I Know Lucy (The Fugitive Series)

• Title Page
  
• NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
  
• Dedication
  
• Note from the Author
  
• Chapter 1
  
• Chapter 2
  
• Chapter 3
  
• Chapter 4
  
• Chapter 5
  
• Chapter 6
  
• Chapter 7
  
• Chapter 8
  
• Chapter 9
  
• Chapter 10
  
• Chapter 11
  
• Chapter 12
  
• Chapter 13
  
• Chapter 14
  
• Chapter 15
  
• Chapter 16
  
• Chapter 17
  
• Chapter 18
  
• Chapter 19
  
• Chapter 20
  
• Chapter 21
  
• Chapter 22
  
• Chapter 23
  
• Chapter 24
  
• Chapter 25
  
• Chapter 26
  
• Chapter 27
  
• Chapter 28
  
• Chapter 29
  
• Chapter 30
  
• Chapter 31
  
• Chapter 32
  
• Chapter 33
  
• Chapter 34
  
• Chapter 35
  
• Set Me Free
  
• Acknowledgements
  
• Other Books by Melissa Pearl
  
• About Melissa Pearl
  
• Connect with Melissa Pearl
  
• Evatopia Press
  

I Know Lucy

A Fugitive Novel

#1

Melissa Pearl

I Know Lucy copyright
©
2014 by Melissa Pearl

Cover design copyright
©
by Kate Strawbridge.

Dwell Design & Press

I Know Lucy, Book I, The Fugitive Series by Melissa Pearl

Published by Evatopia Press at Smashwords

http://www.evatopia.com

All rights reserved.

*****

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

*****

The is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incident are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

*****

See other titles by Melissa Pearl at

http://www.melissapearlauthor.com

Lucy Tate is on the run. After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, she’s spent five years in hiding — taking on different personas and faking her way through life. The authorities can’t be trusted, so she remains in the shadows, always one beat ahead of the man who is forever hunting her. That is, until she meets Zach Schultz, a senior at Monte Vista High and the one guy she can’t bear to leave. Suddenly her natural instincts to lie, steal, and run are overshadowed by something else…the desire to stay. It’s her one shot at a normal life.

Curious by nature, Zach is immediately drawn to the new girl at school. How can a person look both confident and vulnerable all in the same moment? Determined to learn more about her, he tries to get close, but is thrown into a world of lies and confusion. The only thing that becomes apparent is that discovering the truth may get him killed.

For Lucy

You are one of the strongest, bravest, most beautiful women I know and it’s a total privilege to call you my friend.

xxx

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

I love to try new things in my writing and this book lent itself to alternating the characters’ points of view.

Because this is Zach’s interpretation of the events, “I Know Lucy” is written from his point of view and therefore, in the first person for Zach’s chapters and in the third person for Lucy’s chapters.

I hope you find this to be a fun and original way to follow this story…I certainly had a good time writing it.

Chapter 1

March 2014

I’m not usually a sap, I swear. My friends give me grief that I’m always attracted to girls with big issues. Like somehow, I think that I can solve all their problems. I don’t think that’s it. I think sometimes you just see a girl and something about her captures you.

She was walking towards me and Mr. Simmons, Dean of Students, was talking her ear off as they headed down the corridor. He was no doubt rabbiting on about everything the school could offer and how she would enjoy the rest of her year here at Monte Vista High. She was nodding, feigning interest.

Her blue eyes were perfect, not too big and round, just gorgeous ovals that gazed up at Mr. Simmons with slight tension. And yet, there was a quiet confidence in the way she held herself. Her shoulders were held back, her pointed chin up. She nodded and looked the dean straight in the eyes.

She wasn’t afraid to be here. She looked determined and focused.

That was appealing in itself, but there was something else about her too. I couldn’t even explain what it was and I don’t know how I knew it, but there was something mysterious about this girl.

I could taste it.

She glanced at me as she walked past, her eyes touching mine. I grinned and her lips twitched. Not exactly a smile, but her gaze warmed for a second as she hustled past.

I turned to watch her go; I couldn’t help myself.

Her paradox enticed me.

She was like an ethereal waif, if there was such a thing. Strength and fragility all blended into one. An intense need to figure the girl out embedded itself in my chest.

Rubbing my forehead with a slight frown, I turned towards homeroom.

When it came to girls I was a fool. I wouldn’t deny it. My track record sucked, but maybe this time it would be different. I wouldn’t label it love at first sight or anything, but intrigue. Yeah that’s it - intrigue at first sight. That girl, whoever she was, had captured me…and it had only taken a glimpse.

I was curious by nature. Mom called me the cat in the family…always looking into things that weren’t my business. I took after my reporter uncle I guess. I loved a good mystery. I loved unwrapping all the pieces and figuring out how the puzzle fit together.

That girl.

That waif.

That angel.

She was my new puzzle.

I slipped into my regular seat next to Elliot with a grin.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

My last three months of high school had just taken a turn for the interesting.

*****

“You’re still smiling? Seriously, dude, what gives?”

I tapped my pen on my Sociology book, laughing at Elliot’s frustration. He hated being kept in the dark. I kind of liked seeing him frazzled.

Jaeda came up behind him, ruffling his hair. “Elly, get that frown off your face. It makes your forehead go all wrinkly and weird.”

He glared at her as he smoothed out his hair, flicking his bangs to the side. He detested being called Elly, but somehow Jaeda got away with it. Maybe it’s because they’d been friends since Kindergarten or maybe it’s because staying mad at the cute little redhead was near impossible. Jaeda was like a piece of artwork. Her red curls, sunshine smile and vibrant green eyes made her a picture. She always painted her face with outrageous shades of make-up. On this particular day, her eyeshadow was bright blue. She’d even flicked a little under her bottom lashes. You’d think it would look weird and tacky, but she pulled it off. I’m sure most saw her as this hippy, art-loving freak, but Elliot and I - we just loved her, because she was Jaeda.

“Why are you all up the fluster, anyways?” She adjusted her beanie, which somehow managed to stay on her head even though it was perched so far back.

“Zach won’t stop smiling.” Elliot yanked down the back of his checkered shirt before slumping into his seat.

Jaeda’s eyebrows rose so high they got lost in her long bangs.

“Zachary Schultz.” She looked at me with playful severity. “Who gave you permission to smile this morning?”

Elliot rolled his eyes with a groan. “I’m serious, Jae. He’s like goofy, grin boy. It’s painful. Look at his eyes. He’s hiding something.”

They both leaned towards me and pierced me with gazes that could strip the flesh from my bones. I cleared my throat and was about to go into a speech about how it’s nothing, toying with the idea of maybe dropping a hint about my mystery girl, when she walked in.

My voice scuttled into hiding as my lips parted of their own accord. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she stepped into the room and approached Miss Berry with a slip of paper.

Elliot glanced over his shoulder. “Oh great,” he muttered. “Here we go again.”

I wanted to punch him in the arm and tell him it was different this time, but I couldn’t. I was too busy watching those blue eyes scan the room, taking us all in. I could see the calculated way she glimpsed each face as though she was compiling a quick database. She was an observer, like me.

Points for the waif girl.

I admired people who took the time to look.

“Class.” Miss Berry clapped her hands. “Your attention please.” The conversation simmered to a halt. “I’d like you to meet Danielle Harrison. This is her first day and I expect you to make her feel welcome.”

She touched Danielle’s forearm, giving her a warm smile like the sweet lady she was.

“Danielle welcome to Sociology, why don’t you tell us something about yourself.”

She didn’t want to. I saw the flicker in her eyes. She forced a grin and turned to the class.

“There’s not much to say really. You can call me Dani and thanks for the welcome.” Her voice had a slight huskiness to it. It wasn’t high and screechy, there was nothing overly girlish about it. I immediately picked tomboy. Her shoulder length hair looked a little scrappy, she wore no make up and only had one small pair of gold studs in her ears. I couldn’t see any other jewelry, not even a watch.

She walked in the direction Miss Berry pointed, taking a seat two rows back from me. She was on the diagonal, so I used the chance to watch her out of the corner of my eye. She wore pale blue jeans and a black fitted T-shirt. Very plain and unobtrusive, except for her bright red Converse. A nice splash of color. I guessed she didn’t like to draw attention to herself, but had enough spunk to want a little flair in her life.

The fitted T-shirt obviously meant she wasn’t afraid of her figure and was more than happy to be seen as a girl. She was pretty slight, but still had a nice curve to her chest. I reverted my gaze, my cheeks flaring with warmth. But it wasn’t long before I was looking at her again, trying to build a story around my tomboy theory.

Miss Berry’s voice pulled me away from my assessment and I spent the rest of class fighting the urge to constantly turn to the side and steal another look.

I took my chance when the assignment sheets were handed out. As soon as Dani had hers, she read over the text, her lips moving in time with the words. She had soft lips. I could tell. I bet when she smiled they stretched wide across her entire face. They were thin, but they were a nice shape.

“Dude, stop staring at her,” Elliot whispered out of the side of his mouth.

“I’m not,” I mumbled back, spinning in my seat so I was facing the front properly.

“Yeah right.”

Jaeda giggled behind Elliot and wriggled her eyebrows at me.

I could feel myself blushing. In spite of this, I turned and stole another glance. Dani tucked her straight, blonde hair behind her ear as she jotted down notes on the assignment sheet. Her brows were bunched in concentration. She was obviously serious about her school work, either that or she loved to study.

I understood. I loved getting stuck into a good assignment. I realized that I hadn’t even looked over the assignment sheet in my hand and dipped my head, skimming the text as Miss Berry kept talking.