Read an Excerpt
From In the Shadow of the Sun:
A black car came careening into the far end of the lot. It sped toward the group in the center, screeching to a halt, the doors flying open. Four uniformed men spilled out and sprinted towards Dad and the guides. The soldiers took hold of Dad's arms and began to walk him back towards the black car.
"Simon!" Mia grabbed his shoulder.
At the car, the soldiers pushed Dad into the back seat, one holding his head down, just like on TV cop shows. The doors closed. The black car circled forward and swept out of the parking lot.
They turned to look at each other. Simon's eyes were wide, his mouth open.
"What the--?" He shook his head. "What was that?"
Mia pressed clenched fists against her cheeks.
"We definitely can't go back, not now." Simon swiveled in his crouched position, looking behind them. "We've got to get out of here."
Mia stared at him. "Get out of here? But Dad--"
His head swung back. "Squeak, if we don't get away they'll arrest us, too."
"But we have to help Dad!" She had to work to keep her voice steady. "If we give them the phone, they'll let him go."
"Mia, think! If we give them this phone, the photos will be used as evidence against Dad!" His voice cracked again. He was scared. Simon was scared. "We can't go back. They just took Dad away. You've heard his stories: when they arrest people, they take their relatives, too, send whole families to prison camps. When they execute people, they kill everyone down to their grandchildren!"
Mia inhaled fast through her nose, eyes wide.
Simon tipped his head back and huffed out. "Okay, probably not Americans. But we could be held for ages." He glanced back towards the bus. "We've got to get these pictures out of here now, to protect Dad. You go back if you want, but I'm taking the phone that way."
Mia looked back at the tour bus. A wave of nausea flooded her gut. She turned back, but Simon was no longer behind her. He had already started off, crawling low across the ground. She could follow or be left behind.
Feeling as if she was being ripped in two, Mia dropped to her belly in the dry grass. She kept repeating Simon's phrase in her mind. To protect Dad.