I Know Lucy (A Fugitive #1)(7)

“I fear the risks. The implications it might have on all of us. If this goes wrong…”

“We can handle it. We’re a strong family unit and Lucy and I will stand beside you all the way.”

“I just want you to be safe.”

“You’ll play this right and we will be.” Her smile was sweet as she pulled him into a tight embrace, but Lucy spotted a glimpse of fear in her hazel orbs.

She had no idea what her father was up to or what he had discovered, but her heart was pounding. Whoever they were talking about sounded really dangerous.

The ice-cream was about ready to slip from her fingers and she knew it was time to reveal herself.

The doorbell rang as she eased into the kitchen. Her father put on a brave smile as she plonked the ice-cream onto the counter, but his blue eyes didn’t sparkle like they usually did. On reflection, they had actually been dull and tense for several weeks now. She knew something was up at his work, but he never talked about his job with her. Ever.

Lucy tried to pretend she hadn’t heard a thing, pasting on a grin as she listened to the front door open.

“Hello.” Her mother’s greeting was clipped and strained, making her father frown. He squeezed Lucy’s shoulder and peeked a look in the entranceway.

His skin turned a pale grey, his eyes lighting with instant terror.

“Hide,” he whispered.

“What?” Lucy frowned.

“Go. Now.” Her father pointed. “Hide.”

Lucy stumbled back towards the basement door, totally confused until she heard the front door slam shut and her mother scream.

“Get your hands off her!” Jack’s yell was followed by a silenced gunshot. He fell to the kitchen floor with a wail, clutching his shoulder. With the other hand he grappled for the phone in his pocket. The intruder walked into the room, his hand around Edith’s throat. He slammed her against the kitchen wall before letting her go and stamping on Jack’s hand. His fingers crunched around the phone.

Lucy crouched on the top step and covered her mouth, squashing her rapid breaths. Her eyes were large and filling with tears as she listened to her father’s cry and then watched blood spurt from his mouth as he was kicked in the face.

“No! Please! Leave him!” Her mother’s voice was high and screechy. She earned a punch to the cheek for her cries. She covered her face with shaking hands, sobs wrenching her body.

“What do you have on me?” The tall man’s voice was cold, like ice cubes clinking into the room. Each word hit the air, filling it with a sense of foreboding that had Lucy’s heart crumpling into a little ball. She didn’t recognize the man, but she was guessing he was the criminal they’d just been talking about.

The man reached for her mother, yanking her up by the hair and shoving her into view of her father. He was still lying on the ground spitting blood from his mouth.

“What do you have on me?” The man repeated his first question, sounding bored and frustrated at having to ask twice.

Jack shook his head, fear pulsing from him. Lucy could feel it through the basement door. The man took in a slow breath, his pale green eyes sparking. With a little sniff, he pressed his gun into Edith’s leg and fired.

Her scream was agonizing.

Lucy’s face bunched with horror as tears popped over her lashes. Her mother writhed as she was dropped to the floor, clutching her leg. Squeezing her eyes shut, Lucy turned away and covered her ears, but it didn’t help. She could still hear everything.

“Stop it! Please,” Jack begged.

“Tell me what you have.”

Lucy could tell her father didn’t want to give an inch. She could feel his fight. Unable to help herself, she opened her eyes and peered back through the crack.

The man was running his hand through his white, blond hair with a frustrated sigh. He then pointed his gun at Edith’s other leg.

“Okay! Wait!” Jack raised his hands. “Files, okay. I have proof of the money trails. I know about your affiliation with the gang and I have evidence of the bribery.”

“Anything else.”

Lucy’s father paused. Licking his bottom lip, he shook his head.

“Good.” The man nodded.

The gun went off, eliciting another scream from Edith. Lucy couldn’t quite see what part of her anatomy he’d shot, but she was in serious pain. Her suffering was loud and heartbreaking.

“Stop it. Stop it!” Jack screamed.

“I want you to give it to me.” The man held out his hand.

“I can’t.” Jack’s voice shook. “I don’t have it on me.”

Pursing his lips, the man looked across the kitchen, trying to rein in his anger maybe. It was hard for Lucy to tell. His left eye twitched and the gun went off again. This time Edith’s head jerked to the side and her body went limp, her cries of pain silenced.

“NO! Edith!”

Lucy wanted to scream with her father, but she bit her lips together and held back the sobs. Terror was rippling through her body. She clutched the doorknob, keeping herself from tumbling down the basement stairs. She wanted to run for her life, but she couldn’t leave her father.

“Take me to it.”

“Go to hell!”

“Jack,” the man chided. “Is that any way to speak to an officer of the law?”