Chapter Forty Six

Darius

I was relieved that we didn't find any more bodies but there were signs that someone had been living here recently, maybe the two men Charlie had run into earlier. The interior of the house belied the outside with every room clean and the furniture functional but almost new and the beds made up ready for someone.

"Well, whatever we found here it isn't the fucking place where Bella's being held. Do you think she's dead too?"

"I hope not Peter, I'm not sure The Major could take it, he's on the edge as it is. I guess we should see it as a good thing there's only one body here. Come on lets see if our friend has anything useful to tell us. Like why he's here and what he knows about the girl's body."

"So you're not gonna lecture me about biting Charlie?"

"What choice did you have? Of course it means having a newborn on our hands but I understand why you did it."

"Thank fuck for that, I might need you to back me when The Major finds out."

I laughed shortly and we went back outside to find Carlisle kneeling by the now conscious attacker. He turned to look at us and I could see he was ready to speak so I shook my head in warning and he subsided.

Peter took his place beside the seated man who was looking scared now and when he saw Peter's expression it went from scared to terrified.

"What were you doing here?"

"What?"

"I'll ask the questions, you answer them OK?"

"When Joey finds out what you've done he's gonna roast your naked body over an open furnace."

"Now you see I seriously doubt that and I hate empty threats."

Peter picked up the guys left hand looking at it and I could see him struggling to get free of the grasp unsuccessfully.

"You left handed?"

"What? No, why?"

"Just wondered"

Peter jerked hard and we heard the snap of the guys wrist as it broke but before he could scream Peters hand was across his mouth.

Carlisle was about to object so I suggested he check the body of the young girl with Emmett and he left reluctantly but I wasn't going to stop Peter, we needed answers and he was prepared to do what it took to get them.

"Now, no noise, we don't want to wake the neighbors do we? I'll ask once more why were you here?"

He moved his hand and the guy sobbed as he held the injured hand with the other,

"I'm waiting. And just so you know I ran outta patience the day I was born."

"We were here to pick up the body and dispose of it."

"Where?"

"The sea, it will get washed out on the tide and look like a suicide by the time its found."

"You sound very knowledgeable about such things. You do this often?"

He didn't answer quickly enough for Peter who dislocated two fingers on his good hand again stopping any screams with his hand over the guy's mouth.

"I told you I don't like waiting so answer quicker, it'll be less painful."

" I do it from time to time for Mr Mendoza."

"Nice. Where's Alonzo Mendoza?"

"Not here."

"I can fucking see that so where is he?"

"I don't know...but I heard he was living in one of Mr Mendoza's houses, he's crazy you know. Since he lost his family."

"Yeah so we heard, care to give us the addresses of the other houses?"

The guy shook his head,

"He'll kill me if I do."

"And I will if you don't and I'm a lot fucking closer."

He hesitated and Peter dislocated two more fingers,

"You really are a slow fucking learner aren't you? The addresses now."

The guy sobbed out four addresses,

"They're the only ones I know, I swear. Can I go now?"

Peter smiled coldly,

"Of course you can, let me help you."

He grabbed the guy by his throat and dragged him over to the wrapped body of the young girl.

"This is for her, and any others you disposed of."

As we watched Peter tightened his grip and the guy slowly strangled, his body dangling about a foot above the ground. Once his heart stopped beating Peter dropped him and wiped his hands on his combats.

"One less scum bag to worry about. You ready to go now?"

Carlisle stood glaring disapprovingly at Peters methods of interrogation and his final act and Peter smiled at him,

"Go on Cullen get it off your chest before we leave."

"I just think you could have made it swift, his death that is. I don't approve of torture."

"And I don't approve of men who make it their business to dispose of bodies or stab my friends so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Unless you want to make something of it here and now."

Of course Carlisle backed down, he wasn't going to pick a fight over this, he knew only too well that Peter had done what was necessary to get the answers we needed. True he could have killed the guy quickly but did he deserve a quick death?

As we left Carlisle came over to my side,

"If you want to bitch about Peter it's a little late, you had your chance and you blew it."

"Actually no it was about the girl Sophie. I examined her and I found this in her clutched hand."

He handed me a ring, an engagement ring,

"You think this is a message of some kind? What, from Bella?"

"Well we found Bella's engagement ring on Renee so maybe this is Renee's. The trouble is that the only person who could identify it is now transforming and before you jump to Peters defence I have no problem with the decision he made in that regard."

"Good. There is of course one other person who might recognize it...The Major. He met Renee, he might have noticed her ring."

We drove to the safe house to find everyone else already there, Esme and Alice upstairs with Charlie attempting to keep him quiet and subdued with Garrett's help while The Major paced angrily like a caged tiger. As soon as he saw us he went for me,

"You were supposed to be keeping Charlie safe, what happened?"

"He decided to help us out and I don't blame him. I know why we tried to keep him out of this but it was a mistake, he's not a child. Its his daughter who's missing and he wanted to find her. Peter did what he had to and I stand by his decision. Now calm down, sit down, and shut up, while I tell you what we found. I need you focused Major, not blowing your top."

I waited wondering if he would calm down or try to rip my head off and Peter obviously wondering the same thing came to stand between us,

"Cut out the crap Major. We got news and we need you with us, Bella needs you clear headed."

That did the trick, he tensed then with a great effort of will nodded and sat down around the table with the rest. Peter told him what had happened after I explained leaving Charlie and then I took the ring out of my pocket and handed it to him

"Do you recognize this ring?"

He glanced at it then sat up his eyes sparkling with hope,

"Where did you find it? This is Renee's engagement ring, she was wearing it when they left."

"Carlisle took it from the dead girl Sophie, she was clutching it in her hand. So she must have gotten hold of it somehow. It would appear she must have been with Bella and Renee at some time."

"Actually."

Carlisle cleared his throat,

"I'm pretty sure it was put in her hand after she was dead and the hand bound with something until it went rigid."

"So what are you saying Carlisle?"

"Someone, and my money is on Bella, put that ring into Sophie's dead hand as a message that she's still alive. She still had hope that someone might be looking for her."

"Then she is alive."

"Or at least she survived Sophie but it also means she was in the same room with the corpse."

Now that was a sobering thought for any human but especially a young woman, We knew she had seen Renee's dead body, now she'd seen at least two.