Chapter Eighteen

Charlie

When I hadn't heard from Bella in an hour I tried her phone just to make sure they'd found somewhere to pull over. The roads were pretty bad, impassable in places, and there was no sign of the rain easing for some hours yet. I was glad she was with Garrett even knowing what he was and I prayed my trust wasn't misplaced. There was no reply from her phone, no signal in fact which didn't help my nerves. After that things became progressively more chaotic with landslides and multiple accidents just outside town so I was kept busy along with all my deputies. I'd had to call in everyone, including off duty and volunteers to help with the worsening conditions. Some houses were reporting flooding and the other emergency services were all reporting problems getting through to the smaller towns. I was wet, cold, and hungry, by the time things calmed down long enough to grab a coffee and a sandwich and I tried Bella again but there was still no reply. The roads were closed off now so if they hadn't made it home they weren't going to for a while. I just hoped she would remember to contact me from wherever they had stopped.

Debs who had promised to keep trying Bella's cell phone and the house called me three hours later.

"Chief I think you'd better take this call. I'll patch it through"

I slid into the cruiser trying to ignore the icy droplets running down the inside of my shirt, even my slicker wasn't enough to keep the incessant rain at bay.

"Chief Swan, its Luke Amery."

"Luke? You got the same problems we got? Roads washing away and idiots still trying to get places"

"You could say that. Charlie I think I might have some bad news for you. Was your daughter travelling to Forks today from Seattle?"

"Yeah why?"

"Well, we got a report of an accident and discovered a car at the bottom of a shallow ravine, it's a rental in the name of Garrett Cullen but we found a bag with a driver's licence inside with the name Isabella Swan on it. No, bodies though"

The last was said hurriedly, in case I got the wrong idea I guessed.

"No sign of her or her companion?"

"No but its raining so hard its obliterating everything. Do you know the guy?"

"I've met him, I think he's related to Dr Cullen here in Forks. Were there any sign of injuries?"

I wanted to say blood but I couldn't force the word out.

"Some but not enough to be serious. I think maybe they're dazed and wandering around out here. I've got a couple of volunteers looking, my men are so stretched I can't spare any more, but I don't think we'll find anything until conditions improve. I'll keep you informed and Charlie...I'm really sorry."

I put the radio down suddenly feeling sick. Bella was alone out in this with a vampire and she was bleeding. I scrambled out of the cruiser and ran to Eddy,

"I have to go, an emergency. You're in charge until I get back."

Carlisle

I heard Chief Swan's cruiser before it came into view and wondered why he was here. It was courageous coming to the home of a family of vampires alone even after being told they lived on animal blood. I went to the door ushering him in out of the rain and he stood dripping in the hallway.

"Dr Cullen my daughter is out there somewhere with your friend Garrett. She's hurt and bleeding, is she going to be safe?"

I tried to make sense of his words, Bella out in this weather and injured?

"What happened Chief Swan?"

"There was an accident and his car went into a ravine. A colleague found the car and some blood but no bodies. Now I guess it would take more than a car crash to kill a vampire but what about my daughter? Will he kill her?"

I shook my head,

"No I don't think so Chief, Garrett is very fond of Bella, I can't imagine him hurting her even if she is injured but I agree it isn't an ideal situation. Tell me where they found the car and we'll go look for them"

"You can do better than the police?"

"Let's just say we have a certain advantage although the weather means any scent trail will be gone as soon as its laid. We will try, I promise you"

I called and Emmett, Esme, and Rose, came running down the stairs, human speed as they'd sensed Charlie here. I explained what had happened and we set off leaving the Chief with Esme despite his protests, he would only slow us down if he came along.

Charlie

I'd never spoken to Esme Cullen before and felt awkward to find myself alone with the beautiful vampire. She smiled at me,

"Don't worry Chief Swan, you are perfectly safe with me and Carlisle told me that you knew. You are very brave coming here for help."

"No Mrs Cullen, I'm desperate. I have to tell you I would have gone to the res first to see if the Quileutes would help in the search."

"So why didn't you Chief Swan?"

"Because they would have refused me. They only care about their own and Bella went missing too far from the res"

She put a hand on my arm,

"I'm sorry Chief, I thought you were friendly with them but I suppose they have their reasons. After all their guardians are here only because we are. They phase to keep the tribe safe, that's their only reason for existing. Now, do you have time for a hot drink or do you have to get back?"

"I don't think I'll be any use to my deputies as things stand and I'd be grateful for a hot drink thank you"

Charlie

I drove back to the station still thinking about the irony of my decision, here I was hoping that a group of vampires would find my daughter safe while my erstwhile friends were busy protecting their tribe from a non-existent threat. The Cullens had a treaty and they kept to it, the wolf pack could safely leave the res. Should I try them one more time? It was a tempting idea and it meant more bodies looking for her but then if they came across each other would it just make things worse? Struggling to see through the waterfall that was my windscreen I noted that he weather was getting worse if anything and I wondered how much it would hamper the Cullens search. I couldn't think about Bella out in this, even if she wasn't alone, it was just too upsetting.

As soon as I walked in Debs handed me a report,

"This just came through from Luke Amery, regarding the search for your daughter, I'm so sorry Chief"

I took it without speaking and trudged through to my office closing the door and peeling off my soaked coat and hat. Sitting at my desk I unfolded the fax and read it. There was still no sign of Bella or her companion, no prints or tracks, the rain was making tracking impossible and the mud slides made it too dangerous to have men out looking but they would resume as soon as the conditions made it possible. I dropped the fax on the desk and closed my eyes praying my daughter was safe somewhere dry and warm just waiting out the storm before contacting me.

Harry Clearwater

I felt sorry for Chief Swan, we had heard of Bella's accident, it went round the area like a wildfire and I wondered if he would come here to ask for our help even though we had made our position clear. I understood if he did, it was his daughter out somewhere in this weather but it wasn't our problem. Then Jared came in with more news, Bella hadn't been alone but in the company of a vampire! So the Chief hadn't taken any notice of our warning regarding the Cullens and their friend. Not only that but he had gone there looking for help and Carlisle Cullen had taken a small party out to try locating her.

"Then we can wash our hands of the business without a second thought. The Chief has made it perfectly clear where he stands on the matter of the Cold Ones. We are alone here and we will be sure to look out for our own."

Jared looked at me strangely before nodding and going back out into the pouring rain once more.