close enough。 If Aro allows her to explain___〃
I shuddered to think of Renesmee so close to Aro's greedy； milky eyes。
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〃Well；〃 he said； rubbing my tight shoulders。 〃At least there's nothing that can stop him from seeing the
truth。〃
〃But is the truth enough to stop him？〃 I murmured。
For that； Edward had no answer。
35。 DEADLINE
〃Headed out？〃 Edward asked； his tone nonchalant。 There was a sort of forced posure about his
expression。 He hugged Renesmee just a little bit tighter to his chest。
〃Yes； a few lastminute things。。。；〃 I responded just as casually。
He smiled my favorite smile。 〃Hurry back to me。〃
〃Always。〃
I took his Volvo again； wondering if he'd read the odometer after my last errand。 How much had he
pieced together？ That I had a secret； absolutely。 Would he have deduced the reason why I didn't confide
in him？ Did he guess that Aro might soon know everything he knew？ I thought Edward could have e
to that conclusion； which explained why he had demanded no reasons from me。 I guessed he was trying
not to speculate too much； trying to keep my behavior off his mind。 Had he put this together with my odd
performance the morning after Alice left； burning my book in the fire？ I didn't know if he could have
made that leap。
It was a dreary afternoon； already dark as dusk。 I sped through the gloom； my eyes on the heavy
clouds。 Would it snow tonight？ Enough to layer the ground and create the scene from Alice's vision？
Edward estimated that we had about two more days。 Then we would set ourselves in the clearing；
drawing the Volturi to our chosen place。
As I headed through the darkening forest； I considered my last trip to Seattle。 I thought I knew Alice's
purpose in sending me to the dilapidated drop point where J。 Jenks referred his shadier clients。 If I'd
gone to one of his other； more legitimate offices； would I have ever known what to ask for？ if I'd met him
as Jason Jenks or Jason Scott； legitimate lawyer； would I ever have unearthed J。 Jenks； purveyor of
illegal documents？ I'd had to go the route that made it clear I was up to no good。 That was my clue。
It was black when I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant a few minutes early； ignoring the eager
valets by the entrance。 I popped in my contacts and then went to wait for J inside the restaurant。 Though
I was in a hurry to be
done with this depressing necessity and back with my family； J seemed careful to keep himself untainted
by his baser associations； i had a feeling a handoff in the dark parking lot would offend his sensibilities。
I gave the name Jenks at the podium； and the obsequious maftre d' led me upstairs to a small private
room with a fire crackling in a stone hearth。 He took the calflength ivory trench coat I'd worn to disguise
the fact that I was wearing Alice's idea of appropriate attire； and gasped quietly at my oyster satin
cocktail dress。 I couldn't help being a little flattered； I still wasn't used to being beautiful to everyone
rather than just Edward。 The mattre d' stuttered halfformed pliments as he backed unsteadily from
the room。
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I stood by the fire to wait； holding my fingers close to the flame to warm them a little before the
inevitable handshake。 Not that J wasn't obviously aware that there was something up with the Cullens；
but it was still a good habit to practice。
For one half second； I wondered what it would feel like to put my hand in the fire。 What it would feel
like when I burned___
J's entrance distracted my morbidity。 The maftre d' took his coat； too； and it was evident that I was not
the only one who had dressed up for this meeting。
〃I'm so sorry I'm late；〃 J said as soon as we were alone。
〃No； you're exactly on time。〃
He held out his hand； and as we shook I could feel that his fingers were still quite noticeably warmer than
mine。 It didn't seem to bother him。
〃You look stunning； if I may be so bold； Mrs。 Cullen。〃
〃Thank you； J。 Please； call me Bella。〃
〃I must say； it's a different experience working with you than it is with Mr。 Jasper。 Much less。。。
unsettling。〃 He smiled hesitantly。
〃Really？ I've always found Jasper to have a very soothing presence。〃
His eyebrows pulled together。 〃Is that so？〃 he murmured politely while clearly still in disagreement。 How
odd。 What had Jasper done to this man？
〃Have you known Jasper long？〃
He sighed； looking unfortable。 〃I've been working with Mr。 Jasper for more than twenty years； and
my old partner knew him for fifteen years before that。。。。 He never changes。〃 J cringed delicately。
〃Yeah； Jasper's kind of funny that way。〃
J shook his head as if he could shake away the disturbing thoughts。 〃Won't you have a seat； Bella？〃
〃Actually； I'm in a bit of a hurry。 I've got a long drive home。〃 As I spoke； I took the thick white envelope
with his bonus from my bag and handed it to him。
〃Oh；〃 he said； a little catch of disappointment in his voice。 He tucked the envelope into an inside pocket
of his jacket without bothering to check the amount。 〃I was hoping we could speak for just a moment。〃
〃About？〃 I asked curiously。
〃Well； let me get you your items first。 I want to make sure you're satisfied。〃
He turned； placed his briefcase on the table； and popped the latches。 He took out a legalsized manila
envelope。
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Though I had no idea what I should be looking for； I opened the envelope and gave the contents a
cursory glance。 J had flipped Jacob's picture and changed the coloring so that it wasn't immediately
evident that it was the same picture on both his passport and driver's license。 Both looked perfectly
sound to me； but that meant little。 I glanced at the picture on Vanessa Wolfe's passport for a fraction of a
second； and then looked away quickly； a lump rising in my throat。
〃Thank you；〃 I told him。
His eyes narrowed slightly； and I felt he was disappointed that my examination was not more thorough。
〃I can assure you every piece is perfect。 All will pass the most rigorous scrutiny by experts。〃
〃I'm sure they are。 I truly appreciate what you've done for me； J。〃
〃It's been my pleasure； Bella。 In the future； feel free to e to me for anything the Cullen family needs。〃
He didn't even hint at it really； but this sounded like an invitation for me to take over Jasper's place as
liaison。
〃There was something you wanted to discuss？〃
〃Er； yes。 It's a bit delicate。。 。。〃 He gestured to the stone hearth with a questioning expression。 I sat on the
edge of the stone； and he sat beside me。 Sweat was dewing up on his forehead again； and he pulled a
blue silk handkerchief from his pocket and began mopping。
〃You are the sister of Mr。 Jasper's wife？ Or married to his brother？〃 he asked。
〃Married to his brother；〃 I clarified； wondering where this was leading。
〃You would be Mr。 Edward's bride； then？〃
〃Yes。〃
He smiled apologetically。 〃I've seen all the names many times； you see。 My belated congratulations。 It's
nice that Mr。 Edward has found such a lovely partner after all this time。〃
〃Thank you very much。〃
He paused； dabbing at the sweat。 〃Over the years； you might imagine that I've developed a very healthy
level of respect for Mr。 Jasper and the entire family。〃
I nodded cautiously。
He took a deep breath and then exhaled without speaking。
〃J； please just say whatever you need to。〃
He took another breath and then mumbled quickly； slurring the words together。
〃If you could just assure me that you are not planning to kidnap the little girl from her father； I would
sleep better tonight。〃
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〃Oh；〃 I said； stunned。 It took me a minute to understand the erroneous conclusion he'd drawn。 〃Oh no。
It's nothing like that at all。〃 I smiled weakly； trying to reassure him。 〃I'm simply preparing a safe place for
her in case
something were to happen to my husband and me。〃
His eyes narrowed。 〃Are you expecting something to happen？〃 He blushed； then apologized。 〃Not that
it's any of my business。〃
I watched the red flush spread behind the delicate membrane of his skin and was glad—as I often
was—that I was not the average newborn。 J seemed a nice enough man； criminal behavior aside； and it
would have been a shame to kill him。
〃You never know。〃 I sighed。
He frowned。 〃May I wish you the best of luck； then。 And please don't be put out with me； my dear；
but。。。 if Mr。 Jasper should e to me and ask what names I put on these documents 。。。〃
〃Of course you should tell him immediately。 I'd like nothing better than to have Mr。 Jasper fully aware of
our entire transaction。〃
My transparent sincerity seemed to ease a bit of his tension。
〃Very good；〃 he said。 〃And I can't prevail upon you to stay for dinner？〃
〃I'm sorry； J。 I'm short on time at present。〃
〃Then