Chpt. 29

JPOV:

"I don't understand Jacob? Why did he take them both?" Bella chewed on the bloodied thumb tip. She trembled, wrapping her arms around her chest while rocking back and forth on the edge of the hard cold metal chair.

We were sitting in a closed room with a two sided mirror awaiting for the new police chief to get his own time with them. We already told the police officer at the scene everything they knew, but that wasn't enough. No, they were required to be scrutinized as if they might be possible suspects. Although it was the most ridiculous idea ever! Why would they fake or purposely kidnap Alice and Charlotte? What could they possibly gained from this horrific nightmare?

"I don't know, but as soon as we get out of here, I will hunt him down and beat it out of him." I replied, my voice was harsh and rough sounding even to my own ears. She knew it wasn't directed toward her, like her, this waiting was pushing me to my limits. I wasn't exactly known for my patience. I didn't like feeling helpless. I wanted to hit the walls with my bare fists. Of course if I did that, it might make me look dangerous. He knew someone was standing behind that mirror watching them both for their reaction and asking the question if they were victims or conspirators?

"He could already be out of the state by now." Bella mumbled as a fresh batch of tears streamed down her face. She looked awful like any frighten mother would be. Taking her in my arms, I pulled her close to me. Kissing the top of her head, I did my best not to say too much or over react. Although inside I felt like an animal trap in a cage. I was restless. My anger was growing, churning and wanting to be release.

I just had to keep it together until they released us and then I was going to let it loose, like the gates of hell opening, there would be no mercy for Edward Cullen.

"Sorry for the delay. I needed to make a few calls and get some things clear up before I talk to you both.." Police Chief Baker announced as he strolled in the room with a fresh cup of coffee in his chubby little hands.

"Well, hopefully you got them cleared up and you have found our daughter and friend." I snapped.

"Unfortunately I don't have them in custody yet. But I have clear you both from being suspects at this point in time." He stated with a blank face as he sat down across from us both and took a small sip of his drink.

"Why would we kidnap them and then report it?" Bella asked, her voice was on the edge of screaming.

"I know it seems like a ridiculous notion but you would be surprised at how many custody battles have ended with one of the parents taking the child abroad and pretending to not know of their where abouts. I know this is hard on the both of you. I truly do but I have to look at every angle." He explained.

"Angle? It should be pretty easy for you to see who the real suspect is in this case Chief Baker! Charlotte's biological father is not going to win tomorrow and he knows it. He doesn't like to lose. He has them or has someone holding them. If you had him in this room instead of us you might have a better chance of returning my daughter and friend." Bella stated, her voice oozing with pure turmoil.

It didn't take a shrink to see they were both genuinely upset or the kidnappers.

"I know Bella. We are having him pick up." He answered.

"You should have done that the second your office arrived on the scene and we gave you the culprit's name. Did he pay you to keep us here while he took them out of the country?" I asked boldly. I had nothing to lose at this point. I knew how Edward liked to keep people in authority in his back pocket. He would find their weakness and blackmail them to do his bidding or their greed and pay them what was required.

"I know it seems like an open and close case to you but it's not. I have to suspect everyone involved not just the person you deem as the villain." He responded, again with no expression on his face.

I couldn't quite get a feel about this man. He didn't seem to be upset by our accusations or our feelings of fear. He was either hoping we would confess or buying Edward time to flee.

"I want to make a phone call." I demanded.

"I will make that happen in just a minute."

"In a minute? What else could you possibly need to ask us that your officers haven't already?" My fist hit the table top a little harder than I intended. I saw him flinch and his eyes narrow together as if he was frightened of me.

"I just need to know if there is anyone, anyone else who could have had reason to take her other than Mr. Cullen? Now, think hard and long." He sipped on his drink, his eyes casting back and forth between us.

The only other person I knew involved with helping Edward ruin our lives was now burnt into ashes. I might have thought his family was helping him before, but not anymore. It was pretty clear that they were no longer a part of his support system.

"I don't have any other enemies." I sighed.

Bella wiped away the tears from her face and sat upright in her chair, her shoulders upright, chest push out.

"Lauren! Lauren! We ran into her at the diner. She made a few nasty comments to me about how Edward never loses and that once he had Charlotte, then Jacob would leave me. She is living in this fantasy world that Jacob will want her back if I'm no longer in his life." Bella informed us.

"Is she your ex wife or lover?" Chief Baker asked.

"Um….no. We were an item back in High School. I haven't been romantically involved with her since then. I'm faithful to my wife."

I knew he was going to try and twist this around like I somehow pissed off my lover by not leaving my wife scenario.I wouldn't put it past Lauren to aid Edward, but I couldn't believe she was capable of kidnapping. There had to be one woman with enough sense and pride not to break laws for the likes of Edward.

"Is this the first time she has threaten you, Mrs. Black?"

"No. She has made it perfectly clear since we first met that she still carries a torch for Jake and that she is and has been lovers with Edward as well."

"Okay. So let me get this straight. You and Edward have been this Lauren's lover?" Chief Baker's eyes gleam with interest.

"During my teen days we both fought over her. She was my girlfriend, but I later learned she was sleeping with him on the side. We broke up. She moved away. I left for college and had no contact with her over the years until recently when I returned." I explained, trying to keep a straight face. I wasn't exactly proud of my connection with her, especially not now when I felt confident she was perhaps still involved with the bastard.

"When you say contact, just what does that entail?"

"OH for GOD'S sake! I haven't been sleeping with her or going down memory lane with her. I just asked her to stay away from my wife and to move on with her life. Why is this so important to the investigation at hand?" I let my anger slip through. My fist pounded the table again. My voice was loud and rough. I knew I was not making this look any better for me but I was tired of all these questions about something that happen to me over ten years ago.

"What time did you see Lauren at the diner? Was she still there when you left?" Chief Baker looked at his wrist watch.

"She arrived at the same time we did and we sat there twenty or thirty minutes waiting for Alice when I noticed Lauren was no longer in the building. I began to suspect something wasn't right. So we left." Bella place her gentle hand over my fist, her voice calmer than before.

"Do you think Lauren is capable of doing this Bella?" Chief Baker asked. He expressed concern toward her. It was like he believed, no trusted her more than he did me.

"Yes. After recent events I believe Edward is capable of brainwashing anyone, especially his lovers to do just about anything for him." Bella exhaled, her head lowered as tears once again soak her face.

"Okay. I will check into the matter and we will pick her up for questioning as well. In the meantime, you are both free to go, but I asked you both to not try and attempt to approach either of them. Let me do my job." His eyes casted directly toward me, giving me a warning that he knew what I wanted to do, but would stop me however if I pursue to let my temper get the best of me.

I simply nodded my head in response. I didn't dare open my mouth. It was too hard to refrain from being sarcastic or prevent the hatred I felt toward Edward from spewing out. I needed to focus on getting us both out of this building.

"Come on, sweetheart." I put my arm around her shoulder, she leaned her head against mine as we walked out of the room. I knew she was trying to keep it together. WE were both freaking out and we had every right to be but this wasn't the place to let our emotions get the best of us. Too many eyes were watching and judging our every reaction. Good and bad.

XXX

EPOV:

I was prepared for the police officers to pull up at my house. I knew the moment I heard the kidnapping had taken place that they would pinpoint it on me. I was the obvious suspect. Not that I wasn't entirely guilty, but I wasn't alone. Once again, I had help but this time I had bigger leverage over my partner in crime. I knew something Lauren didn't want anyone to know about, especially not Jacob.

I knew the second I saw the way Lauren look at Jacob when he return to town that she decided she wanted one more shot at trying to win back his heart and when she discovered someone already won her place between his sheets, she would do anything necessary to take out her competition. The woman was easy to manipulate. Hell, all the women in my life were easy victims. It's why I enjoyed playing cat and mouse games with them. They always hoped for the same thing, winning over my heart. As if I had one in the first place. I knew I was an evil bastard, but I never pretended to be anything otherwise. I think it's what pulled them into my web. Deep down they wanted the abuse. They desired the pain I gave them. Why did that make me a bad guy? I was just supplying them what they truly wanted but was ashamed to admit to the rest of the world. They were naughty little girls at the core of their souls and I was the one who presented it to them and gave out the punishment they deserved.

Bella was the only one who ever took something from me that I hadn't intended to give her. A child. My child. A part of me that would live on forever. I couldn't say that a small part of me like the idea of having a replica of me in this world but I wasn't about to let Bella use it against me. NO, she didn't deserve my child. She wasn't worthy of such a gift and after today she would no longer be apart of Charlotte's life. My family turning their backs on me left me no other recourse but to do what was necessary to take what belong to me and leave this country. I would no longer have any contact with them. Once I was clear of this crime I would meet up with Lauren. In return she would give me Charlotte and I would have no other choice but to eliminate her once and for all.

I couldn't risk her ever slipping up and revealing who and how we did it. I already had it set up so she would accidentally die in a horrible car accident. In less than forty eight hours I would be on a plane while she would be dying on the side of the road unaware that I was involved. IF I was really lucky the people I hired to do the job might make it look like she did it to herself on purpose. Everyone knew she was crazy so suicide wasn't entirely a far fetched scenario for her ending. Now I just had to play my part as the fretful and upset father. My lawyers would have me out of in no time, after all I have an alibi. I was going to get away with this easily. Just like always.

XXX

LPOV:

The rain finally stopped and I could hear my heart beating loudly in the room. This wasn't turning out entirely like we planned. Alice wasn't part of the scheme, but she was stronger and quicker than I imagined she would be. She gave me no choice but to put the knife to Charlotte's throat in order to get her to stop attacking me and leave the house willingly. She fought bravely, but I fight dirty.

Edward was going to be pissed off at me, but I was sure we could come up with a way to get rid of her before we fled the country.

"Lauren, you have time to make this right." Alice pleaded from the corner of the room. Blood oozed out of her forehead.

"Right? This is right. Charlotte belongs to Edward. I owe him this."

"How can you possibly owe him Charlotte? There is nothing he could do for you that would deem kidnapping." Alice sighed, her face pale.

She looked awful but I didn't care. My only concern was for Charlotte's wealthfare and she was passed out from the drug I gave her. She was sleeping like a log.

"It's not what he will do for me but what he won't do to me and those I love the most."

"Lauren, please don't do this. You saw what happened to Becca when she play into his hand."

"I'm not reckless like Becca. I have more to lose than she did."

"Uh...hello she lost her life!" Alice snorted.

"I lost my life a long time ago. The life I should have had." I snap, staring at her with coldness in my eyes. I knew she thought I was crazy, hell, they all did. I didn't care anymore. All I ever wanted was one more chance with Jacob. I wanted him to see how much I grew as a person and once he proved to me he was willing to give me another chance I was going to reveal to him the truth behind what happened to cause me to leave town all those years ago. At last I would be able to tell him everything and everyone who was involved in making decisions to that affected us both and the child we should have been raising together.

"You left Jake. You chose Edward over him. You hurt Jake not the other way around and by doing this you are still hurting him." Alice argued.

"NO! My parents and his made the choice for me. I had no control over that. I know I was weak and I broke our trust but trust me I didn't want to give…..give up on us." I stop myself from revealing everything to her. Even if she would be dead in a few hours, I wasn't taking any chances of confessing what really motivated me this whole time to win him back.

"Please, Lauren, let me go. Let Charlotte go. Edward is going to turn this all on you. HE always gets away with his crimes by making other people look guilty."

Closing my eyes I heard the wisdom in her words but it was too late. I had to follow through. Grabbing the duct tape I cut off a piece and walk over to her.

"I'm sorry but it's too late, Alice. You should have drank the tea I gave you, you would have fallen asleep and I would have just taken her without hurting you. Now you have to die. I don't see how Edward will let you live, knowing what you know." I stuck the tape over her mouth before she could reply. Tears trickle out of the corners of her eyes. For a moment, one brief moment I felt badly for her.

She didn't deserve to die, but I didn't see any other way of having a future of my own if she continued to live. It suck for her but I was a survivor and I wasn't about to give up now, not for her or anyone else.

XXX

A/N: It's drawing closer to the end. I want to say thank you for all of you who have left reviews and let me know you are still reading the story. Again, sorry for the long (years) delay. Hopefully this will give you the closure you need. Xoxo August