Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen

Author:Wendelin Van Draanen
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780375890444
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2003-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Mrs. Graybill’s nose wasn’t in the hallway, and Grams’ binoculars were under the bed—right where I’d left them. I cleaned the lenses, scrawled Grams a note, then headed for the mall.

When I got there, I tried to act real casual riding up the escalator, but since the only people at the mall in the middle of a school day are adults and babies, it felt like everyone was staring at me. Like any minute someone was going to come right out and say, “What are you doing here? And, hey...what’s with those binoculars?”

The second I got to the top floor I found an “Employees Only” door and ducked behind it. I stood there for a minute, just glad to be away from all those adults and babies and eyes staring at me. Then I started walking.

I’d always thought there were just bathrooms behind those “Employees Only” doors. I didn’t know there was a whole maze of corridors! And I’m cruising along, feeling like a hamster in a new cage, when a door swings open and practically knocks me over. It’s not an adult, and it’s sure not a baby—it’s Brandon.

He flips back that shiny hair of his and says, “Sammy! Sorry.”

I said, “What are you doing here?” because everyone knows Brandon’s supposed to be at school.

“I had a dentist appointment. I just stopped by to pick up my paycheck.” He looks me up and down. “I might ask you the same question...”

I blush and mumble, “I got suspended.”

“Suspended—you?”

I check out my high-tops, feeling pretty stupid. “Yeah. For punching someone in the nose.”

He laughs. “Well, I’m sure they deserved it.” Can you believe that? I tell you, Brandon’s all right. Anyhow, he looks at his watch and says, “I’ve got to run. I’ll talk to you later.”

I stop him. “Hey, Brandon? Do you know how to get up to the roof?”

“The roof? Why do you want to get on the roof?”

“I don’t know, I just do.”

He pulls on the back of his hair, studying me a minute. Finally he says, “Go down this way and turn left at the next T. It’s the first door on the right.” He turns to go, then stops and says, “You didn’t hear that from me, right?”

I laugh. “Right!”

I ran down the corridor and turned left, then opened the first door on the right. It led to some cement steps, and up to another door.

I went up the steps and through the door, and all of a sudden there I was, on the roof of the mall. And it felt like I was on top of the world. I ran around a bit, peeking over the edge of the roof wall; then I cut through a bunch of fans that looked like the top of some Saudi sheik’s palace and went over to the other side. I could see the tops of trees and power lines and the roofs of houses. And then people—lots of people—just kind of hurrying along the sidewalk.

After I’d looked around with my eyes, I started using the binoculars.

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