A Map of Days (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #4) - Ransom Riggs Page 0,134
like him, or made a lifelike mask.
There was a sudden, loud banging at my cell door.
This was it. They had come for me. They hadn’t even waited until morning.
The hatch in the door slid open.
“Portman.”
It was Leo. I was surprised, but then it made sense—he wanted to pull the trigger himself.
“Get over here.”
I got up from the cot and stood before the hatch.
“The wights framed my grandfather,” I said, not because I thought he’d believe me, but because I needed to say it.
“Shut your goddamn trap.” He paused to collect himself. “You know this lady?”
He held a photo up to the hatch. I was so thrown off by this unexpected pivot that it took me a moment to react. It was a snapshot of a dyed-blond diva in white gloves and a feathered hat. She was holding a can of Drano, and she was, it seemed, singing to it.
“That’s the baroness,” I said, grateful my memory hadn’t gone blank.
Leo lowered the picture. He observed me for a moment with his brow furrowed. I couldn’t read him at all. Had I passed a test? Or had I said the wrong thing?
“We made some calls,” he said finally. “Your associates told us you stopped through the Flamingo. Naturally, we were concerned, so we put in a call to our friends down there, to see if you’d left anyone alive. Much to my surprise, not only did you comport yourselves as gentlemen and ladies, you also took care of some business I’d been meaning to handle.”
I was floored. “Business?”
“Those idiot road warriors who act like they run things? I’ve been meaning to go to Florida and stomp them. You saved me the trouble.”
“It was, uh, no problem.” I was trying to sound calm and collected, not like someone who was still half expecting to be killed.
Leo chuckled and looked at the floor, as if embarrassed. “You might be wondering why a big shot like me cares about some tourist loop. Well, I wouldn’t, except my sister lives there.”
“The baroness?”
“Her real name’s Donna. She likes the weather down there.” He shook his head and muttered to himself, “She takes a couple opera lessons . . .”
“Are you letting me go?”
“Normally, a good word from my sister would only be enough to get your death sentence commuted. But you got friends in interesting places.”
“I do?”
He slapped shut the view-hatch. A key turned in the lock and the door opened. We were standing a few feet apart, nothing now between us. Then he stepped aside, and there, striding down the hall toward me, was Miss Peregrine.
For a moment I thought I was dreaming. And then she spoke.
“Jacob. Come out of there at once.”
She was angry with me, but her face was so etched with the pain of worry and her eyes so wide with relief that I knew she would open her arms when I ran to her—and she did, and I hugged her tight.
“Miss Peregrine. Miss Peregrine. I’m so sorry.”
She patted my back and kissed me on the forehead.
“Save it for later, Mr. Portman.”
I turned to Leo. “What about my friends?”
“Waiting in the loading dock.”
“And Noor?”
His expression soured instantly. “Don’t push it, kid. And don’t ever come back here. Helping my sister was your get-out-of-jail-free card. But you only get one.”
* * *
• • •
Leo’s men escorted us down the hallways, through Leo’s club and the kitchen, and out to the loading dock. In the weak light of dawn I saw Emma and Bronwyn waiting, and beside them the white shirt and gray slacks that I knew belonged to Millard. When I saw them whole and standing and unhurt, the shudder of relief I felt was almost like a chill. I hadn’t realized until that moment how dimmed my hopes had become.
“Oh my bird, thank the birds,” Bronwyn sang, clasping her hands as Miss Peregrine and I approached them.
“I told you he’d be fine,” Millard said. “Jacob can take care of himself.”
“Fine?” Emma said, going pale as she looked me over. “What did they do to you?”
I hadn’t seen a mirror in a while, but between my busted nose and other injuries, I must’ve looked fearful.
Emma hugged me. For a moment it didn’t matter what had happened between us, it just felt good to have her in my arms again. Then she hugged a little too tight, and pain ricocheted across my cracked ribs. I sucked in my breath and pulled away.
I assured her I was okay, though my head felt like a balloon that