Most of the surfaces were covered with dust. Her parents often talked about gutting the area, re-walling it and putting carpet in. They had plans to make it a fun rumpus room area for Lucy and her friends. They had plans…and that was all.
Still on tiptoes, Lucy lifted the chest freezer lid, wriggling the ice cream tub free from beneath a loaf of bread and a frozen meal. Holding it with her finger and thumb, she slammed the freezer closed and looked up at the little window. With another shiver, she raced out of the room and up the stairs.
She was about to swing the door open, but the tone of her parents’ conversation made her pause. The cold ice-cream container was freezing her fingertips, but somehow she just knew she couldn’t interrupt this conversation. She shifted, spying her mother through the crack in the door. She was stacking the dishwasher with the last plate. Shutting the door with a concerned frown, Edith turned back to Lucy’s father.
“Well, have you gathered enough evidence?”
“I think so.” He rubbed his forehead. “I guess I’m just worried if I jump too soon that it’ll get squashed. I need to play this right.” Her dad sighed.
“Sweetie, you will,” Edith placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing gently. “You can’t ignore what you’ve found. You have to expose him.”
“I know. I know.” He ran his finger down the chain of her necklace, squeezing the emerald pendant he’d given her two weeks earlier. She’d swooned over the birthday present every day since. “But I’m only an analyst and he’s…”
“He’s a criminal.”
“People don’t see him that way, Eddie.”
“I don’t care what his job title is, he’s acting like a criminal and therefore he is one.”
“Not until he’s caught and convicted. If he finds out what I’ve been doing.” Her father shook his head.
“Honey, he’s breaking the law. It’s your duty to stop him.”
Lucy couldn’t see her father’s face, but she guessed his expression was grave. Her mother’s forehead wrinkled with sympathy as she touched his face.
“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.