The Cullens were a well-respected family. Dr. Cullen was an in-demand neurosurgeon known for his skills in the operating room and his kind and compassionate bedside manner. He was loved by patients and colleagues alike.
In fact, Dr. Cullen had been called in to handle a case for the Vice President's son. A drunk driver had hit his son and was not expected to make it. Now, ten years later, not only is he alive, but he is thriving. He can walk and talk because of the work Dr. Cullen and his team did.
Mrs. Cullen is also well respected in the community. She volunteers with several charities and works with the disenfranchised. Esme sits on several community boards and serves meals at soup kitchens and shelters every week. Now that she is an empty nester, she takes pride in staying busy while supporting her husband.
Each of the Cullen children volunteered alongside both parents, learning that hard work and ethics will get you far in life. Emmett, Edward, and Alice were all well-rounded. They each maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school while involved in several extracurricular activities.
Emmett, star of both the football and track teams, had a full ride to several sought-after universities. The day after he graduated high school, he left for Georgetown and did not look back.
Edward would follow in his father's footsteps. He graduated high school early, and left high school at 16 with college credits under his belt. He would leave home the same year as Emmett. Edward spent his summer before college in Africa working in a medical clinic, and in the fall, he was Harvard-bound.
Alice was the family favorite, the baby, the only girl, and the most bubbly and friendly of the Cullen children. When she was 15, she started her own clothing line and made prom dresses for all her friends. When she graduated high school, she spent the summer in Seattle working with a private label designer and, in the fall, joined the School Of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.
However, things on the inside of the Cullen home painted a very different picture. Doctor Cullen was often absent, working late hours, attending charity events, and schmoozing donors to help build the hospital's new wing. The Cullen Building would house state-of-the-art neurological equipment and bring in the most extraordinary minds medicine had ever seen. When he was home, though, he drank heavily, and while he never put a hand on his children or wife in violence, he could cut you to the bone with his words. Nothing was ever good enough. No grades were high enough; the house was never clean enough. Dinner was always wrong, and someone was always parked in his spot in the driveway. Carlisle could rage for hours.
The Cullen children were often pitted against each other. Carlisle felt that any competition was positive. Starting from the time they were in elementary school, grades were posted on the fridge, and not just at the end of the semester, but test grades and homework. Each child was ranked. The rank included grades, your friends, the importance of the activities you participated in, and how you performed in life. No one was ever good enough to pass in all the categories, and the rank changed daily. This caused jealousy and bitterness between the siblings. Everyone was competition.
To counterbalance her husband's ridicule and anger, Esme was indulgent. Anything Emmett, Edward, and Alice wanted, they got—cars, clothes, cash—anything. More than once, Esme got calls from the county jail. A promise of a large donation to the Fallen Heroes fund or new body cameras for the department went a long way. Once, a new police cruiser with all the latest technology was donated—whatever it took to keep a criminal record away from her babies.
Three months ago
You are invited to a celebration of love and family. Please plan to attend the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Plane tickets have been included as a gift. We will meet on Paradise Isle on Friday the 20th. Please plan to stay for the week. Food and accommodations will be provided. We will spend the week relaxing on the tropical private island and reconnecting as a family. Significant others are invited, but please, no children. No need to RSVP. When you arrive at the airport, a shuttle will transport you to the port. A ferry will take everyone to the island together. Please be prompt. Bring everything you will need with you. Food and drinks will be provided. The ferry will only be available to bring everyone to the island on Friday and return everyone to shore in time to catch flights home on the following Thursday.
Your attendance is expected and appreciated.
When the invites showed up in the mail, each Cullen was surprised. It had been at least twenty years since they had spoken to each other. When each son left home, ties were severed. And when Alice left,that was the end of the Cullen family as they knew it. No one on the outside knew this, of course. If Carlisle or Esme were asked, the children were wonderful, too busy to come home, but they enjoyed traveling to see the kids every chance they got. Everyone knew Mr. And Mrs. Cullen loved to travel, but they steered clear of New York City, Boston, and Washington D.C. no matter what.
Friday
On the day of departure, everyone gathered at the docks. There were stiff hugs and cordial "How are you?" and "What have you been up to," but as the group stood looking out at the ocean in awkward silence as the ferry pulled into the dock,
"Hello Cullen family!" the ferry captain shouted from the deck of the small boat. To call it a ferry was extremely generous. It was more of a tugboat with a larger deck and bench seating. "I am Captain Gus. I will be taking you to the island. Please grab your luggage and take a life jacket as you board." He smiled and made a broad sweeping gesture.
Once everyone was settled and the boat was turned around and moving toward the island, Gus's voice came over to the speaker. He stood and waved at the family inside the small wheelhouse as he spoke.
"Welcome aboard the S.S. Sea Ya Later. I hear this is a family vacation trip. I gotta tell ya, I wish I were a part of this good-looking family." He chuckled before continuing, "It is my duty as the ferry captain to fill you folks in on the history of the island."
His voice dropped into a put-on spooky tone. "The house, well, mansion really, is owned by an eccentric billionaire. No one is actually sure who he or she is. Rumor has it, the owner is a doomsday prepper, and this home and island will be where they wait out the apocalypse." Captain Gus paused for dramatic effect. "The woods on the property are perilous. Do not go into the woods. Stick to the cleared land. The woods have been booby-trapped in case the island is ever invaded. The windows are bulletproof, and all the doors that lead outside are reinforced military-grade steel. And be mindful that they will automatically lock. Keep the door propped open or make sure someone is in the house just in case someone gets locked out. Temperatures this week will be in the 100s. Perfect for getting a nice tan, but you will die within hours in that sun if you find yourself locked out of the house."
"Should someone tell him that cell phones have been invented and we would just call someone?" Edward snarked.
"Shut the fuck up, Edward." The skinny girl he had brought with him growled. No one had been interested in formal introductions at the port, but Edward, Emmett, and Alice had brought someone with them.
"I don't want to scare anyone. I'm just doing my job to pass on the warnings about this place. And as for making an emergency call, no can do, no cell service on the island. You have to get to the mainland for that." Edward rolled his eyes. "Now for the good things. There is an Olympic-sized pool, indoor and outdoor saunas, and a chef-worthy kitchen if anyone likes to cook. The house is fully stocked with the finest produce, meats, and other groceries. A full bar is available with top-shelf liquors, beers, and wines. Please help yourselves to anything from the kitchen and pantry."
"If you fine folks will take a look to your left, the island is coming into view, and we will be docking in a few minutes. Please take all your luggage and leave your life jacket on until you get off the dock. It is my understanding that there are flights to catch next Thursday. I will be here and waiting at one o'clock sharp to ensure everyone has plenty of time to load, unload, and get to the airport on time.
Gus docked the boat and then came around the stairs leading down to the dock, shaking each passenger's hand as he wished them a great vacation.
Much like the beginning of their ride, the Cullen's stood on the dock, this time watching their only hope of getting off the island disappear into the sunset.
"Well, we should all get inside before we get eaten alive by bugs out here," Esme said as she swatted a mosquito out of her face.
Emmett, Edward, and Alice, along with their guests, follow Esme and Carlisle into the house. They all gathered around in the entryway. No one was sure what to say or do, but everyone wondered when they would find out whose ridiculous idea this was.
"Well, family, I am glad we were all able to come here and be together. Why don't we all pick out a room, unpack, and freshen up." Carlisle looked at his watch. "Let's meet in the dining room in an hour for some formal introductions and a light dinner before turning in. I have to say, after all the travel, I am worn out." He forced a laugh before taking Esme's hand and heading toward the stairs.
An hour later, everyone had settled in one of the many bedrooms, showered, and changed into fresh clothes, and on their way to the dining room. Esme was setting out an assortment of meats, cheeses, crackers, and fruit. Several wine bottles were lined up on the wet bar, along with a full ice bucket and a large bottle of expensive whiskey.
"Everyone, take a seat, and please fill your plate." Emse beamed at each of her children.
The group dug in, and everyone was silently eating when Carlisle stood up from his place at the head of the table. "I am thrilled to see all of my children here and to see each and every one of you has found a significant other. I would like to introduce myself formally. I am Doctor Carlisle Cullen." He gestured to Esme, "My lovely wife of forty years, Esme. Now, I would love to meet these lovely young ladies and gentleman who have accompanied my wonderful children here to celebrate with us. Emmett, I will let you go first since you are the oldest." Carlisle sat down and turned the floor over to Emmett.
"This is Rosalie. She—"
Carlisle cleared his throat, interrupting Emmett. "Will you please stand up and give us a proper introduction?" Carlisle gave him a tight smile and then looked at Edward and Alice. They understood. They were to follow suit, or there would be hell to pay.
Emmett sighed and pushed his chair back hard. "This is Rosalie Hale Cullen." He emphasized each of her names. "She is a lawyer with a big firm in D.C. We have been married for six years and are very happy. I am with the F.B.I Special Ops. We live in a two-bedroom townhouse in downtown D.C. We have a dog named Andy." Emmett recited the facts of his life. He gave his father a snarky, toothy grin and sat down, taking a massive swig from his whiskey glass.
Edward stood next. "This is Bella Swan. We have been dating for a little over a year. She is a model. I finished my doctorate, and I work as a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills." Edward sat down.
"Yay! My turn!" Alice said as she jumped out of her chair. "This is my Jasper, Jasper Whitlock." She giggled and put a big smacking kiss on the side of his head. "We met while I was studying at FIT. We live in a loft in SoHo. We adopted a garbage can cat named Sushi Marie. I named her that because she was eating an old California roll someone threw out, and I love the name Marie." Alice giggled again and did a little jig before plopping down in her chair.
"Wonderful. Just wonderful." Carlisle smiled. "I know I can speak for my wife and myself when I say we are so glad you are here, and thank you to each and every one of you for planning this trip. I know how busy we have all been, and it's hard to make time for family." He raised his coffee tumbler "to the Cullens."
"To the Cullens." Everyone echoed back as they all exchanged suspicious eye contact.
"Dad, we thought you and Mom planned this trip," Emmett spoke up.
"Yeah, Bella and I thought the same."
"Oh, well, um. I wish I had thought of it, but no, we thought this was you kids." Esme's voice trailed off.
They finished eating. The only strained conversation revolved around the delicious food and drink and what time everyone planned on hitting the pool in the morning. The elephant in the room remained ignored. Who had invited them all here, and why?
Saturday
"Oh, what smells so good?"
"You mean besides you? I've got pancakes, eggs, bacon, and coffee going, babe. Can I make you a plate? Emmett asked Rosalie as she leaned in to kiss him.
"Did you hear that thump last night?" Rosalie asked, taking her full breakfast plate from Emmett.
"I heard it, around three-ish?" Bella made a so-so gesture as she helped herself to a pancake right from the pan
"Yeah."
"I don't know what it was. I waited up for about half an hour to see if I heard it again. I assumed someone was up getting a snack or something to drink and bumped into a table or something."
"It was loud whatever it was," Emmett responded.
The three nodded in agreement and enjoyed the breakfast Emmett had cooked for them.
About half an hour later, Carlisle made his way downstairs. His ever-present tumbler in his hand.
"Can everyone please gather around? I am afraid I have some rather disturbing news."
When everyone had moved from the kitchen to the dining room, Carlisle took a moment to gather his thoughts. "There was an accident last night. It would seem that sometime in the night, Esme decided to go out on the balcony to get some fresh air. I was sound asleep. I have always been a very hard sleeper. I am sure my children can attest to that." Carlisle locked eyes with Emmett, Edward, and Alice. "Well, there is no delicate way to put this. She fell from the third-story balcony. She is no longer with us, I am afraid."
"Are you sure, Carlisle? You checked she was not breathing? Maybe we could make a phone call and get the ferry to come back? Maybe she will be fine. We need to check on her! Where is she? Where is she, Carlisle?" Alice had begun to hyperventilate and pace around the room.
"Calm down, Alice. Yes, I am very sure she is gone. Her neck is broken. When I found her, she was already cold. Emmett, Edward, Jasper, will you please help me bring her into the house?"
"What are we going to do when we get her in here? Edward asked.
"Well, I believe the ferry driver said the kitchen was state of the art. Has anyone checked out the freezer?"
Half an hour later, Esme rested comfortably in the walk-in freezer, and the rest of the Cullens were traumatized.
They had all found themselves sitting in the living room. Carlisle had locked himself upstairs, asking not to be disturbed. Considering the circumstances, no one questioned it.
"Do you think he pushed her?" Jasper asked.
"What? No, I mean, I doubt it, I uh, well…" Edward's voice trailed off.
"What would he have to gain by offing her here, with all of us around? If he wanted her dead, he would have pushed her off a balcony at home, right? Rosalie said.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Bella said, standing up and heading toward the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Alice asked.
"Upstairs to shower," Bella said, pulling her shirt out and smelling it. "I need to rinse the Esme off of me."
"Lock the door, ya know, just in case," Edward said.
After several long minutes of awkward silence, Rosalie and Emmett headed upstairs to their room. Alice and Jasper decided to take advantage of the sun and go swimming. Edward stayed planted on the couch, thinking over Jasper's question.
Forty-five minutes later, Rosalie yelled over the second floor railing, "Edward! Your girlfriend is still in the shower, and she is still singing Ready For It on an endless loop and singing at the top of her lungs. Taylor Swift couldn't pull it off, and Bella sure as shit can't. If you do not come up here and tell her to knock it off, I will barge in there and do it for you."
"Go tell her then. I don't give a shit."
Rosalie stomped down the hallway and up to the third-floor bathroom. She banged and banged on the door, spewing threats and demands. After several minutes, Rosalie flung the bathroom door open and slammed it shut once she was inside.
She jerked the shower curtain back and let out a blood-curdling scream.
Emmett and Edward came running. Carlisle opened his door to see what the commotion was, but when he saw his sons attending to the shrieking Rosalie, he shut it softly.
"What is it, Rose? What happened?" Emmett asked as he entered the bathroom.
"Holy FUCK! Edward, do not come in here. You don't need to see this." Emmett pushed Edward out into the hallway.
Rosalie sat down on the edge of the tub and turned off the water. When she pulled her hand back, it was covered in blood.
Everything in the shower was covered in blood. Bella lay in the bottom of the tub looking an awful lot like Marion after her shower tango with Norman Bates.
This was not an accident. Someone had gone Psycho on Bella, but who?
Sunday
"Has anyone seen Rosalie this morning?" Alice asked nervously. The last twenty-four hours had made everyone, especially Alice, anxious.
"She wasn't in bed when I got up," Emmett replied, pouring a cup of coffee.
"Is that normal?"
"Well, I mean, she's a sleepwalker, so, kinda, yeah," Emmett said, slurping his cup.
"Should we go look for her? Or are you not that worried?" Edward helped himself to the last of the pot.
"Not that worried."
"After what has happened with Bella and Esme, I think we should go look for her. I am starting to think this island is cursed." Alice stared at her brothers with wide eyes.
"Cursed? Alice, I think all the drugs—"
"Shut the fuck up, Edward. You, of all people, have no right to talk about drugs. And second of all, I'm clean."
"Yeah, we're clean," Jasper mumbled.
Everyone turned to face him. He was clean, not by choice, but by force. Somehow, his cocaine stash had disappeared. Maybe Alice was right; perhaps the island was cursed.
Alice spoke up, "I am going to look for her. She could be lost or hurt, or who knows?" She turned on her heel and headed toward the back door. "Is anyone coming with me, or do I have to do this alone?"
Emmett and Edward sat their cups down and followed her out the door, with Jasper dragging behind them.
"Don't forget to prop that open." Edward said before Emmett let the door shut behind him. "We can't count on Carlisle to let us back in."
Emmett reached down, pulled over a large potted plant, and let the door shut against it.
They all spread out across the property and started looking. Alice walked to the shore in case she had fallen into the water. Emmett and Edward checked the pool house. Jasper stood close to the back door, shuffling his feet and taking his hands in and out of his pockets.
"You look nervous there, Jasper," Edward commented. "Do you know something about this?"
"Fuck no! Why would I have anything to do with this? I met you people two days ago." He yelled.
"Okay, alright, calm down. I'm just asking," Edward said, making a simmer down hand motion.
Emmett came around the side of the house, "Well, she's not here close to the house. I think we need to start combing the woods."
"Gus said it was dangerous out there." Jasper said.
"Yeah, well, my wife might be out there, and I will look for her. No one asked you to come." Emmett raised his voice.
Jasper noticed Emmett's quick change of heart when it came to looking for Rosalie. He raised his eyebrows suspiciously and opened his mouth to say as much when Alice cut him off.
"Everyone needs to take a breath. I agree with Emmett, we need to look, but we also need to be careful. If she did walk out there, she could be hurt or worse," Alice said, repeating her earlier worries as she put her hand on Emmett's arm.
Jasper sighed, "Let's go."
They started down a gravel path that led into the woods.
As they were all silently picking their way through the underbrush and low-hanging branches Alice spoke up. "I wonder what kind of traps are out here? I mean, are we talking guns attached to trip wires, a fish hook to the eye, or are we gonna find a cotton string with tin cans hanging off of it?"
"I think it was all urban legend and bullshit, to be honest. A good way to rent the place is as an Airbnb. It's a tall tale of an eccentric billionaire. You didn't really believe that story, right?" Edward asked, rolling his eyes at Alice. She was always such a gullible baby. Emmett and Edward had played so many mean tricks on her growing up.
"Of course, it was bullshit, but we should still be careful. Snakes and wild animals probably live out here." She reached for Jasper's hand.
Emmett had wandered ahead of the group and started to yell for Rosalie.
Edward caught up to him, leaving Jasper and Alice to check for booby traps. "How far do you think she could have walked? I mean, it was dark. She was barefoot. Are you sure she didn't just leave?"
Emmett shot him a look.
"Don't look at me like that. Can you honestly tell me you have not been looking for a way off this island since we got here?"
Emmett didn't comment, but his silence said everything it needed to.
Alice started yelling behind them, "Look, boys, there's a clearing! Maybe she found her way there and got lost!"
They all turned to look in Alice's direction. To everyone else, it looked like woods, but Alice had always said she was a little clairvoyant. Emmett took off running through the trees, and sure enough, there was a clearing, and right in the middle, an old uncovered well.
"What is it?" Alice asked when she got to Emmett's side.
"I found her." Emmett pointed down. There at the bottom was Rosalie, lying face up in a few inches of murky, bloody water.
Alice started screaming. Jasper wrapped an arm around her and led her away from the edge.
Emmett and Edward leaned over and stared down at Rosalie. Her lips were blue, and her skin had taken on an ashen color. Her hair was matted to her face with blood. Her forehead had a large laceration. Edward and Emmett looked at each other, then to Alice and Jasper standing several feet away. Everyone was thinking the same thing. Did someone follow her out here and hit her over the head? Was she pushed? Or was it a tragic accident?
"How are we going to get her out of here?" Edward asked.
"I don't think we can." Emmett shrugged.
"You don't even want to try? The well isn't that deep and that's your wife."
"Bella was your girlfriend, and I don't see you sitting vigil beside the freezer." Emmett snapped. "It's not worth risking anyone else's life to pull her body out. We know where she is, and when the ferry comes back, we will have him on the radio for help. Let the fire department use their ladders to get her."
They all headed back up to the house to tell Carlisle what happened. Edward and Emmett opened the back door.
Emmett turned back to Jasper and Alice. "You guys coming in?"
"Nah, I need to talk to Alice for a minute. She's really upset." Jasper said as he put his arm around Alice. It looked to Emmett like she wanted to come inside. He decided he would stay close in the kitchen if she needed him. He was still her big brother. Even though he thought it was a little suspicious, she knew exactly where they would find Rosalie.
When the door was closed, Jasper turned Alice around to face him. He gripped her arms and stared hard at her.
"What the fuck did you do with the drugs Alice?" He snarled at her through gritted teeth.
She jerked her arms out to shake his grip. "Nothing. If you're out, it's because you snorted all of it."
She turned to go into the house. Jasper reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder, whipping her around and causing her to stumble on her feet.
"I didn't snort all of it. Six fucking grams of cocaine is gone, Alice. Six. Fucking. Grams." He punctuated his words as he pointed at her chest.
She slapped his hand away. "I don't know what to tell you, Jasper. I don't have it. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to lie down." She snipped. Before he could reply, she turned and walked toward the back door. Emmett held the door open and let Alice in.
Alice stomped upstairs without saying a word to her brothers or father, who sat at the kitchen bar.
A few hours later, she was woken up by a pounding on the bedroom door.
"Go away, Asshole. I don't have your fucking drugs." She screamed.
"Alice, it's Dad. Jasper is about to do something foolish, and I think you might be the only one who can talk him out of it."
"What? Is he trying to swim back to shore?" Alice groaned as she buried her face in her pillow.
"Yes," Carlisle replied.
Alice met Carlisle in the hall. They went downstairs and out to the patio, where Jasper was trying to pull a rusty canoe into the ocean.
"Jasper, what the fuck do you think you are doing?" Alice yelled as she stomped toward him. He stood knee-deep in the water, trying to untangle the canoe and oars. "You have never been in a canoe before. You cannot row yourself back to the mainland. What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" She barked.
"I have to get out of here, Alice. You are right. This place is cursed. I—I have to go. I will come back, though I just need to take care of some stuff at home. I need to, uh, yeah, just some things to take care of."
"By home, you mean New York?" She questioned, worry in her voice now.
"No, uh yeah, uh just some stuff alright. I'll be back so fast you won't even notice I've left. I promise." He jumped in the canoe and pushed off the ocean's sandy bottom.
"Jasper!" Alice screamed, running out into the water. "I will share what I have, OK? Please don't do this. You'll drown, you idiot!"
Jasper was already out of earshot by the time she finished speaking. He had caught the current and was quickly moving out into open water. It wasn't long before a look of panic shot across his face, and he started trying to bail water out of the canoe with his hands. Alice called and called for him to come back. He was almost out of sight when a wave came up behind him. In less than three seconds, Jasper was gone.
Alice fell to her knees, and Edward and Emmett rushed to catch her. She sobbed and screamed out Jasper's name over and over again.
Edward picked her up and carried her to a sun lounger on the porch, and she cried herself to sleep.
The sun had long set, but Alice was still out there. It was starting to get chilly. Carlisle grabbed a blanket and took it to her. "Please come inside, sweetheart. Your brothers made dinner, and I think having something to eat would be a good idea. Things will seem better in the morning."
Alice looked up at him with a glare that spoke volumes. She took the blanket and wrapped it tightly around herself. Then, turning back to the ocean, she watched the tide come in.
"I will leave the door propped open so you can come to bed whenever you like, but please do not spend the night out here. It's not safe." Carlisle reached down and patted her shoulder softly.
After dinner, Edward and Emmett were cleaning up when they heard the noise. It was eerily familiar to the sound they heard the night Esme died, only this time, it was more of a thump and a squelch.
They looked at each other and headed out back to the porch to check on Alice.
When they opened the door and turned on the light, they saw her.
"Holy shit," Edward whispered.
A giant vase lay on what was left of Alice. As the boys walked closer, they saw a blue marble vase—the same one in Emmett and Rosalie's room. It had fallen off the balcony from three stories up and crushed Alice while she mourned Jasper.
Edward turned to Emmett, "How could you do this? Why would you do this? She was going to be fine. Jasper was a loser. She would've seen that with time. In fact, I was going to offer for her to stay with me for a while. Get clean. Get her life together, but you took that from her.
"You honestly think I did this? After everything that has happened over the past few days? Really? And fucker, I have been with you the entire time she was out here. I didn't do this!" Emmett yelled.
A realization dawned on both of them. Carlisle. He was supposedly passed out when Esme fell. He was nowhere to be found when Bella was killed. The jury was still out on how Rosalie had ended up in the well. Jasper, that was his own stupid doing, but this? He was the only one who could have done it.
"Do you think he invited us all out here to kill us?" Edward mumbled.
"I am starting to…" Emmett trailed off.
"We have to watch each other's backs from here on out. We've only got a few more days here. We can keep each other alive until then. And if either one of us gets the opportunity, we take him out. Deal?" Edward put out his hand to shake on the deal. Emmett took Edward's hand and nodded in agreement.
Monday
The day started quiet. They all managed to stay away from each other. Carlisle hibernated in his room, Edward parked in front of the TV, and Emmett sat outside watching the waves.
Finally, around eight p.m., Emmett came in to start dinner. Clearly, no one else was going to cook, and no matter what had happened, they still needed to eat.
"Carlisle, Edward! Dinner is ready!" Emmett called out an hour later, putting the steaks and baked potatoes on the table.
He heard a door slam from somewhere deep in the house. A few moments later, a red-faced Carlisle stood at the dining room table. He was drunk, drunker than Emmett had ever seen him, and that was saying something. Carlisle slumped down in his chair and stared mindlessly at his plate.
"ED-WARD!" Emmett yelled louder. "DIN-NER!"
No answer. Carlisle looked up from his plate, eyes narrowed at Emmett. "What did you do?"
"Me? What did you do?" Emmett took off to the family room, and Carlisle stumbled behind him.
"You fucker." Emmett growled.
Edward was on the couch. He was flat on his back, arm hanging off to the side. His lips and fingertips were blue. Emmett kneeled beside him and shook his body. Edward was cold.
Emmett started to stand up when he saw it. A hypodermic needle lay next to Edward. Emmett must have knocked it loose when he shook him.
He picked it up and examined it. The syringe was empty except for a few drops of a clear liquid.
Emmett stood up slowly and turned to face Carlisle. "Care to explain this, Dad?" He said sarcastically, throwing the needle at Carlisle.
"I was about to ask you the same, Son," Carlisle responded in the same tone. "I have to know why are you doing this? Were you not loved enough as a child? Have you not had anything and everything you have ever wanted?"
"Don't start that shit, and how dare you blame me for this? If anyone in this family deserved to die, it would be you, and yet, here you are." Emmett threw his hands in the air. "I am going to bed. You should know I brought my service weapon, so I suggest you keep to yourself for the next few days. I would hate for there to be another 'accident.'" Emmett made air quotes around the word accident, then he headed upstairs.
"Wait, please, Emmett. Let's not do this. I truly don't think you are the mastermind behind all of this. If I am being frank, I think it was Edward. He was always so jealous of you and Alice. Never enough attention, the classic middle child. Let's get him moved to the freezer, and then can we at least have one drink as father and son? I would love that. Please, for me?" Carlisle sounded sincere, and he was right about Edward; he did have middle-child syndrome
Emmett turned back and started down the stairs. "One drink, and then we do our best to stay away from each other for the next 48 hours, deal?"
"Deal." Carlisle said, patting Emmett on the back.
When Edward had joined Esme and Bella in the freezer, Emmett and Carlisle made their way to the wet bar. Emmett poured them a glass of whiskey; he handed one to Carlisle.
"I have my own thanks," Carlisle said, lifting the coffee tumbler he had carried around since they arrived.
"I thought you said you believed Edward is behind all of this?"
"I do, but what if he poisoned the alcohol? Seems like something he would do. Could you wait for me? I have a bottle of Scotch in my room." Carlisle said.
He returned a few minutes later with a nearly empty bottle. "Are you sure you trust that?" Carlisle nodded to the glass in Emmett's hand.
"I trust my brother." And with that, Emmett tossed back the three inches of whiskey in his glass.
"Cheers," Carlisle responded flatly, taking a long pull from his tumbler. Within seconds, he was on the floor, dead.
Emmett filled and drained his glass again before dragging Carlisle's body to the freezer. It was getting full in there.
He wandered back to the family room and pushed on a wooden panel beside the fireplace.
"Rosie, babe, you can come out now. He's gone." Emmett called into the dark passageway.
Rosalie came through the passageway and passed under Emmett's arm. She refused to make eye contact with him, not after what she had found out.
"Babe, what's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?"
She turned around, and her eyes burned with anger. He had lied to her, betrayed her. "I have nothing to say to you," she spat. She turned back and went into the kitchen, looking for something to eat. For the past few days, she had lived on room-temperature Diet Coke and Cheez-Its. It was time for some real food and a strong, cold drink.
"What did I do except everything you asked me to do? This was your fucked up plan, and you come out after two days in the basement, and you act like you hate me. What the hell, Rosie?"
"Let's just say I have learned some things about you lately that have me rethinking our arrangement," Rosalie said, helping herself to the steak and potatoes Emmett had made.
"What are you talking about?" Emmett sounded panicked. There was no way she could know. Not about that.
"I really want to be left alone, okay? Maybe we can talk tomorrow, but right now, I want to sit on the patio and watch the water."
"Rosalie, please!"
"No, Emmett. Leave me alone." With that, she took her plate and slammed the back door.
Emmett stood stunned for several minutes, trying to figure out how this all went wrong. Everything was fine last night when he snuck down to see her. They were looking at villas in the Maldives, and now she is so mad that she won't even speak to him.
The brat act would not work this time, not after everything they had done. He followed her out the door, letting it close behind him.
"I want to know what's going on, Rose. Right now! You tell me why you're all of a sudden so mad at me."
Rosalie stood slowly and reached behind her, pulling Emmett's service weapon from her waistband. "I know what you've been up to with the Senator." She raised the gun, aiming right at his chest. "I can deal with a lot of things, Emmett, but that level of dishonesty." She shook her head, "I cannot spend the rest of my life with a man that would do such despicable things. I loved you, Emmett. I really did." She pulled the trigger, hitting Emmett square in the chest, killing him instantly.
She let out a deep sigh. She hated to do that; he was her literal partner in crime, but she was not going to the Maldives with a liar. She dragged his body off the patio and down into the sand. She wiped the gun down to remove her prints and placed the gun next to Emmett.
She watched the waves and started planning her next steps. She had one hell of a story to concoct.
Sometime around midnight, she started to get cold. It was time for a long soak in a hot bathtub and then to go to bed.
She got up, gave Emmett's body one hard nudge to make sure he was really dead and headed up to the back door.
"Oh fuck!"
Tuesday…
Wednesday…
Thursday
Gus pulled the boat up to the dock and made his way onto the beach. He told the family to be on the dock at 1 o'clock, but he was a little early and thought it would be nice of him to offer to help them with their luggage. There might be a big tip for him.
He came around the house and saw a body with a gunshot wound to his chest. He ran to the man in the sand, but he was long gone. That's when he saw the blonde. She was so burnt and dehydrated that she hardly looked human. It had been over 100 degrees the last few days. He stumbled backward and tried to get inside the house to call for help. He pulled and pulled and banged on the door, but no answer.
Gus pulled out his phone and dialed 9-1-1. Something terrible had happened to the Cullen family.
When the cops showed up an hour later, they knew they had two bodies to deal with. They broke the door down; they were shocked at what they found.
An older male on the living room floor and three bodies in the freezer. Upon further inspection, they would find another female, well, what was left of her in the lounger where she had been crushed.
Detective Jason Walsh discovered the tunnel to the basement. There, he found an open laptop with a chilling confession on it.
He bagged the laptop as evidence, but not before reading the document.
If this confession has been found, I am dead or on my way to prison, and the whole plan blew up in my face.
However, the story needs to be told—the public needs to know what kind of family the Cullens really were.
Before I get into me, I should give you the how and the why. How did I manage to pull all this off when I had fallen down the big deep well and no one, not even Emmett, cared enough to get my body out? It turns out that Benadryl and vodka make a hell of a sleeping potion!
Emmett and I arrived at the port early. We needed to beat the family and start weaving our story. Gus, the ferry driver, was more than happy to play along.
We told him our happy family goes on a vacation every year, and each year, one person plans the trip. This year, Emmett and I thought it would be a blast to rent a mansion on a private island and plan a week-long murder mystery game—a real old-fashioned whodunnit! Gus thought this was such a fun idea, and he played his part to a T.
Now, parts of his story were true, but with classic Sea Captain flair, he embellished the story, and the already tense Cullens bought right into it.
Here's the truth.
The house was built in 1930. When Pearl Harbor happened, the wealthy hermit that lived there built secret tunnels from every room that led to a bomb shelter in the basement. He wanted to be able to get underground no matter where he was in the house should Japan or Germany start bombing the Pacific again. Smart move, sir. That is how I was able to move around the mansion without anyone finding me and how I was able to keep to the plan with Emmett's help. I was all set up in the bomb shelter with snacks, Diet Coke, and WI-FI!
When the original owner died in the '70s, it was bought by another wealthy recluse, and that's when the improvements started. After several floods and a near-destruction in 1995, the windows and doors were replaced with auto-locking mechanisms and shatter-proof glass. A typhoon would never take that baby down! Again, smart move!
Now, the woods. Truthfully, they were dangerous. Poisonous snakes and plants were everywhere. When Gus told us about the abandoned well, Emmett and I knew immediately that I had to end up at the bottom of it.
The night of my "demise," we snuck out of the house and to the garden shed we had found out there looking for the well. There was a long but rickety ladder that would help me in and out.
I downed three Benadryl and several shots of vodka and climbed down in my nightgown. When I was settled at the bottom of the soggy well, I busted open a few fake blood packets and lay down. Emmett said, watching the red water turn my blonde hair pink was gruesome. He sat with me until I passed out, then he pulled out the ladder and kicked some dirt on me, which, when I woke up, felt a little unnecessary. He hid the ladder deep in the woods.
Once I was dead, things got easier, I must say.
Esme was truly an accident. I had no idea the railing was loose on the balcony. In truth, I kind of liked Esme, and the thought of killing her was the hardest part of all. She meant well but, in her indulgence, turned her kids into sniveling, self-serving adults.
Bella, well, I was not expecting her to be here. None of my research and planning told me Edward had a girlfriend, and I use that term loosely. She was a gold-digging, vapid bitch. And the fact that she loved Taylor Swift more than life itself was reason enough to slash her to death in the shower. She was also a cheater. The whole house heard that argument. Sorry to hear about the gonorrhea, Edward. Yikes!
Jasper. Oh boy. If anyone deserved what he got, it was him. When he and Alice showed up with red-rimmed eyes and constant sniffing, I knew how this would go down. I managed to sneak into their room one evening and took Jasper's stash. I was hoping they would take each other out for the cocaine I left in Alice's purse, but sometimes fate is more creative than me!
When he got in the rickety canoe and declared he would row to shore to take care of 'business,' I knew it was the end for him. Yes, I had put some holes in that canoe, which was a good measure just in case someone decided to head out for an evening boat ride, but rowing to shore was a desperate act of a desperate man. We are at least 50 miles from shore. And those spindly arms would not have made it across a shallow pond, let alone the Pacific Ocean. Bon Voyage Jasper.
Alice, sweet, poor, innocent Alice, right? Wrong again. While she did enjoy a little nose candy now and again, that was not why she deserved to be crushed to death while pining for her drowned paramour.
She was ripping off old people, plain and simple. She and several of her bored, rich friends had a text and phone scam going where they would call elderly folks, scare them into giving their bank and credit card information, and spend, spend, spend. None of them needed the money. Not that if they had, it would have made it right, but because they were all trust fund babies, it makes it that much more disgusting. Several of their victims were homeless, and one lady died because she could not pay for her medications.
When we got to the house and everyone started claiming rooms, I knew I had to have the room with that god-awful marble vase. I saw its potential immediately. It was three stories up and right over the back deck. Someone was going to be smashed to death. Good riddance, Alice. Now you know how it feels to be crushed under a huge burden. Debt or marble, I imagine it feels the same.
Dr. Edward Cullen turns out not to be a doctor—at least not anymore. He has been stripped of his license and is on his way to prison. Prison is too good for him.
Edward was never going to be the doctor Carlisle was. As much as I despise him, he was an excellent surgeon, and his skillful hands saved lives. Edward was a hack. He chose dermatology and then weaseled his way into the plastic surgery world of Hollywood. To talk with him, he was a god in the operating room. Truthfully, he had never held a scalpel, and yet he still managed to maim three women and kill one.
Part of this was Bella's fault, so there is that. She wanted to run with the Hollywood rich and famous and fell right into Edward's web. When she realized he was a fraud, it was too late. She was tied to him, and reputation is everything. She helped perpetuate the lie and was an accomplice to his crimes.
A year before our family "vacation," Bella had set up a Botox party at a very famous actress's home. Edward showed up with his bought-off-the-black-market injections and set to work. The vials said Bertox, but he hoped no one would notice. Keeping up with the Joneses is very expensive; the cheaper your product, the more money you make.
Luckily for the actress, she was too drunk by the time it was her turn to get touched up and had passed out. Edward, holding on to a tiny shred of morality, would not inject someone who was not conscious. That extra margarita may have saved her life.
Three others were permanently disfigured. Nerve damage and massive infections in their faces caused scarring, but those women were lucky. An assistant to one of the women, who would have never been able to afford to see Dr. Cullen in his office, took full advantage of the evening. The injections she got turned out to be watered-down superglue and bleach. She didn't even make it to the hospital before her heart stopped.
Oh, the best for last. Dear Daddy Cullen. Thanks to his abuse of the kids he spawned, the lives of countless people have been ruined. I felt no guilt poisoning his Scotch with a bit of Thallium. One night on the dark web, a credit card bought me enough to kill him several times over.
That's it. That's the how and why. Now, for me. I am not innocent in all of this either. I, too, have done something bad.
One day, a gentleman came into my office for a will. It's not something I do a lot, but he was a friend of the family.
He wanted his kids, grandkids, wife, and any of his remaining siblings to go on a massive vacation with the money he was leaving behind. He had cancer and knew it would not be long. Unlike the Cullens, his family loved each other and enjoyed each other's company. He also knew they would do responsible things if he left his wealth to them, and he said that life was too short. He wanted them to travel. Find a white sand beach somewhere and celebrate his life with good food and drink.
This gave me the idea. I researched private islands to start. Once I found the perfect place, I took it upon myself to write Carlisle a will. I figured he had one, but the most recent one will supersede any before it. I submitted mine two days before we left town.
This will left everything to the children. Everything would be split equally. If Edward, Emmett, or Alice had passed away at the time of Carlisle's death, the spouse would inherit. This all sounded reasonable to me. Emmett and I would take care of the rest of the Cullens, and everything would be ours. We would take our fortune, move to the Maldives, and live on the beach. Our biggest worry would be what we would be drinking.
Well, that plan went to hell in a handbasket. Since there was no cell service on the island, thank you to Amazon and a cell signal jammer, everyone had long given up their phones. At night, I would turn off the jammer, fire up the router, and catch up on life off the island.
That's when I got the text. I had suspicions Emmett was messing around on me. I had cloned his texts to come to my phone. The text I got last night made me wish it had been another woman. The F.B.I. was working on a case to bring down a big-time politician. Think Watergate, but bigger. Emmett is the lead detective on the case. He has been feeding inside information to the Senator. This guy will walk because his legal team has all the State's evidence. As a lawyer, there are some things I cannot overlook. The Justice system deserves respect. You break the law, and you pay the price. Yes, I know how that sounds coming from me. I cannot not let this continue. He does not deserve the Maldives and white sands and Pina Coladas. He deserves prison.
So, as of right now, I do not know how this will play out. I plan to suffocate him tomorrow night in his sleep. Quick and quiet. Maybe even give him a bit of Benadryl vodka cocktail! We know how well it works.
It is still three days until the boat returns to pick us up. That gives me time to work up a good story. Explain how I am the last one alive.
I just heard a loud thump on the floor. That will be Carlisle. Everything is going to plan.