Chapter Seventy Seven
Charlie
I was still angry when I got home from the Reservation so I got myself a couple of beers and put the basketball game on, putting my feet up knowing I wasn't on duty until the next night. I missed Bella, the house seemed awfully lonely without her although I'd lived here alone for years after Renee left, taking our daughter with her. Still Bella was happy and I knew Jasper, whatever his faults, would protect her with his life. I started to doze when I heard it, a creaking upstairs. Was there someone up there or was it the old house settling now the heating was back on? I turned the game down and waited. Hearing it again I got up quietly and collected my gun from where I left it over the chair until I went up to bed. I walked to the bottom of the stairs and cleared my throat.
"Anyone there?"
I heard the creak again, it was coming from Bella's room I thought and I started up the stairs, holding my gun in one hand and my radio in the other, ready to call the station if I felt the need. There was another creak, this time from my room. Someone was up there and I called for back up before something I hadn't even seen hit me on the back of the head and I saw stars, then everything spun as I fell backwards down the stairs to land heavily at the bottom, my whole body feeling the battering as I'd hit the stairs on the way.
Deputy Eddy Martin
We responded as quickly as we could to Charlie's call for assistance, he wasn't one to cry wolf, but the house was in darkness when I pulled up. I went to the front door and pushed, as the door swung open I shone my torch inside cautiously. Seeing and hearing nothing I flicked the hallway light on and swore, lying at the bottom of the stairs, his head at a strange angle, was the body of my friend Charlie Swan. I called for an ambulance and knelt down beside him. As I did so he opened his eyes and I realized I'd been wrong, he was still alive although how I couldn't imagine. It was obvious his neck was broken and his face was black with bruises. Someone had taken a weapon and beaten the shit out of him. His mouth was working and I bent down to listen to the mumbled whisperings of the dying man.
By the time the ambulance arrived Charlie was beyond help and his final words made no sense, the wanderings of a dying brain. As they carefully lifted him up and put him on the stretcher I said my farewell and sighed heavily. The burden of telling his daughter what had happened was on my shoulders as I was the only one who knew she was in fact alive, but I didn't know how to reach her. I went through to the kitchen, gloves on, to pick up his phone book. Flicking through it I found a recently added number for Bella and taking out my cell phone I called. A voice I didn't know answered,
"Charlie you OK? They're still not back yet Buddy"
"This is Deputy Eddy Martin, Forks Police Department. I'm trying to reach Chief Swans daughter Bella."
"Who? Why, what's wrong? And how did you get this number?"
"I'm sorry,look I know the score that's why I'm ringing you privately. who am I talking to?"
"Her brother-in-law Peter Whitlock. Now what's wrong?"
"I really need to speak to her, it's about her father."
"She won't be in contact for a couple of days, they're still away, so can you tell me?"
"I'm very sorry to have to tell you this but Charlies dead"
"Oh Fuck, What happened? He was fine when he left here after the wedding"
"Yeah he told me all about it. He was glad she had someone to look after her. He said what a good guy she'd found."
"Sounds like she's gonna need him now. If I can get hold of them I'll get her to ring you."
"Thanks Mr Whitlock. She knows my personal number. In the meantime I'll arrange for the body to be taken to the undertakers after the autopsy".
"Autopsy? Was it his heart or something?"
"I'm afraid not, he called in for back up, intruders in the house. By the time I got there it was too late. He'd been beaten to death".
"Oh shit!...you want me to tell her the details?"
"If you don't mind, I think she ought to know before she speaks to me. Its going to have to be a closed casket".
"That bad?"
"Yeah that bad. I haven't seen anything like it in my fifteen years as a Police Officer."
Peter
When I put the phone down I stood in shock. It was only a few days ago we'd all been together hunting and joking. Why would somebody kill him? Was it a robbery? This was going to break Bella, especially on top of what she'd just been through. Charlotte looked worried as she came in and saw my face,
"What's happened Peter? Who was that?"
"It was the Police Department in Forks"
"Charlie?"
"About him. He's been found beaten to death at home. Charlie must have told his Deputy enough to know she's still alive and he's trying to reach Bella. I guess he doesn't know what to do."
"But she can't go to Forks, not to people who think she's dead!".
"Well someones got to make an appearance on her behalf. He had no other kin and she's his daughter. Well have to come up with something"
"Are you going to find her and tell her?"
"No I'm gonna wait till they get back, and if she hasn't beaten the crap out of the Major I'll let him break it to her."
"Peter, enough"
"No I didn't mean it like that. I just think it would come better from him. He's going to be the one to comfort her after all."
"OK. God she's been through enough, now this. Do they have any idea who's responsible?"
"Not that he told me and I never thought to ask."
Charlotte
I racked my brains for a way of sorting things out for Bella but it wasn't going to be easy. She was remarkably calm and controlled for a newborn but this might tip her over the edge. She would have to stay away but maybe we could organise things for her, what a nightmare. I felt so sorry for her, she loved Charlie and was so happy he could stay in her life knowing about her and what she had become. The timing stank, but that was hardly any ones fault.