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Authors: Rachel Hamilton
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involuntary nod at ‘nasty police officer’, leading me to conclude Aggressive Policeman is not popular here either. No wonder, if he treats everyone the way
he treats PC Eric.
A plan begins to form.
“Shh, Holly,” I stage-whisper, loud enough for the desk sergeant to hear. “We annoyed the London policeman so much we’ll never be allowed near him again. They won’t
want us to upset him.”
The desk sergeant strokes his chin.
PC Eric’s lips twitch. “You have a point there, NOELLE HAWKINS.” He booms my name in what I assume is an unflattering attempt to remind the desk sergeant of my reputation as
annoyer-of-policemen. “I don’t suppose I’ll be able to give you that station tour after all.”
The desk sergeant bites his lip. “Well, Eric, if you promised the girls—”
We charge into the main police station before he has a chance to finish his sentence.
“Oi! Police people! Where’s my boyfriend?” Holly tosses her hair like the girl in the museum gift shop and skips through the cubicles calling, “Joey? Schnookums? Where
are you?”
PC Eric subtly nudges us forward and to the right, until we reach the desk where Aggressive Policeman and Smokin’ Joe are sitting, scowling at each other. Behind them is a computer screen
showing footage of the Science Museum.
Holly launches herself at Smokin’ Joe and wraps her arms around his neck.
“Ooof,” Smokin’ Joe splutters and then breaks into a grin that makes his head look like an over-carved Halloween pumpkin.
Holly narrows her eyes at me over Smokin’ Joe’s shoulder.
“What?” Oh, yes, I’m supposed to be finding the security footage from before the camera cut out. But how? Aggressive Policeman is right next to the computer. I may be good with
technology, but I’m not invisible. I try to signal to Holly, but she’s too busy smacking Smokin’ Joe’s hands to notice.
“Ahem!” I cough. “Maybe you want to take all the love stuff
outside
!”
Holly gets the message and rises to her feet, pulling Smokin’ Joe by the hand. He follows willingly.
“Hey!” Aggressive Policeman strides after them. “No one said you could leave.”
“You can’t keep my little Joey here without his mummy.” Holly snuggles up to all ten tonnes of ‘little Joey’ with only a tiny shudder. “I think I saw Ma
Slater outside, with her frying pan. We should send someone to fetch her for you.”
Aggressive Policeman makes a choking noise in his throat. “Do not let that woman in,” he orders the local police. “Block the entrance. And someone sit that boy back
down.”
No one moves to help. Aggressive Policeman lunges for Smokin’ Joe, grabbing him by the waist. Joe, in turn, clutches at Holly, creating a weird sort of Holly/Joe/Aggressive Policeman
conga.
Perfect. The computer is now Aggressive Policeman free. Even better, everyone is watching the strange little dance snaking through the station. Best of all, the computer’s still logged on.
It doesn’t take long to locate the footage and load it on to my USB drive.
Pocketing the drive, I wave across at Holly, who looks ready to throw up. I’m not surprised, with Smokin’ Joe kissing her ear. Urgh. Unpeeling him, she wriggles free and we race
towards reception.
“Wait,” Smokin’ Joe calls after Holly. “Where you going?”
“Sorry, Schnookums,” Holly calls back. “It’s been fabulous, but I think we should take a break.”
“Take a break?” Smokin’ Joe lumbers after her. “You have to start something before you can take a break from it! Come back ’ere.”
“Over my dead body,” Holly mutters and we sprint for the door.
I look at Joe and feel a twinge of sympathy. Everyone’s been using him recently and it doesn’t seem fair. I shrug apologetically. He makes kissy faces in response. My sympathetic
feelings wear off pretty quickly.
“Enjoying your tour so far?” PC Eric appears behind us, blocking Smokin’ Joe’s approach and giving Aggressive
he treats PC Eric.
A plan begins to form.
“Shh, Holly,” I stage-whisper, loud enough for the desk sergeant to hear. “We annoyed the London policeman so much we’ll never be allowed near him again. They won’t
want us to upset him.”
The desk sergeant strokes his chin.
PC Eric’s lips twitch. “You have a point there, NOELLE HAWKINS.” He booms my name in what I assume is an unflattering attempt to remind the desk sergeant of my reputation as
annoyer-of-policemen. “I don’t suppose I’ll be able to give you that station tour after all.”
The desk sergeant bites his lip. “Well, Eric, if you promised the girls—”
We charge into the main police station before he has a chance to finish his sentence.
“Oi! Police people! Where’s my boyfriend?” Holly tosses her hair like the girl in the museum gift shop and skips through the cubicles calling, “Joey? Schnookums? Where
are you?”
PC Eric subtly nudges us forward and to the right, until we reach the desk where Aggressive Policeman and Smokin’ Joe are sitting, scowling at each other. Behind them is a computer screen
showing footage of the Science Museum.
Holly launches herself at Smokin’ Joe and wraps her arms around his neck.
“Ooof,” Smokin’ Joe splutters and then breaks into a grin that makes his head look like an over-carved Halloween pumpkin.
Holly narrows her eyes at me over Smokin’ Joe’s shoulder.
“What?” Oh, yes, I’m supposed to be finding the security footage from before the camera cut out. But how? Aggressive Policeman is right next to the computer. I may be good with
technology, but I’m not invisible. I try to signal to Holly, but she’s too busy smacking Smokin’ Joe’s hands to notice.
“Ahem!” I cough. “Maybe you want to take all the love stuff
outside
!”
Holly gets the message and rises to her feet, pulling Smokin’ Joe by the hand. He follows willingly.
“Hey!” Aggressive Policeman strides after them. “No one said you could leave.”
“You can’t keep my little Joey here without his mummy.” Holly snuggles up to all ten tonnes of ‘little Joey’ with only a tiny shudder. “I think I saw Ma
Slater outside, with her frying pan. We should send someone to fetch her for you.”
Aggressive Policeman makes a choking noise in his throat. “Do not let that woman in,” he orders the local police. “Block the entrance. And someone sit that boy back
down.”
No one moves to help. Aggressive Policeman lunges for Smokin’ Joe, grabbing him by the waist. Joe, in turn, clutches at Holly, creating a weird sort of Holly/Joe/Aggressive Policeman
conga.
Perfect. The computer is now Aggressive Policeman free. Even better, everyone is watching the strange little dance snaking through the station. Best of all, the computer’s still logged on.
It doesn’t take long to locate the footage and load it on to my USB drive.
Pocketing the drive, I wave across at Holly, who looks ready to throw up. I’m not surprised, with Smokin’ Joe kissing her ear. Urgh. Unpeeling him, she wriggles free and we race
towards reception.
“Wait,” Smokin’ Joe calls after Holly. “Where you going?”
“Sorry, Schnookums,” Holly calls back. “It’s been fabulous, but I think we should take a break.”
“Take a break?” Smokin’ Joe lumbers after her. “You have to start something before you can take a break from it! Come back ’ere.”
“Over my dead body,” Holly mutters and we sprint for the door.
I look at Joe and feel a twinge of sympathy. Everyone’s been using him recently and it doesn’t seem fair. I shrug apologetically. He makes kissy faces in response. My sympathetic
feelings wear off pretty quickly.
“Enjoying your tour so far?” PC Eric appears behind us, blocking Smokin’ Joe’s approach and giving Aggressive
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