Chapter Thirty Four

Charlie

Detective Jones wasn't happy to talk about the other case but only because he saw it as a failure on his part not finding the girl.

"Its a totally different thing Chief Swan. Sophie was walking home after a shift at the student bar and never got home. She left no indication she was going to run but she was unhappy. She'd recently broken up with a long time boyfriend and was likely to fail her finals. She was drinking pretty heavily and had made some unsavoury friends although there was no evidence these friends had anything to do with her disappearance. Your daughter was in a stable relationship and she went missing while with her mother and step father, doesn't seem likely it was the same person now does it?"

"There's still the coincidence that they both went to the same college and were around the same age."

"You're reaching Chief."

He was right of course, I'd have thought the same thing in his shoes.

"OK, but how can a truck and three people just vanish into thin air? You know how difficult it is to hide a single body let alone three, and there's the truck?"

"It could have been stolen and sent out of state, to a chop shop, there are a thousand ways of disposing of a truck, especially a new one but I take your point about bodies so I'd say chances are they're still alive. Had you ever thought that your ex wife was unstable? Or her husband? What about your daughter? Has she ever behaved this way, disappearing I mean, got into trouble when she was younger? Was she affected by the divorce?"

"My ex wife is as flaky as they come but she loved Bella and she'd never do anything to hurt Bella, besides Bella's old enough to stand up for herself and she has everything to come home for. I know how much she loves her boyfriend, they just got engaged and she was so excited. As for Phil, he's down to earth and he loves Renee and Bella, he'd never do anything to hurt either of them."

"Well people have breakdowns and do strange things, maybe he flipped and took his wife and step daughter somewhere to hide them. Look Chief I know how you feel but you know the way these things work. We're looking for anyone who saw the three people or the truck but so far we are getting nothing at all."

Jasper

When Charlie got back he looked even more depressed and I knew he hadn't gotten anywhere, the trouble was I had no news for him either, not good anyway.

"No luck Jasper, the police are working on the theory it might have been Phil who took Renee and Bella although they don't have any evidence."

"We're hitting a blank wall too Charlie. No one seems to remember seeing the truck or Bella after they left that truck stop but they certainly left headed south so Carlisle and the others are concentrating on the road south of the restaurant."

Charlie cursed softly then apologized to Rose who had just brought him a mug of coffee,

"I understand how terrible this must be for you Chief Swan but we will find them I'm sure."

He smiled at Rose and took the coffee from her,

"Bella was lucky to find a family that are so close. Its very good of all of you to drop everything to help find her."

"Bella's family Chief, we look after family."

He nodded as he sank wearily into a chair and closed his eyes,

"You know I never had much to do with Bella as a kid, she was always traveling around with Renee but she always kept in touch, calls, letters, post cards, I can't believe I'm never going to see her again."

"We will Charlie, we have to."

He nodded, his eyes still closed but I saw the single tear that rolled down his cheek and turned away to give him some privacy.

"I can't just hang around here Rose, I need to be doing something. I'm gonna drive south see if anything hits me."

Charlie sat up drinking his coffee too hot and cursing as it burned his tongue,

"I'll come with you if that's OK."

"Sure Charlie, grab a few things we'll be on the road a few days at least. Rose keep me updated, if they get anything, anything at all..."

She smiled and kissed me on the cheek,

"I will Jazz you know that but good luck. Should I tell Peter and Charlotte?"

"He'll know but yeah I guess you'd better."

Charlie

I'd heard of close families but this was the first time I'd seen one in action close up. They didn't even know Bella, hell they'd had to see a photo so they knew who they were looking for yet they'd dropped everything to look for her and not only the family but Jasper's friends too. I was more hopeful if there were anything to find they would find it. I grabbed my bag and followed Jasper downstairs to where his car was parked and within minutes we were on the road headed south.

"I appreciate all that your family are doing Jasper, friends too."

He turned to look at me, his golden eyes seemingly darker,

"We will find her Charlie, we have to, its as simple as that and if anyone has hurt her in any way we won't be waiting to hand them over to the police, you should be aware of that I guess as a cop yourself."

"Well while I don't normally agree with vigilante justice I can see where it grows from and I might just turn a blind eye on this occasion Jasper."

"Good, I don't want to have a fight with you too."

After that it became very quiet in the car as we each fell into our own thoughts and memories of Bella.

Rosalie

I rang Esme to tell her the guys had left and she came back over to wait with me, the rest being off looking for Bella.

"Nothing from Alice?"

"No Rose, she doesn't seem to be able to pick up Bella's future but she doesn't think that means something terrible has happened, it seems she has a blind spot where Bella is concerned. I did hear from Carlisle though, he's contacted Eleazar and they are coming to help with the search too."

"All of them? What did he tell them?"

"I think he just said Jasper's mate had disappeared and they offered to help out. They are family after all Rose."

I hadn't really thought about that but I was pleased, while Tanya and her sisters could be a real pain in the collective ass they were extra bodies which meant we'd be covering more ground more quickly.

"They are flying in to the park and then working their way backwards until they meet up with Carlisle and the others. I sent them a photograph so they'd recognize Bella and I'm going to ring all the hospitals and clinics on the way just to be sure the police didn't miss any."

Everyone had come together to help find Jasper's mate which just showed how important family was, we all wanted him to be happy, even Tanya and Irina, not to mention Kate who had always been sweet on my dear brother. I felt a little useless waiting for phone calls so I could cross off another town from our already too long list on the route after which they would spread out wider. So when the phone rang I thought it would be yet another negative report but in fact it was Darius.

"Rosalie I hear stirrings in the grapevine. Is it true The Major's mate had gone missing?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Why didn't anyone call me?"

"Sorry Darius things have been a little hectic here but if you are offering we'll be more than grateful for your help."

"Give me the details and your address, I'll work as I travel and Rose... tell The Major to hang tight, we'll find her."