Chapter Twenty Nine
Charlie
I sat at the kitchen table looking at the fax. OK the image wasn't as sharp as it could be but I was sure I'd seen this guy in my house a while back, and he took my daughter. The others called him the Major and thinking about it other things seemed to click, he lived off the grid, I'd never be able to find him. All they had said only confused me more. I cranked up Bella's computer and tapped in Major Jasper Whitlock. There were several hits, all referring to the same man, a Major in the Confederate Army who vanished without trace after leading a party of women and children to safety. I also learned he was under age when he joined up and his body was never recovered, although that wasn't unusual at the time. Scrolling through Google Images I stopped dead.
There was a plate from a book about the Civil War written soon afterwards. It was much clearer than the fax and if scared the shit out of me. Staring at me from the screen was the man who'd stood in my house with my daughter. Everything was the same, his face, his hair and that look, the look of a confident arrogance. The photo affected me almost as much as the flesh and blood had. There was something very wrong here and I had to get to the bottom of the puzzle, so I got dressed and drove to the Reservation.
Sam wasn't there but Billy was. He got me a beer and we sat together for a few minutes then he pointed to the paper in my hand,
"What's that? You didn't come here on a social visit"
"No I didn't Billy, I came here to see Sam but he's not here so I thought I'd try you".
"OK if I can help I will, show me".
I laid the photo on the table and he looked at it, his face hardened but showed nothing else.
"Good photo. Who is it?"
"I thought you might be able to enlighten me on that score".
He looked again,
"Never seen him. Is he from round here?"
"No, Texas".
"So how should I know him? Or Sam for that matter?"
"Oh he's been here recently and I know Sam knows him".
"Really? Well I don't. Why do you want to know?"
"He's the guy who went off with Bella".
Billy looked at the photo again, picking it up this time to look more closely.
"Photo looks old" was all he said.
"Yeah well the guy in it served in the Civil War".
Billy smiled,
"OK what's the joke Charlie?"
"No joke Billy I'm in deadly earnest. I have no idea how, but that guy was in my house and went off with my daughter".
Billy laughed,
"Time travelling kidnapper eh?"
"Am I laughing Billy?"
He looked at me serious now,
"No Charlie you aren't. Take my advice and leave it alone. She's safe and she'll contact you when she's ready".
"You know this guy don't you? Tell me Billy".
"Nope, never seen him. I just think you'd do better to leave sleeping dogs lie".
"It's Bella missing Billy, remember her?"
"Yes Charlie of course I do. I just think you'd do better to wait for her to contact you than snoop around".
"So there's something to find then?"
Billy looked at me stony faced,
"I never said that".
"And Harry?"
"He'd say the same, so would Sam".
I got up abruptly,
"I'm sorry you see it that way Billy, I thought you and I were friends".
"I'm speaking as a friend Charlie".
I stormed out, if the Quileutes wouldn't answer my questions maybe the Cullens would.
I drove over to their place and Carlisle met me at the door.
"Charlie, please come in. I understand you've been to the Reservation asking questions".
"I see the tom toms are working overtime" I snapped following him in.
Jake and Alice were seated on the couch with the big guy and the blonde girl watching TV.
"So what can I do for you Charlie?"
I put the photo down on the coffee table and he looked at it.
"And?" he asked picking it up and studying it closely.
"I'm telling you the same as I told Billy Black. That guy was in my house a few weeks back. Bella has gone off with him".
"I see, well it seems she went of her own free will".
"No protestations of innocence, no telling me I'm losing my mind?"
"Would they work?"
"No".
"Then there's no point in saying them".
"Who is he Carlisle?"
He looked at the caption beneath the photo,
"Major Jasper Whitlock or so it says".
"I know what it says, I can read".
"Then what are you asking me?"
"How could he be in my house looking exactly like that?"
"Well he couldn't could he?"
Carlisle smiled slightly.
"Carlisle I'm sick of getting smart answers and the run around. I know what I saw and I saw this man"
I pointed to the photo "In my house. He's with Bella".
"Is he Charlie? I think you'd have trouble getting anyone to believe you".
"I'm having a hard time getting myself to believe it, but I know what I saw. What I want to know Carlisle is who and how?"
"Well you seem to have made up your own mind who, and I can't help you with how I'm afraid".
"But you know, you know I'm right, Carlisle".
He smiled at me,
"Charlie let me give you some friendly advice, leave it alone while you are still safe. Ignorance really is bliss".
"If I get hold of him" I started but he stopped me mid sentence,
"Oh but you wont Charlie, I can guarantee that much".
"Are you trying to tell me he's a ghost or a time traveller or some shit like that?"
"No I never said anything like that now did I?"
"Is he the man I saw?"
Carlisle remained silent.
"Is Bella with this man?" I pointed again.
"I think you told me that earlier Charlie"
"Carlisle I'd like one straight answer from you".
"Well you must ask me a question I can answer then Charlie".
"Is Bella safe?"
"As far as I know, Yes".
"Is she with him?"
No answer.
"I'll find out if I have to call the FBI in".
"No Charlie, you won't. If you try going to the authorities one of two things will happen, you'll be laughed out or you'll never make it there alive".
"Are you threatening me?"
"No Charlie I'm just stating a fact, can't you just leave it alone, at least for a while"
Jake got up then,
"This is stupid Carlisle, Charlie is going to get himself killed if you don't tell him something".
I looked at Jake,
"You tell me then"
"I can't Charlie, it's not my secret".
"So why wouldn't Billy tell me?"
"Not his secret either Charlie".
"So now I know there's a secret and it's not a tribal one so its one that you know Carlisle".
"Yes Charlie but you'd be much better off not knowing please believe me".
"If it concerns my daughter I have a right to know".
"No you don't Charlie, and Bella will be safe as long as she's with the Major".
"So she is with him, and he can keep her safe because...she knows this secret?"
"Yes she does".
"So he put her in danger by telling her about it?"
"No he never told her."
"So who did Carlisle? Who put my daughter in danger?"
"I'm afraid that would be us Charlie".
"Collectively? Or was it Edward?"
Carlisle sighed,
"I think she worked it out for herself but Edward told her she was right".
"So where is Edward?"
"He's here Charlie but he can't help you. He doesn't know where she is either."
"And this big secret?"
"I really think you'd be better off not knowing Charlie but if you insist we'll have to tell you and try to keep you safe too. I must tell you though, you won't believe us".
"Well see Carlisle, I want to know who Bella is really with, the rest of your secret you can keep".
"Very well Charlie, Bella is with Major Jasper Whitlock, you met him, you recognised him in the picture, you already know. Why do you need me to confirm it".
"So my daughter is with a man who fought in the American Civil War? A man who went missing, presumed dead and who turns up here two hundred years later looking exactly as he did then?"
"Yes Charlie, that's right".
"And I'm supposed to believe that cock and bull?"
"That's up to you, but it's what you've been telling me since you arrived".
"Is he the same man or a descendant?"
"Jasper Whitlock was never married and had no children".
"What about extended family?"
"If you choose to believe that, then fine".
"But it's not?"
"No, it's not".
"The Jasper Whitlock I met in my house is the same man who fought in the Civil War, the Major Whitlock in the photograph?"
"Yes Charlie".
"But how?"
"That I can't tell you".
"That's the dangerous secret?"
"Yes, if you can just accept my word for it that your daughter is in the safest hands at the moment it would be far easier".
"Yeah I'm sure. Where are they?"
"No idea".
"But you could find out?"
"Yes possibly, but not without a certain amount of danger to ourselves. He is very protective of his privacy". "Oh I'll bet! The more I hear about him the less I like him".
"As he's not looking at you in the same vein that's fine, but he can be a dangerous adversary