The Venice Job Read Online Free PDF Page B

boss.’
    Linden’s jaunty footsteps echoed down the hallway as Max turned and followed. ‘And stop calling me boss!’

    The nightwatchman shone his flashlight across the still and quiet yard of the glassworks factory. He looked at his watch. Three o’clock a.m. In two hours his shift would finish and he could finally get out of the cold night air and go home.
    He walked over to a stone wall facing the Venetian lagoon. He took out a thermos and poured himself a coffee. But he would never take a sip.
    The heat of the explosion seared his back as he was thrown to the ground. He turned to see a tidal wave of orange flames devouring the factory while great chunks of glass, metal and wood rained down.
    The nightwatchman gulped in gasps of singed air, clutching his broken wrist to his chest as he watched the factory burn.
    â€˜Exactly on time.’ A man viewed the blastthrough binoculars from the safety of a large palazzo.
    â€˜Good,’ a second voice replied. ‘They can’t refuse us now.’

‘So long, fella.’ Linden held Ralph’s face in his hands. ‘It’ll work out. It’s always hard the first time you fall in love.’
    Ralph stared forlornly back.
    â€˜I know it feels like it’ll never end, but it will. Trust me.’
    â€˜Are you sure you should be giving advice on love?’ Max stood behind Linden with her arms across her chest.
    â€˜Oh, I know love, baby.’ Linden sighed and stood up. ‘See you, fella. We’ll be back in a few days and you’ll see, by then everything will be fine.’
    They walked towards the paddock.
    â€˜What if it isn’t?’ Max asked. ‘Are you going to send him to a dog psychiatrist?’
    â€˜Eleanor has the name of one handy just in case.’
    â€˜A dog psychiatrist?’ Max had been joking. It was too bizarre to think of Ralph lying on a couch being counselled.
    â€˜He’s a dog whisperer, actually. Like for horses, only with dogs. Apparently he’s the best.’
    Linden was good at jokes and Max waited for the punch line, but none came. He really was serious.
    â€˜Max?’ Linden said softly. ‘Thanks for coming back.’
    Max sniffed. ‘If you wanted me to come back all you had to do was ask.’
    Linden frowned. ‘I was trying as hard as I could.’
    â€˜Well.’ Max tried to think of something to say. ‘Maybe you didn’t try hard enough.’
    Linden laughed. ‘You know, as hard as you are to understand sometimes, I wouldn’t have you any other way. In fact, Max, I wanted to say …’
    Max felt a mushy moment coming on. ‘Look at the time. Steinberger will worry if we’re late.’
    But there was a little more mush to go before they would leave.
    â€˜Max! Linden!’
    Max turned to see her aunt and uncle running towards them. They’d reluctantly agreed to Max’s request of saying goodbye in the house and keeping everything low-key. It seemed the agreement had just been thrown out the window.
    â€˜We wanted to give you these,’ Eleanor puffed.
    Max and Linden took the hankies she offered.
    â€˜You came out here to give us hankies?’
    Ben looked a little guilty. ‘You never know when you might need one.’ His attempt to restrain himself lasted about three seconds before he flunghis arms out and hugged Max to within an inch of her life.
    â€˜I’m so glad you’re back in the Force.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ Max wheezed.
    Eleanor tapped him on the shoulder and gave him a look that told him he’d better let Max go if she was going to survive the farewell.
    â€˜Oh. Okay.’
    It was Eleanor’s turn. ‘We had to say one more goodbye.’ She hugged Linden. ‘Take care, both of you.’
    â€˜We will,’ Linden answered. He knew Max just wanted to get on with the departure, but when he looked, she was tearing up.
    â€˜Yeah, we will,’ Max