Finding Lucy - Iris Baxter

Jul 31, 2026

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A tense suburban day unfolds as Lucy Moore and her mother Catherine shop for school supplies, their routine conversation shaped by years of careful communication and unspoken emotions. Near the checkout, Lucy quietly helps Catherine find her card, reinforcing a bond built on patience and small, wordless gestures. As the afternoon continues in ordinary, fluorescent-lit detail, a dark, unmarked van draws uneasy attention, shifting the mood from harmless normality to looming danger that follows Lucy beyond the parking lot.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages173

Reading Time4 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Prologue

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

[OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) © 2026 by Iris Baxter All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without permission of the publisher or author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by anyother means without permission from the publisher or author. [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) “If someone had to suffer, it should have been me, not her.” Fyodor Dostoevsky [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) CONTENTS PROLOGUE 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 [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) PROLOGUE Someone had been watching the parking lot, but not for Lucy Moore. The day started ordinary, with small complaints and small comforts, the kind that felt annoying in the moment and harmless later. Catherine had driven them to the shopping center because Lucy needed things for school and Catherine needed groceries. A Tuesday like a hundred other Tuesdays, with the sun still high enough to make the asphalt shimmer and the air warm enough that Lucy refused a jacket. It was the kind of flat, sprawling suburb that existed on the edges of every mid-sized American city, all wide roads and big-box parking lots and heat that sat on everything by midafternoon. Lucy walked beside her with her phone out, thumb scrolling. Catherine watched her the way she always watched her, noticing the small things. How Lucy walked a little faster without realizing. How her jaw tightened when Catherine used that particular tone, the one that made questions sound like gentle accusations. "You're still going to Jenna's after, right?" Lucy's eyes flicked up, then away. "Probably. " Catherine's fingers tightened on her purse strap. "Probably isn't really an answer, hon. " " Sure it is," Lucy said without malice, just exhaustion. "Means yes unless something comes up. " Catherine had more words waiting. What could possibly come up in the next four hours? What time? What 's Jenna 's mom 's number again? When should I expect you? She'd learned, over sixteen years, that pushing too hard turned every conversation into a fight. Lately, she'd been trying to choose peace over being right. She nodded once, lips pressed together. Lucy's shoulders dropped half an inch. She offered a quick smile, almost grateful, and Catherine felt that familiar relief that never lasted long. They went into the store, picked up what Lucy claimed she needed, argued lightly about what she didn't, and moved through aisles filled with fluorescent light and background music that felt like it was chosen by committee. At some point near the cereal aisle, Lucy had grabbed a box of the expensive granola Catherine always refused to buy and held it up with exaggerated reverence, turning it slowly like she was presenting evidence in court. "This one," Lucy said solemnly. "This is the one that will finally fix our relationship. " "Put it back. " Lucy gasped, clutching the box to her chest. "You didn't even read the label. It has superfoods, Mom. Superfoods. " "I can read. Put it back. " "It's on sale. " "It's never on sale. " Lucy checked the price tag and winced. "Okay, it's not on sale. But look at the picture on the front; it looks so happy. " "The granola looks happy. " "Radiantly happy," Lucy confirmed, already dropping it into the cart with a triumphant grin. Catherine reached past her and plucked it back out without breaking stride. Lucy made a sound of pure betray

FAQs

What is the setting of the story’s prologue?

The prologue takes place in a typical American suburb and a shopping center parking lot, where ordinary errands gradually feel unsettling.

How does Lucy relate to her mother Catherine in the early scene?

Lucy and Catherine communicate through patterns of gentle restraint, and Lucy helps Catherine without teasing, showing care that doesn’t require words.

What changes the tone from routine to danger?

A dark, unmarked van with tinted windows becomes noticeable near the main walkway, introducing a sense that someone may be watching Lucy.

Jul 31, 2026

Upload by Ivy