he　path；　it　said。　Back　soon；　B。

〃When　you　didn't　e　back；　I　called　the　Cullens；　and　no　one　answered；〃

Charlie　said　in　a　low　voice。

〃Then　I　called　the　hospital；　and　Dr。　Gerandy　told　me　that　Carlisle　was　gone。〃

〃Where　did　they　go？〃　I　mumbled。

He　stared　at　me。　〃Didn't　Edward　tell　you？〃

I　shook　my　head；　recoiling。　The　sound　of　his　name　unleashed　the　thing　that　was

clawing　inside　of　me—a

pain　that　knocked　me　breathless；　astonished　me　with　its　force。

Charlie　eyed　me　doubtfully　as　he　answered。　〃Carlisle　took　a　job　with　a　big

hospital　in　Los　Angeles。　I

guess　they　threw　a　lot　of　money　at　him。〃

Sunny　L。A。　The　last　place　they　would　really　go。　I　remembered　my　nightmare　with

the　mirror　the　bright

sunlight　shimmering　off　of　his　skin—

Agony　ripped　through　me　with　the　memory　of　his　face。

〃I　want　to　know　if　Edward　left　you　alone　out　there　in　the　middle　of　the

woods；〃　Charlie　insisted。

His　name　sent　another　wave　of　torture　through　me。　I　shook　my　head；　frantic；

desperate　to　escape　the

pain。　〃It　was　my　fault。　He　left　me　right　here　on　the　trail；　in　sight　of　the

house　but　I　tried　to　follow　him。〃

Charlie　started　to　say　something；　childishly；　I　covered　my　ears。　〃I　can't　talk

about　this　anymore；　Dad。　I

want　to　go　to　my　room。〃

Before　he　could　answer；　I　scrambled　up　from　the　couch　and　lurched　my　way　up

the　stairs。

Someone　had　been　in　the　house　to　leave　a　note　for　Charlie；　a　note　that　would

lead　him　to　find　me。　From

the　minute　that　I'd　realized　this；　a　horrible　suspicion　began　to　grow　in　my

head。　I　rushed　to　my　room；

shutting　and　locking　the　door　behind　me　before　I　ran　to　the　CD　player