Bella

"Carlisle is the one who had Kaitlin taken."

The words rattle around in my head for a moment, and yet they still don't make any sense. I open my mouth to ask questions but then close it. I don't even know where to start. Sitting up, I crisscross my legs and rub my hands over my face before turning to look down at my husband.

"You're sure?"

Edward nods. "I haven't figured out exactly what he knows, and I'm not sure if something tipped him off to Em and me not being there with you. He called me a couple of days ago and made a few, what I thought were idle threats." He hesitates, seemingly unsure of what he wants to say. It's not something I'm used to hearing from him. He sits up and faces me on the bed, his long legs moving to either side of mine, surrounding me.

"There's a lot I need to tell you, and I have no idea where the fuck to start." His hand reaches for my face, his fingers gently brushing the hair behind my ear. "What I need to tell you is going to hurt, and there's no way around that."

"I understand. Just tell me why he has my baby," I plead softly.

"He took her because he wanted to get my attention. Like I said, he might've been tipped off about something or just got impatient and sent someone after me."

"But how? What would've made him send someone for you? As far as he knew we were on our honeymoon."

He nods his head. "I know, and I had a few men besides Jimmy stationed on the island in one place or another, keeping a watch out for anything suspicious, but no one ever reported back to me. So either Carlisle's men got to them, or they turned on me. I have no fucking idea. I'm still trying to reach them."

"But why?" I ask, still struggling to understand Carlisle's motivation. "What does he need Kaitlin for?" Tears fill my eyes; some trailing down my cheeks as I beg for answers.

His thumb brushes them away, and he once again grasps my hands. "I spoke to him before we boarded the plane for Boston and he sounded a little off kilter, panicked almost. He was rambling on about not being able to find Jasper and Senator Brandon getting anxious to find him. It's been weeks since anyone has heard from my brother, and I think he's getting desperate."

I furrow my brow, still not understanding Carlisle's urgency to find his son. "Why is finding your brother suddenly so important?"

"Besides the fact that Brandon is looking for him, I think the last thirty-five years of keeping Jasper's paternity a secret has finally taken its toll. I think he knows his secrets are about to be exposed and he's not in his right mind, especially if he's figured out I went to see Jane."

"So you're telling me a crazy man has my daughter?" I wiggle from the cage of his arms and stand from the bed, ready to grab my keys and race back to Boston to find my little girl. But Edward is too quick, and he's up and grabbing me gently by the wrist before I can get very far.

"Whatever you're planning to do, just get it out of your head."

"If what you say is true, and he's really lost it, why the hell are we still sitting here? I want my daughter back!" My fists slam against his chest, and angry tears fill my eyes as I scream at him.

"Bella! Stop!" he shouts over my outburst. He gathers me into his arms and tries to comfort me. I surrender and let him calm the storm brewing inside of me. "Stop. He might be losing his mind, but I have to believe he wouldn't harm a child. I have to believe that."

"I still don't understand."

His eyes search mine, and he nods, almost imperceptibly. "I know, and honestly, I'm still working it all out in my head." He sits on the edge of the bed, bringing me down onto his lap as his arms wrap around me. When he starts to speak, his voice is low, and I can sense his hesitation. "The night Jasper went missing, he told us a few things I needed to check for myself."

I look up into his eyes. "That's when he told you about Jane being his mother, right?"

"Yeah, but it was more than that. He told us he had been working with the Voltolini family, trying to gain their respect, to be accepted by them. He told us ..." He grips me just a little tighter, like he'll need to hold me together as he speaks. "He told us he's the one that killed your father."

As I process his words, visions of my father's smiling face flash through my mind; long forgotten memories of blanket forts and board games, movie nights with popcorn and Junior Mints, bedtime stories and music boxes. I don't even realize I'm crying again until the sounds of my sobs register in my ears.

"Shh, baby, it's gonna be okay. He can't hurt you anymore." His hold on me is almost bruising, but I fear I'll shatter into a million pieces if he lets go of me.

"But why? I don't understand, Edward. What did he have to gain by killing my father? The respect of the family that threw him away?" My speech is broken as the stuttered words leave my lips.

"Shh, I know. It doesn't make any sense to me either, baby. But that's pretty much what Marcus said; that Caius convinced Jasper to do it."

I sit straight, my teary eyes wide. "Marcus? You went to see Marcus Voltolini?"

"We did. After we visited Jane."

My head is spinning from all the information he's giving me.

"Wait. That's where you've been all this time? You've been gallivanting all over Europe?"

"Not exactly. Yes, we went to Sicily to find Jane, but it wasn't exactly a vacation. It took a while to get in to see her. And when we did, she had quite the story to tell us, which led us to meet with Marcus. Combined with what he told us, we went to see our dear old Da. When we got to the house, he'd left us a note." Edward stretches out behind us and snags an envelope off the nightstand before handing it to me. "This was on his desk, but there was no trace of him or Ma in the house."

Do I have your attention?

The single line on the small note sends chills down my spine. I stare at the paper clutched in my hand as I try to get more answers, not meeting Edward's eyes as I speak. "What did Marcus have to say to lead you to believe Carlisle had anything to do with it?"

"To answer that I need you to promise me you'll try to stay calm, okay? I can't risk you getting too worked up." His hand rubs across my belly, reminding me of what's at stake.

My heart begins to race, and I look up at him. Judging by the look in his eyes, I know whatever it is he needs to say will be life-changing. "Just tell me." My whispered plea is the only sound in the room.

"We know my father has been hell-bent on preserving Jasper's life; not just because of what he can use him for, his connection to Brandon, but he's probably afraid of what the Voltolini family would do if he was harmed. So he's kept him around as part of the family, right?"

I nod my head. "Okay."

"Well, I found out a few things when I confronted Marcus."

"Confronted?"

"Yeah, I accused him of having something to do with K's kidnapping."

"I can only imagine how well that went."

"Well, he didn't shoot me on sight." He kisses the top of my head and lays his cheek there. "Bella, he told me things that I need to tell you," he whispers. The ticking clock echoes in the silence as he gathers his thoughts. He sits a little straighter and holds me a little closer as he speaks. "Baby, Jane knew your mother."

I tense, and my breathing accelerates. Esme's comments about my mother spending time in Sicily all those years ago run through my mind, about her being murdered not long after she returned.

"Bella," he whispers, "Marcus thinks Carlisle had your mother killed."

"What?" My voice cracks as my eyes fill with fresh tears. "Why would ..."

"He said Jane told her all about her son and his father. I can only guess your mother came back and confronted Carlisle about it."

"He killed ..." My breaths begin to come faster, and my hearing is muffled, feeling like I'm underwater. My vision fills with spots as distorted voices fill the room. The last thing I remember is Edward's panicked eyes as my world goes black.

"I don't give a fuck! Don't call me with excuses, find me some goddamn answers!" Edward's angry words are whispered as I begin to come around. My eyes flutter open, and the bright, early sunlight filtering through the curtain tells me I slept through the night. I turn my head and see my husband. Seated in an armchair at my bedside, his head is tilted back against the seat back with his eyes closed with his cell phone gripped in his hand.

"Hey," I whisper.

His head pops up, his eyes finding mine. "You're awake." His relief is palpable as he gets up to sit on the bed next to me.

"Who knew I needed more sleep, huh?" I smile, but it's weak.

His hand reaches for my face, his fingers lightly tracing my cheek. "I was worried about you, álainn. But Rose said it was likely your body was just going into some kind of defense mode. You had all you could handle and needed to process it all."

"So it wasn't a dream?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"No, baby. It wasn't."

I nod, accepting that the nightmare I'm living is my reality. My daughter was really taken, her biological father was responsible for my father's death, and the man who may have murdered my mother has my baby.

"What now?" I ask.

"Now we wait until we have some information to actually go on. I've got several men and contacts looking for Carlisle and Ma, and as soon as we hear anything, we'll go."

"So you'll let me come with you?"

He nods. "You deserve to get justice, too." His words are quiet, but they speak volumes.

I move to sit, but before I can get upright, a twinge of pain shoots through my lower belly, causing me to gasp. Without thinking, my hand moves to the painful spot hoping to rub it away. It all happens so fast, I don't think about how my husband will react.

"Are you okay? Is there something wrong with the baby?" The alarm is clear in his voice as his hands roam my abdomen like he could fix whatever the problem is with his touch.

"Just a pain. I'm sure it's nothing."

"If you think I'm taking any chances with you or this baby, you're out of your damn mind!" He's on his feet with his cellphone in hand before I can stop him.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for the nearest hospital."

"Edward, that's not necessary. I'm sure it's just ligament pain or something."

"Oh? When did you get your medical degree?"

I stare at him, dumbfounded; thinking the stress of everything has finally gotten the better of him.

"I've been pregnant bef—" The pain makes another appearance as I shift to get up from the bed, causing me to gasp and flop back against the pillows.

"See," he says, pointing at me. "I'm taking you to see a doctor. All the shit over the last few days could be causing this, and we're not going to lose our child because you didn't go see a damn doctor!"

Knowing it's useless to argue with him, I lie back on the bed and curl onto my side. With so much uncertainty in our lives at the moment, I know he needs the reassurance.

"And it's quite common at this stage of pregnancy," the doctor says, causing me to side-eye my husband. "The ligaments are stretching, and it can be quite painful. But I assure you, it's quite normal. If it becomes too much, you can take two acetaminophen tablets for the pain, and be sure to rest throughout the day if you find activity makes it worse."

"Thank you, doctor," I say with a smile.

It's silent in the small exam room after the doctor leaves, Edward not willing to admit defeat, and me trying to keep my I-told-you-so to myself.

"I still feel better knowing it isn't anything serious," he finally says.

"Me, too. Thank you for being so concerned," I say gently.

"I know you think I overreacted, but—"

"Hey, no, it's okay. I know you just needed to know for sure. If it's something that can give you peace of mind, it's okay."

He nods and opens his mouth as if he was going to say something, but before he can, his phone rings.

"Cullen," he barks, answering it. His eyes meet mine as he listens, and I can pinpoint the moment he has some kind of news. "Okay, we'll head that way when we're done here. Send me the address." With not much more to say, he ends the call and puts his phone back in his pocket.

"Did they find her?" I ask, my voice full of hope.

"No, but Carlisle was spotted. And if we can find him, hopefully—"

"We can find her."

"Yes." He gets to his feet and steps between my legs as I'm seated on the exam table. "So I say you get dressed, and I'll go get you checked out and pull the car around." He kisses my forehead. "Sound good?"

"Sounds good."

After he leaves the room, I lose the lap sheet the nurse gave me so I could be examined and slip on my pants and shoes. I step into the hallway, and it's nearly deserted. The urgent care facility I convinced Edward to bring me to instead of a hospital isn't busy this time of day, so I meander my way through the halls looking for the ladies' room.

As I pass an open door, I'm brought up short and take a step back. In an instant, as I peer inside, an idea forms in my mind. Endless nights spent researching for school, and friendly conversations with the Medical Examiners in Boston about one case or another might have given me just enough information to know what to look for.

The door to the medical supply and medication room has been left open and unattended. I check the hallway for any personnel and look to the corners for surveillance cameras. When I don't find any, I step into the room and scan the shelves, quickly working out how they're organized.

The narcotics and controlled substances are kept in a locked cabinet, but what I'm looking for isn't one of them. In fact, its name makes it sound harmless. But in large enough doses, potassium chloride can cause severe heart arrhythmias and mimic a fatal heart attack. The innocuous-looking medication is on the shelf alongside the baby aspirin and Nitroglycerin. I zero in on the vials of clear, seemingly harmless liquid. I grab one from the shelf, and snag a syringe, stuffing them into my pocket, and leave the room quickly.

I know the entire process only took less than a minute, but my heart is racing as I start to step into the hallway.

"Ma'am, you're not supposed to be back here," someone says from behind me. I turn and see one of the staff, likely a nurse.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must've gotten turned around. I was looking for the restroom. I must've taken a wrong turn."

Her smile is genuine, and I try to calm my racing heart. "Yeah, it's just back this way," she says, pointing behind her.

"Thank you," I reply as she guides me in the right direction.

"You're quite welcome!"

When I've finally made it to the door, seeing Edward waiting causes a wave of calm to wash over me. After the call he received, I know we're one step closer to finding our daughter, and with the items in my pocket, when we finally confront Carlisle Cullen, I know how I'm going to make him pay for everything he's taken from me.

"I can't believe he had the balls to just ..." Edward grips the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles white, as he drives us back to the city. "And you aren't going to go in guns blazing, do you understand, Bella?" His biting tone tells me just how wound up he is. I'm not too far behind him, but I'm also in knots thinking we're one step closer to having Kaitlin back.

"I understand. But my god, I'm not going to hide in the car, either. I have every right to face him."

"Believe me, I'm well aware." He glances in my direction then back to the road.

I can tell he's less than happy about me joining him to confront his father, but when Alec called to tell him Carlisle had walked through the doors of Edward's pub, I wouldn't take no for an answer. He may try to play it cool, but his public appearance tells me he's afraid of what his son may do to him. At this point, though, it wouldn't surprise me if Edward pulled a gun on his own father in the middle of Cullens.

The traffic is blessedly light as we travel back to the city, and as the tall buildings rise from the horizon, my anxiety starts to get the better of me. Knowing Emmett is following in the car behind us offers me a modicum of comfort, but not much.

Edward reaches across the console and grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze. "We'll get her back, álainn, I promise. He's just trying to make a point. But I won't let him get away with it, I promise."

"I know. And besides," I say, looking over at him, "I wouldn't let you. That son of a bitch is going to pay for everything he's done."

The rest of the drive is quiet, both of us lost in our thoughts, and by the time we arrive, I'm ready to bolt from the car and attack Carlisle for answers. Edward checks his Glock before he gets out to open my door.

"You're sure you don't want me to carry a piece?" I ask him.

"No," he says, shaking his head. "He chose this spot for a reason," he says as he eyes the building. "Carlisle doesn't want a scene, so you're safe here."

"But you're—"

"I always am."

I nod and step from the car. As we get closer to the door, I begin to tremble. But before we get inside, he pulls me into his arms and squeezes me to him, whispering in my ear.

"If I have to torture the man for answers, I swear to you, on my life, I will. We will get her back. I just need you to trust me."

Unable to speak, I only nod. I rest my head on his chest and let his presence calm me, even if it's only a little. With my head turned, I watch as Emmett exits his car and walks our way.

"Okay," he says. "You follow my lead and let's go get our girl back."

We all walk through the door to the pub, and familiar faces call out a greeting to my husband and his brother. They nod as we pass, but we make a beeline for the rear of the room, Emmett stopping along the way to take a seat at the bar just feet away. As we approach the secluded corner, we see his father sitting casually in a booth, seemingly without a care in the world.

"So you finally decided to come home," he says, his eyes narrowing on me. "And since when do we bring along our wives on business?" he asks as he brings a glass to his lips.

Edward ignores his father's question and stands to the side as I slip into the booth, him following right behind me. I fold my hands in my lap under the table just to keep them steady.

"Cut the bullshit, Carlisle. Where is my daughter?" His voice is low, menacing.

"Oh, I'm Carlisle now, am I? Since when did you think it was okay to show me such disrespect?"

"The moment you stopped earning it. Now, where is Kaitlin?"

"She's fine," he says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Probably on some shopping expedition with her nana."

I can't stop the sob that escapes me, hopeful relief flooding my body. Edward pulls me tightly against him and holds me close.

"And you expect me to trust you? A man who would have his own granddaughter taken from her bed in the middle of the night?"

Carlisle's evil smile toward his son sends a chill down my spine. "And you expect me to trust you? The one who lied to me about still being on your honeymoon when I called you three days ago. Imagine my surprise when I sent my men to encourage you to come home, but you weren't there. But I got you here, in the end, didn't I?"

"You're one sick son of a bitch, you know that? Now, I'll ask again. Where. Is. My. Daughter?"

"Where is my son?" Carlisle counters. "Your brother hasn't been seen for weeks, Edward, weeks," he spits. "And call it a gut instinct, but I think you know where he is. And if you want to talk about trust, where the hell have you been? Why did you leave the island when you told me you were still there? What are you hiding?"

"I had some business I needed to take care of that couldn't wait."

"And you couldn't be bothered to tell me that when I called you three days ago?"

"I didn't think it was important. You're not running things anymore, so I don't feel compelled to inform you of every decision I make."

"Not important," he mumbles. "Your brother has disappeared, and you act like you don't care!" He's seething now, his fists clenched on the table.

"Why the fuck would I give two shits about where Jasper is? I'm the first one who would be fucking thrilled if he just dropped off the face of the earth. Why do you care so much where that piece of shit is, anyway?"

Carlisle grips at his hair, reminding me of when Edward is stressed. "Because I have Brandon breathing down my neck and ... and ... I need to find my son." His desperation is clear, and if I didn't know the vile things he's done to cover a lifetime of deception, I would feel sorry for him.

"I don't give a fuck if he's off snorting his way through a boatload of coke off a whore's ass, Carlisle. Maybe he'll turn up, maybe he won't. Maybe his vices finally caught up with him."

Edward's words hang heavy in the air as the men stare down one another. My hands are squeezed together so tightly, my nails are digging into my skin. The tension between them is at a breaking point, and one of them is going to snap.

"Where. Is. My. Daughter?" Edwards says through gritted teeth.

Seconds tick by before Carlisle drops his gaze from his son's, hanging this head, and concedes. "She's with your mother. When my contact called to say you weren't on the island, I arranged for Kaitlin to be taken to your mother in New York." His tone is defeated as I see Emmett whip out his phone to make a call. "I made it sound like I was giving the two of you time to yourselves and wanted the two of them to spend time together."

"So you terrorized our daughter?" Edward is vibrating beside me, using all his self-control not to reach across the table and rip his father to shreds. "Took her from her bed and, what? Threw her on an airplane? She had to be fucking terrified!"

"I made sure she was comfortable, Edward. I had them give her something to help her sleep, and she woke up in a hotel room with her grandmother. What's the problem?"

"What's the ... You ... What the fuck is wrong with you? You drugged her?"

Before Edward can reach Carlisle, Emmett runs to the table and thrusts his phone into my hand. I nearly drop it as my trembling fingers fumble to grasp it.

"Hello, hello? Kaitlin?" My plea is answered with the sweetest voice I've ever heard.

"Mommy?"

"Kaitlin! Baby, are you okay?" So many emotions are running through me, I'm shaking. Edward is holding me close to his side as we both listen to our girl on the other end of the line.

"I'm okay, Mommy. Nana is here, and she told me things would be okay. But, I was scared when I woke up, and you weren't here."

"I'm so sorry, K," I say, my voice breaking. "It wasn't up to me. Are you really okay, though? Is Nana taking care of you?"

"Yeah. But I miss you." She's quiet for a moment, her attention elsewhere. "Why is Nana crying now? She's saying sorry, Mommy. What's going on? Why is she crying?" Her voice increases in volume and panic starts to creep in.

"Everything is going to be okay, K. I need you to stay with Nana, and I will see you very soon. Do you understand?"

"And Daddy, too?"

"And Daddy too."

"Okay. I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too, Kaitlin."

Even though I don't want to hang up, I disconnect the call. I clutch the phone in my hands, my lifeline to my girl, as tears of relief run down my cheeks.

"See, she's fine. No harm, no foul." Carlisle's blasé attitude makes my blood boil. Edward must feel the same, because he reaches for his gun.

"Don't," I whisper into his ear as I grab his forearm. "Not here." I turn to my father-in-law, the man who has done so much to hurt so many. "There are things we need to discuss and things I need answers to; answers you will give me. But here isn't the place." I turn to Edward and wipe at my cheeks, knowing I must look like a disaster. "I need a minute. Let me up, please," I say to my husband with pleading eyes.

He nods and stands, helping me to my feet.

"Well, would you look at that." Carlisle eyes my midsection. "You work quick, don't you? Is that what the rush was to get married?"

"Excuse me," I say to no one in particular as I walk toward the ladies' room, leaving Edward to deal with his father.

I close the door and lock it, resting my head against the wood. My breathing slows as I focus on what I need to do. The vial and syringe weigh heavy in my pocket, and with a new determination, I turn to the sink to splash cold water on my face.

Looking at my reflection, I don't see the scared teenager who came to live with the Cullen family over ten years ago. Instead, I see a strong, capable woman. Even after everything that vile man sitting beyond the door has taken from me, including the likelihood he's the one that killed my mother, he has not had the power to break me. But, he came close when he crossed the line and took my sleeping daughter from her bed.

So help me ... I will make him pay.

A/N: Eeep! Next up we'll hear from Edward. Who do you think will be the one to actually make Carlisle pay?

Thanks to Fyrebyrd, Gabby1017, and 2brown-eyes for pre-reading this one, and to my beta, SunflowerFran. Please remember, all mistakes are mine.

Thank you all so much for all the love you guys have shown this story! We're getting ever closer to the end, and I'm in a pretty good groove with writing and hope to have it all done in the next couple of weeks. It'll likely only be a few more chapters! So, with that in mind, I won't be replying to reviews this week, but I'm putting the time to good use and wrapping up this one!

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