Chapter Eleven

Harry Clearwater

Leah wasn't home when I got up, a little later than usual but then this bug that had laid Billy low had originated with me and I still wasn't over it completely. When she got back and explained she'd been doing a favor for Charlie I wondered who was invited for dinner. Had it anything to do with the girl he had been seen in the restaurant with? Could it be Charlie Swan finally had a girlfriend? It didn't seem likely as Emily had said the girl she saw was too young, so what was going on? If I didn't hear from Charlie soon I would drive over and grill him, after all what were friends for if not to know your business? I smiled at that, Charlie didn't have secrets, he wasn't that kind of guy.

Leah had lunch ready when Sue got back from Billy's, one of the other women had taken over nursing duties and she looked shattered,

"Billy Black must be the worst patient in the whole world Harry. If Jake weren't away I'd tell him to shove it."

Leah and I looked at each other and started laughing, that was most unlike my wife who was usually mild and sweet tempered. We continued to giggle all through dinner, until Seth came in with Paul. I wasn't happy that my young son was associating with the pack but there was nothing I could do about it, especially now the Cullens were back.

I saw Paul wrinkle his nose and glare at Leah as she passed him on the way to the kitchen.

"Where have you been Leah?"

She turned scowling at him, Paul wasn't her favorite person, he was too arrogant for her liking and she wasn't alone in feeling that!

"Nowhere, why?"

"Did you bump into the leeches?"

"Paul."

I cut across him warningly and he backed down.

"Come with me into the garage. I want your opinion on my truck."

He knew better than to argue and followed me outside.

As soon as we were out of sight of the cabin I turned on him,

"You know better than to bring up pack business in front of Seth and Leah. What did you mean?"

"I could smell leech and another stink on her."

"That's ridiculous, Leah's been at Charlies all morning."

"I know what I smelled Harry. She brushed up against leeches or something very much like them."

"Just watch your mouth or I'll report you to Sam, you know how he feels about keeping the pack secret. Do I need to remind you that you swore an oath of silence Paul?"

He scowled but nodded sulkily and left, muttering under his breath, and when he had gone I sat in the truck pondering his words and what I knew.

Charlie had guests for dinner and had been seen with a girl, a stranger. It had been a dry sunny day so she couldn't be a leech but Paul was sure Leah had smelled of leech and she had been in Charlie's house all morning so where had the scent come from? I needed to find out what was going on with my friend and who the mystery girl was.

I drove over to Emily's to talk to Sam finding him home and surrounded by the pack. Sitting down and refusing a freshly cooked blueberry muffin and coffee I told Sam what had happened and what Paul had said. As I finished Paul himself slunk in glaring at me when he realized I had told the others everything.

"You think Leah got the stench of leech on her at Charlie's? I guess it's possible, after all he's friends with them. Did you recognize the scent Paul?"

Paul shook his head,

"The strongest scent was strange, not quite leech but there was a faint smell of one of the Cullens, I'm not sure which one, they all stink as far as I'm concerned."

The others murmured their assent to this and Sam looked at me questioningly.

"I think it might be as well to watch Charlie's place for a few days, see if we can pin down the strange scent. If there is another leech or something similar around we need to know."

"Why don't we watch the Cullen house instead? If there are any of those creatures around that's where we'll find them Sam."

"You stay away from the Cullen house or risk breaking the treaty Paul. I'm only interested in whatever is visiting Charlie. He doesn't know what the Cullens are or how dangerous they can be and as our friend it's our responsibility to watch out for him."

Sam

Harry was right of course, a part of the treaty guaranteed that we would not go anywhere near the Cullen property in the same way they would stay away from the reservation but if there was another vampire or other creature around we had to know and the only other way to do that would be to watch Charlie's house, where Leah had picked up the scent.

"Right we'll pair up and keep watch over Chief Swan's house unobtrusively. Paul, you'll accompany me on the first watch, the rest of you sort yourselves out but no one says anything to anyone until we know what's going on. Is that clear?"

I was looking at Paul as I said this and his nod was the one I was most interested in.

"Harry, why don't you drop in on Charlie, see what you can find out."

He nodded reluctantly, I knew he didn't like the idea of spying on his best friend but this was more important than his scruples.

Harry

Sam was right, it would be easier for me to talk to Charlie than anyone else so I drove over later that afternoon to find him dozing on the couch, the T.V tuned into the game. He jumped when I tapped him on the shoulder, he never locked his back door and his friends knew that.

"Harry? How are you? You want a beer?"

"Already got one Charlie, you're too late."

I held up the can I had taken from his fridge,

"So, what kept you from our fishing trip? I was looking forward to fresh fish fry."

He seemed to consider before answering and that made me uneasy, was there something he was trying to keep from me? Then he launched into the tale about his niece tracking him down.

"So, your sister had a daughter? I never knew that."

"Neither did I Harry, I never spoke to her since I left home and she was just a kid."

"Where's this niece now?"

"She's gone back to her place. Not only do I have a niece, I have a grandnephew too, little Caden. He's four but acts more like a grown up."

"So, a whole family. I'm glad for you Charlie. Was that the girl Emily saw you with?"

"Yeah, we arranged to meet somewhere neutral. If I'd taken her to the diner it would have been all round town before I got my fork to my mouth and the gossips would have got the story wrong, you know that."

I laughed,

"You got that right!"

He didn't seem eager to tell me anything more so I continued with the questions, feeling guilty for grilling my best friend.

"So, she's staying around here? When are you going to introduce us to her? Or are you too ashamed of your red skin friends?"

He laughed at our private joke, Charlie was the most accepting man I knew, no matter what your color or creed.

"I thought we might have a barbecue so you can meet her but it could be awkward Harry."

"Awkward? Why is that Charlie?"

He hesitated and I got a bad feeling in my gut,

"Well, she's married and her husband is...he's...one of the Cullens."

The blood froze in my veins and I felt sick, unable to speak for shock.

"Before you start in on them Harry, you know how I feel about Dr Cullen and his family and Jasper Hale is looking after Bella and Caden really well, especially since the boy isn't his."

Well he wouldn't be I thought and it would seem the girl, this Bella wasn't a vampire either, not yet at least. It must have been Jasper Hale Paul smelled, so why the other strange scent?

"Will you meet her Harry? For me?"

I wanted to shake him, scream the truth in his face, force him to understand the danger his niece was in but then she must know what the Cullens were, she was married to one. Could it be the boy was a vampire too? That didn't seem right, we knew Immortal children were a death sentence for child and sire. I had drifted away in my thoughts but something Charlie said snapped me back,

"What?"

"I said Caden and Charity were playing together here like brother and sister."

"Who's Charity?"

"The little girl Rosalie and Emmett adopted."

Two children living with a coven of vampires? What did the Cullens have in store for them? We needed to know and stop them if necessary and I feared time might be short.