“Tempered steel with a silver tip,” he says, turning the harpoon in the little light from the window, and making it flash cold and bright. “These things cost a fortune. But I only need one tonight, when I destroy the malamander. I’ll try to make it this one.”

PETER PARMA’S MAGNUM OPUS

“IT’S ALL MY FAULT!” Vi puts her head in her hands. We’re sitting in Seegol’s steamy diner, which is surprisingly busy. The clatter of knives and forks and the murmur of locals drowns out the sound of Violet’s despair, which is probably just as well.

“If I hadn’t been meddling in all this, Eels would never have found that page!”

Seegol arrives at that moment. “But what is this? Tears at lunchtime? This is not good.”

I’ve already scattered the contents of my coat pockets across the table. I think about doing the speech again, but Seegol knows the drill by now.

“It’s been a tricky morning,” I tell him. “Could we have something to cheer us up for this?”

And I slide over a small silver and cut-glass cigarette lighter that has been in the Lost-and-Foundery since before the First World War. No one will be coming for it now.

“For this you can have the works,” declares Seegol, and he pats Vi on the shoulder before heading off to his kitchen island to drop fish in the fryer.

“You mustn’t beat yourself up, Vi,” I say, leaning forward so only she can hear. “There’s still no guarantee Eels will succeed. According to the stories, people have been trying to take the malamander’s egg since for ever, and no one has managed it yet. Even Captain Kraken, who had a small army to fight for him, couldn’t keep it for long. The malamander will kill Sebastian Eels, and it’ll be his own stupid fault.”

Violet’s face reappears from inside her hair. “And its weakness?”

I open my mouth to speak, but then close it again. I had been going to say that Eels would have to be a crack shot to hit a precise opening in the malamander’s armour, but then I remember the targets in his house, the bullseyes riddled with holes.

“And what about my parents?” Violet continues. “I came here to find them, but instead all I’ve done is ruin everything. Maybe it’s time I accept they are nowhere to be found. Maybe it’s time I accept they were probably killed by the malamander too.”

“Vi…”

“We both know it’s possible!” Violet cries. “It’s certainly more likely than them just strolling into this diner, alive and well, after all these years.”

We fall silent.

Then we both look over to the door, because, well, in Eerie-on-Sea you never quite know.

But no one comes in.