The Venice Job by Deborah Abela Read Free Book Online

tell you how pleased I am you’re here.’
    Max tried to breathe as her nose filled with puffs of flour and bits of pastry.
    Finally Irene let her go and looked Max square in the eye. ‘I ruined whole recipes for days after you left. Soufflés kept collapsing, pies kept going soggy and all my cakes refused to rise.’
    She reached over to a passing waiter andpicked up a glass of swirled vanilla and mango mousse covered with shaved orange chocolate. She stared at it as if it had been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. ‘Now everything is perfect.’
    Irene had really outdone herself. Trays of food kept coming out of the kitchen in a never-ending human train, layered with mini red and purple cherry tarts, towers of chocolate-and toffee-smothered profiteroles and mini sculptures of castles made out of rich white and dark Belgian chocolate.
    â€˜You have got to try these.’ Irene grabbed two castles and handed them to Linden and Toby.
    â€˜This secret agent thing just gets better and better.’ Toby eagerly bit into his castle but Max just frowned.
    â€˜Linden?’ Irene always valued his opinion on her new recipes.
    He bit into the chocolate creation and closed his eyes. ‘Smooth. Creamy. With a hint of hazelnuts, nutmeg and …’ He thought about it. ‘Freshly ground cinnamon.’
    â€˜Perfect. You are still my favourite food connoisseur.’ She hugged him before turning to Toby. ‘And Mr Jennings. How’d those training sessions go? I hear you’re quite the secret agent.’She gave him a hug too and only just avoided crushing what was left of his castle.
    â€˜You heard right,’ he said, popping the last bit of chocolate in his mouth before there were any more hugs.
    â€˜You don’t think you went a bit overboard?’ Max asked Irene as the room filled with happily munching spies.
    â€˜Me? Go overboard?’ she said indignantly. ‘Special occasions deserve being celebrated with the best food I can muster, and this is one occasion worth celebrating.’ She kissed Max on the forehead. ‘Better get back. Lots to do before this party is over.’
    Irene swooped away to the kitchen, leaving Max and her scowl to stand in her wake.
    â€˜I know it’s hard for you, Max, but it looks like we’ll have to enjoy ourselves.’ Toby looked pained, then spotted a waiter with a tray of fish and chip baskets. ‘And one of those is definitely going to help.’
    â€˜Besides,’ Linden said logically, ‘it can’t hurt to begin a mission with a full stomach.’ He had a grilled lamb chop in one hand and a prawn skewer in the other.
    Max smiled. ‘Thanks, Linden.’
    â€˜Any time you need food advice, I’m your man.’ His eyes flicked from one hand to the other, trying to decide what to eat next.
    â€˜Not for that,’ Max said quietly. ‘For asking me to come back.’
    â€˜You would have done it eventually, I just had to hurry you up.’ He smiled.
    In the far corner of the canteen, Dretch, the maintenance operator, entered the room. Wearing his usual rumpled maroon coat, he was holding a drill and sporting a sour smile that held whole buckets of misery.
    â€˜I didn’t think Dretch was the party type.’ Linden bit into a huge barbequed prawn.
    â€˜Me neither.’
    Max and Dretch had had an icy relationship from the instant they’d met, but after he’d helped save her mother from perishing in Blue’s castle at Cape Wrath 8 she’d realised he was, as Steinberger had always told her, one of the most loyal agents the Force had ever had.
    She walked over to him. ‘Hi.’
    Dretch hugged the drill to his chest. He gave a slight nod of his head and looked away awkwardly.
    â€˜Thanks for coming to the party.’ Max blushed. ‘That was really nice of you.’
    He looked towards the door behind Max. ‘The elevators are playing up again,’