Free The Venice Job by Deborah Abela Page B

dinners at home.’ He paused. ‘Except tonight I don’t mind, since the guests are so very special.’
    Max’s stomach did the roller-coaster thing again, but this time she didn’t mind so much.
    She looked around the table. They were people who had lives that were probably exotic and rich, but as she watched them talk and laugh and tell stories, she knew that life as a Spyforce agent was the best life of all. She’d rescued her mother from being kidnapped and her boss from being killed, she’d been an extra in a Hollywood film, raced in an Aqua Buggy through the Amazon Jungle, flown over the boiling lava of a volcano, battled terrifying …
    â€˜Potatoes?’ Linden held a dish of baked potatoes under her nose. ‘You have got to try these.’
    Max sighed, knowing there was little point talking to Linden about their lives as spies while there was food around. She took the dish and piled a few potatoes on her plate before passing it on, while on the other side of the table, through a dripping candelabrum, a pair of watchful eyes stared at her every move.

‘This is your boat?’ Toby stood on the wharf in front of Luca’s house and stared at the speedboat bobbing in the canal in front of him.
    â€˜One of them,’ Luca answered modestly. ‘Living in Venice gives you a taste for boats. And it’s the best way to get around.’
    â€˜Well, then.’ Toby slipped on his sunglasses. ‘I guess if we’re going to act like tourists we might as well do it in style.’
    â€˜And since you’ll need a few tips on style, I’ll be here if you have any questions,’ Linden offered as he did up the top button of his jacket.
    Luca held his hand out to Max to help her on board but she pretended not to see and got on by herself, pulling her woollen hat down low on her head.
    â€˜And this is Alberto, my personal guard. He speaks three different languages but I’m afraid English isn’t one of them.’
    â€˜ Buon giorno ,’ he said before turning to face the controls. He waited until they were all seated before slowly moving away from the wharf and into the canals.
    â€˜Venice has around one hundred and seventy-seven canals,’ Luca began, ‘and is made up of about one hundred and twenty islands.’ The boat sailed beneath a small bridge. ‘There are four hundredpedestrian bridges like this one and no cars are allowed in the lanes of the old city.’
    â€˜What’s with the costumes?’ Linden looked at a small shop whose windows were filled with masks and capes.
    â€˜People are getting ready for Carnival,’ Luca explained. ‘It’s the festival that happens every year at this time, and people come from all over the world to party wearing colourful clothes and masks.’
    Max saw a woman standing at the door of her house which was just above the water. ‘Does it ever flood here?’
    â€˜Sometimes. There was a bad one in 1966 that caused a lot of damage. A storm or heavy rain can do it, or a very high tide, but you’ll hear warning sirens if that’s about to happen.’ Luca looked up at the grand houses beside them. ‘In some of the older houses, people don’t live downstairs anymore because of the flooding. Some people think the water eventually will ruin the city. It has sunk centimetres in the last century.’
    â€˜Your city is sinking?’ Linden asked.
    â€˜It has been, but the government has done a lot to stop it.’
    Luca’s guard steered them carefully through many snaking canals filled with boats carrying food,people and even furniture. They passed barges filled with fruit and vegetables for sale, tourists on gondolas, and children playing soccer on the narrow paths between the houses and the water, until they pulled up beside a set of algae-stained steps.
    Luca jumped out of the boat. ‘It is time to meet our contact.’
    He waved