Chapter Twenty Five

Charlie

I hadn't heard from Bella in three days and then I saw Alice in town as my shift finished so I rang home but there was no reply. I tried the Cullen house and Esme answered.

"Is Bella with you Esme?"

She sounded puzzled,

"Bella? No Charlie she doesn't come here since she and Edward stopped seeing each other."

"Oh right, it's just that I see Alice is back but I can't find Bella"

"Alice? She was only gone one night Charlie, she went to say goodbye to Garrett and as far as I know Bella wasn't with them."

"She wasn't? She told me she was going away with Alice for a few days. Could you ask Alice to ring me when she gets back"

"Of course Charlie. There must be some kind of mix up."

Thinking about it I rang Billy,

"Charlie you OK?"

"Not really I can't find Bella and I wondered if she was at the Res with Jake?"

"No she and Jake haven't spoken for a while now, I think they had a falling out. I'll ring him if you like just to check, he's at Sam's. If she's there I'll get him to ring you"

"Thanks Billy."

I waited uneasily for Alice or Jake to ring back and eventually Alice did,

"Chief Swan, its Alice Cullen, Esme said you wanted to speak to me"

"Yes, I was under the impression Bella was with you"

"Bella? No"

"She hasn't been with you at all? Or Edward?"

"No Chief. I haven't seen her since recess started. Is she missing?"

"I'm beginning to think so."

"I'll ask the others if they've seen her and ring you back"

"Thanks Alice I appreciate that."

So Bella had lied to me, teenage girls lying to their parents was nothing new but it was out of character for Bella. Where the hell was she? I heard back from Alice and Jake but no one had seen her or knew where she might be although I thought Alice knew more than she was letting on. I decide to drive over and have a quiet word with her.

Alice

I groaned when I saw Charlie decide to come over, that was bad enough but Esme's questions were even worse.

"You know where Bella went don't you Alice? And after Carlisle warned you about getting her in trouble. Where is she?"

"I don't know Esme, she went to Seattle."

"Why?"

"To meet someone."

"A boy?"

"No, not exactly. I don't know what to do Esme."

I told her everything that had happened.

"And you let her go? What's the matter with you Alice? Leaving her with all this? Where have they gone? Can you see?"

I shook my head,

"I don't see Bella well. I think they left Washington though."

"Great so we have no idea where to look for her. So what are you going to tell Charlie?"

"I don't know but I have to say something."

"Right. Get Rose in here quickly."

Esme

We needed to cover our backs for now and this was all I could think of. Rose came in all smiles,

"You wanted me Esme?"

"I need you to lie to Chief Swan."

"Lie? Why?"

"Alice has got us involved in trouble with Bella."

She rolled her eyes then narrowed them,

"So what am I suppose to do?"

"Go out with Em and stay out of sight. I'll ring you and I want you to tell the Chief that Bella is with you in Seattle. Tell him you're sorry he got confused but it was you not Alice she went with. Tell him she's in the shower or something, stall him until I can get hold of Bella or Carlisle and try to straighten this mess out.

"Why should I lie for her? Or Alice for that matter?"

"To keep the secret Rose. Now please go."

I ushered her out and saw her run into the trees at the back of the house with Emmett, just as the cruiser turned off the highway onto our driveway."

"You keep quiet madam. You're in enough trouble as it is. Wait till Carlisle finds out what you've done. He's going to hit the roof."

I opened the door to Charlie smiling reassuringly

"Come in Charlie. I think there's been a misunderstanding. Bella is with Rose in Seattle. They're enjoying themselves, been shopping and to the theatre. I think they're due home in a couple of days."

"Rosalie? I didn't know she and Bella were friends."

"Yes, we're all very fond of your daughter Charlie. Would you like me to ring Rose?"

"If you don't mind it would put my mind at rest Esme."

"Certainly"

Rose played her part impeccably and Charlie seemed mollified.

"I could have sworn Bella said Alice. Guess I'm getting senile. Sorry to have bothered you Esme."

"Not at all Charlie. Children, they are always a worry."

"You can say that again."

Once he left I rang Carlisle and explained it to him, he promised to be home a soon as he could and in the meantime we set about tracking Bella down. Alice tried Garrett while I rang Rose back and asked her and Emmett to go to Seattle and see if Bella could be traced from that end. This could explode in our faces and call the Volturi down on us if we couldn't settle it quickly. When Alice came in her face told me we had more trouble.

"You spoke to him?"

"Yes, they're in Montana in the Glacier National Park"

"Where? What are they doing there Alice?"

"It's where they traced Jasper to."

"Well I hope you told Garrett to get her back here double-quick."

"I did but she won't come. She won't leave him."

"What? Alice she has to."

"The weather has cut off the roads now so they can't drive out and Bella can't walk or run out. We've got a problem Esme."

"Yes Alice we do."

Carlisle arrived soon after this and I laid it all out for him. His expression darkened when he heard Bella was stuck in Montana.

"We have to get her back. I'll see if Adam will fly in."

"Of course. If the weather isn't too bad he could pick her up and get her back here."

Alice shook her head,

"She won't come, not without Jasper, she won't leave him."

"Leave Jasper Whitlock? Are you telling me they are mates?"

She nodded and I groaned rubbing my hands across my face in vexation.

"Then there's only one other thing we can do. We have to leave Forks. Disappear again."

"I don't think Charlie will leave it do you? He'll have every Police Force in the country looking for us."

"We don't have Bella."

"But he thinks we do remember. I think we might have to leave the country, start packing everything we can take quickly. I'll speak to Garrett see if he can persuade Bella to come home."

"She wont"

"Then maybe he and Peter can bundle her into the helicopter."

"Only if they want to lose limbs. He won't let anyone touch her Carlisle and you know what he's capable of, if even half the rumours are true."

"Well I'll see what I can do. Ask Rose to make flight arrangements for the family from Portland, use Harris, I have passports in that name to hand, Harris and Baker. Rose and Emmett can go off on one of their honeymoon's using Baker. We'll fly out as the Harris family."