Buying Love Update

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“Bella, there’s a phone call for you on line two,” said Jessica, standing by the entrance to my office. “It’s a man. Jared?”

“Thank you, Jess,” I said. “Can you please close the door?” She nodded and left me to take the phone call. I’d been searching for Jared since my ‘date’ with Edward that happened a week ago. I was concerned about him since Felix was now Edward’s driver. Blowing out a breath, I picked up the phone. “Jared?”

“Miss Bella,” he whispered. He sounded older, more haggard. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back. I was, um, unavailable …”

“You lie for shit, Jared,” I said. “Where are you?”

“I’m at home,” he replied. “I had an accident.”

“I’m coming to you, Jared,” I murmured.

“Don’t! I’m afraid that I’m being watched, Miss Bella,” Jared said.

“Then, let me send a car for you,” I pushed. “I’m certain you’re calling for the same reason why I was trying to contact you.”

“Very well,” he sighed.

He gave me his address and I contacted Carlisle, asking him to pick up Jared. I worked, not really paying attention to what I was doing. An hour later, Carlisle came into my office with a bruised and battered Jared. I stood up, my eyes wide and scampered to him. “What happened to you?” I asked, helping him to the couch.

“Something happened to my limo. When the police investigated, it appeared that my brake lines were cut,” Jared said. “I was lucky. It could have been a lot worse.”

Jared

Buying Love Teaser

We walked through the house to a back family room. A handsome, tall man with sandy blonde hair was sitting on a fluffy chair, staring blankly at the television, not really watching what was on the screen. Alice moved in front of him, brushing his hair from his face. He blinked a few times, smiling at her lovingly before turning to look at me. “Ms. Swan?” he asked, his voice deep and resonant. He stood up with great difficulty, holding out a gnarled hand. I shook it gingerly, afraid that I’d cause more damage.

“Please, call me Bella,” I smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jasper.”

“And you as well,” he said. His voice had a subtle drawl and it had a musical quality. “Please, have a seat. Ali, can you get Bella some sweet tea?”

“Sure, Jazzy,” she replied, kissing his temple and dancing out of the room.

Jasper gallantly helped me to sit in the couch, despite the stiffness of his movements. He was a gentleman, but I could see in his blue eyes how much he had lost and how much Esme had broken him. “Alice told me about Edward and your situation with him. I remember him when I worked for, um, her. He was a sweet, loving man, even despite her treatment of him.” He took a breath, closing his eyes and running his hands through his hair. “I won’t tell you Edward’s story. That’s up to him, but I will tell you mine. Alice and I spoke to that private detective, but we didn’t share everything.”

Alice came back with a tray of iced tea. “Here, Jazzy. I’ll let you two talk. I do have some medication for you, if it becomes too much,” Alice said, placing the tray on the cocktail table. She kissed him tenderly, leaving us in the family room.

“Alice is a godsend. I love her so much. She’s everything I’ve never had in my life,” Jasper murmured, his eyes glazing over. 

Buying Love Update

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Buying Love Chapter 33 Update on TWCS

It had been a month since I last saw Edward. He never called and I pretty much gave up on ever seeing him again. As a result, I was bitchy, mean and not pleasant to be around. I tried to contact him, leaving messages through Buying Love, but there were no responses.

I was done. So done.

However, the information about Alice and Jasper was plaguing my mind. I wanted to talk to them. Ask them questions about their situation. Carlisle had given me their address and phone number, but I was hesitant to make contact. Curiosity got the better of me and I dialed Alice’s cell phone number.

“Hello?” chirped a high-pitched female voice.

“Is this Alice Whitlock?” I asked.

“Speaking,” Alice replied.

“My name is Isabella Swan and I’m calling you regarding Esme Platt,” I breathed out.

“Are you working for her?” Alice snarled. “Jazzy is not going back to her!”

“What? No! I do not work for her, but I’m trying to get to the bottom of her story,” I said.

“I don’t feel comfortable speaking over the phone,” she muttered. “We’ve had to change our numbers several times because of Esme’s relentless pursuit of Jazzy.”

“I can come down to you,” I said. “We can meet, face-to-face.”

“I don’t know,” she hedged.

“Look, I’m trying to help out someone. Just like you helped Jasper,” I whispered. “I also want to put her away for good. A friend of mine used to work for the police and they’re building a case, Alice.”

She sighed. “I’ll meet with you, Ms. Swan. If I trust you, then you can talk to Jasper. He was … he was … Esme broke him,” Alice said, her voice tiny. 

Hotel Bel Air ~ A Charles Swan Hotel

Alice and Jasper's Bungalow

Alice

Jasper

Buying Love Teaser

It had been a month since I last saw Edward. He never called and I pretty much gave up on ever seeing him again. As a result, I was bitchy, mean and not pleasant to be around. I tried to contact him, leaving messages through Buying Love, but there were no responses.

I was done. So done.

However, the information about Alice and Jasper was plaguing my mind. I wanted to talk to them. Ask them questions about their situation. Carlisle had given me their address and phone number, but I was hesitant to make contact. Curiosity got the better of me and I dialed Alice’s cell phone number.

“Hello?” chirped a high-pitched female voice.

“Is this Alice Whitlock?” I asked.

“Speaking,” Alice replied.

“My name is Isabella Swan and I’m calling you regarding Esme Platt,” I breathed out.

“Are you working for her?” Alice snarled. “Jazzy is not going back to her!”

“What? No! I do not work for her, but I’m trying to get to the bottom of her story,” I said.

“I don’t feel comfortable speaking over the phone,” she muttered. “We’ve had to change our numbers 

several times because of Esme’s relentless pursuit of Jazzy.”

“I can come down to you,” I said. “We can meet, face-to-face.”

“I don’t know,” she hedged.

“Look, I’m trying to help out someone. Just like you helped Jasper,” I whispered. “I also want to put her away for good. A friend of mine used to work for the police and they’re building a case, Alice.”

She sighed. “I’ll meet with you, Ms. Swan. If I trust you, then you can talk to Jasper. He was … he was … Esme broke him,” Alice said, her voice tiny. “When can I expect you?”

“This weekend,” I replied.

Alice

Jasper

Buying Love Update

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Carlisle arrived an hour or so later with a thick file folder. His face was grim. “What’s the news, Carlisle?” I asked, offering him a seat. “Is Edward an axe murderer?”

“He’s not an axe murderer, but he is in trouble,” Carlisle explained. “First, I have information about Edward and then information from Alice and Jasper Whitlock. What do you want to hear first?”

“Edward,” I nodded. “Tell me about him.”

“Okay. He was born in a small town about three hours from here, Forks. His mother was a homemaker and his father worked at the local bank as the vice president. He handled high-end mortgages, loans and investment opportunities until Edward was about nine or ten. He moved from that bank to a smaller investment company in Port Angeles, working there until he was killed in a drunk driving accident when Edward was fourteen,” Carlisle described.

“I know about the accident,” I said, furrowing my brow.

“It was bad, Little One. Edward Masen Senior was decapitated and there was very little left of him. The other driver was completely hammered, drifting over into the other lane, hitting Edward’s car head on. What was worse was the fact that Edward Masen had used his savings to back up the investment company when they got into hot water. Little Edward and Elizabeth, Edward’s wife, were left with a huge pile of debt and nothing to fall back on. The investment company tried to help them out, but by the time Edward was seventeen, their house was foreclosed on and they were homeless. To make matters worse, Elizabeth has early onset Alzheimer’s due to the stress of losing her husband. Once the house was foreclosed on, Edward took his mother, hopping on a bus to Seattle and renting a tiny one-bedroom apartment in his mother’s name. After that, I can’t find anything else,” Carlisle said, handing me the file with Edward’s information. His eyes told me that he was skeptical about the info.

“What’s with this face?” I asked.

“It’s like Edward was erased after he moved into that apartment, Bella,” Carlisle said. “As if he didn’t exist.”

Carlisle

FYI ~ I will be away on business on Friday and will not have access to internet. I'm leaving from school on Thursday and will not return until late Saturday evening. As a result, Buying Love will not update on Friday. I plan to update it on Saturday, upon my return. 

Buying Love Teaser

Carlisle arrived an hour or so later with a thick file folder. His face was grim. “What’s the news, Carlisle?” I asked, offering him a seat. “Is Edward an axe murderer?”

“He’s not an axe murderer, but he is in trouble,” Carlisle explained. “First, I have information about Edward and then information from Alice and Jasper Whitlock. What do you want to hear first?”

“Edward,” I nodded. “Tell me about him.”

“Okay. He was born in a small town about three hours from here, Forks. His mother was a homemaker and his father worked at the local bank as the vice president. He handled high-end mortgages, loans and investment opportunities until Edward was about nine or ten. He moved from that bank to a smaller investment company in Port Angeles, working there until he was killed in a drunk driving accident when Edward was fourteen,” Carlisle described.

“I know about the accident,” I said, furrowing my brow.

“It was bad, Little One. Edward Masen Senior was decapitated and there was very little left of him. The other driver was completely hammered, drifting over into the other lane, hitting Edward’s car head on. What was worse was the fact that Edward Masen had used his savings to back up the investment company when they got into hot water. Little Edward and Elizabeth, Edward’s wife, were left with a huge pile of debt and nothing to fall back on. The investment company tried to help them out, but by the time Edward was seventeen, their house was foreclosed on and they were homeless. To make matters worse, Elizabeth has early onset Alzheimer’s due to the stress of losing her husband. Once the house was foreclosed on, Edward took his mother, hopping on a bus to Seattle and renting a tiny one-bedroom apartment in his mother’s name. After that, I can’t find anything else,” Carlisle said, handing me the file with Edward’s information. His eyes told me that he was skeptical about the info.

“What’s with this face?” I asked.

“It’s like Edward was erased after he moved into that apartment, Bella,” Carlisle said. “As if he didn’t exist.”

Carlisle Cullen

Buying Love Update

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Edward and I slept in the next day. I spent most of the night tossing and turning, concerned about Edward. He slept deeply, but he had nightmares, whimpering in the darkness. When we finally woke up, Edward went down to eat some breakfast. I could hear Rose and Seth puttering in the kitchen. I used the time alone to make a quick phone call to Carlisle. I hadn’t heard from since I spoke to him in my office.

“Shouldn’t you be enjoying Jacob’s wedding?” Carlisle quipped as he picked up. “From what I heard from your father, the locale is quite beautiful.”

“You’re not with him?” I asked.

“Nope. I’m currently sitting in the buffet at the Wynn Hotel, gorging myself on the most delicious breakfast I’d ever had,” he laughed. “Charlie gave me the day off. I’m spending my day at the blackjack table.”

“Don’t gamble away all of your money, Cullen,” I teased.

“Meh,” Carlisle replied. “What can I do for you, little one?”

“Have you heard anything about that background check?” I asked. “Anything at all?”

“No, not yet. My friend and former colleague, Emmett McCarty, is helping me but I haven’t heard anything about Esme Platt. However, with Edward, I found out some things about him. His father was killed in a car crash, caused by a drunk driver. After that, any information regarding Edward Masen and his family seems to trail off. It’s like he was wiped off the face of the planet,” Carlisle explained. “I’m still looking, Bella. Plus, I’m still trying to get in touch with Jasper Whitlock and his wife, Mary Alice Brandon. Their phone number is unlisted, but I’ve got a private detective searching for them down in Los Angeles.”

Bella's Dress

Edward's Tuxedo

Inspiration for Jacob and Seth's wedding ...

Seth's Tuxedo

Buying Love Teaser

I padded to the entryway, opening up the door to find my father’s head of security, Carlisle Cullen, leaning against the door jamb. “Hey, Carlisle. Thank you for coming.”

“Anything for you, Bella,” he said, limping into my suite. He used to be a Seattle PD detective, but he was shot in the line of duty, nearly dying from his injuries. The powers-that-be offered him a stuffy desk position, but he chose to retire and moved the private sector. Charlie and Carlisle were life-long friends. My father offered him a position as our head of security, quadrupling his salary and pension from the police department. He worked banker’s hours and loved every minute of it. I led him to the couch, handing him a scotch. “You know me too well, Bella.”

“Eh,” I shrugged. “It’s the least I could do, asking you to come on your day off.”

“Eh,” he repeated, snickering quietly. “So, what do you need, little one?”

“I need your investigative prowess, Carlisle. I also need your discretion, too. Daddy can’t know about what I’m about to ask you. It’s a delicate matter,” I blushed.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Carlisle nodded.

“Okay, so, you know my new boyfriend?” I said, wrinkling my nose.

“Edward? Yes. Charlie mentioned him. I’m shocked he hasn’t asked me to run a background check on him,” Carlisle snorted.

“Charlie hasn’t, but I want you to do it for me. I trust him and care for him a great deal, but there’s something more about him that I’m worried about,” I said. “Here’s his full name and birth date. I don’t have a social security number or address, though.”

“I can work with this,” Carlisle said, tucking the paper into his jacket. “What else? There’s more to this request.”

“I need you to run a check on Esme Platt. She’s the owner of Buying Love, Inc.,” I said, my face flaming in anger. 

Carlisle Cullen