Repentance - Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33:

On Monday night at 10:36 p.m., Molly Claire Cullen entered the world. She weighed six pounds and eight ounces. She had a head full of chocolate brown hair and her daddy’s crooked smile. I picked Molly and Edward picked Claire, after his grandmother.

Shortly before midnight, on the same night, an evil man lost his life. James was murdered at his parents’ home in Seattle shortly after Molly was born.

Charlie waited to tell us until the day after we were home from the hospital. He waited until Edward’s parents returned to their hotel for the evening.

“Thanks for coming, Dad. We really appreciate it.”

“Yeah, you’ve been a big help,” Edward chimed in. Charlie helped keep Masen entertained while we tended to Molly’s needs.

Charlie turned away from the door. “I’m not going just yet. I needed to talk to you two about something.”

Edward and I looked at each other and then at Masen, who was avidly playing with a little fishing game that Charlie had bought for him.

Charlie gave us both a look that said whatever it was he wanted to talk about shouldn’t be around Masen.

Edward and Charlie convinced Masen it was his bedtime. Edward let Charlie read him his bedtime story.

I waited for Molly to finish her bottle before I changed her diaper again and put her down in the bassinet in our room. I carried her monitor with me. I couldn’t stand to not be in the same room with her.

Charlie emerged a few minutes later.

“Well, I’ve got some news that might shock you guys,” Charlie said, facing us as we sat down on the couch.

Edward grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Bella, uh, shortly after Molly was born, James was murdered at his parent’s home here in Seattle. He’s dead.”

I gasped. “What?”

Edward stood quickly. “Who did it? Why?”

“They won’t tell me yet. I’m not sure they know. What I do know, is having Molly that night was the best possible thing you could’ve done.”

“Why?” We both asked in unison.

“Because you were their first suspect,” Charlie said, looking at Edward. “You’re the one with the most motive.”

I clutched on to Edward and he stood there speechless. “But, I’m not anymore, right? I mean, they know it couldn’t have been me.”

“Right. They came here to question you. They were surprised to find me and Masen here. I told them where you were and they confirmed it with the hospital. They know more than they’re letting on. I just don’t know all the answers yet.”

I didn’t know whether to celebrate or cry. As much I wanted to kill James for what he did to Edward and I, nobody deserved to die. “What happened?” I asked.

“He was shot, three times in the head at point blank range. He never had a chance.”

I took a deep breath. “I’m so confused. Who would want James dead? And what about the guy that took Masen? How does he fit into this?”

“I don’t know, Bella. I’m still looking into it. I’m not going back to Forks yet. I’m staying here a few more days, to get more answers. In the meantime though, I got you this.”

He pulled a small handgun from his bag.

“Dad, no. Absolutely not. I don’t want it.”

Edward stepped up and reached out for the gun. Charlie started showing him how to use it.

“Hello!” I screamed. They both acted like I wasn’t there. “I said no!”

“Bella, it’s for your own protection. You don’t know what these people are capable of.”

I was fuming. “I know that I don’t need to operate a gun and I don’t want a gun in my house. We have children!”

Edward and Charlie were looking at each other, trying to come up with a way around what I wanted.

“I said no,” I stated firmly. “Both of you disgust me. Masen is too young and too curious to have that in this house.”

“Bella, we can keep it somewhere safe, locked up even,” Edward added.

“Oh, yeah? A lot of good that does us when someone comes in here and puts a gun to our heads. Hey, Mr. Bad guy, can you hold on a minute while I go get my gun out of the safe? Yea. Fucking. Right.”

Edward’s eyes got big. He knows I’m serious if I’m cursing. “Bella, I would just feel so much better knowing you have this when you’re here alone.”

“Uh! Don’t you get it? I’m accident prone. I will shoot myself in the head and not even realize it! I don’t want that thing in my house! So help me God if you think you’re keeping that thing, you can go sleep somewhere else.”

“Bella...” Edward pleaded.

I turned my back on both of them, and then decided against it. I should make sure it leaves with my dad and that Edward just doesn’t hide it somewhere.

Edward caught on to what I was doing and reluctantly handed it back to my dad. I saw my Charlie out and nearly lost it when he was gone.

I didn’t know what to think or do. I didn’t know whether to be sad or angry or happy. James was still somebody’s son. Somebody cared about him and they lost him. Images of coming home and finding Edward nearly dead flashed behind my eyes. It scared me. Who would’ve killed James? I thought he was behind all this. Who was the guy that had Masen? So many unanswered questions and it really made me nervous now that James was gone.

I nearly jumped out of my shoes when I felt Edward touch me. I gasped.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Where did you go? You completely spaced out.”

I shook my head and took a deep breath. “I was just thinking.”

“I’m sorry about the gun. It’s gone, okay? Don’t be mad at me. It was your dad’s idea.”

I nudged him playfully, but I guess he was right. It just irritated me that he was all for it, without even considering my clumsiness and the fact that we have children in the house that would think it was a brand new toy.

I finally let down my guard and turned to him. Edward opened his arms and I went to him, nuzzling my face into his chest. “Edward, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be, Bella.” He soothingly rubbed my back. “Everything is fine. He had his chance with us. If he wanted to hurt us, he had Masen. He could’ve...he didn’t.”

I took a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

Edward kissed my forehead. “Let’s get some sleep before Molly gets hungry again.”

I made sure the door was locked, twice, before crawling into bed with Edward.

Between Molly and my imagination running wild, I didn’t close my eyes once.

~

Over the next few weeks we learned more about what was going on with James and the person who had been interfering with our lives lately. His name was Christopher Stallings. We had never met him before. He had a lengthy criminal record but mostly petty crimes and possession of drugs.

It took several days for the investigating officer to put all the pieces together. They had an informant working for them. It turns out Christopher Stallings had previously shared a jail cell with Laurent. Stallings was let out early on good behavior. Laurent had a bone to pick with James because James wouldn’t bail him out of jail. Laurent couldn’t put up the money himself. James was blaming Edward’s beating on Laurent. James was using Laurent as his defense in preparing for the trial.

Initially Laurent had given Stallings a few hundred bucks to try to scare us and make us and the police think that James was behind it. Laurent wanted James back behind bars. When the car accident didn’t work and James was still a free man, Laurent requested that Christopher take Masen and dispose of him. He wanted James to take the blame.

Fortunately for us, Christopher couldn’t go through with it. Christopher had a son when he was 16 that he never got see due to his criminal history. He may have been a bad man, but he couldn’t bring himself to harm a child. Laurent grew more and more frustrated as the trial grew closer and James was setting him up to be behind bars for the rest of his life. With Christopher out of the picture, Laurent hired someone to take out James, and in exchange, Laurent set up the hit man with his drug dealer who would supply him with drugs in exchange for the murder.

The murderer hadn’t been caught yet. Laurent wasn’t talking. Laurent told police he didn’t know the guy’s name, only that someone else in the prison set it up for him. Police were still looking into that and trying to track down James’ killer, but in the meantime, James was off the streets and Laurent’s motive for hurting us was gone.

Finally, we had the answers we had been searching for. James was gone, and he couldn’t hurt us anymore. There was no lengthy trial that we would have to sit through. Laurent accepted a plea bargain for the assault and attempted murder charges for what happened to Edward. The charges were dropped to aggravated assault only, and Laurent would spend a minimum of five years in prison. Laurent would also stand trial for the murder of James. He was facing life in prison for that crime. Eventually, his hit man sold him out in exchange for a reduced sentence.

For the first time in months, Edward and I could rest easy and enjoy our beautiful children.


***Author’s Note:

Hi all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter...because it is the last one. I know a lot happened and a lot of answers came out! Don’t worry, there’s an epilogue to follow - it will likely be posted on Christmas weekend. Thank you again for all the reviews!

Check out my newest story - Elusive Reality - it’s on my blog and FF.net.

Twitter: @ AllOrNothingKR
Facebook: AllOrNothingKR at gmail (dot) com.

<3

**EPILOGUE - CLICK HERE**