Chapter 39

"Let's go." Charlie started for the door. Edward placed his hand on Bella's back and went to follow. Turning on his heel, Charlie jabbed his finger into Edwards chest. "Not you. You stay here!"

"Dad, I'm going to stay here too."

"No you're not, you're coming with me."

"No! I don't want to go with you. I want to stay here."

"Well that's too bad, because the only options you have right now are to come with me, or go back to school."

"And if I choose to stay here?"

"Then I will arrest you for truancy."

"I'm eighteen. I could quit school and you can't do anything about it."

Charlie huffed, "Man, I miss the day when I thought I got lucky that you didn't act out Like a normal teen. I don't have time for this. Get in the car."

Bella crossed her arms and lifted her chin. "No."

"Bella, That boy's parents are going through Hell right now looking for their son. Terrified each and every day of what could be happening to him. And now, I have to go tell them what happened, the worst news they could hear. Get in the fucking car!"

Bella was going to argue, but suddenly what Charlie said clicked in her mind. He was going to tell Riley's parents that their son had become a vampire.

"Dad, wait." Charlie stormed through the door. "No, dad, stop." Bella ran after him but he was already in the car and about to start the engine.

She ran around to the passenger side jumping in as the car roared to life. "Dad, you can't do this."

"Do what?" Charlie stepped on the gas pitching the car forward just enough to slam the passenger door shut. Bella threw her hands up to brace herself against the dashboard, only to find her fathers arm in front of her holding her in place. "Put your belt on." He drove the car around the Volvo easily getting out of the driveway.

Bella put her belt on and took a shuddering breath. "You can't tell his parents."

"Can't?" An incredulous huff escaped his lips. "Bella, I have to."

"No, you don't. Really, it's better if they don't know."

"Better? For who exactly? Those people are worrying themselves sick and they will continue to do so as long as they don't know what happened to their son. They need to know."

"No, they don't. Please dad you can't do this." Bella fidgeted in her seat unsure how much time she had to talk him out of this craziness. Glancing in the mirror, she spotted a familiar black car in the distance. The Mercedes quickly caught up with them. Letting out a breath she slumped in her seat. If she couldn't make her father see sense before they got to the Biers', Carlisle would find a way to stop him. Swallowing thickly she whispered, "It's only going to hurt them more."

Squeezing her eyes tight she willed the dampness away. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she could see that just the Idea of her becoming a vampire hurt her father.

Charlie parked the car in front of a blue house. Turning to his daughter he gripped her hand. "Not knowing will hurt them more." His fingers trembled as he let go. "Look," he cleared his throat and turned back to stare out the windshield. "Even if I didn't want to tell them, I don't have a choice. It's my job." He opened the door and stepped out leaving Bella to stare after him.

Carlisle stood at the steps with his head down and his hands folded in front of him.

Bella watched in disbelief as he stepped aside to let her father pass with no protest. She scrambled out of the car and hurried over to him.

"What are you doing?" She whispered. "Aren't you going to stop him?"

Carlisle blinked at her. "Of course not. Why would I stop him?"

"He is going to tell Riley's parents."

"Bella, I am here to help him." Her mouth dropped open.

What was wrong with him? What was wrong with them? They had to know they were going to get them all killed.

She looked up at the sound of the door opening. A middle-aged woman stood there visibly shaken at the sight of the police chief. The woman called for her husband. The panic in her voice had him rushing over to see what happened. Their eyes filled with fear as they stood in the doorway facing her father.

The atmosphere grew heavy with tension. As if everyone was holding their breath, preparing for the news. A sense of guilt and regret permeated the air around her father. The ensuing silence was filled with a heavy anticipation and unease. Yet still a spark of hope lingered in their eyes. Bella's heart sank knowing what was to come. She could see the moment an unspoken understanding passed between them. Her father's words ended any hope they might have still had. "I'm so sorry."

Mrs. Biers swayed and her legs gave out. As she collapsed both Charlie and her husband reached out and grabbed her, preventing her from hitting the ground. Carlisle stepped forward to help. He placed two fingers on the woman's neck. "Perhaps it's best that Mrs. Biers has a seat. May we come inside?"

"Of course." The gruff sound of Mr. Biers' voice was a stark contrast to the high pitch of concern from before.

Charlie assisted Mr. Biers in helping his wife to the living room. Carlisle turned to look at Bella. "I leave it up to you to choose whether or not you witness this." Then he turned to join the others.

Bella wanted to take the out. She wanted to run as far and as fast as she could, but a morbid curiosity stopped her. She wanted to know how Charlie would break the news. How Mr. and Mrs Biers would react. How did you tell someone that their son was turned into a vampire, only to be torn apart and burned by other vampires and a bunch of teenage werewolves?

Bella stepped into the hall and peeked around the door frame. They had just gotten Mrs. Biers settled when Mr. Biers sat heavily next to her. She watched as the distraught parents tried to pull themselves together long enough to find out what happened to their son.

Carlisle came in from what Bella guessed was the kitchen and set two glasses of water on the coffee table in front of the couple. "Mrs. Biers, are you on any medications?"

The woman opened and closed her mouth but no sound came out. Her husband asked, "What does that matter?"

"I'm concerned about her heart. I would like to give her a light sedative."

"The doc gave her something to help her sleep, Benzo something or other. She hasn't been able to since…" his voice broke off in a shaky breath.

Carlisle nodded then handed her a pill from a bottle he pulled from his pocket.

She robotically accepted it. Her tearful eyes met Bella's. Behind the tears the woman's eyes looked flat, vacant. As if she had died the moment Charlie said those three simple words.

It was only a few minutes before that there were so many emotions pouring off this same woman, but now… Bella flinched at how zombie-like she had become.

"Can you tell us what happened?" It sounded like Mr. Biers had to force the words out.

Clearing his throat Charlie asked, "Have you heard what has been going on in Seattle?"

Here it comes. Bella squeezed her eyes shut then forced them back open. She made herself watch, take in every detail. She wanted, no, she needed to know, to see.

"All that gang violence? Of course, but what's that have to do with our son? I assure you our Riley wouldn't be involved in all that… Unless." For the first time since they entered the living room Mr. Biers' eyes rose to meet her fathers. "He was caught in the crossfire somehow. A wrong time, wrong place sort of thing?"

"No, I am afraid your son was very much targeted."

"But, why?"

"Everything that has been happening over there wasn't due to gang violence." Bella held her breath. "It was a serial killer." All the air seemed to leave Bella's body. He lied. Her father lied. The room tilted and she had to use the wall to keep herself from falling on her face.

Mr. Biers shook his head. "I thought serial killers only went after a certain type of person. What was it about our son?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Biers, the truth is the people were all very different. Most of them were people that wouldn't be missed, I'm sure we haven't even got half of those reports, but there were also people like your son, mothers, fathers, sometimes whole families, young, old. It didn't seem to matter." Charlie rubbed a hand over his eyes and took a shaky breath. "The only similarity is in the way each person lost their life."

Mr. Biers wrapped his arms around his wife and nodded. "When can we see him?"

Charlie looked up at Carlisle. He stepped forward and knelt down in front of the couple. "It's better if you don't."

"But, we have to. We have to identify him."

"No." Charlie said thickly.

Carlisle elaborated. "I'm afraid he… he is unable to be identified by sight."

"Then how do you know? You could be wrong. Maybe it's not him. Maybe…" Mr. Biers' voice rose with a frantic hope.

"It's him." Charlie said.

"But how…"

"Mr. Biers, do you remember coming to the hospital when those people were attacked in the woods?"

"The bear attacks."

"Yes, you gave us a DNA sample."

"Right, just in case."

"Yes, we used that DNA sample to identify Riley."

"So there's no question."

"I'm afraid not."

"I want to see him."

"Mr. Biers."

"I have that right."

Sighing Carlisle complied. "Yes, you do. We need some time."

Mr. Biers nodded again holding his unresponsive wife tighter. "The monster that did this?"

"She's gone." Charlie said. "Killed in pursuit."

"You're sure it was her that did this."

Charlie gave a sharp nod. "Positive!"

"Good." Mr. Bier's voice was low. "I hope you understand us not walking you to the door."

"Of course." Carlisle said.

Charlie stood. Pausing he said, "You have our numbers." The gloomy environment followed them out the door.

Charlie braced his hands on the top of the car breathing deeply. He opened the door only to slam it shut. He did this again and again before kicking and punching the door frame, cursing the whole time.

"Chief Swan." Carlisle said quietly.

"They weren't bear attacks, were they?"

"No." Carlisle said, then turned to his car.

'How are you going to let Mr. Biers see his son?"

Without looking back Carlisle asked, "Do you really want to know?"

"No," Charlie admitted.

Bella watched all this happen through a fog. She stood in front of the cruiser unsure as to how she got there. Her head spun. She closed her eyes only to see the dead stare of Mrs. Biers. The woman's face morphed until she was staring at herself. The memory of her own zombie days flashed through her mind. Nausea welled in her stomach. The ground seemed to move around her. She was suddenly standing at the car door. She stared at it, like she couldn't remember how to open it. "Bella?" her fathers voice sounded muffled. She looked up, and up and up until she saw nothing but the gray sky. It grew darker and darker then there was nothing.