Dave at Night Read Online Free Page A

leading to a heavy wooden door.
    Still holding me tight, Ida opened the door and a draft of cold air swooshed out, even colder than the air outside. We went in. The door thudded closed behind us and clicked shut. As soon as I heard the click I wanted to leave.
    The lobby was bigger than in a movie theater. Next to the door were two long windows. Across from them a marble staircase led up to a balcony. To my left and right were long corridors lined with doors. The floor was black-and-white tiles, and the walls were stone up to my shoulders. Above that they were painted gray-green, all the way up to a faraway gray-green ceiling.
    Somewhere someone sneezed, and the sneeze echoed off the stone walls. I shivered.
    The lobby was empty. No orphans except me.
    â€œWhere do I go?” Ida said.
    â€œYou can leave,” I said. “I don’t need you.” I’d wait a minute or two and then leave too.
    She ignored me. I heard footsteps and the echo of footsteps. A man entered the far end of the right-hand corridor. Ida walked me toward him.
    â€œPardon me,” she called. She whispered, “If you get in trouble here, I can’t take you back.”
    Fine with me. Excellent with me.
    The man walked toward us. He was tall and thin, but when he got close enough I saw that his face was pudgy. His smile looked out of place, like it wasn’t used to being on his face.
    â€œI telephoned,” Ida said. “His father died, and I can’t keep him, but he’s a—”
    â€œThat’s all right. We’ll take good care of him.” He turned the smile on me. “How old are you?”
    â€œEleven,” Ida said before I could figure out what I wanted to tell him. “He’s a good—”
    â€œAh. I have the elevens. I’m your prefect, young man. You’ll see a lot of me. I’ll tuck you in at night.”
    And I’ll yank your nose off.
    He said his name was Mr. Meltzer. He said he’d take us to an office where Ida could sign the papers to give me away. But he didn’t take us anywhere. He just stood there, smiling.
    â€œI don’t have any money to give you,” Ida said.
    The smile disappeared. “Follow me,” he barked.
    The office was a short way into the left-hand corridor. Inside, three men sat at wooden desks. It was as cold in here as it was in the hall. Each man wore a woolen vest under his suit jacket. The room stank from cigar smoke.
    Mr. Meltzer explained to the man at the first desk that Ida was here to give me up. The man opened his desk and pulled out three sets of papers.
    â€œYou’ll have to sign these,” he said.
    Ida let go of my arm, but Mr. Meltzer was between me and the door. She leaned down to sign and then straightened up. “Good-bye, Dave. If I were Rockefeller, I’d keep you and Gideon.”
    If I were Babe Ruth, I’d play for the Yankees.
    At least she didn’t try to kiss me. She turned to the man at the desk and started signing.
    â€œCome with me,” Mr. Meltzer barked at me.
    This was my chance. Ida thought she could give me away. Well, she couldn’t. I picked up the suitcase and held it in my arms, although I could barely reach around it. If it was in my arms he couldn’t hold my hand. “The handle’s loose,” I said.
    He held the door open for me, then started down the corridor, away from the lobby. I tried to walk silently, so he wouldn’t notice if I wasn’t next to him anymore. But my shoes clicked on the tile floor. As I walked, I stepped out of them. My socks were silent, beautifully silent. I took a few more steps forward. Then I turned and ran.

Chapter 5
    â€œ H EY, YOU!”
    I had almost reached the lobby. I heard Mr. Meltzer pounding after me. The suitcase was slowing me down. I dropped it and sprinted for the door.
    The carving! My treasure box! I wheeled and dashed back. But before I got to the suitcase, Mr. Meltzer grabbed me. I struggled to