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See a/n at bottom!
EPOV
"Alice, I want to you go in there and talk to the accounts manager. Make sure you're in a private office. Explain to them that you suspect your accountant of embezzling. Ask them for a complete history of all transactions on the account and the current balance. If Billy or anyone else we know has access, have them removed from the administrators list. DO NOT show any surprise. Just get in and get out. Jazz will be parked right here at the entrance. Em and I will be in the Starbucks, across the street. When you come out, get in the car and go straight home. Em and I will be right behind you."
Em nudged me about half an hour after Alice went inside. "Dude, look at that blue car over there. The one three down from Jazz. They pulled up five minutes ago and have done nothing but talk on their phone. They're Native. Think they work for Billy?"
"I don't recognize them, so I couldn't say for sure. Keep a tab on them. If they do work for Billy, then someone in that bank does also."
Another half hour had passed, before Alice came out. She had a huge smile on her face. Sure enough, the blue car pulled out behind Jazz. My phone started ringing.
"Jazz said to let you know he picked up a tail."
"Yeah, we can see that. Tell him to take the long way home. I want to make sure it's not just a coincidence. We're right behind them. I don't think they've made us out. Just be cool and pretend that you don't realize they're there."
"Okay, see you at home. And just wait until you hear what I found out! You won't believe it!"
"Let's try and get a picture of these guys. Bella or Seth might know them." Sometimes Em really surprises me!
The car followed Jazz and Alice all the way back to the apartment building, before speeding off.
"No, I'm sorry I don't know them." Bella said looking at the pictures on my phone.
"Let me see." I passed it over to Seth. "That's Brady and Colin. They don't really work for Billy, but they do take the occasional odd jobs for him for a few extra bucks. Billy probably had them come to Seattle, as soon as he found out Bella was here." That would explain how they got there so fast. La Push is about four and a half hours from here.
Everyone was gathered around our dining room table. "What did you find out, Alice?"
"The bank manager was surprised to see me. That's for sure. I didn't have an account number, so he verified my date of birth and social security number, and he checked my identification. The account was opened, as a trust fund, the day after Bella's birth. It was opened, in Phoenix, with $5,000,000.00. The only transactions made were twice a year deposits, on her birthday and Christmas. They were $1,000,000.00 each time. They were all wire transactions, coming from an offshore account. With the initial amount, subsequent deposits, and interest, the current balance is…hang on let me look…$75,817,931.23. I set up an ATM card and checks to be sent. The only administrator of the account is Aro Volturi. Billy has tried to call and get information on the account, but has never been granted access."
There was a moment of absolute silence, before the room exploded with loud voices.
"HOLY, FUCK ME!"-Em
"OH, MY GOD!"—Rose
"HOW?"—Jazz
"LET'S GO SHOPPING!"—Alice
"ARO?"—Dad
I looked at Bella, she looked as if she was in shock. "Who is Aro Volturi?" Was the only thing she managed to get out.
My mother was the one who answered her. "Aro Volturi is one of the most powerful men in the country…possibly the world. He is also my father's best friend. He runs the largest organized crime family in the USA. He has a son, Matthew Charles Volturi, but they had a major falling out and Mathew left. I don't know the whole story. No one heard from Mathew again. I always thought Aro had him killed. Now, I wonder if Matthew just changed his name and fled. Edward, you said that there's a minimal paper trail, before Bella's parent were married. I wonder if Bella's dad is Matthew, and he assumed a new identity. Aro, obviously, knew where they were, since he set up the trust for Bella. She is his only heir."
"I think, maybe, we should try and schedule a sit down with Aro. It sure as hell sounds like your mother is right, Edward. I'll call your grandfather, and he can make the arrangements. Aro won't meet with us, unless it's set up by someone he trusts impeccably."
"I don't want Bella to be there, until I can find out his intentions." I will not allow her to get hurt.
"THAT STUPID FUCKER, PAUL!" Jasper shouted suddenly. "Billy hasn't been mumbling about 'birds', He's been rambling about 'the Volturi'! God damn it!"
After Dad got off the phone with my Grandfather, I wanted to get Bella alone. She didn't seem to be taking all of this information too well.
"Son, before I go, your Grandfather said he'll set up a meeting with Aro. Although he doesn't think it will be before Thanksgiving, as Aro is in Italy at the moment. I hope you don't mind, but I told him to tell Aro, that it pertains to Bella. I thought saying that might get us an earlier audience with him."
"That's fine, but I don't want Aro to know more than that, until I can get a feel for him."
"Edward, how could I have that much money, and never know about it? I was homeless, for God's sake. Why did my father lie to me for all those years? I feel like my whole life was a lie! I feel betrayed, by my own parents. Billy obviously knew the truth. Drunk or not, he trusted Billy more than me." Bella was rightfully upset, by these revelations.
Hugging her, I told her that we would get to the bottom of all this.
"Sweetheart, I don't think that it was a matter of your dad not trusting you. I think he was protecting you from something. Did you ever see anyone you didn't know lurking around? Maybe get the feeling you were being watched? Aro seems to know who you are. I'm just wondering how closely he was having you watched."
"No, not really. Although, I do remember this one time. Someone I don't know who came to the door. I was sixteen at the time. My dad told me to get in my truck and go over to Angela's house. She was, pretty much, my only real friend. Anyway, this guy just stood there looking at me. I thought I heard him whisper 'Isabella ', but it was so low, I wasn't sure. How could he know my name, you know? As I was leaving, I overheard my dad say to this guy, 'What the fuck, Alec? Just go back and tell him that he's not using my family. I'm done. He can go to hell! He has enough money and power. He doesn't need us for more'. By the time I got home, the guy was gone and my dad said it was just something work related."
"Bella, would you recognize him if you saw him again?"
"Yes, the look in his eyes was like nothing I had ever seen before. They were so cold and calculating. I swear they could freeze you in place."
"I don't know any of Aro's family. I know of him, but I've never had any dealings with him. As large as my family is, Aro's is in a class all of his own. He's one of the elite. We are small potatoes in comparison. That's why my Grandfather needs to set up this meeting. Aro doesn't meet with just anyone. I just hope that he will, not only, be agreeable, but will also shed some light onto what's going on." My phone ringing interrupts us.
"Edward, your grandfather just called me back. Aro refused to meet with us, UNTIL he mentioned Bella's name, now, he's returning from Italy early. He will be in Seattle on August 6th, two days after Alice's wedding. We've been told to meet him at The Westin hotel and if Bella isn't with us we need not come. He won't see us without her, Aro didn't disclose much to him, but he did admit to being her grandfather. To say Marcus, was shocked is an understatement, he's never seen Aro change his plans for ANYTHING or ANYONE before. He's going to be at the meeting also, I told him what little we know. He thinks your mother is right, and Aro has been keeping tabs on Bella. Try not to worry, we'll keep her safe. I don't think he has any, bad intentions towards her. If he did he wouldn't have set up that trust fund for her."
"I don't like the idea of her being there, but I guess we don't exactly have a choice. I'll let Bella, know what you've told me, I'm also going to put Seth to work on her detail. He has not only earned my trust, but he knows all the people Billy uses. He would be able to see them coming, before they can get too close to her."
"That's probably for the best. Bella trusts him and he and Garrett seem to get along. I think, they'll make a good team. We'll talk more in the morning. Night."
"Night, Dad."
Bella had fallen asleep while I was on the phone with my Dad. I lifted her into my arms, to take her to bed. She was so exhausted, she never even stirred. I kissed her forehead and got myself settled in next to her. "I love you," I whispered to her just, before sleep consumed me.
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