Chapter 35
Song for this Chapter: Rovin' Gambler by Dierks Bentley, Punch Brothers
Izzy's POV
Mama4Dukes Beta's this chapter. Y'all, we all need to thank her for making this story readable!
"Anyway," I wanted to get back on topic. I already felt like I had ADHD on steroids. Peter's antics only made me lose focus more.
"I believe we all know that I have issues, Peter. You've been thinking I lost my mind because of all that, but I believe it only made me stronger. I can name my three issues. Abandonment, trust, and control. Do you want to start naming yours?" He shook his head as he sat next to Char.
"As I was saying, I'd never been able to talk to another human about the shit that had happened to me… I mean, most people would've thought I was crazy…" I eyed Peter, hoping he'd keep his mouth shut.
"She didn't. She talked about imprinted people like me coming to her tribe for over a hundred years. Both her grandmother and mother had helped other girls out. I talked to her several times before she offered me some help. The day she made the antidote, she talked about several women from Washington coming to her family for help. Are the Quileute tribes the only ones in Washington that phases?"
"Truthful, I believe that they are. I've heard of other countries having shapeshifters, but I've only ever known of the Quilutes in the US."
"Okay, so I'm not the first imprint," Jasper growled. I just shook my head and kept on talking. "From the Quilutes tribe that have had problems. Add that to your list."
Char, like me, was a type A personality. We liked having things written down. Lists were our friends, though as vampires, we didn't need them.
"Let's go back for a second. Something about the cooked books has my mind buzzing."
"My gift is going off as well. Whatever you're thinking, keep thinking it."
"Cooked books?"
"Hear me out… Growing up, I helped my mom pay the bills. That started back when I was 11…. I'd found some gambling stuff that Mom had done. That was the reason our gas bill hadn't been paid."
"You told me she'd forgotten…" Dad sounded annoyed.
"Yeah, well… At the time of that talk, I didn't know if I could trust you… Remember, a trust issue girl is sitting here…" I was pointing my finger at myself. "That's how she met Phil…Gamblers Anonymous… I told you some shit went down with Phil before I took off on my own… Well, the two of them fell off the wagon. So when she died, Icky Vickie was around, and I was afraid to do much more than bury Mom."
"Phil said that he couldn't afford to keep a teenage college student around without Mom's income. He'd talked about how they'd raked up thousands of dollars in debt. I know Mom had some life insurance, but I don't know more than that. I don't know how much they owed or what her life insurance payout would have been. I never got the chance to look into it. When he started asking if I had any money, I just took off."
"Maybe we ought to check on the internet to see if there is anything on there about Phil Dwyer…" Char was holding the pen she'd been writing with to her lips. She got up and ended up bringing two computers out.
I did a Google search and found an obituary for Mom. When I showed it to Dad, Charlotte said she'd get us a copy of it from the library archives. On the web page of Mom's obit, Phil's name was highlighted in blue. So I double-clicked, and it sent me a link to his obituary.
"Phil died on March 14th, 2008. It says here that he was found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It says that he was under investigation for mail fraud at the time of his death…"
I kept reading.
"He'd sent several bad checks to his debt collectors. That the feds were involved because he'd sent them through the US postal service…."
"He'd been in debt to the tune of 187,000 dollars. It talks about him losing the house the year before. His baseball buddies had to pay for his burial."
I didn't know if I felt sad for the guy I'd once called stepdad or if I thought he shouldn't have been gambling, to begin with.
I did another quick Google search, this time for the Forks, Washington Gazette. I found my dad's and my obituary, along with those of everyone from the pack, including Emily and Kim.
Holy shit! We left a mess in Washington.
"What is it, Bella?" Jasper was now sitting closer to me. I turned the computer so that he could see what I was looking at.
"Y'all got a printer?" he asked after a confirmation. "I think we need to go inside for a while. These need to be printed off, and it's almost time for second dinners."
All three of the males around us laughed. Char and I didn't get it. Something about Hobbits or Rings? What the hell is a Hobbit anyway?
I walked into the kitchen and sat down on the couch in the living room. I loved this couch.
"I hate this couch," Dad says as he sits to my right. My face must have given away my disapproval because he quickly followed with, "This couch doesn't sleep well."
I heard the printer coming to life as page after page was being run off. When Jasper started handing out copies to everyone.
"Well, just read one of them and pass them on to the next person. Oh, I found some information about the Quileute investigation as well."
I was reading Leah's obit, and I knew that if I were human, I'd have wanted to puke.
Leah Sue Clearwater, a lifelong resident of LaPush, WA, died unexpectedly on May 20th, 2009. At the age of 23, from an uncontrolled fire near her home.
Leah is survived by her mother, Sue Clearwater, many cousins, and friends. She was predeceased in death by her father, Harry Clearwater, and her brother, Seth Clearwater.
Blah, blah, blah… This is the part that made me want to throw up.
Leah was a devoted member of the Quileute community. Her tireless work of helping the community and her effortless comfort for those around her will be truly missed.
After reading it, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. That bitch hadn't comforted anyone a day in her life. It's like she came out of the womb mad at the world, and she never saw a reason to change.
It went on to talk about the funeral services. A massive service would be held at the LaPush High School for the group of deceased.
Each of the pack obits read the same way. The only things someone had changed were the names of the people that they had been related to, their birthdays, and their work history.
"Someone had to cut and copy this thing from a website. They all read the same." Dad was looking at Jacob's obituary before landing on Paul's.
We'd talked several times about their deaths. How we feel about it now. If we ought to try to seek some online counseling. I didn't need any. I told everyone how I let it all go as I changed.
11 Locals Dead from Bonfire
Eleven LaPush residents were found burned to death near 110 on Wednesday, May 20th. The investigation has been completed by the Forks Fire Department and other local authorities.
Through dental records, all remains have been identified.
The bonfire was lit using an unknown accelerant. The authorities tested the samples from the scene. They found it was not listed on the AccuStandard list of prohibited substances.
It is believed they may have been trying to make a Molotov cocktail that went wrong.
The Forks Fire Department wants us to remind our residents that….
I'd read enough of that one and passed it to Dad. And grabbed another.
LaPush Elders Being Held Without Bond
Four elders of the Quileute Tribe are being held without bond by the NTA (National Tribe Association) for money laundering and other monetized crimes.
William Black, Quil Ateara Sr, Henry Wise, and Sue Clearwater, all residents of La Push, have been charged with multiple counts. Their arraignment was postponed due to the deaths of several of their children/grandchildren in an unrelated incident.
The committee chairman, Jonathan Pompey, made a statement yesterday afternoon following the investigational hearing. "It saddens me that this money was used unwisely and to the cost of the citizens of this reservation. Our people need to be helped, not abused."
Pompey, a member of the Kickapoo tribe in Kansas, was in town for the full hearing. He left before answering any further questions regarding this matter.
The BoIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) has now handed this investigation over to the FBI.
Anthony Willimas of the FBI made a statement this morning.
"The FBI is helping the BoIA at this time. Our forensic accounts have found many discrepancies already. The FBI is now handing over our findings to the DOJ, and they will handle the proceeding from their office. This matter will be handled in the Federal District Court. We have no further information for you at this time."
The Clallam County DA had no statement at this time.
On a side note, Judge Walker did not allow three of the accused to leave the Clallam County jail to attend the group funeral of their family members.
After reading that, I passed it along.
"Hey, Tony made the newspaper. He's one of my friends from the academy." Dad seemed proud as punch. "I'm happy to read they're being tried in the US court system."
"Izzy, I don't know if you want to see this or not, but there was a news crew at y'all funeral."
I was dumbfounded. "How can you have a funeral when there are no bodies?"
Peter and Char were squirming in their seats.
"There were two bodies in the car when we pushed the cruiser off the cliff."
"Who's?"
"One of the younger boys of the pack and a girl we'd brought back with us from Tacoma."
"Is that why there were only 11 bodies found around the bonfire?"
"Yeppers."
"Well, shit!" God, I'm starting to sound like my dad.
Dad and I watched the video of the funeral. In the background, I could see half of my graduating class walking through the church doors, but it was the sad face and red, bloodshot eyes of one that upset me most.
"She was my best friend. She was always trying to help the people around her. I'll always miss you, Bella Swan." Angela was standing next to her dad as she cried. His arm was around her shoulder, holding her close to his side.
"He was a great guy to work for. When each of my kids was born, even though he'd already worked a full shift. He'd tell me to stay with my wife and child. He'd pick up my shift as well. Never known of a better Chief of Police." Deputy Johnson was in his full dress uniform as he talked to the reporter.
"Today was supposed to be his wedding day. He and his fiance had asked me to officiate the ceremony. It's sad how communities like ours only come together for two types of events. Weddings and funerals." I could see half of Angela's shoulder as her dad spoke.
None of us spoke for a while. Dad did grab my hand. We both needed each other's comfort after watching that.
"This still doesn't explain the connections between Phil, Ava, or Old Quil," Jasper stated.
"No, but good investigators look for a worm under every rock. Something we've been reading might help bring the clues together. Or they might not." Dad was in full Chief mode.
"Hey, Char. Write down the name of…" I started rummaging through the stack of papers next to my dad. "Jonathan Pompey. He's from the Kansas Kickapoo tribe. It might lead us to something."
Then Dad and I were given our 'third dinners'- I still don't get it—and we all sat around talking.
Dad was telling Jasper about how Charlotte and Peter had talked to him about some things before he'd been bitten. I had my back turned to everyone. Picking up the stack of papers from the couch.
"Yeah, I heard some of those conversations. I got so upset at hearing you were going to be turned, but I couldn't move to stop you. It made me want to get off that bed, but I couldn't. Then, at some points, I'd hear you screaming, then lose my concentration again. Then I'd wake up again, and by that time, you'd stopped screaming. I didn't know what…"
I'd collected the papers and was on my way to throw them away. When I noticed, everyone was staring at me with shocked expressions.
"What?" I kept on towards the kitchen.
"You heard us? As you changed? You were able to think through that pain?" My dad questioned.
"Yeah. As I said..." I tried to talk, but everyone else started talking over me.
"How is that possible?"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Tell me she didn't just say what she did?"
"Sunshine, when did you start hearing them? Us?"
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