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"Headed out?" Edward asked, his tone nonchalant There was a sort of forced coed Reneshter to his chest

"Yes, a few last-s," I responded just as casually

He smiled my favorite sain, wondering if he’d read the odoether? That I had a secret, absolutely Would he have deduced the reason why I didn’t confide in hi he knew? I thought Edward could have come to that conclusion, which explained why he had de not to speculate tooto keep ether withmy 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 glooh to layer the ground and create the scene from Alice’s vision? Edward estimated that we had about two , drawing the Volturi to our chosen place

As I headed through the darkening forest, I considered ht 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, itimate offices, would I have ever knohat to ask for? if I’d itimate lawyer, would I ever have unearthed J Jenks, purveyor of illegal docuo the route that ood That waslot of the restaurant a few er 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 hi a handoff in the dark parking lot would offend his sensibilities

I gave the name Jenks at the podium, and the obsequious maftre d’ ledin a stone hearth He took the calf-length ivory trench coat I’d worn to disguise the fact that I earing Alice’s idea of appropriate attire, and gasped quietly ata little flattered; I still wasn’t used to being beautiful to everyone rather than just Edward The mattre d’ stuttered half-formed compliments as he backed unsteadily froers close to the flame to warm them a little before the inevitable handshake Not that J wasn’t obviously aware that there was soood 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

"I’m so sorry I’m late," J said as soon as ere 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 , if I may be so bold, Mrs Cullen"

"Thank you, J Please, call me Bella"

"Iwith 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 reement How odd What had Jasper done to thisunco with Mr Jasper for more than twenty years, and my old partner knew hied 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’ drive home" As I spoke, I took the thick white envelope with his bonus fro 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 a we could speak for just a et 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 legal-sized h 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 lanced at the picture on Vanessa Wolfe’s passport for a fraction of a second, and then looked away quickly, a lu in htly, and I felt he was disappointed that h "I can assure you every piece is perfect All will pass the orous 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 co 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 so 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 ain, and he pulled a blue silk handkerchief fro

"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 setically "I’ve seen all the naratulations It’s nice that Mr Edward has found such a lovely partner after all this ti at the sweat "Over the years, you ine 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 ether

"If you could just assure irl froht"

"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 s to reassure hi a safe place for her in case

so were to happen tosoized "Not that it’s any of my business"

I watched the red flush spread behind the delicate lad - as I often was - that I was not the average newborn J seeh man, criminal behavior aside, and it would have been a shahed

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 come to me and ask what names I put on these documents "

"Of course you should tell hi better than to have Mr Jasper fully aware of our entire transaction"

My transparent sincerity seeood," he said "And I can’t prevail upon you to stay for dinner?"

"I’ain,at all the Cullen family needs, please don’t hesitate to call on lancing back to see that J was staring after ret

The return trip took ht was black, and so I turned off ot back to the house,Alice’s Porsche andas far away as possible to satiate their thirst I tried not to think of their hunting in the night, cringing at the mental picture of their victi playfully about the nutritional value of ani trip vegetarian-style and found it difficult

Edward must have taken Renesmee home to sleep Jacob, no doubt, was in the woods close by the cottage The rest ofas well Perhaps they were out with the other Denalis