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“When I got back from the fake slumber party。 Why？”
“I don’t think Alice took anything。 Not your clothes； or your pillow。 The things that were taken； these
were things you’d worn 。 。 。 and touched 。 。 。 and slept on？”
“Yes。 What is it； Edward？”
His expression was strained。 “Things with your scent。”
“Oh！”
We stared into each others eyes for a long moment。
“My visitor；” I muttered。
“He was gathering traces 。 。 。 evidence。 To prove that he’d found you？”
“Why？” I whispered。
“I don’t know。 But； Bella； I swear I will find out。 I will。”
“I know you will；” I said； laying my head against his chest。 Leaning there； I felt his phone vibrate in his
pocket。
He pulled out his phone and glanced at the number。 “Just the person I need to talk to；” he murmured； and
then he flipped it open。 “Carlisle； I —” He broke off and listened； his face taut with concentration for a few
minutes。 “I’ll check it out。 Listen 。 。 。”
He explained about my missing things； but from the side I was hearing； it sounded like Carlisle had no
insights for us。
“Maybe I’ll go 。 。 。 ；” Edward said； trailing off as his eyes drifted toward me。 “Maybe not。 Don’t let
Emmett go alone； you know how he gets。 At least ask Alice keep an eye on things。 We’ll figure this out later。”
He snapped the phone shut。 “Where’s the paper？” he asked me。
“Um； I’m not sure。 Why？”
“I need to see something。 Did Charlie already throw it out？”
“Maybe。 。 。 。”
Edward disappeared。
He was back in half a second； new diamonds in his hair； a wet newspaper in his hands。 He spread it out
on the table； his eyes scanning quickly across the headlines。 He leaned in； intent on something he was reading；
one finger tracing passages that interested him most。
“Carlisle’s right 。 。 。 yes 。 。 。 very sloppy。 Young and crazed？ Or a death wish？” he muttered to himself。
I went to peek over his shoulder。
The headline of the Seattle Times read： “Murder Epidemic Continues — Police Have No New Leads。”
It was almost the same story Charlie had been plaining about a few weeks ago — the bigcity
violence that was pushing Seattle up the national murder hotspot list。 It wasn’t exactly the same story； though。
The numbers were a lot higher。
“It’s getting worse；” I murmured。
He frowned。 “Altogether out of control。 This can’t be the work of just one newborn vampire。 What’s
going on？ It’s as if they’ve never heard of the Volturi。 Which is possible； I guess。 No one has explained the
rules to them 。 。 。 so who is creating them； then？”
“The Volturi？” I repeated； shuddering。
“This is exactly the kind of thing they routinely wipe out — immortals who threaten to expose us。 They just
cleaned up a mess like this a few years ago in Atlanta； and it hadn’t gotten nearly this bad。 They will intervene
soon； very soon； unless we can find some way to calm the situation。 I’d really rather they didn’t e to
Seattle just now。 As long as they’re this close 。 。 。 they might decide to check on you。”
I shuddered again。 “What can we do？”
“We need to know more before we can decide that。 Perhaps if we can talk to these young ones； explain
the rules； it can be resolved peacefully。” He frowned； like he didn’t think the chances of that were good。
“We’ll wait until Alice has an idea of what’s going on。 。 。 。 We don’t want to step in until it’s absolutely
necessary。 After all； it’s not our responsibility。 But it’s good we have Jasper；” he added； almost to himself。 “If
we are dealing with newborns； he’ll be helpful。”
“Jasper？ Why？”
Edward smiled darkly。 “Jasper is sort of an expert on young vampires。”
“What do you mean； an expert？”
“You’ll have to ask him — the story is involved。”
“What a mess；” I mumbled。
“It does feel that way； doesn’t it？ Like it’s ing at us from all sides these days。” He sighed。 “Do you
ever think that your life might be easier if you weren’t in love with me？”
“Maybe。 It wouldn’t be much of a life； though。”
“For me；” he amended quietly。 “And now； I suppose；” he continued with a wry smile； “you have
something you want to ask me？”
I stared at him blankly。 “I do？”
“Or maybe not。” He grinned。 “I was rather under the impression that you’d promised to ask my
permission to go to some kind of werewolf soirée tonight。”
“Eavesdropping again？”
He grinned。 “Just a bit； at the very end。”
“Well； I wasn’t going to ask you anyway。 I figured you had enough to stress about。”
He put his hand under my chin； and held my face so that he could read my eyes。 “Would you like to go？”
“It’s no big thing。 Don’t worry about it。”
“You don’t have to ask my permission； Bella。 I’m not your father — thank heaven for that。 Perhaps you
should ask Charlie； though。”
“But you know Charlie will say yes。”
“I do have a bit more insight into his probable answer than most people would； it’s true。”
I just stared at him； trying to understand what he wanted； and trying to put out of my mind the yearning I
felt to go to La Push so that I wouldn’t be swayed by my own wishes。 It was stupid to want to go hang out
with a bunch of big idiot wolfboys right now when there was so much that was frightening and unexplained
going on。 Of course； that was exactly why I wanted to go。 I wanted to escape the death threats； for just a few
hours 。 。 。 to be the lessmature； morereckless Bella who could laugh it off with Jacob； if only briefly。 But that
didn’t matter。
“Bella；” Edward said。 “I told you that I was going to be reasonable and trust your judgment。 I meant that。
If you trust the werewolves； then I’m not going to worry about them。”
“Wow；” I said； as I had last night。
“And Jacob’s right — about one thing； anyway — a pack of werewolves ought to be enough to protect
even you for one evening。”
“Are you sure？”
“Of course。 Only 。 。 。”
I braced myself。
“I hope you won’t mind taking a few precautions？ Allowing me to drive you to the boundary line； for one。
And then taking a cell phone； so that I’ll know when to pick you up？”
“That sounds 。 。 。 very reasonable。”
“Exc