Chapter 11

When Edward caught Esme, Renee and Tanya immediately guide him to her room to settle Esme in her bed. Alice stood quiet for a while, the idea of her uncertain future rendered her mute. Emmett took the chance to talk to Aro. They went to the hallway outside Carlisle's study, Edward went back with them. He promised Emmett to be there to support him.

"Mr. Volturi, I asked you the chance to talk about your niece, Rosalie." Aro's blank face turned to look at Emmett, so he continued. "As you know, we both were engaged in previously arranged relationships. We discussed it, and we found that our feelings were bigger than the compromise behind those relationships. We both broke the engagements, and now I'd like to ask your permission to court Rosalie in hopes to be worthy of her hand."

Aro stood quiet for a minute. Emmett threw Edward a panicked look, he thought Aro was going to reject him.

Finally Aro asked "What did Carlisle had over you to get you engaged to Alice?"

This wasn't the question Emmett was waiting.

"Well, hmm, it's a question difficult to answer. Would you be satisfied if I swear to you that it had nothing to do with something I did?"

"No. I want an honest answer. I'm asking you, not as the retired Scotland Yard officer, I'm asking you as Rosalie's uncle and paternal figure."

Emmett sighed. "When I was away studying to become a lawyer, my mother became pregnant. The doctors told her it was very risky, because she was too old to be a mother again. They got her in bed rest the whole pregnancy, but it went wrong. The baby was stillborn. My mother didn't know how to cope with the baby's death, she begin to carry a doll and called it 'her baby'. She became aggressive toward the people who tried to take away the doll. My father had her committed." Emmett was looking to the ground. "Mr. Cullen made it clear that people wouldn't be requiring the services of a lawyer like me, the son of a demented woman."

What he said shocked us into silence. So that was the reason he never talked about his family!

Aro stared to both, and said "First we have to prove you're innocent, then you'll have my permission to marry the girls." Then he left.

Edward tried to talk with Emmett about being the executor of the inheritance, but Alice came barreling to the hallway.

"Emmett, I think that given the circumstances, I can't let you break our engagement."

Emmett was about to burst laughing when Carmen came out to the hallway. "Of course he won't, Alice. It would be preposterous to even think about it after the tragedy of losing your father, and now you don't have a place to live."

Edward wanted to say something, but he wasn't used to this underhanded comments. Luckily, Renee come to the rescue.

"Nonsense. Esme will be delighted to let Alice stay for as long as she needs it." She gave Carmen a glare. "Though about the engagement, dear Alice, you were absolutely delighted to be single again. I'm sure you hadn't told Dr. Whitlock the good news. I'm sure he will have something to say about it, right?"

For a second Alice was ready to protest, but then she said "Do you really think so?"

Edward was nauseated with Alice selfishness, he hoped Jasper had recovered his common sense and he left this awful woman alone.

He asked Renee "Do you have a minute?" and he didn't wait for her answer, he took her arm and led her outside of the house.

"I can't stand those vile women!"

Renee grinned. "So did Aro gave you his permission?"

"No, he said we have to prove our innocence."

"Don't worry, he already likes you. Otherwise he would had said no. I'm hoping for a winter wedding."

xxx

Edward was happy to be at the train station, far away from the tension in the house. He finally got back his things from Rhodesia. He watched how the station employees got down the crates, when he felt someone looking at him. Alec was walking with a little girl by his side. This must be Jane. She looked younger than twelve, long braided blond hair, blues eyes full of curiosity.

"Hey Masen! what are you doing here? Are you ready to leave Forkshire and run back to Africa?" He said smiling.

"Oh no. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for the rest of my things to be discharged." All of them turned to the last wagon where two employees were piling the crates.

The little girl asked "Do you come from Africa?"

"Yes, from Rhodesia."

"Do you have a lion's skin in one of those crates?"

Edward chuckled. "No, why is it that everybody wants a lion's skin."

"Well, they're the most difficult to get. They're very dangerous." she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah? I found more terrifying being chased by a wild rhino."

"Did you see a rhino?"

Oh my! This girl is very confident. Alec chose that moment to introduce them.

"Miss Jane, this is Mr. Edward Masen. I'm glad you're meeting him now, because he's living in your house for a while."

She gave Edward an inquisitive glance. "Not in my room, right? I have a secret hide away there."

"Miss Jane, what could you hide in your room?"

"Cookies. Aunt Esme is very strict, she doesn't let me eat them until the tea is ready. But now there was a murder in the house. I'm going to search for clues, and hide them to give them to the police. Maybe they'll let me keep something... like a button from the dead's shirt. Imagine that!"

Both men looked at each other. this girl was vivacious. Esme will have her hands full with Jane.

Alec and Jane said goodbye to Edward. They were ready to get Jane with her aunt.

Alec went to London to gather the information Aro asked to his contacts. Edward Masen's past was squeaky clean. The guy wasn't a monk while in Africa, but he didn't let any relationship lost in there. Carlisle Cullen however... was a sneaky rat. There were a couple of times when he dodged jail by a hair. The people who may have something against him, were in jail or dead. Nobody in London will miss him, and apparently, nobody wanted him dead either. The killer was in Forkshire, no doubt.

He sighed. Aro sent him a telegraph, asking him to pick up Jane. He didn't want Esme to leave town. She was now the principal suspect. Alec thought it was unfair, Esme was a nice woman. She had worked her whole life to support her family. Maybe Carlisle did one good thing in his life, to help her, and it turned out to be the opposite.

Jane was too quiet, looking through the window of the car. This was getting boring.

"Are you helping the police with the investigation?"

"Well, I think so. My boss is Mr. Aro Volturi."

"But you aren't in the police?"

"No, I'm not."

"It's fine, I like you. The police is always the last one to know."

"To know what?"

"Who's the criminal. In the novels I read, the detective helps the police, then he gets the culprit. I was reading one where they killed a woman in a church. Why a church? There's always someone inside, and there's always an echo. I find it impossible."

"Jane, does your aunt knows you read crime novels?"

"No, but she didn't ask. I hide them in my secret place."

Alec was thinking that maybe she wasn't the only one knowing about this secret place, and they had to find some glasses...

"Jane, would you show me your secret hiding place?"

"Sure, but you have to promise to not tell aunt Esme; or she will confiscate my cookies."

"You have my word." After all, Esme could be scarier than the police.