Chapter Twenty Three
Charlie
It had been too long since I heard from Bella and no one was answering at the Whitlock place, if I didn't hear soon I would fly down. When I got the call from Harry I was intrigued, he said he had something he needed to tell me, something very important so I arranged to go to the Res after work. The good part of that was Sue's home cooking, it beat microwave meals or the diner which was my usual fare. I tried the Whitlock's place again before I left but it was still on answer phone so I left a less than cordial message for Bella. I was getting annoyed now, didn't she realize how worried I was about her? As I pulled up outside Harry's I saw Billy's truck was there too and when I walked in I could see this wasn't just a social visit. Old Quil, Sam, Jake, and a few of the other young men were sitting in the small kitchen making it look even smaller. They greeted me cordially enough and nothing much was said as we ate but as soon as the meal was over we adjourned to the back porch where someone had added extra chairs and everyone sat in silence.
"So Harry, what's this all about?"
"Bella"
It was old Quil who spoke but it was Harry I was looking at,
"Bella? She's not here so what could you possibly have to say about her?"
"Charlie we need to tell you some very dangerous secrets and we need your word that you will never disclose what you hear tonight to anyone at any time. It's for your own safety as much as ours."
Finally I turned to Old Quil,
"Look, I'm a Police Officer so if what you are about to tell me involves any illegal activity then I can't promise and I wont promise anything without more information in any case. These secrets are pertinent to Bella?"
"Yes I'm afraid so Charlie but I need an undertaking that you will speak to us before you talk to anyone else about what you hear, that's the very least I will accept"
"And if not?"
"Then we can't tell you anything and Bella will have to take her chances."
"Bella's in danger? Is this to do with the attack on her by that guy at the bar? Because if it is then you can save your breath because I already know."
"I wish it were Charlie. In fact I almost wish that Bella had not survived her injuries"
I was incensed at that and got up ready to leave but Harry stretched a hand out to stop me,
"Charlie I know Quil didn't put that well but you will understand his words if you allow us to explain the problem."
I sat down still angry,
"Go on then. If what you tell me isn't illegal I wont tell anyone without discussing it with you first."
Quil nodded and sat back as Harry took up the story,
"This is coming far too late but we never realized how serious things had become until you came back and told us what had happened."
"About what? Bella's attack?"
"No Charlie, that's immaterial to our concerns"
"Really? Well you'll excuse me if I don't feel the same way"
"Charlie, your daughter is involved with creatures that are not only highly dangerous but manipulative too. I wish we had seen what was to come sooner. It may already be too late but we thought when the Cullens left things would be better, Bella would be out of danger. When she rejected Jake choosing Edward Cullen instead we spoke about it but as he was unwilling to do as she asked it seemed better to keep our counsel."
"What did she ask of Edward Cullen?"
"In order to answer that question we need to give you some background on the Cullens"
I went to stand again angry once more at their messing me around but Sam standing behind me put a hand on my shoulder to stop me rising.
"Listen Charlie"
"If we're going through that stupid legend again and your irrational hatred of the Cullens then save your breath I know it all by heart although no one ever explained the connection between the two."
"You will now understand because we have no choice but to include you in the select few who know the secret."
"You make it sound like the Masons or something."
"Its much more dangerous and secret than their organisation."
I waited for someone to fill me in on this big secret.
Old Quil nodded at Harry and he turned back to me,
"You know the legend of the wolves and the cold ones?"
"I should, you've told me often enough."
"Did you ever wonder if it might have a basis in truth?"
"No more than the X Files, no."
"Well it is, the wolves exist as do the cold ones."
"Really? Men who turn into wolves and protect the tribe from the monsters? Harry I don't have time for this shit."
"It's true Charlie, would you like a demonstration?"
I leaned back in my chair and laughed folding my arms
"Is that why we're out here? So you can pull a stunt on me? Make a wolf appear out of thin air?"
"Not from thin air Charlie. Jake would you?"
Jake went to stand out in the drizzle and his body started to shake violently, then the air seemed to ripple and standing in his place was a huge wolf, growling and snarling. I looked at Billy then back at the wolf only to find Jake there pulling on a pair of tatty shorts.
"Good effects. You gonna use them at birthday parties? I'll grant you I didn't see the strings."
"You don't believe the evidence of your own eyes?"
"Not when what they tell me is quite obviously a trick. No one can turn into an animal like that."
"We can, we're the guardians of our people"
I looked at Sam who seemed in deadly earnest.
"Guys turn into wolves? What are you protecting the tribe from? Little green men?"
"No Charlie, the cold ones...you know them better as vampires."
"Werewolves and vampires? Have you been drinking Sam?"
"If only...No Charlie they exist just as the wolves do, and the Cullens are vampires."
I got up so quickly my chair fell over with a crash,
"Bullshit! I've had it with this foolery. I'm going home get a beer and watch a game on TV."
"What if we're right Charlie? That means Bella is involved with vampires. She's in love with one and he loves her. You have no idea what kind of monster Jasper Whitlock or Hale or Cullen is but we do."
"Well excuse my ignorance but if they're vampires how come they haven't drunk the town dry by now or have you fought them off?"
"We have a treaty with the Cullens, they don't bite humans and we keep their secret from the humans."
"You're telling me the Quileutes turn into wolves and have a treaty with a group of vampires not to kill each other? Bella's running around with some of these vampires and suddenly you're worried about her? What kind of friends does that make you? If it was true you would have told me as soon as Bella got involved with the Cullen boy. Now excuse me I'm going home."
As I drove home from the Res scenes of Jake turning into a wolf played in my head again followed by Charlotte's words to me,
"We don't eat or drink, we don't sleep"
Nah it was crazy...or was it...there was definitely something odd about them but vampires! Why hadn't they bitten me? I had no treaty with them and they weren't covered by the Quileute treaty, not the Whitlocks. Even so by the time I got home I was feeling uncomfortable and went straight to the phone hoping against hope there would be a message from Bella. Well there was a message but it wasn't from Bella but from Charlotte.
"Charlie we just got back and I'm sorry you felt you had to leave so many messages. Bella is with us and she's fine although she does have something she wants to tell you. Do you think you could find time to come to us for a few days? Or if you prefer we'll come visit you. Again sorry for worrying you"
