already traffic fumes are creeping up the hill which means the horizon will probably stay behind an opaque haze all day. The city looks stunning though as the sea fog has stayed a long way from the shore so Bella gets to see the tops of some iconic skyscrapers glittering in the morning sun.
"Wow! What a view," Bella remarks as she climbs into the cab.
"You're lucky to see anything. Most of the time we look down on a wall of murk and the bridge is two bits of red metal poking out from the top of the fog."
"I'm honored," she says with a big smile on her face.
Five minutes later the cab pulls up outside the dental surgery. I give Bella a quick kiss on the cheek before getting out.
"I don't know how long this will take so if you can get parked nearby, come in and wait with me."
Bella gives me the thumbs up as the cab pulls away leaving me on the sidewalk.
The now re-named surgery, which had been a place of abject terror when I was a child, hasn't changed much outside since I last visited over ten years ago. My fear of dentists has long been resolved, but memories of being dragged in here by mom, kicking and screaming in protest, make me smile.
After pushing the heavy external door open, the familiar chemical scents associated with every dental surgery I've ever visited hit my nostrils straight away and my anxiety level inexplicably rises. The inside of the surgery has changed dramatically since my last visit. Pristine white walls and gleaming glass and aluminum surfaces make me blink a few times and I'm tempted to put my sunglasses on. Working here would drive me insane. The receptionist is smiling at me. I don't remember her but she recognizes me immediately.
"Hello, Edward. Oh dear, it's Mr. Cullen now," she gushes. "It's been such a long time since you were here and I'm so sorry for your loss. We were devastated when we heard the news. Your father was a patient here long before you were born and always had a pleasant word for me."
"Thank you," I reply and smile back politely. On closer examination, her face does look familiar only more than a decade has passed so she may have looked totally different when I last saw her.
"Mr. Blake will see you after he's finished with his patient. It's just a check-up so shouldn't take too long. Take a seat for the moment."
I wander over to a line of chairs, passing the obligatory pile of elderly car and home improvement magazines. I'm tempted to pick one up which has a stunning garden on the cover. Instead, I use the time to think about how I'm going to start the conversation with Blake.
A well-dressed woman comes in and speaks to the receptionist and sits down to wait. She also bypasses the magazines, choosing to scroll through her cell phone. When she glances over in my direction, her eyes widen as if she recognizes me. I expect her to say something, only she purposely concentrates on her phone again. I notice she occasionally side-eyes me which I find unnerving. Am I being paranoid? I'm certainly noting everything going on around me now and possibly reading too much into everything I see.
Five minutes later Blake and his patient enter the waiting room. The patient goes over to the desk to pay while Blake walks over to me holding out his hand in greeting.
"Edward, it's good to see you again although I'm so sorry it's under such sad circumstances. Come through and let me know how I can help you."
I follow him along a glass and chrome corridor bypassing his consultation room. Instead, he ushers me into a small office where he points to a chair.
"Take a seat, Edward. I can give you five minutes; ten at a push. What's on your mind?"
Nervous anticipation about what I may learn from Blake is making me feel nauseous. To be honest I genuinely don't want proof that Yorkie and his boss lied to me, as this would shatter any faith I have that the police are there to protect me and uphold the law. If they have lied, this will be confirmation I'm in the middle of a serious conspiracy which at the extreme could involve replacement bodies, if there was a body at all, and forged death certificates. Devastating as this would be, it would definitely be a straw to clutch in my guarded belief that dad is still alive.
"Dr. Blake, the police told me they used dental records to identify my dad's body. Can you confirm you supplied these records?"
"Yes, I did. I must admit I was shocked when I got the call as Carlisle's death hadn't been reported on the news."
"Did they contact you here?"
"No, they called me on my cell. I was away for a few days, golfing. Because the surgery was closed all day, I had to contact my administrator to open up specially to get Carlisle's most recent x-rays. Is there a problem?"
"There could be. Dad's body was discovered in the early hours of the morning. The police called me in Colorado at 6 am local time so 5 am here. I got the first flight I could out of Denver and picked up a text from the police as I got off the plane at roughly 3 pm, which is when they said dental records had confirmed it was dad's body. Could you give me a timeline as I'm not convinced they could've got his records and made the comparison in such a short space of time?"
Blake pushes his seat back so he can pick up a small briefcase concealed in the well of the desk. After removing a cell phone from the side pocket he scrolls through his call records while I watch nervously. Blake's forehead creases into a frown as he stares at the screen and I know there's a problem.
"I didn't speak to the police until late that afternoon, Edward. I'd already had three missed calls from that number though, the first one just before 2 pm. I'd been on the Pebble Beach course all day where phones aren't permitted apart from at the nineteenth hole, which is why I missed them. John, my administrator, came back that evening and handed your dad's records over to a detective who'd been waiting for him."
Blake doesn't wait for my response but picks up the desk phone and hits the number five.
"John, can you come along to my office please."
I hear the word, 'sure' in response and almost immediately there's a tap on the door and a guy about my age sticks his head around it. Blake stands up.
"John, this is Edward Cullen, Carlisle's son. Can you tell him what happened when you handed his father's file over to the police?"
"Sure. Sorry for your loss, Mr Cullen. I liked your dad very much. Umm … okay. I got the call from Richard, err Mr Blake, between five and six. I can't remember the exact time. I was at my girlfriend's place and came straight over but it was nearly seven before we got here. The traffic on the Bay Bridge was heavy that night and it took us over an hour. A detective was waiting by the door. I asked to see his identification and he got really shitty with me. He was jumpy about something but I didn't ask why. He almost snatched the file out of my hand and disappeared without a thank you. Asshole!"
"Can you remember the detective's name?" I ask.
"Oh yeah, it was Yorkie, which I was surprised about as he looked a bit Chinese. I was expecting something a bit more ... Asian."
A sick feeling is churning in my gut. I now have evidence that Yorkie lied to me. Even though I've had my suspicions all along, it's still a shock.
"Can I have a drink of water?" I ask. John disappears and comes back with chilled water in a plastic cup. Blake waves him away and closes the door behind him.
"This doesn't look good for the police, Edward. Are you going to take this further?"
"I haven't decided yet, but I'd be grateful if you and John and your receptionist could keep my visit confidential, even if the police ask if I've been here. I'm on a fact-finding mission at the moment and this is one piece of a very complicated jigsaw."
"Of course I will. But does this mean you don't believe the police's conclusions?"
"That dad committed suicide? No, of course I don't. I'm trying to build a case to get them to re-open the investigation into whether he was murdered. What made me suspicious is they called it suicide almost immediately and closed the file without researching his life or speaking to his family."
Blake scratches his head and examines his cell again.
"I'm still wondering how the police got my private number, Edward. I've two cells. This is my family and friends' one and very few people have this number. They called me first just before two which was after I went off for my second round. If they'd gotten hold of me then, it would've been less puzzling for you."
"I don't know how they found out you were his dentist either. As far as I know, none of the family knew, or were ever asked that question."
Blake stands up and proffers his hand to me. "I'm sorry, Edward. I've got a patient waiting. If this goes to court I'd be willing to give evidence. You can count on me and John."
"Thanks, I'm very grateful. Hopefully, I won't have to take you up on that."
Blake accompanies me to the outside door. As we pass the waiting room I check to see whether Bella has come in. She isn't there, but the woman who's been waiting looks me straight in the eyes as though she's checking me out. I don't acknowledge her but wave at the receptionist and make my way out onto the sidewalk.
Bella isn't in sight so I find a low wall to sit on and wait. The air temperature has risen markedly since leaving the house so I shuffle out of my jacket. Already the sky over the city is no longer blue and it isn't even ten-thirty yet. I can't see the bay from here but I can guarantee it'll be a white-out.
A sick feeling is still churning my stomach at the thought that not only am I up against murderous Tech Bandits and Industrial Spies, I now have evidence that either the police pre-empted the dental records to identify the body as they were absolutely certain it was Carlisle Cullen, or, the police are somehow involved in covering up dad's disappearance.
Who the hell do I complain to, or do I take this to the San Francisco Chronicle? I'm tempted to go to the media, but I'll discuss this option with Bella first.
Twenty minutes later Bella shows up in a black SUV.
"I thought you'd got lost," I comment as I climb into the passenger seat.
"They had a bright red vehicle waiting for me which I rejected. If we're trying to be discreet when we get to Fort Bragg, we don't want to stand out like a British Redcoat."
I can't help smiling as I put my seatbelt on. It doesn't feel as though we're fighting a war as we don't know who the enemy is yet, but there's danger out there and we're setting off to find it.
As Bella pulls away from the curb she checks her rear-view mirror.
"Shit!" Bella cries out and slams her foot hard on the gas pedal.
"What the f….!" I yell as I'm thrown back against the seat.
"Victoria! Ex-military. I've heard on the grapevine she's working for James. She must be following us. There's no way she didn't see me. Fuck!"
I turn in the seat to look behind and spot a Jeep with camouflage markings pulling away from the curb to join the traffic three cars behind. Bella slings the car around the next corner and accelerates away at speed. I can't see the driver as her side of the vehicle is concealed by a truck, but I can definitely see a guy sitting in the front seat next to her. From the look of him, he definitely isn't military, or recent ex-military, unless they allow dreadlocks in the army now.
"Where are we going?" I say as I rub my neck where the seat belt cut into it.
"No idea, but I'm determined to lose her somehow. Dammit, I didn't want James to know I was here. I don't want him guessing what we're up to either. We'll head south not north until we shake her off!"
I check my seat belt and take some deep breaths. Images of Steve McQueen's epic chase through the streets of San Francisco flash through my mind but we're driving through busy streets rather than purposely closed off ones. I'm just hoping Bella has McQueen's driving skills and we don't end up like his pursuers; burnt to a cinder in an exploding gas station.
"Hold on tight," Bella orders as we fly over the top of a hill and land with a crash.
I grab hold of my seat as Bella accelerates to a frightening and totally illegal speed for urban San Francisco. When I tear my eyes away from the road to look at her, instead of seeing an expression of concern and determination on her face, she's sporting a very wide grin.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you," I spit. I don't even have to try to sound angry.
"I'm fucking delirious," she replies gleefully, repeating my comment to her in bed last night.
As she checks the rear-view mirror before swerving onto the opposite side of the road to overtake a truck, I groan loudly and then begin a silent prayer to the God I really don't believe in, that Bella knows what the hell she's doing.
Okay - I couldn't resist it. If you're writing a story about San Francisco, there's got to be a car chase!
Victoria - eh? Now where the heck has she come from and why is she following Bella (or Edward). If she's ex-military like Bella, this should make for a good car chase if they've had the same training. We can all guess who's sitting next to her as well.
By trying to lose Victoria, Bella is obviously keen to keep James in the dark about her movements, so she must either believe he's involved with Carlisle's disappearance or he's trying to cash in on it somehow.
The police haven't been entirely honest with Edward. It could be that they were being lazy, calling the dead body as Carlisle's without doing the proper checks, or, there's something dodgy going on.
Strap yourself in - it's going to get bumpy (literally). BTW if any of you haven't seen the Bullitt car chase, it's on YouTube. It looks tame now compared to Fast and Furious, but for the 1960's it was incredible. I saw it at the cinema in 1969 - eeek. I was fifteen, pretending to be eighteen - shhhh!
Joan x