outside； muted by the car walls。
〃。。。 went at it with a flamethrower in the online video。 Didn't even pucker the paint。〃
〃Of course not。 You could roll a tank over this baby。 Not much of a market for one over here。 Designed
for Middle East diplomats； arms dealers； and drug lords mostly。〃
〃Think she's something？〃 the short one asked in a softer voice。 I ducked my head； cheeks flaming。
〃Huh；〃 the tall one said。 〃Maybe。 Can't imagine what you'd need missileproof glass and four thousand
pounds of body armor for around here。 Must be headed somewhere more hazardous。〃
Body armor。 Four thousand pounds of body armor。 And missileproof glass？ Nice。 What had
happened to good oldfashioned bulletproof？
Well； at least this made some sense—if you had a twisted sense of humor。
It wasn't like I hadn't expected Edward to take advantage of our deal； to weight it on his side so that he
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could give so much more than he would receive。 I'd agreed that he could replace my truck when it
needed replacing； not expecting that moment to e quite so soon； of course。 When I'd been forced to
admit that the truck had bee no more than a stilllife tribute to classic Chevys on my curb； I knew his
idea of a replacement was probably going to embarrass me。 Make me the focus of stares and whispers。
I'd been right about that part。 But even in my darkest imaginings I had not foreseen that he would get me
two cars。
The 〃before〃 car and the 〃after〃 car； he'd explained when I'd flipped out。
This was just the 〃before〃 car。 He'd told me it was a loaner and promised that he was returning it after
the wedding。 It all had made absolutely no sense to me。 Until now。
Ha ha。 Because I was so fragilely human； so accidentprone； so much a victim to my own dangerous
bad luck； apparently I needed a tankresistant car to keep me safe。 Hilarious。 I was sure he and his
brothers had enjoyed the
joke quite a bit behind my back。
Or maybe； just maybe；a small voice whispered in my head； it's not a joke； silly。 Maybe he's really that
worried about you。 This wouldn't be the first time he's gone a little overboard trying to protect
you。
I sighed。
I hadn't seen the 〃after〃 car yet。 It was hidden under a sheet in the deepest corner of the Cullens' garage。
I knew most people would have peeked by now； but I really didn't want to know。
Probably no body armor on that car—because I wouldn't need it after the honeymoon。 Virtual
indestructibility was just one of the many perks I was looking forward to。 The best parts about being a
Cullen were not expensive cars and impressive credit cards。
〃Hey；〃 the tall man called； cupping his hands to the glass in an effort to peer in。 〃We're done now。
Thanks a lot！〃
〃You're wele；〃 I called back； and then tensed as I started the engine and eased the pedal—ever so
gently—down___
No matter how many times I drove down the familiar road home； I still couldn't make the rainfaded
flyers fade into the background。 Each one of them； stapled to telephone poles and taped to street signs；
was like a fresh slap in the face。 A welldeserved slap in the face。 My mind was sucked back into the
thought I'd interrupted so immediately before。 I couldn't avoid it on this road。 Not with pictures of my
favorite mechanic flashing past me at regular intervals。
My best friend。 My Jacob。
Thehave you SEENthis boy？ posters were not Jacob's father's idea。 It had been my father； Charlie；
who'd printed up the flyers and spread them all over town。 And not just Forks； but Port Angeles and
Sequim and Hoquiam and Aberdeen and every other town in the Olympic Peninsula。 He'd made sure
that all the police stations in the state of Washington had the same flyer hanging on the wall； too。 His own
station had a whole corkboard dedicated to finding Jacob。 A corkboard that was mostly empty； much to
his disappointment and frustration。
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My dad was disappointed with more than the lack of response。 He was most disappointed with Billy；
Jacob's father—and Charlie's closest friend。
For Billy's not being more involved with the search for his sixteenyearold 〃runaway。〃 For Billy's
refusing to put up the flyers in La Push； the reservation on the coast that was Jacob's home。 For his
seeming resigned to Jacob's disappearance； as if there was nothing he could do。 For his saying； 〃Jacob's
grown up now。 He'll e home if he wants to。〃
And he was frustrated with me； for taking Billy's side。
I wouldn't put up posters； either。 Because both Billy and I knew where Jacob was； roughly speaking；
and we also knew that no one had seen this boy。
The flyers put the usual big； fat lump in my throat； the usual stinging tears in my eyes； and I was glad
Edward was out hunting this Saturday。 If Edward saw my reaction； it would only make him feel terrible；
too。
Of course； there were drawbacks to it being Saturday。 As I turned slowly and carefully onto my street； I
could see my dad's police cruiser in the driveway of our home。 He'd skipped fishing again today。 Still
sulking about the
wedding。
So I wouldn't be able to use the phone inside。 But I had to call___
I parked on the curb behind the Chevy sculpture and pulled the cell phone Edward had given me for
emergencies out of the glove partment。 I dialed； keeping my finger on the 〃end〃 button as the phone
rang。 Just in case。
〃Hello？〃 Seth Clearwater answered； and I sighed in relief。 I was way too chicken to speak to his older
sister； Leah。 The phrase 〃bite my head off was not entirely a figure of speech when it came to Leah。
〃Hey； Seth； it's Bella。〃
〃Oh； hiya； Bella！ How are you？〃
Choked up。 Desperate for reassurance。 〃Fine。〃
〃Calling for an update？〃
〃You're psychic。〃
〃Not hardly。 I'm no Alice—you're just predictable；〃 he joked。 Among the Quileute pack down at La
Push； only Seth was fortable even mentioning the Cullens by name； let alone joking about things like
my nearly omniscient sisterinlawtobe。
〃I know I am。〃 I hesitated for a minute。 〃How is he？〃
Seth sighed。 〃Same as ever。 He won't talk； though we know he hears us。 He's trying not to think human；
you know。 Just going with his instincts。〃
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〃Do you know where he is now？〃
〃Somewhere in northern Canada。 I can't tell you which province。 He doesn't pay much attention to state
lines。〃
〃Any hint that he might。。。〃
〃He's not ing home； Bella。 Sorry。〃
I swallowed。 〃S'okay； Seth。 I knew before I asked。 I just can't help wishing。〃
〃Yeah。 We all feel the same way。〃
〃Thanks for putting up with me； Seth。 I know the others must give you a hard time。〃
〃They're not your hugest fans；〃 he agreed cheerfully。 〃Kind of lame； I think。 Jacob made his choices； you
made yours。 Jake doesn't like their attitude about it。 'Course； he isn't super thrilled that you're checking
up on him； either。〃
I gasped。 〃I thought he wasn't talking to you？〃
〃He can't hide everything from us； hard as he's trying。〃
So Jacob knew I was worried。 I wasn't sure how I felt about that。 Well； at least he knew I hadn't
skipped off into the sunset and forgotten him pletely。 He might have imagined me capable of that。
〃I guess I'll see you at the。。。 wedding；〃 I said； forcing the word out through my teeth。
〃Yeah； me and my mom will be there。 It was cool of you to ask us。〃
I smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice。 Though inviting the Clearwaters had been Edward's idea； I was
glad he'd thought of it。 Having Seth there would be nice—a link； however tenuous； to my missing best
man。 〃It wouldn't be the
same without you。〃
〃Tell Edward I said hi； 'kay？〃
〃Sure thing。〃
I shook my head。 The friendship that had sprung up between Edward and Seth was something that still
boggled my mind。 It was proof； though； that things didn't have to be this way。 That vampires and
werewolves could get along just fine； thank you very much； if they were of a mind to。
Not everybody liked this idea。
〃Ah；〃 Seth said； his voice cracking up an octave。 〃Er； Leah's home。〃
〃Oh！ Bye！〃
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The phone went dead。 I left it on the seat and prepared myself mentally to go inside the house； where
Charlie would be waiting。
My poor dad had so much to deal with right now。 Jacobtherunaway was just one of the straws on his
overburdened back。 He was almost as worried about me； his barelyalegaladult daughter who was
about to bee a Mrs。 in just a few days' time。
I walked slowly through the light rain； remembering the night we'd told him___
As the sound of Charlie's cruiser announced his return； the ring suddenly weighed a hundred pounds on
my finger。 I wanted to shove my left hand in a pocket； or maybe sit on it； but Edward's cool； firm grasp
kept it front and center。
〃Stop fidgeting； Bella。 Please try to remember that you're not confessing to a murder here。〃
〃Easy for you to say。〃
I listened to the ominous sound of my father's boots clomping up the sidewalk。 The key rattled in the
already open door。 The sound reminded me of that part of the horror movie when the victim realizes
she's forgotten to lock herdeadbolt。
〃Calm down； Bella；〃 Edward whispered； listening to the acceleration of my heart。
The door slammed against the wall； and I flinched like I'd been Tasered。
〃Hey； Charlie；〃 Edward called； entirely relaxed。
〃No！〃 I protested under my breath。
〃What？〃 Edward whispered back。
〃Wait till he hangs his gun up！〃
Edward chuckled and ran his free hand through his tousled bronze hair。
Charlie came around the corner； still in his uniform； still armed； and tried not to make a face when he
spied us sitting together on the loveseat。 Lately； he'd been putting forth a lot of effort to like Edward
more。 Of course； this revelation was sure to end that effort immediately。
〃Hey； kids。 What's up？〃
〃We'd like