A/N: I don't own it, she does.
Hey guys. I felt pretty good today so I thought I would give you all a chapter. Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. Saying that I feel the love is an understatement. I wanted to also give a special thanks to Litany Gone, and MaraBenefici, and pretty much all of you that have been understanding of my author's note at the end of last chapter. Thanks guys you rock. So here we go. Chapter four.
Chapter Four: Up The River
Have you ever watched those "jail abroad" shows? I felt like I was one of their features. In fact those shows looked tame compared to the shit I was going through right now.
As I was being escorted to the holding cells in a large building in the center of Cairo, there was a smell that rivaled public bathrooms at a fair. The kind that just made you want to vomit a little in your mouth, but these made you want to expel everything from your body at the same time and hope that it smelled better. It was a mixture of human excrement and sweat, alcohol and urine. It was like the walls were decaying all around me from the force of it all.
I walked down the corridor with two female guards at my sides and the sounds of the tortured were all around me. Moaning and cursing (in many languages), vomiting and hysterical laughing, even some sounds that made you wonder if it was only humans were kept down here.
When I first arrived I was taken to a huge shower where I was stripped down to nothing and showered with a fire hose. No soap just cold water. Then a women nurse (I hoped) that was the size of Emmett vulgarly and very slowly "checked" my girl parts. I think she even giggled when I whimpered and cried out. I had never felt so violated in my life.
After my check/rape, as I had come to call it, I was given a dingy white gown and a pair of flimsy flip flops, and then they walked me to my cell.
I wondered how long it would take the Edward and the rest of the family to get me out of here. I hoped that they would bust in these terrible walls and knock the whole place down in a blaze of glory. Saving not only me but the people that suffered in the travesty that they called the Egyptian judicial system.
Of course they wouldn't, the Cullens prided them selves on anonymity. Everything was done on the down low with them. But it was a good dream. My very white dark angel busting in with a show of strength and compassion, to rescue the damsel in distress, and boy was I in distress.
I was lead to a cell with thick bars and a lock the size of my head. It was a small cell about twelve by ten and it looked as if there were at least seventeen people already in there. Nosily they opened the door and shoved me in before slamming it shut and locking it back.
"If you misbehave there is a special room where the male guards visit often." One of the females sneered at me. "And you're just their type… female." They both laughed and left me in shock in the cell ready to pee on myself out of fear.
I found a semi clean and dry looking place on the floor and pulled my knees to my chest, and laid my cheek on my knees. I wouldn't cry until this was over but god I wanted to.
Instead I decided to rest. I kept my ears alert but closed my eyes and let Edward come to me. I remembered a time in my life that I would do anything to hear him. His voice beautiful voice trying to keep me from doing stupid things like motorcycles and jumping off of cliffs. But now I had more. Now I had the memory of his fingers moving inside me and the feel of his cock in my hand. I had the feel of his lips burning me with the cold passion that only he had, and my mind wonder to what it would have been like if we had not been interrupted. Before I knew it I had fallen asleep to the voice of Edward in my head telling me that he had always loved me.
I wasn't sure how long I had been there but I was awakened by the loud nose of a key being shoved into the lock of the cell and the squeak of the door opening. The guards said nothing, but grabbed me by my arms and yanked me into a standing position. I'm sure that my eyes were wide with confusion and fear as they walked me to the door and back out into the corridor.
The cell door slammed behind me and again I was grabbed by the arms and marched back towards the door out of this hell. I briefly wondered if they had decided that I was too calm and wanted to take me to the 'special' place that they had described. The panic was building in my chest and I was sure that they could hear my heart thundering in my chest because it was all that I could hear at the moment.
I decided that I was not going to let them see me unravel. I was going to be strong and I wasn't going to beg. I smoothed out my facial features and let a look of calm and indifference take the panic. I had gotten good at masking my emotions. No one would see the truth and no one ever did. Who needed Jasper?
They lead me to a small room with a mirror on one side of the wall, the walls painted a pale gray that was peeling around the ceiling. In the room there was a table with four chairs and what looked like a tape recorder. I tried not to roll my eyes at the lame Television set up, but alas I failed. It was an interrogation room. Now that I had thought about it, I wasn't even sure what I was being held for. They had not told me when I got here. All I knew was what Edward had told me. He had thrown me my cloths in a millisecond and then he was gone, promises of help on his lips as he vanished. Stupid beautiful annoying vampire.
I wondered if it ever accrued to him that he could have carried me out of there with him. I mean I know that I weigh a little bit more than I did when I was seventeen but what the hell?
I suppressed my giggles as the door opened and Detective Massri walked in the room. I was sure that in this situation my laughing wouldn't be received very well. Of course if I had to stay here any longer I might be one of the people down in the dungeon laugh at nothing just for something to do.
I decided to put in a good game. I put on my best concerned face with a trace of irritation and went to work. "Detective Massri, what is going on? I was dragged from my home and accosted in this awful place with no explanations." My voice shuddered a little and it wasn't an act.
He looked at me long and hard. He was in detective mode, not the kind man with bad news I had met a week ago. He studied me for a few long minutes, I wasn't sure what he found but he sat down heavily in front of me and produced a file that he laid in front of himself.
"Mrs. Daily, we have reason to believe that your husband was murdered." He said, again looking at my face.
I revealed nothing but shock. I knew that this was coming. In fact, I knew that it was a suspicion that day in the morgue. But this game had to be played.
"What." The mention of David's death did bring new tear to my eyes, that I let fall. "I thought… I thought you said it was a cave in. What… why…" I let my voice trail off and the tears fall faster from my eyes.
He sat there for a minute and studied me. He reached into his pocket and produced a handkerchief. I wondered if it was the same one from the night at the morgue, and handed it to me. "Thank you" I sniffed.
"Mrs. Daily, your husband was dead before the cave in." He said. "The coroner confirmed it. We think that it was a planned hit."
"A planned hit? What the hell does that mean? We are not in Goodfellas, so please explain. And then explain what that has to do with me being here and treated like a criminal." I let my voice rise with hysteria.
"Calm down Mrs. Daily. Your husband…"
"David" I corrected. I was sick of him referring to David like he was my sole possession, an object.
"David," he conceded "was sending strange information back to the states. It was very hush-hush. It wouldn't get in depth with anyone what was going on here, just that the dig was enlightening. But we have yet to find his notes on the dig. They have disappeared."
I nodded for him to go on. "He told his mother..." I'm sure that the shock showed on my face when he mentioned David's mother. She and I had never been particularly close, so not only was I shocked that David had spoken with her, but I was shocked that the police in Egypt had spoken with her as well.
"You spoke with Mrs. Daily?" I asked.
He nodded. "That surprises you?" He looked interested in that piece of information. "She said that he seemed on edge and he kept saying that he was worried about you but wouldn't say why. Do you know why that might be?"
I did but it wasn't something that I was willing to share…ever. So I shook my head no.
"Well, she was under the impression that it was fear of you. That you might do something to him, to hurt him." There it was. David's mother had planted the seed to get me here. She had made them suspect me. I knew she didn't like me but to do this meant… God what a bitch.
"I'm… I'm…" what was I? Pissed? Yes. Hurt? Of course. Flabbergasted? That pretty much covered it.
"We have reason to think that you had your husband killed." My mouth fell open. These were police. Even Charlie, a small town cop from Forks would do more investigating then taking the word of a mourning mother. There had to be proof. Evidence. Then I remembered where I was and pushed that out of my mind. Foreign country equals no need for any of those things.
I was about to start raving about how absurd this whole thing was when a commotion out side of the door caught my attention. A muffled insult and a crash.
The door flew open, "and there's more where that came from." The most beautiful women in all the world was standing there in a red pant suit her hair in a loose bun and very smart looking glasses. Her make-up was flawless and her perfect body made my teeth hurt. I wasn't sure what she needed the glasses for, she had perfect sight.
She walked up to Detective Massri and stuck out her hand. It wasn't till that moment I noticed that he was sitting there with his mouth hanging open in aw of the women who looked like an angel that just entered the room. "Rosalie Hale, attorney at law."
Detective Massri shook her hand. He didn't even flinch at the cool skin. "I would like to have a word with my client, and you might have a word with that cow you call a guard, on people skills." She said without missing a beat.
The detective shook his head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, Ms. Hale?" He made it a question like he was trying to be smooth to find out if she was single or not. I smirked and rolled my eyes.
"Mrs. Hale." She corrected.
He visibly looked disappointed. "Mrs. Hale then. I wasn't finished questioning the prisoner." He gestured to me. Well at least he knew I was still in the room.
"Oh I think you are." She said. "You see even in this country the accused…" she stressed the word. "Has the right to legal counsel. But since most of them can't afford it you all forget that. Plus in the fact that you have no proof as to the charges and have kept her here without provocation. If you do not prepare my clients affects with in the next hour for release I will be making a call the US embassy about the way she has been treated. You see my client bruises quite easily." She turned from him as if to dismiss him, smirking like the cat the caught the canary.
Detective Massri looked like he was about to say something but Rosalie spun around and the look that she gave him was enough to make his dead relatives cringe and he thought better of it. He stood up abruptly grabbed his file and stormed out of the room. Rosalie looked unaffected.
Less then an hour later I was walking to the door of what ever hellhole they had brought me too. The cow of a guard that Rose had referred to sneered at me while I collected the last of my affects, but I smirked at her. "Its okay why don't you go to that special place where the male guard visit often. I'm sure you are female somewhere." I giggled at her shocked face and walked away.
It was night again. I found that I had been there almost a full twenty four hours. The longest in my life. Well almost. I was anxious to see Edward. I thought about how he might react about last nights evens. Was he regretting it? Was he going to stay as far from me as possible now? My stomach twisted into knots at the thought. I begged what ever deity there was in the world that Edward would not over react, and bit my lip to stop the tears of fear from falling from my eyes.
Parked right in front of the building was a black limo, and Rose was standing by the open door. I smiled at her as I walked door the steps. "Rosalie Hale, diva extraordinaire." I said giggling.
She smiled at me. I stopped in my tacks and looked at her. I think it was the first honest smile I had ever gotten from her. "Is there any way else to be?" She shrugged.
I walked to her and threw my arms around her. This was the closest I had ever been to her in my life. She was scary but I was glad that she was on my side. "Thank you Rose for getting me out of there." I whispered.
She was statue still for a minute and she stopped breathing. I wasn't sure how she would react to this type of gratitude from me. Then like Claymation she came to life. She wrapped her arms around me in return. "Your welcome Bella, and I'm sorry."
She didn't have to say why. I think she was apologizing for the way she treated me before all those years ago and the loss of my husband at the same time. I was half temped to dismiss her apology but I thought better of it. I had a feeling she didn't give them openly. I nodded in response.
"Now…" she said pulling away from me, "Lets go get some things from your apartment. You're staying with us, for the duration."
I tumbled into the limo while Rosalie glided in without even thinking about it. The duration? The duration of what? I only had one guess. The duration of this process with the police. I could only stay with them until I was proven innocent. Then I would be on my own, again.
I didn't want to dwell on that, I had them for as long as I had them. I would respect their wishes after this was over. I would be grateful for there help. And for the rest of my life I would know that they were real and not the ghosts of my dreams. Would that be enough for me? No, but they would never know the wiser.
"So.." I turned to Rosalie. "How long have you been an attorney?" I was truly curious. She looked the part but as I had been told they matriculate a lot. I wondered if this was a new passion.
Rosalie looked up and smiled. "Twice. Once in the seventies and here recently. Last time I specialized in domestic affairs, this time I went foreign. Emmett needs representation from time to time and we are not always in the states." She laughed at the antics of her husband, and I couldn't help but join.
Emmett was known to do things that he perceived as fun not thinking about the implements of the law first. I could imagine Rose got her full use of the education as soon as she got it.
"But there was the one time that I had to get Jasper and Edward off of charges." She continued. I couldn't help the shock that covered my face. "Of course Emmett had everything to do with those too, but he didn't get caught." She shrugged. "They should have known better."
I was seeing a new side of Rosalie. She was kind and funny. She was unlike the person that I had met seven years ago. I thought about that. I guess through all the years her resentment towards me had given me no hope that she was any different. At the time Rose had not given me a chance, but I wasn't much better. I let her anger towards the situation cloud my judgment of her. I made no effort to even get to know her. I avoided her as much as she avoided me. In fact as I thought back there wasn't a time that I pushed anyone for her likes and dislikes, or her interests. We both dropped the ball and it was unfortunate.
"Rose, thanks for springing me." I said simply.
"You're welcome, you're family." She said it so simply, like it was public knowledge. I kept my face pleasant but I didn't think she realized how her words had touched my heart. She had accepted me, and now I was complete within myself. I hadn't realized how much that would have meant to me.
When we arrived at my apartment and for the first time I looked at it and realized that this wasn't my home. This was one of the many shelters that had housed me while my angel was away. Edward was my home. Where ever he was that where I wanted to be.
We made our way up the stairs to my apartment. The door was open and Alice was bouncing in the frame waiting for me. "Hey jailbird haw was your trip up river?" she asked with a smile playing on her lips. "Jasper, lock up all the silver." She called behind her.
From in the apartment I heard Jasper, "it's her apartment Darlin'. If she wants to steal it she can."
Alice musical laughter was beautiful to my ears. "Let's get you packed."
I walked in the door and I saw what I had been waiting for. Edward stood in the middle of the living room looking like vampire sex. I stopped in my tracks just taking him in. How had I been so lucky to have him?
I looked over to my left and saw three bags sitting by the door. I smiled slightly. "I'm done packing Alice." I called behind me. Her laughter was the only response.
In two strides Edward had me wrapped in his arms and I sighed in content. "I'm sorry you had to go through that Bella." He whispered into my hair.
I shook my head in response. "It's not your fault Edward. I'm fine. I love you." I felt him smile into my hair. "Are you ready to go?" I asked.
He nodded and grabbed my hand. When we made our way to the door I noticed something behind the door. I stopped Edward to retrieve it. It was the package that David a received the day I found out that he died. I had forgotten all about it. I placed it under my arm and smiled at Edward to continue.
The bags were already in the limo and Jasper Alice and rose were waiting for us. Something occurred to me. "Edward what did you get arrested for that Rose had to represent you?"
He looked startled and chagrinned at my question, but before he answered Alice screamed from the limo. "EDWARD!"
At that same instant Edward had me on the ground underneath him, and the windows that faced the street. The windows that were once part of my apartment blew out in a rain of glass wood and fire.
Someone had just tried to kill me.