Red Light (49 page)

The big lobby spread
before her, bodies frozen, all eyes turned to her. She was breathing hard and
she felt like an animal looking for a place to run.

The Men fell in
beside her. She couldn't speak. Clark grim and Tim jabbering happily, jostled
but firm in her father's arms. Tim reached out and she took him and she knew
that in spite of having nothing, she had everything.

A bunch of uniforms
closed in around her then, giving her space. Joe Casik was one of them. And
some guys she didn't even know. Two patrol-women. Plainclothes, too—both
Wheeler and Teague. Kathy Hulet from vice. Timmerman from the firing range.
Gilliam, Ike Sumich and two more of the lab people. Some of the burg-theft
investigators, a couple more from vice, a sour old lieutenant who hadn't said
more than two sentences to her in ten years. Gary Brice, no tape recorder, no
pen or notebook in sight, looking like he had no idea what to do but was ready
to fight.

She started across
the lobby floor toward the door. One of the video shooters circled around in
front of her. He kept his distance and did his work. The next thing Merci knew
she was outside the building and into a bright winter afternoon, sunlight
breaking through enormous white clouds, a cold wind in her face.

For
Paul and Jenny

T. Jefferson Parker
is an

award-winning journalist
and the author of previous novels,
including the best-selling
Where Serpents Lie.
He lives in
Laguna Beach, California.

Copyright
© 2000 T. Jefferson Parker

All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written
permission of the Publisher. Printed in the United States of America. For
information address: Hyperion, 77 West 66th Street, New York, New York
10023-6298.

Library
of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Parker, T. Jefferson.

Red Light
T. Jefferson Parker.—1st
ed.span>

p. cm. ISBN 0-7868-6600-4

I. Title. PS3566.A6863 R44 2000

813'.54—dc21 99-047293

FIRST
EDITION

10
987654321