Blackout by Andrew Cope Read Free Book Online Page A

intrigued.
    ‘Pass me tomorrow’s newspaper, Agent Q,’ said Professor Cortex. ‘I’ve created this,’ he said, wafting it in the air.
    Shakespeare saw his picture on the front page and became very interested. He hopped down from the window sill and took up a better position.
    The professor spread the paper on the table and the family gasped at the front-page headline: Millennium Diamond Goes Cruising , and there, centre stage, was a Photoshopped picture of Shakespeare with a massive diamond attached to his collar.
    Sophie grabbed the paper and read it aloud. ‘
Zillionaire Maximus Rich and his cat Shakespeare will be mixing in public for the first time in ten years
.’
    ‘That’s me,’ said Professor Cortex proudly, before mouthing the rest of the story that he’d written, word for word.
    ‘The recluse and his cat are inseparable. It will be a rare opportunity to view the Millennium Diamond, the world’s largest gem, which is traditionally worn around the cat’s neck.’ Sophie was drawing everyone in with her wide-eyed excitement. ‘Maximus Rich declined to give an interview, but issued this statement: “The cruise leaves tomorrow and,
should anyone be interested, I will be in cabin eight.” ’

    ‘And Bob’s your uncle,’ sang the professor. ‘That’s a clear message to the diamond thieves. They know where I am, when I am, and they’ll be unable to resist attempting to snatch the
precious stone. It’s a genius plan …
wham, bingo
,
kazam
… caught red-handed. We have ourselves some evil villains.’
    ‘And a way of finding the laser,’ said Ben. ‘It does sound rather exciting. And we do have the diamond,’ he said, recalling one of Lara’s previous adventures. ‘We kind of kept it.’
    ‘Two questions,’ began Mum, not wanting to pass up on the idea of a totally free holiday. ‘What’s the danger level?’
    ‘Nil, Mrs Cook,’ promised the professor. ‘A big fat zilcho. None of the other robberies have involved any violence. The pattern has been very predictable. The thief, or thieves, administers a sleeping potion.’
    ‘And why the cat? I mean, Lara is your trusted companion. You and she have solved dozens of crimes. And now you’ve chosen Shakespeare.’
    ‘It’s a decision that’s been made for me,’ explained the professor. ‘Dogs just aren’t allowed on-board. Simple as that. But we do need one of the spy team to take the strain. Just in case things do get a little hairy,’ he smiled, loving the pun. ‘And, in the olden
days, there was always a ship’s cat. It was useful on long voyages. The ship’s cat caught rats and mice. So I’ve been able to persuade the captain that I can bring Agent CAT. It’s the perfect way to advertise the diamond, hanging from the collar of the official “ship’s cat”.’
    Sophie clicked her fingers under the table, beckoning her beloved Shakespeare. The cat’s mind was all over the place. He wanted to be an official spy. He was desperate to go on a mission.
But there’s no way I can go aboard a boat
.
    Lara watched Shakespeare’s body language.
Crikey
, thought the Spy Dog.
He looks like a broken puss
.
    The family dispersed in excitement. There were bags to be packed and then they had to be up early to drive to London for the trip of a lifetime.
    The pups were desperately disappointed not to be going, but they wagged excitedly at Shakespeare. ‘You’re one lucky puss,’ woofed Spud. ‘A luxury river cruise, with unlimited food.’
    ‘On the Thames,’ barked Star. ‘In the most
awesome city on the planet. And the chance to catch a diamond thief!’
    Shakespeare tried to look positive, but it was beyond him. His desire to be a qualified spy was overwhelmed by his phobia of water.
    His whiskers sagged. Tonight he would be running away from home.

9. Runaway
    Shakespeare was heartbroken.
I knew I shouldn’t have got too close, too involved with a family
, he thought,
not after last time
.
    He cast his mind back to waking up