Chapter Forty Nine

Darius

I sent Peter and Emmett to check out the dark house while Carlisle and the girls went outside to see if they could find any sign of the girls having been taken elsewhere. My job was to get The Major out of here quietly and quickly in case the kidnapper came back. In the end it was Rose who got through to him and he looked a thousand years old as he walked back up the stairs to the yard. I think all of us were glad to leave that disgusting place although the stench clung to our clothes and stuck in the nostrils unwilling to let go easily. The Major stood in the yard looking up at the house,

"Where is she Darius? Where do we look now, we were so close, maybe only hours from finding her but she slipped through my fingers."

"I don't know Major but we won't stop looking until we do find her I promise you."

"And if we're too late? If he's already killed her?"

"Then we'll at least make sure he pays for it but I'm not prepared to give up hope yet. We traced her to the last place she was, we can do it again."

He shook his head as he stared blankly at the house as if willing the guy to materialize there in one of the windows.

"We should get back to the house, make sure the others are OK with Charlie."

He turned to me puzzled,

"Charlie? What's wrong with him? I thought he was being kept in the dark but I didn't think it took so many to keep him where we wanted him."

I hesitated then decided I might as well give him the bad news,

"He did some digging of his own and got some leads, we don't know where then he gave us the slip, took Em's car and went looking for Alonzo Mendoza."

The Majors eyes darkened, he knew there was more,

"Peter caught up with him but it was too late to save him, he'd been stabbed, so Peter did the only thing he could, he bit him. Charlie's in Esme's rented house undergoing the change as we speak."

I waited for his reaction but he didn't say a thing for a few moments then,

"The information he got you used to find the cellar didn't you?"

"Yeah it gave us a smaller area to search."

"Does he have any more information? Anything we can follow up on?"

"I have no idea, we got the addresses off a pad he used to write them down but if he knows anything else we won't be privy to it until he wakes and that's gonna be another couple of days."

"Days Bella may not have if she's even still alive."

Peter appeared at The Major's side looking almost as upset as his friend,

"Listen we got the name of the scum bag who took Bella and we know Charlie went looking for information at three addresses, all businesses owned by another fucking Mendoza. Why don't we try asking him a few questions? Politely of course."

"I'll see if I can find a home address for him, give me a few minutes."

I ran back to the car and booted up my laptop connecting with a friend who could find an address for anyone for a fee. I could have done it myself but it would take too long right now, The Major wasn't a patient man where Bella was concerned. It took four minutes and I had an address in the suburbs, a very nice area indeed.

"Dar, you ought ta know that the guy you are looking for has connections and I don't mean utilities. I'll send you a photo of his estate, you'll see what I mean that way. Its only a few days old, I'm watching him for another party but nothing that would get in your way if you feel the need to visit Mendoza."

"Thanks Jim, much appreciated."

I checked the satellite photo, a close up, very good quality and understood what he meant. This was no ordinary house it was an estate with outbuildings, stables, a huge pool, tennis courts. Why would a guy worth all this get involved in a single gambling house and small bars? There were dogs patrolling between two fences at the perimeter and it looked like a guard at the gate house. Well Mr Mendoza was certainly keen on security but they were no match for a group of pissed off vampires.

I went back to find The Major in the same position but his fists were clenching and unclenching showing just how close to exploding he was. I explained my findings and we decided to go visit a certain Mr Mendoza without an invitation. Emmett and Carlisle insisted on accompanying us which was more than enough, this was to be as quiet a visit as possible. The others went back to the house to wait for news and watch Charlie, not that he was due to wake too soon but it never paid to take chances. The rest of us piled into one car and drove off to the rich side of town resting peacefully and unaware of what was approaching. Once there we spread out and checked the perimeter wall which had only the one entrance which was guarded by two guys, obviously armed and in radio contact with the occupants of the house. I booted up once more and checked for security around the house only to find there was a shit load!

"Well, we've got infra red, pressure plates hidden under the turf, motion sensors attached to spotlights not forgetting the four attack dogs running the wire. Looks like he might expect trouble on a daily basis."

"Yeah but he ain't prepared for us is he?"

Peter was smiling coldly as he jumped to the top of the wall ignoring the razor wire and looked over into the compound. The Major wasn't waiting for any recon, he just joined Peter and the two of them were lost to view as they disappeared jumping across the open ground into the trees a good sixty five feet inside the perimeter fence. Deciding we might as well join them the three of us copied their example and we caught them up in some bushes where they were watching an evening barbecue pool party. I pointed out our target and we waited impatiently until he disappeared into the pool house alone. Then The Major and Peter disappeared once more leaving us to watch their backs.

Jasper

I had no time for waiting, for niceties, and I just went as soon as the opportunity presented itself, joining Mendoza in the pool house. He turned hearing the door snap locked.

"Who the fuck are you? How did you get in here? I'll have you beaten to pulp and thrown in the river."

He was about to shout for assistance so Peter shook his head and stood at his side one hand round Mendoza's throat the other over his mouth.

"The Major has a question for you. Answer it and you might just live."

His eyes widened with fear at the speed Peter moved but I just asked him what I wanted to know.

"Where is Alonzo?"

I nodded and Peter moved his hand,

"Alonzo? What the fuck do you want with him? He's crazy."

"No where near as crazy as me, now where is he?"

He shook his head and Peter grabbed his hand crushing the bones slowly and preventing him from screaming by increasing the pressure on his throat too.

"The Major asked you a question. don't make him ask a third time."

He gabbled an address,

"Its our old family cabin, he wanted somewhere quiet to work."

"Work?"

"That's what he said. I told you he's one crazy mother fucker. You'd do better staying away from him."

"Unfortunately for him that's not gonna happen but I warn you, contact him and we'll know. If we have to come back it won't be your hand I crush understand?"

He nodded in response to Peter's question and sighed with relief as Peter released his grip on Mendoza's throat and hand but we both knew he would try to call for help so Peter drew back and punched him hard enough to break his jaw and knock him out.