Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

Chapter 18

Patiently Waiting

EPOV

One week, seven whole days that's how long it's been since I've seen Bella and I am losing it. She won't take or return any of my calls and the only reason I know that she is staying at "The Waldorf Astoria Hotel" is because I ran into to Tanya who told me she ran into Bella in the hotel lobby and she told her she was staying there, but when I called I was told they have no guest by the name of Isabella Swan staying there, strange. She also said that she saw Bella out with James, Jessica and Lauren a couple of times over the last week. I've seen Lauren and James in the cafeteria together a few times this past week whispering like they were planning a heist or something, but I tried my best to go nowhere near them or I may punch James in the face. My cell phone rang interrupting my thoughts.

"Hello"

"Why the hell is my best friend staying in a hotel, Edward?"

I should have known Alice would be calling me sooner or later.

"I'm fine and how are you Alice?"

"Cut the crap brother and start talking."

I got up and closed the door to my office before grabbing a bottled water and sitting back down at my desk putting my feet up for comfort since this surely would not be a short conversation.

"What do you want me to tell you? We had a disagreement, I tried to apologize, but she wouldn't accept it and she left. I've been trying to reach her all week but she keeps pushing all my calls into voicemail and I tried calling the hotel she is staying at but they keep telling me they have no one listed as a guest under her name. Is she still staying at The Waldorf Astoria?"

"Yes you idiot! When she left your house the day after you guys argument and arrived at the hotel she discovered her driver's license was missing out of her purse so someone named Jessica put the room in her name for her. She still had her Washington license so in order to get a New York license she had to get her birth certificate first which took a few days."

"Did she leave her license here?"

"I have no idea but she thinks she may have lost it while out with John, Jack, James or whatever his name is."

"Was anything else missing?" I asked a bit concerned.

"No she said all her credit cards and check book was still there so she probably just misplaced it, but she had to get a New York Driver's license anyway so no biggie. But back to you moron, what did you say to her that would make her go stay at a hotel, Edward?"

"Nothing Alice…I have patients to see I can't talk about this right now, can you just ask Bella to at least call me and let me know she is okay?"

"I guess I can, but every time I talk to her that Jessica and Lori or Lauren or whatever is always there and a few other people. The back ground always sounds like there's a party going on so I'm a little worried about her Edward. Bella is very kind hearted and with all that money she has I don't want people latching on to her friendship because of the benefits they can receive."

"Trust me Alice I don't want that either and I've tried talking to Bella about the company she keeps, but she refuses to listen she thinks I'm trying to tell her what to do."

"Well she did manage to slip up and tell me that she purchased a new living room set for Lori's apartment."

"Lauren" I corrected her "And are you freakin kidding me?"

"No I wish I was kidding and it sounds like it was pretty expensive too maybe $5k or $6k and get this when I was talking to her she sound like she may have been drinking, so that's the only reason she told me. Edward she asked me not to tell you where she was and normally I wouldn't because she is my best friend after all and I owe her my loyalty, but I am worried about her. And now she tells me about some trip to Vegas they are planning to take next month and I am willing to bet she is funding the entire vacation."

"What! Vegas… but Bella doesn't gamble why would she want to go to Vegas?"

"Maybe it wasn't her idea but if she thinks these new associates of hers are her friends she may be going along with what they want to do just to keep them around, loneliness can do that Edward."

"But why would she feel lonely when she has me."

"Does she really have you or did you just provide a place for her to stay? I know you Edward we all do and you work ALL the time so Bella was alone a lot and I know this because before she started hanging with this new crowd we talked often and she was always alone. I mean come on I know Bella is quiet and a little on the shy side but she is also a twenty four year old woman in a new vibrant city that offers so much and Bella is no different than any other woman."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"You know as smart as you are Dr. Cullen you can be really blind and dumb sometimes."

"Would you just say it Alice without the sarcasm."

"Companionship Edward, she needs it just like any other woman and I don't mean sitting down watching a basketball game with her like she is one of the guys. Haven't you seen the way she looks at you isn't it obvious?"

"Alice look I need to level with you because I have to find a way to fix this with Bella. Last week when Bella and I had that fight it was over me not wanting to… well I did want to but… I just didn't want her to think…"

"Oh would you just spit it out." She said cutting me off always so impatient my sister Alice, but I love her to death.

"Alright… Bella was upset because… because I wouldn't… sleep with her."

You could hear a piece of cotton hit the floor it was so quiet.

"Alice?"

"I'm here I just didn't know you and Bella were involved like that, I mean she has never told me…"

"No Alice we hadn't been before that night but when she came home she had been drinking and one thing led to another and we almost did, but I stopped myself because I didn't want her to wake up regretting what she had done. Alice I love her and I am going crazy without her, but I would never want her to do something she will regret later just for my benefit."

"Edward have you told her how you feel?"

"No of course not, I'm not trying to run her away Alice."

"But what would make you think she would run away rather than into your arms. She's not a mind reader Edward and she has no idea how you feel about her and because you have always kept things so casual between you two she has assumed that you view her as nothing more than a friend almost like a little sister."

"Alice that couldn't be the furthest from the truth; I have fallen completely in love with this woman and I am willing to do whatever I have to for her to see how much she means to me."

"Then big brother you need to prepare to do some major romancing."

"How when I can't even get her to talk to me?"

"Oh don't worry, mom and I will be there tomorrow and we will take care of that. We are meeting Bella for lunch at the hotel before coming to your house you just need to make sure you make time to spend with her."

"I will I promise thank you so much Alice, I love you sis."

"Well someone has to get your ass out of the sling before Emmett and Rose come to visit her next month and if Emmett thinks you haven't been protecting her he'll have your head. I think Jasper and I may fly there with them next month also so we can all hang out."

"Alright well I have to make my rounds now to see my patients so I'll see you guys tomorrow and kiss mom for me."

After hanging up with Alice I felt a bit more relieved about the Bella situation and I knew what I needed to do. No more sitting by the sidelines and letting her push me away while people who mean her no good spend all her money and live the good life at her expense. Jessica and Lauren were both users and I knew this from watching them from over the years and I am not sure what James stake in this is, but I will get rid of him too. No one will live the life of luxury at my Bella's expense.

I left out of my office to make my rounds and as I rounded the corner at the other end of the hall I heard voices coming from the supply closet and as I stood off to the side as not to be seen I recognized the voices to be Lauren and James.

"I have her driver's license and the forger has done a pretty good job at copying her signature so I had it made into a rubber stamp so we won't have to get anything signed anymore. I have cashed a few small checks already from her account with the checks I managed to take out of her check book while she was at my house and they cleared her account with no questions. I took them all from the back so she would not notice the jump in check numbers right away, but I only have one check left so this has to be the big one because I don't think we will get the chance to take more checks. So I'll write it for $450k that will cover the $200k I owe the bookie and we'll take the other $250k and leave for London, because I can practice medicine anywhere and by the time she discovers what happen we'll be long gone " James said whispering to Lauren.

I was seething with anger and I wanted to kick the door in and beat the life out of both of them, but I knew I had to remain calm so that I could find out what their plans were.

"Yeah I think you're right because the couple of times she passed out drunk at the hotel I looked for her check book and credit cards and found nothing. And while Jessica is enjoying the financial perks of being Bella's friend she definitely doesn't have it in her to join us and I don't trust that she won't tell Bella."

These two snakes were planning to rob my Bella and had already tested their plan out by taking small amounts of money out of her account and if the bank did not question the signature on those checks then they will likely let the next one go through also. How dare this bastard pay off his gambling debts at my Bella's expense?

When I heard the door knob turn I quickly ran the other way and dipped into the restroom. A few seconds later James came in and I pretended to wash my hands.

"Edward, how are you these days?"

"'Oh I can't complain just working making an honest dollar."

James stared at me before placing a grin on his face.

"Have you spoken to Bella lately; you know I can hardly keep up with her she is one party animal."

I could have smashed his face into the ceramic sink I was standing in front of but I kept my cool remembering I had to do this the right way.

"No I can't say that I have and a party animal, huh; yeah if I were you James I wouldn't gamble on that too much longer." I said and then turned and exited the restroom letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

After quickly making my rounds I headed back to my office to call Alice back to tell her what I overheard.

"What now Edward I'm trying to finish packing." She snapped

"Would you shut up and listen Alice? I know what's going on with Lauren and James pertaining to Bella."

"What?"

"I overheard those two con-artists talking while making my rounds and they are planning to rob Bella, can you believe that?"

"Oh my God, rob her?"

"Yes and get this she doesn't have to wonder where her driver's license went because that bastard stole them out of her purse along with some blank checks out of her checkbook while she was out on a date with him last week."

"Wow Edward this is serious."

"No there's more Alice, he had a professional forger duplicate her signature from her license and had a rubber stamp made with her signature on it so all they have to do is stamp the bottom of the check. Oh and they have already cashed a few smaller checks to see if the bank would question the signature and they didn't, but I heard James say he only has one check left and they plan to write that one for $450 which will just about wipe her out."

"Edward this is terrible news we need to call Bella right away."

"No, don't tell her yet let them go through with the plan or at least think they are going through with the plan and I will make sure they end up exactly where they belong. Is jasper at work right now?"

"Yes he is why?"

"I remember him mentioning he had a buddy who worked for NYPD I'm going to need him to call in a favor."

"Oh you mean Tyler Crowley, you remember him right from Forks High School, really nice guy."

"Not really but I'm going to give Jasper a call."

"You know Edward Bella put me down as an authorized user on her checking account, so I could check the most recent transactions to see what can find, but how will I know what checks they have cashed and the ones Bella wrote herself?"

"Easily, James said he took the checks from the back of her check book so that she would not notice the jump in check numbers. So Bella wouldn't realize the checks were even missing until she's at the end of that check book. All you have to do is look for a jump in check numbers and the ones with the highest check numbers will be the one James has cashed."

"Okay I'll get right on it and I call you back and let's say an hour and in the meantime you call jasper and have him contact Tyler so we can set up to have these thieves caught."

"Sounds good I'll be off work by the time you call back and I think I am going to head over to the hotel to try and talk to Bella now that I know the name her room is under. I'll talk to you in a little while."

I hung up with Alice and quickly started on my paperwork for my patients charts so I could leave as soon as possible. After stopping home, showering and changing into a pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed down to my car ready to go and win the heart of the woman I fell so deeply in love with.

A/N: Okay chapter 18 is finish and Edward is on his way to getting Bella back in his arms! I love the reviews I received and the story alerts you guys are great and please keep them coming they make me want to update sooner!