Hot Coffee (The Hollens)
Chapter 54 (Tick, Tick, Tick)

Ethan's POV

"Don't bullshit me, cop. I have a mechanic who services my vehicles every month. I didn't have any leak. If I did, I would've smelled gasoline before leaving home with the car!"

I was in a fit of rage because this stupid cop kept telling me that the explosion was an accident caused by a leak in my gas tank. I knew damn well that I didn't have a leak. I couldn't have a leak when that car was newly bought just two weeks ago. I loved my cars as if they were my children and I gave them the best servicing in the world from top to bottom, exterior to interior.

"Mr. Hollen, calm down; we're looking into it for further investigation."

"Where's my fiancee?"

"She's just outside this door having a glass of water."

"She's pregnant and I don't want her being upset anymore. Can we leave now?"

"Yes. We'll call you when further information soon."

"Uh huh."

I stood up and went to replace my woman. I had already called Luis to pick us up.

"Baby, are you alright?" I asked, rubbing her back and wiping away a single tear from her eye.

"I want to go home," she answered, softly.

"Luis is on the way. He should be here any minute now."

"I can't believe that the car exploded. What if you hadn't pulled me out in time? What if I was trapped with my seat belt and I was burned alive with the babies? What if—"

"Emma, baby, stop this. I am not going to let anything happen to you and the babies. I'm here for you now and I'm not going anywhere. Everything will be alright."

"Everything is not going to be alright! Your mother is dead, Sharon is missing, and someone is out to get us. I don't believe the explosion was an accident. You recently bought that car!" "Shh. I know that."

"I don't feel safe in my own bed. I had a terrible nightmare last night; someone shot me in the head, Ethan! I couldn't see the person's face but a gun was raised to my head and I was shot!" she cried.

"We have to replace Sharon. We can't wait until she shows her face to us. I believe she's back and she's out for a kill," I said to Detective Sam when he came over to my house.

"Is Sharon capable of doing such?"

"Anyone is capable of doing anything. I underestimated the woman. She took my revolver and my mother was shot with one. She is still missing but I believe she's right under our noses, Sam. Emma is pregnant again; I don't want anything to happen to her and my children. I need you to replace her."

"We've never stopped trying to, but she's untraceable."

"Well, what about fake identities? She is wanted in both countries. She must have changed her appearance and identity."

"You're right about that. But even if she did, she's made it even harder for us because we won't know where to begin. There're billion of names out there, she could have any one."

I heaved a frustrated sigh and sat down on the couch with a beer.

"Don't worry, we'll replace her."

"Please do. I'm not comfortable in my own house."

"Well, how about going away for a while?"

"No. I'm not taking that chance if she's not captured. I'd rather keep Emma here where there're security and alarm systems and cameras."

"Okay then. I should head back to the station. I'll call you once I replace out anything."

He left.

He'd come over to tell me that the gas pipe beneath my car had been tampered with and there was a timed lighter on the ground, right underneath it. The leakage ran to the lighter and, when the timer went off and the lighter sparked, the car caught fire immediately. It was heaven's work that Emma caught the smell just in time or the four of us would of been toast.

I kept thinking about the nightmare she had last night. She was shot to the head by an unseen face. I paced the room back and forth. She knew Sharon and she knew what Sharon looked like, so why she couldn't see her face?

My mind recalled what Luis said to me when we were in Italy: "There could be an inside enemy."

Someone who's working close with Sharon, telling her our every move and intel. But who would do something like that? My employees were loyal.

I went to the study and turned on my office computer and logged into my security cameras for clues. There was footage of Halley in the kitchen, the chef making dinner, Emma by the pool, security on the grounds, Hannah mopping the floors, Emma reading a book in the living room, Halley dusting the wall pictures, Anton talking to the other guards, the chef making pancakes, Hannah talking on the phone, Halley talking on the phone, Emma on the phone.

No one looked suspicious. Everyone looked like they were just going about their routines and responsibilities, minding their own business.

Sharon's POV

"What is it?" I answered the phone.

"So you blew up his car?"

"Of course I did."

"Why do something so stupid? That only drew the attention from the police and now Ethan is zeroing in on you. If he replaces you, you're dead."

"He's not going to replace me."

"He's smart and he's brilliant and he has enough connections to replace you withi a day. Why did you even came back here? I told you I could handle him myself. He trusts me."

"Of course he does. After all you're his "

"Shut up. I know what I am to him."

"Just stick with the plan and get intel. Keep me posted. And, if you screw me over, I'll pin your ass to the wall!"

Emma's Nightmare

I saw myself sitting in the bedroom, reading a book to the babies in my stomach. I was huge- I looked like I could have these children any day, any time. For some reason, Ethan wasn't at my side. Maybe he was running late at the office or downstairs getting me ice cream or something.

I got up and went to use the toilet. I heard the door creak open. I assumed it was Ethan.

"Baby, I'm in here!" I called as I washed my hands.

There was silence; usually he would answer or call to me first. I started to panic as a dreadful cold feeling came over me. The twins were kicking up a storm. I held my stomach and made my way out the bathroom.

"Ethan?" I whispered.

The room was in total darkness but I could see the image of someone standing there dressed in black, but their eyes were white as snow.

"Who are you?" I asked, heart racing and head pounding.

They raised a silver gun, and, closing their eyes, the trigger was pulled.

I fell to the floor. I saw myself die. A bullet to the head.

I jumped out of my nightmare.

Ethan's POV

I assembled all my security guards to my office.

"I'm only going to say this once. I want a twenty hour shifts everyday until I tell you otherwise. I don't want any slackers on the compound. I want everyone to be on the look-out for even the smallest thing. If a leaf falls from the tree, you're supposed to see that. That's how sharp I want you all to be. There're twelve of you, so I expect cooperation and a tight shift. Your dedication is now to Emma and the babies. No one comes in or leaves without my authorization. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," they all answered.

I nodded in approval and dismissed them.

Luis stayed behind with me.

"I have to leave for another business meeting next week," I informed him. "I don't know if I should take her along or leave her here."

"She should go along with you. It's better she's with you where you can keep an eye on her."

"She got so sick when she flew the last time."

"She'll get over the sickness."

Emma's POV

Halley met me downstairs. Seeing the sad look on my face, she sat down next to me.

"Hey bestie, are you alright?" she asked.

"Not really. I feel like I'm drowning in my own tears."

"Come on. Some fresh air would do you good."

We got up and walked out the main entrance and onto the pavement. We walked down to the main gate and went outside; Brad and another guard named Parris followed us. We walked past a house that had been vacant since I moved into the neighborhood. I looked at it and the same cold feeling I had in my nightmare came over me. A woman, tall and slim with tanned skin and jet black hair in a bob style, stood or the patio with large sunglasses, staring down at us like a hawk. There was something familiar about her but her face was unrecognizable.

"Lets head back," I instructed everyone, not taking my eyes off the woman; and she didn't take her eyes off me.

Goosebumps raised on my skin. I couldn't understand why, but I was having a cold feeling about the stranger in the house not too far away from us.