Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - BOOCarz

they can fabricate these days. And if I may anticipate
a few more of your questions, yes, I am a licensed
therapist—the minds of common people have long
fascinated me—and no, despite the fact that our
sessions were predicated on a lie, I don’t think they
were a complete waste of time. In fact, I may be able
to continue helping you—or, rather, we may be able to
help each other.”
“Please, Jacob,” Emma said, “don’t listen to him.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I trusted him once. I won’t
make that mistake again.”
Golan continued as though he hadn’t heard me. “I
can offer you safety, money. I can give you your life
back, Jacob. All you have to do is work with us.”
“Us?”
“Malthus and me,” he said, turning to call over his
shoulder. “Come and say hello, Malthus.”
A shadow appeared in the doorway behind him,
and a moment later we were overcome by a noxious
wave of stench. Bronwyn gagged and fell back a step,
and I saw Emma’s fists clench, as if she were thinking
about charging it. I touched her arm and mouthed,
Wait.
“This is all I’m proposing,” Golan continued, trying to
sound reasonable. “Help us find more people like you.
In return, you’ll have nothing to fear from Malthus or his
kind. You can live at home. In your free time you’ll
come with me and see the world, and we’ll pay you
handsomely. We’ll tell your parents you’re my
research assistant.”
“If I agree,” I said, “what happens to my friends?”
He made a dismissive gesture with his gun. “They
made their choice long ago. What’s important is that
there’s a grand plan in motion, Jacob, and you’ll be
part of it.”
Did I consider it? I suppose I must have, if only for a
moment. Dr. Golan was offering me exactly what I’d