Chapter Twenty Three

EPOV

"We have some news."

Officer Twain grinned at me, looking smug as shit and to be quite honest; I had no energy to play games. I was tired, depressed and fucking angry all at the same time.

"Well?" I questioned when he didn't say anything further for a long while.

"We know he's not flown out of the state. We checked all the airlines and private jet bookings. Nothing." Twain started.

I nodded in encouragement for him to continue.

"We have had a hit on a car rental though, but it's not in his name." Twain said warily.

"So how does it tie to him then?" I asked, confused as fuck.

"Hey, what's going on?"

I turned and saw that Charlie, Emmett and Jasper had all come into the lounge, each carrying a bottle of beer with them.

"We have some news we thought guys would like to hear." Mac clarified for them.

"Have you found her?" Charlie asked eagerly.

Both Mac and Twain shook their heads and looked a little contrite at having gotten our hopes up.

"Continue." I snapped impatiently.

"Okay, as I was saying we've had a hit on car rentals but it's not in his name but it does tie to him in a way which we hope you can clarify." Mac said.

"How can we clarify? What can we clarify?" Charlie asked in a rush.

Twain turned to me and looked me square in the eye, "You can help." He stated firmly to me.

"Me? How can I help?" I asked.

"The rental agreement was in the name of Tanya Denali. We know you know her as she has a restraining order from you against her name in the system and I also remember you mentioning her coming to see Bella at her office the day of your accident." Twain explained.

I stared at him numbly, uncomprehendingly. Tanya? How the hell was Tanya involved? Scratch that, how the hell did she even know Jacob?

"Tanya? What…How…Tanya?" I spluttered finally.

Twain nodded, "Yes. Judging by the looks on your faces you all knew her?" he asked.

"Yes." Emmett gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Well, the agreement was taken out yesterday morning and-" Twain was cut off by the ringing of his phone. He excused himself to answer it.

I collapsed down onto the sofa and threw my head back and clenched my eyes shut. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Tanya was somehow involved with Bella's kidnapping. I knew she was slightly crazy, but I never thought she would go this far to get to me. I was still trying to come to terms with Tanya's involvement when Twain ran back into the room and slid to a stop in front of me.

"We've found her! We've found Bella!" he cried.

I jumped up from the sofa and grasped Twain by his shoulders.

"Are you sure? How? Where is she? Is she okay?" I demanded.

Twain grabbed me by the shoulders in return and held me steady as my heart raced in my chest, fighting the feeling of hope that I could feel rising up within me.

"She's ok. That was a call from a Mr Gavin from the registrar's office in Manhattan. Apparently Bella and Jacob came in this afternoon and filled out paperwork for a marriage licence. Bella managed to leave a message with Mr Gavin whilst he carried out her individual interview. She wrote while he talked and he said she looked scared and desperate but physically she's okay." Twain explained.

I breathed out a sigh of relief at knowing she wasn't harmed.

"So how does that equate to 'We've found her'?" Jasper asked.

"She said in the note that he was keeping her at his cabin by the lake off of Route 92-B, but Edward? She also asked for you to stay away." Twain said gently.

I snorted, "Trust her. She knows that I would do nothing of the sort! Wait, how did she know to write your number and not mine?" I scoffed.

"Well, the note was actually asking her father for help but Mr Gavin thought it prudent to contact NYPD directly." He explained.

I nodded and inhaled another deep breath before exhaling it slowly to calm my nerves.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" I exclaimed looking from Twain to Mac and back again.

"Edward, you cannot be there. We can't have you in the line of fire." Twain said gently.

"I. Am. Coming! I refuse to stand by and wait while you go and rescue my girlfriend! I need to be there!" I bellowed.

"Edward." I felt Charlie's hand on my shoulder.

I turned my head and looked at him as he shook his head at me. I pleaded with my eyes until he finally sighed and his shoulder slumped in defeat. He nodded once at me and then turned to face Twain and Mac.

"Let him come. I'll keep him behind the lines." He promised.

Twain and Mac exchanged a long look and then nodded in unison at Charlie. I straightened up and nodded back in thanks. I exchanged goodbyes with Emmett and Jasper and followed the three men out of my apartment. Emmett assured me that he would contact our parents and let them know what was going on. I waved my acknowledgement over my shoulder. I would not stop now. Nothing would stop me until I finally saw my Bella with my own eyes.

BPOV

Jacob led me back into the cabin and into my bedroom before he shut and locked the door. I sat down on the edge of the bed as a prayer played through my mind on a continuous loop:

Please let my father find me soon. Please let Edward be okay. Please keep him away and safe.

I hoped that the message I had left with the official would find its way to where it needed to be. I would not marry Jacob. I refused to. I stared at the floor as I prayed as hard as I could that everything would work out without either myself or Edward being hurt.

I don't know how long I sat there but eventually I became aware of raised voices coming from the outer room. I quietly stood up from the couch and tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear up against it. What I heard shocked me. There were three voices coming from the other room, one was Jacob but it was the other two that surprised me.

"Why the fuck would you rent a car in your name, T? You know that shit's traceable!" Jacob roared.

"Jacob, baby, they won't know to link us! No one knows about us." Tanya placated him.

Tanya and Jacob? Since when? And if he had Tanya, why the hell had he kidnapped me and was forcing me into marriage with him?

"Jake, man, it'll be okay, we've covered our tracks well." I reeled back from the door at the sound of Jared's voice.

Jared, my bodyguard was in on it and knew Jacob? How/

"Fine. But if this blows up and my wedding day is ruined I will beat the shit out of you, T." Jacob threatened.

I tried to hear more but it sounded as if they had moved away into another room so I returned to the bed and sank down on it. I crawled into the centre of the bed and curled up on my side. I closed my eyes and drifted in and out of consciousness for a while until I heard the door open. I opened my eyes and lifted my head to see Tanya standing in the doorway. I uncurled my body and stood from the bed, facing her.

"Tanya." I nodded curtly at her.

"Bella Swan." She sneered back at me.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my temper in check.

"You out of Edward's life for good." She snapped back.

"Not going to happen." I snapped back.

"That's what you think." She replied coolly.

It was only then that I noticed the gun in her hand. She raised it up to shoulder height and pointed it at me. I stepped back and raised my hands in a surrender motion.

"Tanya, don't do this. If you get caught your life will be over." I said gently.

"Then I just can't caught can I?" she drawled.

"Where's Jacob?" I asked as my eyes darted over her shoulder to try and see beyond her.

"Out. He and Jared are picking up a few provisions for the wedding, but see I have a problem with that too. I want both Jacob and Edward and they both want you so in order to rectify that situation I have to get rid of you." Tanya explained with a maniacal grin on her face.

Oh God, she had lost her mind. She was certifiable.

"Tanya-" I started before she cut me off.

"No! You have to go! I've waited too long for you to mess this up!" she cried.

I took another step back just as she cocked the gun and clicked off the safety. Her finger twitched on the trigger and I swallowed hard.

"Tanya, think about what you're doing. Please!" I pleaded.

"I have though about nothing more for days, months and years. I don't need to think on it anymore." She snarled.

I stepped back again and prepared to duck as soon as the gun went off. I heard the shot but I moved a fraction too late and I felt the bullet graze my upper right arm and I dropped onto the floor with a cry of pain. I stared up at the white ceiling as my vision blurred into a haze before the blackness of unconsciousness stole over me; pulling me under.

A/N – Dun Dun Duuuunnnn! What now? Will Edward and Co make it to her in time? I know this is slightly short but it was needed for the flow of the story, sorry!