44
Kate was waiting inside the station house when Jasper and Garrett escorted the three men who made up the Quileute Tribal Council. Men was a term she used lightly, because men who stood by and allowed little girls to be raped, allowed little girls to be tortured, and then added to those little girls pain by calling them liars, and then sexually assaulting . . . No, not sexually assaulting. The three men raped Bella Swan, and Kate was going to make sure they paid dearly for ever looking at that little girl.
Jasper and Garrett passed the three men over to other detectives to process. She motioned for them to follow her into the conference room, which they did. She hadn't understood their fascination with Bella Swan until she sat in that living room and saw firsthand the fear and sorrow inside that little girl. She couldn't fail her, not like others had done. Bella Swan deserved someone to fight for her, and Kate was ready to join the battle.
"So," she said, placing her brief case on the table and inhaling a sharp breath. "There's no way that marriage can be considered legal. Eleazar Santiago and I are meeting with Judge Dwyer in the morning. I'm confident he will deny their motion for spousal privilege, but I don't know that we can keep the DNA match from Sam Uley."
"So what does that mean?" Jasper asked, waving his hand in the air. "You're saying you can't convict him? He's just . . . he's just going to go free?"
"Of course not," she argued, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm just saying that Bella Swan's testimony is vital to convicting Sam Uley on everything, other than his attack on James Swan. Now, the pictures of their . . . marriage," she said with a shudder, "will help convince a jury that the motherfucker is a pedophile. That's proof right there that he knew where she was as of a year ago, but Eleazar is smart. He's . . . I don't know, he's not going to just lie down and take a beating."
"What about the little girl on Bainbridge Island? Our Jane Doe? I mean, there's got to be someone, something out there that links Sam Uley to that little girl. Or Mildred Smith? He lived in her house for months, Kate!" Garrett exclaimed, and she bit her lip to stop smiling. He didn't get worked up like this over just anyone, hence the impact Bella Swan had over all of them.
"We don't have Mildred Smith's body, and we can argue that Sam Uley beat that little girl to death, but the only witness is Bella. She doesn't have a name, gentleman, and nobody has reported her missing. I mean, we're still looking, but odds after this long. . ."
Jasper pulled out a chair and sat down, leaning forward so that his elbows were on his knees. "What about charging him for Emily Young's death?"
"She committed suicide," Kate said.
He nodded and looked up at her. "But only because she knew he was watching her. He'd left photographs of her as close as the day before she died. He was stalking her. He facilitated her suicide."
"That's a stretch, Cullen," Garrett fretted, leaning against the table.
"Is it?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders and leaning back in his seat. "He was outside of her house. He looked me in the eyes and he smirked. He knew exactly what he was doing to that girl, Cap. If we're going to take him down, let's take him down for everything."
Kate pressed her lips together before she sighed. "I'll amend the charges, add Emily and Mildred Smith. Might be a long shot, but I'm willing to take any shots I can at that son-of-a-bitch."
"But what about the so-called tribal council?" Jasper asked, tilting his head to the side. "Can we change them as accessories? Conspirators? Rapists?"
"For Bella Swan yes? The others? I can sure as hell try," Kate replied. "Are Ephraim Black, Collin Littlesea, and Brady Fuller willing to testify against them about covering for Sam Uley's assaults on Leah Clearwater and Emily Young?"
"They are," Garrett said, "But you need to bring charges against Eric Yorke, too."
"Captain Yorke?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
He and Jasper shared a look before Garrett nodded. "When Sam Uley kidnapped Bella Swan, Ephraim Black went to Eric Yorke, told him about the accusations against Sam Uley by Leah and Emily. He blew him off, Kate. Told him to go back to the reservation, where he belonged, but according to Yorke, nobody ever told them how Sam Uley raped those two little girls. Kate, he could have saved Bella Swan from a lot of pain."
Kate closed her eyes, pressing her lips together. "Gonna be hard to convince anyone that he ignored crucial evidence. All you have is one person's word against another. Yorke could deny Ephraim Black came to him after Sam Uley kidnapped Bella, and we won't have anything that suggests otherwise."
"What if we can get proof?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow. "Get Yorke on tape admitting to ignoring Ephraim Black? Can we arrest him?"
Kate nodded. "But who can get such information?"
Jasper stood up, shoving his hands into his pocket. "I owe the man an apology, don't I? For my inappropriate behavior when I acted rashly and slammed the man against the wall? I'll nail the bastard for letting Bella Swan suffer for eight years. Just be ready to take that son-of-a-bitch down."
And before Kate could stop him, Jasper turned and walked out of the room. Garrett stood up, gave her a look, and followed.
—SfH—
Maggie tapped her nails on the top of her desk, her eyes locked on her office door. Any minute now the door would open and she would find herself fighting to reunite a little girl with her mother, who wasn't much more than a little girl herself, and she wasn't sure she was making the right decision. Bella Swan deserved the chance to know her daughter, but was she ready to be a mother to a toddler? Maggie wasn't sure, but someone had to fight for her, so she would be that someone.
The door to her office was thrown open and Maggie stood up as Tanya Richmond, a tall, curvy strawberry blond, stormed into her office. She knew the woman by reputation alone, and her reputation proceeded her. She was fierce and protective, but then again, Maggie could be a real bitch.
"Let's not waste time," Tanya started before Maggie could utter a sound. "The Cheney's want to meet her."
Maggie was taken back. "They want to meet her?"
Tanya nodded. "I've advised them against it, but they would like to sit down with . . . with Bella Swan, and meet her. Then, they might be willing to discuss some visitation."
"Visitation? With her own daughter, who was quite literally stolen from her arms by the man who kidnapped, raped, and tortured her for years? She doesn't want visitation, she wants Hope back." Maggie stood up, placing her hands on the top of her desk. "We both know their adoption became null and void the second Bella Swan was found alive. Now, I understand your clients' position, but that little girl deserves her daughter back."
"Little girl is about right." Tanya matched her position. "You know, as well as I do, that Bella Swan is in no condition to parent a toddler, Maggie. Ignore the fact that she's only sixteen years old. From the way I hear it, she's practically feral. How is she going to handle Vanessa when she throws a fit because she tired? Or when she throws a toy and needs to be redirected? Or cries for hours without a break, because I can assure you, she does. I've witnessed it myself."
Tanya sighed and stood straight. "The Cheney's are sympathetic, Maggie. They want to do the right thing, but not at the sake of their daughter's safety. Let them meet her, let them get a sense of who this little girl is, because from what I hear, she's pretty freaking amazing."
Maggie pressed her lips together before she nodded. "I'll let you know when and where. It might be better to go to her, though. She's . . . well, delicate."
Tanya reached into her briefcase and pulled out a small manila envelope, placing it on top of Maggie's desk. "They thought . . . they thought she might want these."
Maggie waited until Tanya left her office before she picked up the manila envelope, prying open the back flap, and pulling out the contents. Inside were almost two dozen pictures of Hope, from when she was clearly only a few weeks old to current day. Tears flooded her eyes as she placed them back inside the envelope and called Jasper to set up the meeting between Bella Swan and Ben and Angela Cheney.
—SfH—
She was tired, but as Edward held her in his arms, she was too afraid to fall asleep. So instead, she let him hold her, let him love her. She almost smiled.
Edward Cullen loved her.
He loved her.
He thought she was beautiful and amazing and smart.
He thought she was a good girl, and not a bad girl.
Could she love him, too? Was love feeling safe? Feeling important? Was that what love felt like?
The door to the bedroom opened, and she felt Edward tighten his arms around her. He pressed his lips against the top of her head just moments before the door to the closet opened and Marcus stood there. His eyes were soft and kind, like her daddy's. Yet, there was a roughness that scared her, too.
"Good morning, Bella," Marcus said, smiling. "May I sit? I'll stay outside of the closet, but I'm an old man, and well, my knees suck."
She nodded, and watched as he groaned and settled on the floor.
"How are you this morning?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"What did you have for breakfast?" he asked, and she shook her head. "Nothing? Well, that's not good. I hear you like pancakes."
"No syrup," she whispered.
"No syrup?" he asked, and when she nodded, he said, "I like syrup, but only maple syrup."
"It's messy."
"That's fair," he admitted, shifting so that his knees were bent in front of him. "What else do you like to eat?"
"Grilled cheese," she murmured, shifting her eyes up to Edward, who smiled down at her.
"Now, grilled cheese is my favorite," Marcus said, drawing her attention back to him. "My mom made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. Did yours?"
She frowned, and once more shrugged her shoulders.
"You don't remember?"
She shook her head.
"I bet she did. She was a good mom, right?"
Tears filled her eyes as she nodded. "She laughed and smiled. I remember her laugh and her smiles."
"The best moms do," he admitted, his eyes shifting from her to Edward and back. "What do you remember, Edward, about your mother?"
She felt him tense around her, and she huffed. "He doesn't want to talk about her, not to you!"
Marcus raised an eyebrow, but said, "Edward?"
And she huffed, trying to pull herself out of his arms, but Edward held her tight. "It's okay," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. "It's okay, sweetheart. He's just trying to help."
"But it makes you sad," she whimpered, turning and placing her hand on the side of his face. He leaned into her touch. "I don't like it when you're sad."
"I know, but I need to talk about her, even when it makes me sad. Just like . . . just like you need your Rosie, even though sometimes what you tell her makes her sad, right?"
She nodded.
"My mom was . . . Well, she was beautiful and full of life," Edward murmured, turning and pressing his lips against her palm. "I miss her, Bella. I miss her so much. She would . . . Well, she would have loved you."
"She would have?" she asked, and he nodded. "Why?"
"Because I love you," he admitted, his eyes shooting to Marcus before he added, "Because we all love you."
She bit the inside of her lip, before nodding.
"What about your dad, Bella?" Marcus asked. "What do you remember about him?"
She frowned. "I . . . I don't know."
"Sure you do," he pressed. "Was he a good dad?"
Tears once again welled up in her eyes as she nodded.
"Why? What made him a good dad, Bella?"
"He . . . I don't know. He just . . . he . . ." She began to cry, and Edward tightened his arms around her.
"Did he hold you when you were scared?" Edward asked, and she nodded. "When you were upset?"
"Yes," she sobbed.
"Did he fight for you, Bella?" Marcus asked, causing her to look over at him. "The night he came for you, did your dad fight for you?"
"He . . . he tried," she exclaimed. "He told him to get out, that he shouldn't be there. He said he needed help, that he needed to stop, but . . . but he didn't stop. He hurt them. He hurt them!"
"He didn't just hurt them, Bella. What did he do?"
She shook her head.
"What did he do when he locked you in the closet and went downstairs?"
Her chest felt heavy as she shook her head again.
"What did he do, Bella? You heard them tell him to get out, right? To leave you alone, but he didn't, did he? What did he do to them, Bella?"
"He . . . he . . ." She closed her eyes, the image of them laying on the floor, the memory that had haunted her for so long slammed into her, and she cried. "He killed them. He killed them because of me!"
"Not because of you," Marcus said, shifting so that he was seated closer to her. "Not because of you, but because they fought for you. They fought for you, and do you know why?"
Her chest heaved with tears as she shook her head, tears cascading down her face.
"Because they loved you, because you're worth it, because you're important. That's why Edward and Carlisle and Jasper are fighting for you. Why Alice and Esme and Emmett are fighting for you. Why Uncle James fought for you," he added, smiling softly. "And why Rosalie is fighting for you, honey."
"Because they love me?" she asked. "Because I'm important?"
"Very important, and very loved," he said gently.
She frowned. "They fought for me, fought . . . fought him for me."
"Fought for you, Bella." Marcus scooted closer. "But now, now we need you to fight, Bella. Fight to survive. Fight to live." His eyes shifted from her to Edward and back as he smiled. "Fight to love. Are you ready to fight Sam Uley, Bella?"
"He can't hurt me again, right? He can't . . . he can't . . ." She took a deep breath. "He can't take me away from my family again, right?"
"Never, Bella," Marcus said. "Never, but you have to take a stand, decide that you aren't going to let him control you anymore. Are you ready to take that stand?"
She frowned, her eyes shifting from Marcus to Edward before she nodded. "Sam Uley doesn't own me anymore."
Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Just to reassure everyone, though this story is difficult and emotionally draining to write, I am fine. I promise. Now, this was a big moment for our Bella. This is the first time she's said his full name, that she's taking that power back from him and really naming him. This was a HUGE step for her.
