Chapter Thirty One
Jasper
Walking back talking to Carlisle I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pain and abandonment and immediately started to run, in my panic I had forgotten Bella would be waking up. She would have found the house empty, all of us gone, and think we'd left her taking little Jamie with us. I looked through the still open front door to see her crumpled in a miserable heap on the bottom of the stairs and moved to her side picking her up in my arms to hold her close,
"Bella I'm so sorry we left you alone"
I kissed her tear-stained face, her neck, and rocked her in my arms.
"Bella please forgive me darlin'"
She clung to me unable to stop the sobs but no longer feeling alone. Carlisle who had followed a little slower saw her and realized what she must have thought. He came to us and stroked her hair,
"Bella I'm so sorry. I Should have stayed with you and let the others look but..."
She lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at him,
"Look? Look for what Carlisle?"
I held her close and told her what Esme had done and I knew she would be upset but I wasn't prepared for her outburst, it was close to hysteria. She started to cry again and sobbed our son's name over and over until she was hoarse.
"We'll find him Bella, I promise"
Carlisle suggested a sedative but she became more agitated at the thought of this, screaming that she'd been sedated when he was taken. I shook my head at Carlisle,
"No more sedatives. I'll contact Peter and Charlotte, they can help look for Esme while I stay with Bella."
She calmed hearing that,
"You won't leave me?"
"No darlin' I'm staying with you. Peter and Emmett will find Esme and Jamie for us. Come on let's get you back to bed"
She shook her head rubbing the tears from her eyes,
"No. I don't want to be out of it any more Jazz. I want to know what's going on"
Her voice started to rise so I tried to calm her as I carried her through to the couch and sat down still cuddling her in my arms and soothing her.
Rose
When I got back I could see Bella knew but when Carlisle told me about the state they found her in I cursed for not thinking about her myself. The little bit of good news I had didn't help much but Bella was grateful that Emmett was still out there trying. Carlisle disappeared into the kitchen and I saw him pull out his cell phone so I followed him.
"Trying to contact Esme?"
He nodded listening as her phone rang then we heard her voice,
"Carlisle? Where are you?"
"Esme what are you doing? Where's Jamie?"
"He's safe and well. I'm taking him where he'll be looked after and cherished."
"Esme he's Bella's child and she is so upset. You can't just run off with him like this"
"I already have Carlisle. I'm sorry about Bella but I don't think she's fit to raise a child and that animal she's involved with certainly isn't"
"Esme, Jasper is Jamie's father"
"So Bella claims."
"Pardon?"
"Well, Jamie looks human to me and he's acting like a human child so I have my doubts about her claim. Anyway he's safe so tell her that."
"Esme you have to come back and bring him with you"
"I can't do that Carlisle. I won't put the poor little mite in danger like that. He'll be safe where he is and if he does have vampire in him he will be brought up properly by people who understand about such things. I'm sorry Carlisle but I can't come home now. I'll ring you again soon. Bye for now"
We looked at each other in horror, Esme had taken Jamie and was going to give him to someone else, but who?"
Emmett
When I got back Rose told me everything, I'd managed to get a trail as far as the outskirts of the city before losing it. Hearing about the phone call I powered up my lap top and called up a program I'd just installed for fun really. Tapping in Esme's cell phone number I hit the search button and waited, fingers crossed it would do what it claimed. For about a minute the wheel went round and I was about to abort the search when it came up with a result.
"Yes, got her!"
All heads turned to me,
"I located Esme and as long as she keeps her cell phone switched on I can keep it up."
"Where is she?"
"Just a second Jazz. Shit! She's at the airport."
"Can you find out where she's flying to?"
I nodded,
"Hopefully. If this other program works as well as the first one."
I called up another program I'd been working on refining and filled in the search box hitting enter with a small prayer. This program first had to access the airport records illegally then search for Esmes name on a flight manifest. I just hoped she was using her real name or it would be more complicated.
"This is going to take a bit longer folks"
Bella smiled over at me,
"Thank you Emmett"
Those few words meant more to me than anything.
Bella
Watching Emmett type on the keys furiously while Rose looked over his shoulder I realized how much they all accepted me as family. Jasper's arms were tight around me and he kissed my neck and stroked my hair while Carlisle sat alone looking guilty and stricken with it. It hadn't been his fault so I held out a still shaking hand and he looked at it confused before getting up and coming over to kneel on the floor by me,
"Carlisle I want to thank you for all you did, for delivering Jamie safely."
"I'm sorry about what's happened Bella. I don't condone Esme's actions and I'm sorry I invited her but I really thought she might help you."
He took my hand in his,
"Thank you Bella, for trusting me"
Jasper
I looked over at Emmett who suddenly stiffened while Rose read over his shoulder and I saw her hand go to her mouth in shock. Not wanting Bella to hear yet, whatever they'd found, I spoke very low and watched his lips form the word that shook me to my very core, ITALY. Bella twisted in my arms to look into my face,
"What? Tell me Jazz, don't you dare hide things from me now"
"Esme is on a flight to Italy.
"It left about twenty minutes ago and there's no way to get there faster."
"Italy? Esmes delivering Jamie to the Volturi?"
The rage and helplessness pouring from Bella crippled me momentarily and she stood up swaying slightly.
"Then we have to go and get him back. Rose, book the quickest flight you can. Emmett you coming?"
I stood with her,
"Bella let us go"
"And stay here worrying? No, he's my son too Jazz and we will go together and demand his safe return. Get a move on Rose"