A Humble Heart (Hollywood Hearts #1)(54)

She nodded against his chest. “Don’t ever do that to me again! You scared the hell out of me!”

“Edward, the police are on the way,” one of the news reporters said. It was Mark from Channel five. He was a good guy, always respectful. He was the reporter who pulled Edward into a hug the day he announced their pregnancy.

They stood watching the house while they waited for the police. Edward kept Dana, Amy and the kids protectively by his side. Mark couldn’t stop people from taking pictures, but he did stop them from reaching them.

Dana looked back at Mark and gave him a weak smile. “Thanks, Mark.”

“No problem, Dana,” he said, pushing someone back. “Back up! They have kids with them and she’s pregnant!”

Edward looked back as well. “Thanks, Mark. Come to the house afterwards and we’ll talk.” Mark nodded and went back to protecting their backs. He was a good guy and the one of the few reporters they gave interviews to.

The police arrived with loud sirens. Dozens of cars descended on the property. She wasn’t too surprised when the bomb squad arrived. A man in a large foam outfit stepped out of the back of a van. His name tag read “Boom.” Fitting, she thought.

“Doggies!” Cole pointed to several large German Sheppard Dogs. Dana heard other kids yelling, too. She looked back to see a large crowd had gathered. The kids looked frightened and excited.

“Daddy, can we get a doggie?” Cole asked Edward.

That one word took Edward by surprise. It was only the memory of what was going on that stopped him from jumping with joy. Cole called him Daddy. Cole didn’t know it, but at that moment there was nothing in the world he would deny him.

“I think a doggie would be a good idea.” Edward grinned hugely. Dana gave his arm a squeeze and kissed his cheek.

“Mommy, if Daddy and Cole are getting a dog, can I have a snake?” Elizabeth asked.

Edward felt Dana freeze under his arm. For a bomb she kept her cool and walked across the lawn without showing an ounce of fear, but the mention of a snake had all the blood draining from her face. He had to laugh.

“N-no sweetheart…no snakes…..” Dana looked like she was about to pass out. She decided clarification was in order when she caught a twinkle of mischief in Elizabeth’s eye. “That includes babysitting a snake and any snakes you find outside.”

“Man!” Elizabeth groaned.

Amy looked Dana over and realized the same thing Edward did, she had a huge phobia of snakes. “Sweetie, perhaps this isn’t the best moment to talk about this,” Amy said, taking Elizabeth into her arms.

“Okay,” Elizabeth said dejectedly.

The fire department arrived next. Several men ran full blast toward the backyard. They could hear loud screams and then a loud boom! “Oh, please let everyone be okay,” Dana said softly. Edward pulled her and the kids closer.

“Daddy, smoke!” Cole said, pointing above their house to a thick column of gray smoke.

Edward pulled Cole into his arms afraid his son was going to try and get a better look.

Several police officers came running around the house. They paused at the corner. Their eyes ran over the crowd until they settled on them. Then they were running full blast towards them.

“Get down!” one of the officers yelled as screams erupted behind them.

Edward turned to find everyone behind them was running or dropping to the ground except for a teenage girl holding a gun aimed at them. Her hand shook violently. Tears ran down her face, dragging black massacre with it.

He pushed Dana behind him using his body to protect her. She grabbed onto his sides, holding him tightly. “Edward,” she said tightly.

“Amy, get the kids out of here,” Edward said evenly.

He didn’t have to look back to know Mark was pulling Amy and the kids away to safety. “Get them behind the car!” an officer ordered. Edward heard Cole crying out for him, but he didn’t look back.

“Edward, move please,” the girl said through broken sobs. “Let me take care of this for you.”

“Take care of what?” he asked genuinely confused.

“Her.” She gestured towards Dana with the gun.

He shook his head. “You might as well kill me, because you’re not touching one hair on her head,” he said firmly.

“Edward, no!” Dana said behind him.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Edward. I would never do that. Can’t you see this is the only way we can be together?” she cried. Edward looked her over, she looked familiar.

“I know you from somewhere.”

She smiled hugely. “Yes! I’ve asked for your photograph thirty times now. I send you homemade cookies every week, and I write to you every day.”

He shook his head. “No, not that. I’ve seen you walking outside my other house and this one.”

She gave him a sheepish smile. “Well, I had to keep an eye on you.”

“You sent the box, didn’t you,” he stated.

She nodded frantically. “It was supposed to kill her. I tried to make sure it had a three foot range, but the directions I found on the internet were a little confusing. I didn’t think you would be around when she opened her mail, that’s too mundane for you.”

“What if my children were near her? Or what about my unborn children? Did you think about them?” he asked through clenched teeth.