Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer and not to me… sigh.I also don't own Sleeping with the Enemy. The book belongs to Nancy Price and the movie belongs to Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

Sleeping with a Monster

Previously…

"I wish my parents could have met you. They would have loved you," he whispered in my ear. I lifted my head and he caught my lips in a passionate kiss. It might have seemed a little weird to be making out with Edward in front of his parents grave, but it was a tender sweet moment it didn't feel strange.


Chapter 29 - Memories

Edward was distant as we rode in the elevator to our room. The earlier references to me being his wife flooded my mind – first the driver and then the waiter at the restaurant. His discomfort at the idea was clear even if he did try to hide it. We continued to our room in silence and as soon as we were inside the room, Edward immediately went into the bedroom. I followed hoping to have a word with him, but before I could say anything, he strode into the bathroom and closed the door. My sigh was laden with disappointment.

I walked over to my suitcase and pulled out a manila envelope. I ran my hand across the flat surface; apprehension erupted and I walked back into the front room. I dropped the envelope onto the coffee table and turned my attention to the picture window, not really seeing the twinkling lights of the cityscape. I wrapped my arms around myself and waited for Edward to emerge.

After a few minutes, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. Edward lowered his head to my shoulder and sighed. I looked down at my arms resting easily over his, pretending it fascinated me.

"Bella," he whispered. I knew he was looking at my reflection in the window.

I lifted my head; not willing to look at his face mirrored back at me and replied, "Yes?" I didn't want to face at him until I knew I could control my expression.

"Please look at me." His voice was soft as he turned my body to face him, placing a hand under my chin to raise my face to meet his.

I lifted my eyes and found myself drowning in the green depths of the sorrow in his. "Edward, what's wrong?" He quickly guarded his expression, hiding his sadness away from me, but it was too late. I knew.

He sighed and rested his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry, love. I just have a lot on my mind. Things I have to work through, my own personal demons." He didn't fool me. I knew this had to do with my status as a married woman.

I didn't think he would bring it up unless I asked. "Does this have to do with people assuming that I'm your wife?"

"It's not that…" His voice trailed off.

"Sweetie, I can see it upsets you. Every time someone calls my Mrs. Masen, you stiffen and get this look in your eye. Why does it upset you?" I hoped my gentle prodding would get him to open up to me.

"It doesn't upset me," he said a little defensively, but I could hear the lie in his voice.

"Really?" I raised one eyebrow, daring him to deny it again. "Then what is it?" I stepped back, folding my arms across my chest.

"Nothing," he mumbled before he looked up at the window not willing to look me in the eye.

"Then what was that when we first came back to the hotel room?" I challenged him. I wanted to get this out in the open, making sure that this was the only problem Edward had with me. If there was something else, I needed to know.

"Bella, I'm sorry for that. Really, it's not you, it's me." I groaned at the whole 'it's not you, it's me' line. That was a classic break-up line taken right from Seinfeld no less.

"No, Edward. I want to know what's going on. You get upset if anyone insinuates that I'm your wife. The physical aspect of our relationship borders on platonic. We haven't even made it to second base for crying out loud." I took deep breath, deciding to go for broke. If he was having reservations about me, I needed to know now before I did something stupid. "Edward, are you physically attracted to me? Or does the thought of making love to me repulse you?"

"What? Where's this coming from. You know I'm attracted to you. Have I not told you that I want you?" He truly looked shocked for a moment, but then his expression quickly changed to something bordering on understanding.

"Telling me and showing be are not the same thing. Something is stopping you. Anytime our passion escalates, you stop and mutter something about testing your self-control. Have I not made it clear that I'm ready and willing?" I placed a hand on one his biceps. I could feel how taut his muscles were under his shirt.

Edward smirked seductively at my admission. "Really? Ready and willing!" I knew what he was doing, but I wasn't about to let him turn this into a joking situation that would be swept under the rug again.

"Seriously Edward. I feel like the guy here, pressing to further our physical relationship, while you keep pushing me away. I really want to know what's gong on. Or are you just not that into me?" I was egging him on a little. I knew he wanted me, but I needed him to open up to me. If he couldn't learn to do that…

"God no! I love you and want you in every way possible. It's just…" Edward let out a frustrated growl and ran his hand through his already unruly hair. He turned and started to pace a little. I waited patiently, hoping that there wasn't anything else besides his reservations about being with a married woman. That was fixable with time. It was the unknown that worried me. He suddenly stopped in front of me, squared his shoulders, and took a deep breath. I met his gaze and braced myself. Here it comes.

"It's… it's because… you're still married," he said softly. He slumped his shoulders, looking as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. I waited for him to add anything else to his admission, another reason, perhaps.

When he didn't add anything, I broke the silence. "Is that it? Is there anything else?" Edward looked up at me as if I had two heads.

"Bella, I made you a promise. I told you I would do whatever it takes to be with you. That it didn't matter to me that you were married, but it does bother me – a lot." I wanted to let out a huge sigh of relief at his admission, but I held it in.

"Why?" I already knew, but this was now an exercise in Edward opening up to me.

"I feel like if we make love, I'll be having an affair with a married woman," he said pinching the bridge of his nose.

I laughed. "Edward, you've been having an affair with me regardless of whether we sleep together or not. We are in love; we practically live together. Sleeping together is not the only aspect of 'having an affair.' We've been having an emotional affair for sometime. Is that any less of a betrayal?"

"No, you're right, of course. But that's not the only thing that's bothering me," he admitted. Oh no! My heart cried at the realization that there was more to his reluctance to be with me than just my martial status. I waited for the guillotine to drop, dealing me a blow from which I wasn't sure I could recover.

"Every time someone refers to you as my wife, it reminds of something I can't have." Edward took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes with a fierce expression. "You will never be mine – not in every way. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," I whispered. "But I can–" Edward cut me off.

"Just give me some time. I can certainly learn live with this. I guess I just need some time to let it go." Edward was pleading with me to understand.

I let out a shaky laugh as I realized I had the power to fix all of this and it was sitting in a simple envelope on the coffee table.

"Edward, I can do that. But I have something for you that will make all this unnecessary." The tremor in my voice was undeniable as Edward gazed at me, concern coloring his expression. I gave him a nervous smile and pulled out of his grasp before walking over to the coffee table.

Edward walked towards me and took one of my hands in his. "What is it?" I looked down at the manila envelope on the table, picked it up and handed it to him. I let go of his hand and sat down on the couch. I propped my elbows on my knees and rested my head in my hands.

"I filed for divorce and an order of protection," I said as a feeling of dread filled my soul at the realization that James would not make this simple. However, I knew Edward was worth it.

"What?" Edward's voice was sharp with surprise. "Bella! Are you sure about this? What if James comes after you? Will he be able to find you now?" Edward paused, but only for a brief moment before continuing. "Wait. When did you do this?"

I figured the question he wanted me to answer first was the 'when.' "I met with Jasper on Tuesday. I met with the divorce lawyer Wednesday and put a rush on the paper work so I could have a copy so we could discuss this." I didn't move out of my position on the couch, suddenly feeling weary.

"What did Jasper say," Edward said softly as he sunk down on the couch and pulled me into his arms. I instantly relaxed at touch as I released the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"The district attorney has agreed not to pursue legal action against me. Jasper sent him copies of the pictures Esme took of my injuries. There shouldn't be any insurance action against me because James has not had me declared legally dead yet. You typically have to wait five years for someone who disappears to be declared dead. Now I know I was presumed dead and James could have applied to have me declared dead early, but he didn't. Until he does, he can't collect on any insurance policy. He needs a death certificate.

"The order of protection has been done anonymously. James has no way of finding my address from that. I spoke to my lawyer about keeping my whereabouts a secret, even from the law firm handling James. I've stressed the importance that even my state of residence not be disclosed. The law firm has agreed to do this by funneling their communications with James's law firm through a sister law firm in another state. As long as I don't have to go to court, I can hopefully keep my location a secret."

"What if James contests the divorce and demands a trial?" Edward spoke for the first time since I started.

"That's where the pictures come in handy. My lawyer has made it clear that if James decides to play hardball, we will use the pictures, as well as, eyewitnesses to my physical condition to discourage him. James won't want any public disclosure of what he's really like behind closed doors." I couldn't hide the disgust in my voice.

"Bella? Are you okay? You're shaking." I wasn't even aware I was.

"I admit it. I'm scared, really scared that this is going to backfire and James will find me." I buried my face in his shirt and took deep breath. Edward's scent filled my senses and calmed my nerves.

"Then tell why you're doing this? Please don't say you're doing this for me." Edward pulled my face up to meet his eyes. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me, Bella. Your safety is more important to me."

"Edward, I will admit that you are the catalyst for my actions, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I want this for me. I want to be free, really free of James. I want to be Bella Swan again. I don't want to hide myself away for the rest of my life, wondering if he's going to find me one day. I need to stop running away from it and face it head on." I brought my hand up and cupped his cheek. "And know this – you are worth it to me. I do want to be able to be yours in every way; this is the right thing to do."

"I don't want you to do this. I'm worried that it's too soon. Maybe in a year or two after James has moved on and his feelings for you have faded." He dropped his hands from my face and grabbed my hands.

I let out a mirthless laugh, shaking my head. "James doesn't have feelings for me. Well, he doesn't love me. The feelings he had for me were based on a need to control. And, the only emotions he ever showed me were hate, desire and indifference. I don't think his reaction to the news will be any different today than it would be three years from now."

"I still think it's too soon," he said, his eyes full of concern.

"Maybe, but the longer I wait, the greater the risk is that James will have me declared dead and collect any insurance money. If that happens, then the threat of jail time for me is greater."

Edward pulled me into his arms and said, "If this is what you want, I'll support you every step of the way, Bella. Know that."

********

"I'll be right over there if you need me. Okay?" Edward held me tight against him and kissed my forehead before he released me to walk over to the car.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" I asked nervously, my mood as gray as the clouds looming overhead.

"Of course I am. I completely understand. You need to make your peace with your dad. If I stay you may not say all the things you need to." He laughed before he added, "Besides, it's not like I've got anywhere to go in this big metropolis. I'll just be in the car."

"Thank-you for understanding." I smiled at him and watched him retreat to the car. Then I turned my attention to Charlie's grave. I knelt down in front of the familiar gray headstone and fussed with the flowers Edward and I had placed there right after we arrived. I had visited this same headstone numerous times growing up as Renee shared it with Charlie. It was just so strange to see a death date carved there for my dad.

My dad was really gone. The sorrow I felt overwhelmed me for a moment.

I was alone in this world, an orphan.

Did my father know how much I loved him? How sorry I was that our relationship was strained? Did he know I would do anything for him? I felt despair as a sob shuddered through my chest.

I reached out a hand and traced the indentation of Charlie's name there, feeling the frigid cold of the stone travel up my arm and straight into my heart.

"I miss you, Dad," I croaked through my sobs. "I'm so sorry for what I've done, what I've put you through. I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you and that I let our relationship suffer. I wish I could take it all back, make it up to you somehow. Do you know how much I love you?" The lump in my throat forced me to halt my ramblings. I dropped my head in my hands and cried, giving into my grief and sadness.

Eventually the wave of despair eased. I looked up and a wave of peace washed over me; the same peace I always felt when my father put his arms around me. If is had been a religious person, I would have thought Charlie's spirit was there, comforting me. A watery smile graced my lips at the idea.

I thought about the last time I saw my father – on my wedding day. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo, in spite of all the complaining he did about having to wear it. He looked so dignified walking me down the aisle. Only he and I knew how nervous and emotional he really was that day. And even then, neither of us fully realized exactly what kind of a monster Charlie was 'giving me away' to.

"I finally left him, Dad. I got away," I whispered triumphantly. "You were right – I bet you never thought you'd hear me say that," I laughed through my tears. "Thank-you for what you did to help me start over." My voice was thick with emotion.

I sat there for a while longer remembering all the wonderful times my father and I had – just the two of us. As fruitless as it seemed, I found myself wishing I could go back and redo so many things with my father. Silly little arguments or comments, telling him I loved him more, things I did to annoy him, were all things I wanted to change so my father would know how much he meant to me. But most of all, I wanted to take back James, but I couldn't. Therefore, I pressed forward. I told him how I got away. I told him about how Carlisle and Esme helped me. I told him about my new job and friends I had made along the way. I told him about all the places I visited after I left James. It felt good. Of course, I saved the best for last – Edward.

"Dad, I met someone special. His name is Edward and he's wonderful. I love him more than life itself. I know you would have loved him too. He's honorable, he treats me wonderfully, he understands, and he loves me, Dad. Did you know he helped me the night I left James? He didn't even know me, but he came all the way to Florida to help me. That's the kind of man he is." I felt a sense of relief telling my dad about Edward, as if I could finally be proud on my choice in a man.

"And he's a doctor," I added with a small chuckle. Charlie always said no one would be good enough for me, so he had better be useful like a doctor or a lawyer for Charlie to tolerate him. It was our private joke. I let out a sigh. I felt better, not completely healed, but better.

I glanced back at Edward and smiled. He was leaning up against the side of the car watching me. I watched him as he pushed off and started towards me. How did I get so lucky? I marveled that he was mine and I would take him for as long as he would let me. Edward stopped in front of me and crouched down in front of my kneeling frame.

"How are you feeling, love?" He cupped my cheek with his hands and wiped the last of my tears away with his thumbs.

"Better. It felt really good to talk, even if it was to a headstone." I sighed and leaned into one of his hands.

"Do you want to stay a little longer or would you like to go?" Edward looked into my teary eyes before he added, "We can come back tomorrow or again later today. Whatever you need."

I started to move to stand up and Edward held his hand out to me to help. "I think I'd like to go. Maybe we can come back tomorrow before we leave for Seattle."

"We can do whatever you'd like." He was so sweet and I found myself a little dazzled by him.

We walked back to the car arm-in-arm just as the rain started. We spent the remainder of the day visiting various places from my youth – my old house, the high school, First Beach; the ballet studio my dad had hoped would help with my coordination. Every one of these places reminded me of Charlie, but it wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. I just felt like I had come home.

Red's POV

"Wow!" I scanned the little town of Forks, Washington. "No much of a place, but I guess home is home," I muttered to myself.

I drove through town wondering why anyone would want to live in a place like this. It was raining making everything dismal and gray. When I reached the far edge of town, I found myself surprised that my tour of Forks was so short. I turned my rental car around and made another pass, hoping I could find the cemetery on my own.

No such luck.

I pulled into the Forks Coffee Shop, deciding it was time to get acquainted with the locals. I got out of the car and hurried through the cold rain to get inside. As soon as I entered the shop, I shook off the rain on my jacket and took a seat at one of the brown vinyl booths. The place was small with unsightly floral print wallpaper and wood beams on the ceiling. I almost laughed aloud when I saw a deer's head mounted on one of the support poles in the middle of the restaurant. It was too wide for the pole it was attached to and looked out of place with the floral wallpaper. The place was just what I needed – a local hangout with which to discreetly glean some information about Isabella Marie Swan.

A waitress approached me with a smile and handed me a menu.

"No thank-you. I think I'll just have a cup of coffee." I gave her a warm smile, hoping to put her at ease with my friendly demeanor.

"No problem." She returned my smile before she turned back to the kitchen.

I took the opportunity to look at the local residents in the establishment. There were a police officer, a couple of teenagers and three middle-aged women sitting in the booth next to mine. I ruled out the teenagers right away, knowing they probably didn't care or know anything about the Swan girl. The police officer was out as well, not wanting to raise any suspicions, especially in a small town like this. I turned my attention to the three women next to me. After eavesdropping and listening to their endless prattle about 'who said what' or 'what they did' for a few minutes, I knew these town gossips would certainly tell me all they knew.

The waitress brought me my coffee and I settled into my seat, listening to these women entertain themselves with the inconsequential details of the residents of this town. After about ten minutes, I decided it was time to intervene. I turned myself in the booth so my back was against the wall and one of my legs was stretched across the bench, allowing me to look at the ladies and still sip my coffee.

I waited for a lull in the conversation before I interrupted. "Excuse, ladies." I smiled at the woman with a full head of brown frizzy hair, recognizing her as the one with most of the dirt on the residents of this sad little town. "I'm not from around here and I wondered if you might be able to help me?"

They returned my smile as the woman with straight shoulder-length blond hair said, "What can we help you with?" Her eyes roamed over my face and chest as she took in my appearance giving me an appreciative leer.

"Does Charlie Swan still live here in Forks?" I kept my voice steady and held their gaze, making sure I sounded sincere. "I've been by his place – no one was home, and his phone number has been disconnected." As soon as I mentioned Charlie's name, their smiles faded, as I knew they would.

"Oh, He's de–," the frizzy-haired woman started but stopped when, the dark-haired woman with glasses placed a hand on her shoulder, silencing her.

"Um, how do you know Charlie?" The woman with the glasses said with a smile, but her eyes were guarded.

"I met Charlie years ago. We went through the police academy together. We've kept in touch over the years, but I admit, it's been a while since I last spoke to him. I was in the area and thought I'd stop by and catch up," I said before I offered a handshake over the back of the booth. "Larry Redding." I felt confident that the use of my real name would not cause any suspicions.

"Hi Larry," the blonde-haired person purred as she took my hand. "I'm Kelly Mallory. This is Teresa Stanley." She motioned towards the frizzy-haired woman.

"Hi," Teresa Stanley said with a little wave.

I glanced at the woman with the glasses. She offered me her hand and another guarded smile. "I'm Amber Webber.

"Good to meet you." I smiled, glancing at the other two women. There was an uncomfortable pause as the ladies glanced at each other.

"Is there something wrong?" I kept my tone and expression innocent with a slight hint of confusion.

Teresa Stanley shook her head and said, "No. It's just that, Charlie died over a year ago."

"What? How!" I feigned shock, knowing that I needed to react appropriately to the news of his death.

"Drunk driver," Kelly Mallory said.

Knowing I still needed to show that I knew more about Charlie than just the basics I plunged a head. "No," I said sadly looking down for a moment before I looked up. "How's Isabella handling it? She's all alone now."

Amber's eyes narrowed infinitesimally. "She's doing just fine." Something in Amber's tone made me wonder...

"Yeah. She married some rich guy and now she lives in Florida," sneered Kelly. Her tone made me wonder what Isabella did to earn this woman's distaste. Obviously, these ladies were unaware of her disappearance.

"Didn't even go to Charlie's funeral." Teresa shook her head in disgust. "I mean, Charlie was all she had. It was so unlike her."

"She was quite young when Renee died," I agreed, trying to gain their trust by showing them I knew about the Swan family's history.

"You know what's odd?" Kelly added. "No one has so much as put a twig on Charlie's grave since he died. But I was out there yesterday and there was the most beautiful bouquet on his grave."

"Hm." I said nonchalantly. James said Marie disappeared six months ago. If she was a live, she could very well be the one who put the flowers on Charlie's grave. But, why would she wait for so long to visit her father. I had a gut feeling, but it was just that, a feeling. I waved off the waitress who wanted to refill my coffee cup. I reached into my wallet and pulled out enough money to cover the coffee and a nice tip.

"Would you ladies be so kind as to direct me to the cemetery? I would like to pay Charlie my last respects." I tossed the money on the table and slid out of the booth. Kelly stood up from her seat, sidled over to me and placed her hand on my forearm. She slipped me a piece of paper; a move neither of her companions caught.

"Just go back out to the main road there – Forks Avenue. Go north. Take a right on Calawah Way Road. The cemetery is on the left side of the road, just past the intersection of Merchant and Calawah." Kelly winked at me. I could tell she liked what she saw. The big rock on her left hand left no doubt that she was married. I won't deny the affect I have on the fairer sex. But, I was sure part of my appeal was because I was passing through. I would be nothing but a dalliance – a smile on her face her husband wouldn't understand. No matter. If I had time, I might come back and explore the possibilities.

"Thank-you ladies. It was wonderful meeting you." I smiled at Amber and Teresa. I looked down at Kelly and said, "Thank-you, Kelly. If I get lost, I'll be sure to come back and you could show me." I returned her wink, knowing she caught my meaning as I stepped away and out the door. I slipped the paper in the pocket of my sport jacket and got into my car.

I pulled my car away and headed off in the direction of the cemetery, but I doubled back. I bated the hook, now I just had to wait and see which one would bite. I pulled my car in an alley down the street and watched my new friends. I grabbed my cellular intercept equipment out of the back seat and got it ready. Kelly and Teresa were the first ones out the door. I watched them as they pulled out their umbrellas, walked down the street and into a boutique. Amber however, didn't emerge right away. I tuned my equipment to the cellular tower in town and started scanning conversations.

After a few minutes, Amber emerged and ran through the rain to her car. She pulled out her keys, unlocked her car and got in, but she didn't leave. She dialed her cell phone instead. In a town this small, I didn't have a hard time finding her phone conversation.

"Angela," Amber said.

"Hey Mom! How's it going?"

"Fine." Amber sounded a little impatient, distracted maybe. "Have you heard from Bella lately?"

"Yeah, just last week. Why?" Angela's voice rose a little.

"There's a man here in Forks, asking about Charlie. Said he knew him from the police academy. He asked about Bella," Amber said in a hushed voice.

"Did you see him? Was it James?" Angela sounded a little panicked.

"No, honey. It wasn't James, but he obviously didn't know Bella as well as he pretended to. He called her Isabella. No one ever caller her that, even when she was little." I smiled at Amber's comment. I knew if I referred to Bella as Isabella, it would make someone wary of me, but not enough to call me on it. James made it clear to me that she never went by Isabella. Even commented that her dad called her Bells.

"What did he want?" Angela pressed.

"He wanted to know how to get a hold of Charlie," Amber said. "He didn't find out anything that wasn't already common knowledge. Listen, how is she?"

"She's doing really well, Mom. She's dating a doctor. He treats her like gold." Angela sounded pleased

"I'm so glad. She deserves someone who treats her good after what James put her through. Does he work with Ben? What's his name?" Amber sounded relieved.

"His name is Edward and yes, he works with Ben. He's almost done with his residency. In fact, he took Bella with him to do some out-of-town interviews," Angela replied.

"Ang, is she in Washington right now?" Amber still sounded worried.

"She might be. Edward had an interview in Seattle. Why?" Angela's voice held a hint of confusion.

"Someone put flowers on Charlie's grave. First time anyone has done that since he died," Amber said in a voice so low it was difficult to hear over the rain pounding on the roof of the car.

"Does that man know this?" Angela's voice rose at little

"Yes," Amber said with a sigh of resignation.

"I have a bad feeling about this. If this is somehow related to James…" Angela's tone left no doubt in my mind that the she was scared for her friend.

"I know," Amber replied.

"Mom, Bella is convinced James will kill her if he finds her," Angela admitted.

"Do you think he will?" asked Amber.

"After what she told me about their marriage and the horrible things he did to her, I have no doubt he will. He's a real monster." There was an edge of desperation to Angela's voice as she spoke to her mother.

"You'll let her know about this guy when she gets back, right?" The tone of Amber's voice matched that of her daughter's.

"Of course, it's really all we can do for now," Angela's voice returned to what I assumed was normal.

"Okay, so tell me how that grandson of mine is doing." Amber's change of subject sounded a little forced, but it was obvious she wanted to move away from this topic.

I wasn't going to get any more information. I started my car and made my way to the Forks Cemetery. I looked around to see if anyone else was round, but found myself alone. I made my way through the cemetery, only paying attention to the headstones decorated with a floral arrangement. It only took about 10 minutes to find Charlie and Renee Swan's headstone. And sure enough, there was a lovely flower arrangement adorning the grave. I checked for a card or anything indicating it was from their daughter, but found nothing.

I went back to the car and pulled away, parking my car off at a distance but still with in eyeshot of the Swan grave. I wondered if the person responsible for the flowers on the headstone would return. The rain was coming down heavier how and it would help obscure my image in the car. I leaned my head back and waited.

My gut feeling about James was right – he wasn't the grieving widower. He was probably an abuser whose wife had slipped through his fingers. From what I had discovered, Isabella Marie Swan Cook was a kind, pretty, small-town girl who wanted to be a schoolteacher. She married James Cook, for whatever reason, and moved to Miami. Did she cheat her husband out of a bunch of money, have an affair, or do something horrible to James? I doubted it. So far, there was nothing in her past to indicate she was a shady character.

James, on the other hand, fit the bill perfectly. I already knew he had a long time girlfriend that transcended his time with his wife. He had also had a few other girlfriends before his wife. What little I did discover disturbed me, to say the least. I haven't been able to find any information about any of his old girlfriends after their time with James.

I only had to wait for about an hour before a car pulled into the cemetery. A man and a woman got out of the car, flipped open a large black umbrella and approached the Swan grave. They were too far away and the rain was coming down to hard for me to determine if it was Bella, but I knew my camera with the telephoto lens would capture a close up of the couple. I cracked the window a little and pulled out my camera. I started clicking pictures of the pair as they gazed at the grave. The man had wrapped one arm around the woman's waist while holding the umbrella with his other hand. At best, I was only capturing a profile of the couple, but as they started back towards the car, the woman glanced around. Her eyes stopped when she saw my car and I held as still as I could, still pressing the shutter button to capture their image. The man followed her gaze before ushering her towards the car. As they drove by, I laid down in the car to avoid being seen.

I would have to download those pictures onto my computer in order to determine if it was Bella. I would count myself lucky if it did turn out to be her. I would be able to offer my client proof that his wife was alive.

Now I just needed to figure out how to get information about Amber's daughter, Angela – where she lives, her last name, where her husband works. I already knew whom to call as I reached into my pocket and pulled out Kelly Mallory's number. I could 'pump' her for information. I chuckled at my own joke as I flipped open my phone and dialed the number.

A/N: I wish I could give you more detailed descriptions of Chicago, but sadly, I've never been. The closest I've been was a 3 hour layover at the airport. LOL

I hope no one takes offense to my comments about small towns in Red's POV – I grew up in a town of 800 people. I have nothing against small towns. But this is Red's POV - he's not a small town kind of guy. :)

Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and alerts. You guys are the best! - SavageWoman