BPOV

I knocked on the door hesitantly, plastering a fake smile on my face.

Charlie opened the door looking surprised to see me.

"Hey Bells, whatcha doing home so early?" he asked with a fake smile that rivaled my own. After getting fired from my job as detective of the New York Police Department, I had moved in with Charlie, at his insistence. I constantly reminded him that it was temporary, at least until I found a stable job.

Like that's gonna happen. Unfortunately Charlie thought along the same lines too.

It was not that I didn't like living with Charlie, quite the opposite actually, but I wanted to get my own apartment and be independent and all. How many 23 year olds still live with their parents? My point exactly.

I looked at him warily but decided to play along.

"Oh nothing Dad, I just wanted to visit my father. Is that such a crime?" I asked, faking shock

"It's no crime Bells, no crime at all" he said, his cheek muscles twitching from holding the smile for too long, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Okay Bella let's get down to business" he stage –whispered motioning me to come inside.

I hung my coat and made myself comfortable in the couch while Charlie switched off the TV.

"How, when, where and why did you get fired? Give me all the details" he said rubbing his hands together in eagerness.

I laughed and plunged right into the details, describing every look that crossed every person's face. Charlie sat wide –eyed through the whole thing and then started laughing like there was no tomorrow.

"Well that… was quite….. inventive" he said in between laughing "Let's see, first job – hairdresser, you shaved the guy's head for making a move on you, second job- pizza delivery, you put itching powder on the poor girl's pizza, I still don't know why you did that" I snorted, poor girl, yeah right, bitch was more like it. Charlie ignored me and continued "…third job- dog walker, how can you mess that up? Well yeah, you didn't allow that poor dog to poop and the dog had to be taken to the vet!"

"Come on Dad, Mrs. Watson, did not give me anything to pick up the poop with" I whined knowing very well that why the dog actually went to the vet. Diamonds swallowed by Chihuahuas were not easy to remove.

"But Bella" Charlie looked worried now "What if this guy files charges against you? I mean Jasper was able to brush aside earlier charges saying that it was accidental but this guy sounds like an important person"

My face clouded, considering this, I could be in so much trouble, any hope of getting my old job back went down the drain.

I told you he wasn't worth it but did you listen to me? No you did not!

Oh shut up, will you? Great now I'm talking to myself, though that's not the craziest thing I've done. My crazy musings were interrupted by the telephone ringing. I lazily dragged my feet to the telephone stand.

"Hello"

"Bella? Listen here young lady; you have gotten yourself into so much trouble…I…just come to the headquarters in fifteen minutes!"

I put the phone in the socket and gloomily went to get dressed. I put on jeans and a sweatshirt and dragged my feet downstairs.

"Who was it Bells?" Charlie questioned after seeing my face

"Jasper" I mumbled

"Oh well you know that you have my support…and um...if worst comes I'll bail you out of jail" he said seriously.

"Dad! I'm not going to jail!" I said laughing nervously

"Well I'm just saying that's all" he said, his face composed which then broke out into a grin

"You surely don't believe that Jasper is going to allow them to put you in prison, he'll fight tooth and nail for you and moreover he has a lot of authority. Have more trust in your best friend Bells" Charlie commented while my face visibly brightened.

"I know that Dad, I was just...um...oh no its late I better go before he becomes more mad" I shut the door in my haste to get out of there unwilling to admit that I had doubted my best friend

I smiled, thinking of how we first met. In the park there was one solitary tree right in the middle. When I was six or seven I tried climbing it. I was successful but then I realized that I didn't know how to get down. It was an exceptionally hot day in New York and I was alone in the park.

After a while I heard whistling and saw a boy about my age staring at me.

"My name's Jasper, what's yours?" he asked curiously

I let out a frightened 'Bella'.

"Hi Bella, are you stuck in the tree?" I nodded mutely

"Don't worry I'll get you down". He climbed up the tree and sat next to me. Suddenly I wasn't frightened anymore and we sat and talked for hours and then he helped me down the tree. We've been best friends since.

I approached the headquarters with more confidence. I saw Jasper waiting near the door. He had dark blonde hair and stormy blue eyes. He would have been the most popular guy in high school if he hadn't gotten stuck with the tomboy. Guess who?

I ran up to him and gave him a hug. He smelt like my childhood, wood and pine, my best friend.

"What was that for Bells?" he grinned, patting my head

"I was just reminiscing" I replied, patting his head, standing on my toes to do it. Luckily both of us wanted to follow the same line of work; we both ended up being cops.

"By the way Jasper, why are you mad at me" I asked with a puppy dog pout.

"I wasn't, I was just messing with ya" He chuckled "And you fell for it"

I huffed and then rolled my eyes "Your weird you know"

"But that's why you love me"

"Yeah I guess I do" I smiled at him.

"But I thought you were mad because bald guy reported me" I said feeling confused

"Oh Mr. Drony, that loser, yeah well I dealt with him" he said his jaw tightening

"How…I mean wasn't I the one who dumped food on him?"

"Yeah but he didn't send a complaint, the manager did…I managed to track him down to apologise personally" he rolled his eyes with the expression, the-things-I-do-for-you "… and found out that he was a local pick pocket. So you save the day yet again"

"Wow, I guess I am lucky after all and here I thought I was going to jail" I said absentmindedly

"Bella did you actually think I was letting you go to jail?" he said looking angry

"Well no…but you can't protect me from everything, I must take responsibility for my actions, you can't keep me out of trouble all the time because that's just not fair. So from now own if I have to go to jail, I will. Besides it may be fun, you know"

"And you say I'm the weird one" he smirked

"So Lieutenant Whitlock, what is your real business with ex Detective Swan" I teased, still feeling sad over losing my job. What's done is done. I hate Mike Newton.

"Well I have come to inform you that you might not need that ex anymore" he said smiling widely, almost jumping up and down with joy. I couldn't imagine Jasper…wait! What!

"What? I can have my job back! Seriously! How come?" I asked, suddenly wary.

"Well a new case has come up, not exactly a case but come on in I'll explain everything" he motioned me to follow him and I was jumping up and down with joy.

He took me to his office and bade me to sit on the couch. He switched on the air conditioner and loosened his tie. I rolled my eyes.

"Spit it out Jazz"

"Okay well, I suppose you've heard of the international thief Edward Cullen" I shook my head.

"You haven't? Jeez Bells you ever read the newspaper or watch the news…no wait I'll answer that...you don't" He said shaking his head with an I- should- have-known-better expression

"Well I had to pull a lot of string to get you this job. The FBI wanted someone from the New York's Finest to lead this investigation as they already have their hands full. I was given this case but I told them I already have two murder cases to work on. I asked the Chief if I could put you on the case but he had unfortunately heard that you were fired. Fortunately, however, he had a sense of humor and laughed when I told him that you got fired for kicking Newton in the balls and it also helps that he's my uncle" Japer finished, pausing to take a long breath, looking at me expectantly.

My head was spinning but I had enough sense to ask him. "But if I'm fired how did I get the case? What if I don't solve it? Will I still be a detective or an ex detective then?"

"You don't actually have to solve anything, my uncle's leading the investigation, you just have to follow his orders, listen" he looked around to check if there were invisible spies in office where we were most definitely alone. "Edward Cullen has stolen valuables from all over the world mainly Egypt, Paris, Scotland, Rome and many others. From what I've heard he's strictly only a thief, you don't have to do much, just tail him and then report back to us because we've got information that his next hit is in New York. Don't go close, he shouldn't even get a look at your face, you have to be careful Bells and you'll get the rest of the information from my uncle. He wants to meet you tomorrow at ten." Jasper finished and once again took a long deep breath while I was still wondering how I got such an important case

"Jasper, this sounds really important and I'm not a very good spy..So I don't understand"

"Well the FBI do have spies all over they just want one person from the NYPD but if you want all the details you must meet my uncle as he is handling this case"

I nodded, but something felt wrong and even Jasper looked troubled but he smiled when he saw me looking.

"Don't worry Bells, it will be fine" he said reassuredly.

"Yeah…I guess so" I answered still feeling uneasy.

A/N Hope you liked it. Edward will come in, I think the 4th chapter.

Review..please?