Case Closed

Chapter 18

This chapter goes to my new readers who have commented in almost every chapter! I read evey single one and those few sentencesoreven words make my day so much better. Also, thank you for the well wishes! Being sick is such a drag.

But I'm much better now and enjoying vacation. Californian beaches, here I come!

See you on the other side...

Bella'sPOV

"Ohkie dokie...do I need to head out for a bit or..."

I jumped in surprised at the sound of my mom's voice and pulled away from Edward's delectable lips.

"No, no. You can stay I guess," I quipped, undetoured by her presence. How could I be embaressed when she had the biggest mischevious smirk on her face? Plus, this was my mother we were talking about.

She raised a brow, a smile playing at her lips. "Well, I only came to get you your pain medication. You need to eat something first, though. You haven't aten since this morning."

After receiving a look of disapproval from both Mom and Edward, I was forced to eat a sandwhich accompanied by a small salad. I was literally watched until my plate was clean.

The pain medication Carlisle prescribed me were pretty strong and knocked me right out, therefore the moment I began to get drowsy, Edward carried me to my room where he rested beside me. It was moments later when I fell into a deep sleep.

~oOOo~

"...what do you mean, pictures?"

"Of her mother? I don't understand."

The whispered conversation invaded my ears and I drowsily tried to wake myself up further. Cracking my eyes open, I saw a frantic looking Edward as he paced by the foot of my bed. It was unnerving, the way he ran hand after hand in his hair as he listened to whatever was being said over the phone.

"Edward?" I croaked.

In an instant, he turned to face me, phone still pressed against his ear, but judging by the cold look he held, he wasn't too happy.

"I'll call you back," he said into the reciever.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't youtell me?" He snapped.

Okay. This man needs an attitude change..pronto.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed.

With a sigh, he relented, "I'm sorry. Just - can you just explain to me why you've received anonymous threats and haven't said onething about them?"

Shit. How'd he find out?

"How..how do you know about that?" I stuttered.

"Apparently Grant got a call from one of your old partners...a Carmen Ventura? Who told him everything from the tracking you made their tech analyst do to your own little investigation. After hearing about what had happened, she said she couldn't keep any of this under wraps for any longer. Which was a smart move."

Carmen! I should've known! I was baffled and kind of pissed off but I knew she only did it to protect me. They've warned me more than once about spilling the details to Grant if things got out of hand. I'm sure after hearing I got shot, it was reason enough.

"How could you keep this from me?" Edward whispered gravely. He held my face within his hands as he forced me to keep eye contact with him.

"Don't you understand how much you mean to me? How I would do anythingjust to ensure your safety? Isabella Marie Swan...no more secrets. Not when it involves you and your life."