It was worth the danger of the secluded forest road. This was no idle visit to see what was going on. I knew what was going on. This was a rescue mission. I was going to talk to Jacob—kidnap him if I had to. I’d once seen a PBS show on deprogramming the brainwashed. There had to be some kind of cure.
I decided I’d better call Charlie first. Maybe whatever was going on down in La Push was something the police should be involved in. I dashed inside, in a hurry to be on my way.
Charlie answered the phone at the station himself.
“Chief Swan.”
“Dad, it’s Bella.”
“What’s wrong?”
I couldn’t argue with his doomsday assumption this time. My voice was shaking.
“I’m worried about Jacob.”
“Why?” he asked, surprised by the unexpected topic.
“I think...I think something weird is going on down at the reservation. Jacob told me about some strange stuff happening with the other boys his age. Now he’s acting the same way and I’m scared.”
“What kind of stuff?” He used his professional, police business voice. That was good; he was taking me seriously.
“First he was scared, and then he was avoiding me, and now...I’m afraid he’s part of that bizarre gang down there, Sam’s gang. Sam Uley’s gang.”
“Sam Uley?” Charlie repeated, surprised again.
“Yes.”
Charlie’s voice was more relaxed when he answered. “I think you’ve got it wrong, Bells. Sam Uley is a great kid. Well, he’s a man now. A good son. You should hear Billy talk about him. He’s really doing wonders with the youth on the reservation. He’s the one who—” Charlie broke off mid-sentence, and I guessed that he had been about to make a reference to the night I’d gotten lost in the woods. I moved on quickly.
“Dad, it’s not like that. Jacob was scared of him.”
“Did you talk to Billy about this?” He was trying to soothe me now. I’d lost him as soon as I’d mentioned Sam.
“Billy’s not concerned.”
“Well, Bella, then I’m sure it’s okay. Jacob’s a kid; he was probably just messing around. I’m sure he’s fine. He can’t spend every waking minute with you, after all.”
“This isn’t about me,” I insisted, but the battle was lost.
“I don’t think you need to worry about this. Let Billy take care of Jacob.”
“Charlie . . .” My voice was starting to sound whiney.
“Bells, I got a lot on my plate right now. Two tourists have gone missing off a trail outside crescent lake.” There was an anxious edge to his voice. “This wolf problem is getting out of hand.”
I was momentarily distracted—stunned, really—by his news. There was no way the wolves could have survived a match-up with Laurent....
“Are you sure that’s what happened to them?” I asked.
“Afraid so, honey. There was—” He hesitated. “There were tracks again, and...some blood this time.”
“Oh!” It must not have come to a confrontation, then. Laurent must have simply outrun the wolves, but why? What I’d seen in the meadow just got stranger and stranger—more impossible to understand.
“Look, I really have to go. Don’t worry about Jake, Bella. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Fine,” I said curtly, frustrated as his words reminded me of the more urgent crisis at hand. “Bye.” I hung up.
I stared at the phone for a long minute. What the hell, I decided.
Billy answered after two rings.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Billy,” I almost growled. I tried to sound more friendly as I continued. “Can I talk to Jacob, please?”
“Jake’s not here.”
What a shock. “Do you know where he is?”
“He’s out with his friends.” Billy’s voice was careful.
“Oh yeah? Anyone I know? Quil?” I could tell the words didn’t come across as casually as I’d meant them to.
“No,” Billy said slowly. “I don’t think he’s with Quil today.”
I knew better than to mention Sam’s name.
“Embry?” I asked.
Billy seemed happier to answer this one. “Yeah, he’s with Embry.”
That was enough for me. Embry was one of them.
“Well, have him call me when he gets in, all right?”
“Sure, sure. No problem.” Click.
“See you soon, Billy,” I muttered into the dead phone.
I drove to La Push determined to wait. I’d sit out front of his house all night if I had to. I’d miss school. The boy was going to have to come home sometime, and when he did, he was going to have to talk to me.