passports； social security cards。。。 ？〃
I took a deep breath and smiled。 I owed Max big time。
And then my smile faded。 Alice had sent me here for a reason； and I was sure it was to protect
Renesmee。 Her last gift to me。 The one thing she would know I needed。
The only reason Renesmee would need a forger was if she was running。 And the only reason Renesmee
would be running was if we had lost。
If Edward and I were running with her； she wouldn't need these documents right away。 I was sure IDs
were something Edward knew how to get his hands on or make himself； and I was sure he knew ways to
escape without them。 We could run with her for thousands of miles。 We could swim with her across an
ocean。
If we were around to save her。
And all the secrecy to keep this out of Edward's head。 Because there was a good chance that everything
he knew； Aro would know。 If we lost； Aro would certainly get the information he craved before he
destroyed Edward。
It was as I had suspected。 We couldn't win。 But we must have a good shot at killing Demetri before we
lost； giving Renesmee the chance to run。
My still heart felt like a boulder in my chest—a crushing weight。 All my hope faded like fog in the
sunshine。 My eyes pricked。
Who would I put this on？ Charlie？ But he was so defenselessly human。 And how would I get Renesmee
to him？ He was not going to be anywhere close to that fight。 So that left one person。 There really had
never been anyone else。
I'd thought this through so quickly that J didn't notice my pause。
〃Two birth certificates； two passports； one driver's license；〃 I said in a low； strained tone。
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If he noticed the change in my expression； he pretended otherwise。
〃The names？〃
〃Jacob。。。 Wolfe。 And。。。 Vanessa Wolfe。〃 Nessie seemed like an okay nickname for Vanessa。 Jacob
would get a kick out of the Wolfe thing。
His pen scratched swiftly across a legal pad。 〃Middle names？〃
〃Just put something generic in。〃
〃If you prefer。 Ages？〃
〃Twentyseven for the man； five for the girl。〃 Jacob could pull it off。 He was a beast。 And at the rate
Renesmee was growing； I'd better estimate high。 He could be her stepfather。。。。
〃I'll need pictures if you prefer finished documents；〃 J said； interrupting my thoughts。 〃Mr。 Jasper usually
liked to finish them himself。〃
Well； that explained why J didn't know what Alice looked like。
〃Hold on；〃 I said。
This was luck。 I had several family pictures shoved in my wallet； and the perfect one—Jacob holding
Renesmee on the front porch steps—was only a month old。 Alice had given it to me just a few days
before。。。 Oh。 Maybe there wasn't that much luck involved after all。 Alice knew I had this picture。 Maybe
she'd even had some dim flash that I would need it before she gave it to me。
〃Here you go。〃
J examined the picture for a moment。 〃Your daughter is very like you。〃
I tensed。 〃She's more like her father。〃
〃Who is not this man。〃 He touched Jacob's face。
My eyes narrowed； and new sweat beads popped out on J's shiny head。
〃No。 That is a very close friend of the family。〃
〃Forgive me；〃 he mumbled； and the pen began scratching again。 〃How soon will you need the
documents？〃
〃Can I get them in a week？〃
〃That's a rush order。 It will cost twice as—but forgive me。 I forgot with whom I was speaking。〃
Clearly； he knew Jasper。
〃Just give me a number。〃
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He seemed hesitant to say it aloud； though I was sure； having dealt with Jasper； he must have known that
price wasn't really an object。 Not even taking into consideration the bloated accounts that existed all over
the world with the Cullens' various names on them； there was enough cash stashed all over the house to
keep a small country afloat for a decade； it reminded me of the way there were always a hundred
fishhooks in the back of any drawer at Charlie's house。 I doubted anyone would even notice the small
stack I'd removed in preparation for today。
J wrote the price down on the bottom of the legal pad。
I nodded calmly。 I had more than that with me。 I unclasped my bag again and counted out the right
amount—I had it all paperclipped into fivethousanddollar increments； so it took no time at all。
〃There。〃
〃Ah； Bella； you don't really have to give me the entire sum now。 It's customary for you to save half to
ensure delivery。〃
I smiled wanly at the nervous man。 〃But I trust you； J。 Besides； I'll give you a bonus—the same again
when I get the documents。〃
〃That's not necessary； I assure you。〃
〃Don't worry about it。〃 It wasn't like I could take it with me。 〃So HI meet you here next week at the
same time？〃
He gave me a pained look。 〃Actually； I prefer to make such transactions in places unrelated to my
various businesses。〃
〃Of course。 I'm sure I'm not doing this the way you expect。〃
〃I'm used to having no expectations when it es to the Cullen family。〃 He grimaced and then quickly
posed his face again。 〃Shall we meet at eight o'clock a week from tonight at The Pacifico？ It's on
Union Lake； and the food is exquisite。〃
〃Perfect。〃 Not that I would be joining him for dinner。 He actually wouldn't like it much if I did。
I rose and shook his hand again。 This time he didn't flinch。 But he did seem to have some new worry on
his mind。 His mouth was pinched up； his back tense。
〃Will you have trouble with that deadline？〃 I asked。
〃What？〃 He looked up； taken off guard by my question。 〃The deadline？ Oh； no。 No worries at all。 I will
certainly have your documents done on time。〃
It would have been nice to have Edward here； so that I would know what J's real worries were。 I
sighed。 Keeping secrets from Edward was bad enough； having to be away from him was almost too
much。
〃Then HI see you in one week。〃
34。 DECLARED
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I heard the music before I was out of the car。 Edward hadn't touched his piano since the night Alice left。
Now； as I shut the car door； I heard the song morph through a bridge and change into my lullaby。
Edward was weling me home。
I moved slowly as I pulled Renesmee—fast asleep； we'd been gone all day—from the car。 We'd left
Jacob at Charlie's—he'd said he was going to catch a ride home with Sue。 I wondered if he was trying to
fill his head with enough trivia to crowd out the image of the way my face had looked when I'd walked
through Charlie's door。
As I walked slowly to the Cullen house now； I recognized that the hope and uplift that seemed almost a
visible aura around the big white house had been mine this morning； too。 It felt alien to me now。
I wanted to cry again； hearing Edward play for me。 But I pulled it together。 I didn't want him to be
suspicious。 I would leave no clues in his mind for Aro if I could help it。
Edward turned his head and smiled when I came in the door； but kept playing。
〃Wele home；〃 he said； as if th