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sighed. ‘Yes, it’s just not exactly why I joined the force.’
    â€˜Tell me, why
did
you join the force?’
    â€˜To make a difference, sir. I want to help people.’
    â€˜You do help people. Only the other day Mrs Hitchcock told me how you gave her a lift home from the supermarket and helped her with her shopping.’
    â€˜But I could be saving lives.’
    â€˜I rather think that Mrs Hitchcock trying to get all that shopping home on her own would have killed a woman of her age. Don’t undervalue what we do, Liphook. You might not be chasing gun-toting gangsters every day but, little by little, we are making a difference. You are keeping Wellcome Valley safe. I know that you think this isn’t the real world, but it’s no less real than one of these big cities you’re eager to work in.’
    â€˜I’m not saying that what we do isn’t important,’ protested Liphook. ‘It’s about me. I need to spread my wings.’
    Sergeant Copeland picked up the tea-stained application form. ‘I’ll tell you what, why don’t we give it one month? If you haven’t changed your mind after that I’ll give you a first-class recommendation for a transfer anywhere you want and I’ll try to drum up as much serious crime as I can during that time to keep you happy. Maybe I’ll even commit a few crimes and you could chase after me.’
    â€˜That’s very kind of you, sir,’ said Liphook.
    â€˜Don’t look so downhearted,’ said Sergeant Copeland. ‘As it happens I do have something that might tickle your fancy.’
    He picked up a piece of paper from his desk and handed it to Liphook. On it was a photograph of a smiling girl with short blond hair and green-blue eyes.
    â€˜A missing person, sir?’
    â€˜Yes. Her name is Lauren Bliss. She vanished from her London home the day before yesterday. Apparently no problems at home or school. Generally well behaved, works hard at her studies, but two days ago she upped and vanished. Hasn’t been seen since.’
    Liphook looked at the picture. ‘Any reason she would come here? We’re a long way from London.’
    â€˜Her parents don’t know where she’s gone but apparently they came here on holiday last summer. They think she may have made a friend here. I’m afraid it’s all a bit vague but you never know.’
    â€˜It does sound like a bit of a stretch.’
    â€˜Ah, but as they say, if there are biscuits in the tin, there’s always the possibility of finding a chocolate one.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, sir. I don’t follow.’
    â€˜Where there’s possibility there is also hope, Liphook.’

Melancholy and Despairing
    I didn’t get a chance to talk to Scarlett again that afternoon. By the time we were sitting down for English we had been stuck inside all day again, so no one was in the mood to listen to Cornish going on about
Frankenstein
.
    â€˜Mary Shelley begins her story not at the beginning, but at the end,’ he said. ‘We are introduced to Frankenstein not as an innocent man, but as a man plagued by what he has done. He is  … ’ Mr Cornish looked down at the page and read, ‘
Melancholy and despairing
.’ He repeated the words. ‘
Melancholy and despairing
. Why?’ He pointed at a girl called Hannah, who looked startled by his question.
    â€˜Because he’s made a monster?’ she suggested.
    â€˜Not good enough,’ stated Cornish. ‘It’s because he is living with the consequences of his actions. Victor Frankenstein is an enlightened man, an intelligent man, a scholar. He has no excuse of ignorance. Therefore he is forced to face the true horror of the terrible thing he has done. He is a prisoner of his own self judgment.’
    â€˜I think it would be pretty cool to make a monster,’ said Angus.
    â€˜Have you read the book yet, Angus?’