Chapter Seventy Nine

Jasper

We went to the funeral home first and insisted on seeing Charlie's body. They weren't happy but there was nothing they could do about it with our letter of authority supplied by Jenks. The deputy had been right, it did need to be a closed casket, there had been no necessity for the level of violence displayed and it only served to cement our theory that Felix had been involved. From there we went to the Police Station to talk to Deputy Martin. He was very helpful and open and we learned something very interesting. Charlie had lived long enough to leave a message for us. It made no sense to the Deputy but was as clear as a bell to us,

"Blackness, sparkles, huge"

He was describing his attacker in the only way his damaged and dying brain could do it. Felix Volturi was his murderer, we knew it from the victims own mouth. The Deputy said they had nothing to go on, no fingerprints, no weapon, nothing, but they were still working on it. He asked us to send his condolences to Bella, explaining that Charlie had sworn him to secrecy about her "accident" and he never asked any awkward questions. We arranged the funeral for three days hence, Renee wasn't coming so there was no reason for any delay. The Department wanted to do it properly and we were happy to go along with them. Next on our list was Charlie's lawyer. He'd left everything to a fund which would help Police Officers injured in the course of their duty, knowing Bella didn't need it. It was a charity that was close to Charlie's heart. Any pension would be put into an account in the Whitlock name and Bella could decide what she wanted to do with it later.

I rang her later that day to let her know what was happening but I didn't tell her that Charlie had told us who killed him. I would wait until we got back in case she decided to go off on her own and try to avenge her father. She sounded very sad and I could tell that everything was getting on top of her. She needed me there to help but I couldn't leave until after the funeral, I needed to be there to represent her if only in secret. The Cullens were going to attend as were the Quileute Elders despite the fact that Charlie had cut himself off from them only a short while before he died. Billy had asked Jake to talk to me about it and I decided that they had been his closest friends whatever had happened recently.

The evening before the funeral Peter and I went to hunt in Port Angeles and when we got back Alice and Jake were waiting at the hotel to speak to us.

"Major, you need to leave sleeping dogs lie. You can't avenge Charlie without taking on the Volturi and by that I mean Aro. If you do then something terrible is going to happen. Aro will make you pay for losing Felix."

"How did you know it was Felix who murdered Charlie, Alice?"

"I didn't until it was too late. I saw something but I didn't know it was Charlie. I thought he'd been sent to get you or Bella."

"And you didn't think it worth mentioning?"

"Well, I had no details for you. Just that there would be a death. I knew it didn't include us so I guess I pushed it to the back of my mind. Especially when I got the feeling that you'd changed Bella. That was a shock, happening so quickly and I don't think it was planned was it Major?"

"That's none of your business Alice, but if you knew there was going to be danger for someone you should have warned us."

"It could have been anyone and at any time. It wasn't clear enough to know it would be soon. All I can tell you is that if you take Felix out you are going to regret it"

"How?"

"I told you I don't know any more than that. Just leave it, you have Bella and things are quiet now. There's no one else who knows our secret so no one else in danger."

"What about Jake?"

"He can look after himself and he has secrets of his own so the Volturi won't worry about him. Anyway we came to invite you all to our wedding. It's in a months time at the Cullens and I hope you'll all come."

Peter

I noticed she wasn't looking at me when she issued the invitation and I had to smile,

"Thanks Alice. What a nice gesture but we are rather busy at the moment, what with newborns and fucking funerals. What are you thinking girl in that fucked up brain of yours? If things don't apply to you directly you just seem to ignore them. A word in our ear might have meant Charlie still being here to attend your wedding instead of lying cold in his fucking box. Shit, you amaze me!"

I walked off to look out of the window of our hotel room, fuming inwardly but pleased I'd managed to keep my temper.

I heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Jake standing behind me,

"If I were you I'd avoid creeping up on me from the rear or I might just rip your furry fucking head off."

"Peter I'm really sorry about Charlie. Alice didn't tell me anything until she was ready to come and talk to you. I would have warned you if I'd known."

"Yeah well its too late for ifs and buts isn't it? Charlie's dead and fucking Mystic Meg is warning us off the Volturi. Does she really think we're going to just let it drop? Do you think Bella will shrug her shoulders and say OK Alice?"

"No I don't and I wouldn't either. If you need back up I'm offering as Bella's friend if nothing else."

"That sounds odd coming from the guy who put her in danger not so long ago."

"I didn't do that knowingly."

"So keep an eye on your friends, they do you more damage than your enemies it strikes me."

Jasper

Alice was asking about our wedding, she wanted all the details and to see Bella, but I vetoed that. Bella had enough on her plate as it was without Alice bouncing in on her. While she rambled on I tuned her out and concentrated on the other conversation going on in the room. Peter was only saying what I felt but couldn't say. I couldn't see how Jake could help us against Felix but he had offered and that meant something. When the other two finally left Peter turned to me,

"Is she for real?"

"She doesn't see so well now she's tied up with Jake."

"And that excuses what she didn't do?"

"No but Alice seems to have her own agenda these days. I wonder what she meant about paying if we take out Felix"

"Just her mumbo jumbo, trying to keep the peace. If we stir up the Volturi it might become uncomfortable for the Cullens seeing as they know us."

"And you think that's all it is?"

"Fuck no, but it makes me feel better to pretend I believe it. So, are we going to take on Felix?"

"It's Bella's decision, but left to me? Yes, he needs taking out."

"So why not do it and tell her afterwards?"

"You think so?"

"Hell yes! That way we avoid losing anyone close to us. It'll only be you or me. I'll take the chance, what about you?"

"Let's get the funeral over and then we'll see."