stressed.â Max was so used to disagreeing with everything Toby said, she contradicted him automatically. He was right, though. Her dad did look stressed, only she wasnât going to admit it to Toby.
Max stayed out of her fatherâs way all day but when it came to going home, he hardly even noticed she was there.
âMmmm? Oh, Max. You and your friends go home with the driver. Mee Linâs away for a few daysfilming in San Francisco, but thereâs plenty to eat in the fridge. Iâll be home late.â Then he added, âIâm going to be busy over the next few days so I wonât be able to spend much time with you.â
Toby looked at Linden, who shrugged. This wasnât the Maxâs dad they knew.
He turned away and started talking to a member of the crew. Maxâs shoulders slumped as she walked to the exit of the studio. She could hear voices behind her becoming heated and turned to see her dad arguing and throwing his hands around.
Linden, Toby and Max walked through the studio grounds to the car in silence. Linden knew Max was sad and wanted to cheer her up. âHeâs had a rough day.â
âOr maybe heâs sick of me already?â
Linden frowned. âHow could anyone get sick of you?â
âWell, first of all â¦â Toby began, until Linden elbowed him in the ribs.
âMaybe he wishes heâd never had me.â
âMax, heâd never wish that.â Linden leant into her gloomy face and shone her one of his best smiles. âWhen you meet great people, you never regret it.â
Max smiled back. âOne of your mumâs sayings?â
âYep. Iâve been saving that one for a special occasion,â he replied proudly.
Toby frowned. He wasnât sure who was acting stranger, Maxâs dad or these two.
âAnd Mee Lin never mentioned anything about going away.â
âMaybe it came up unexpectedly,â Linden suggested.
âOr maybe sheâs over me, too?â
At her dadâs home, all three collapsed on the lounge in exhaustion.
Until there was a knock at the front door.
Max sat up, jumpy from the day sheâd had at the studio and her attack in the snow. She looked through the curtains and shuddered when she saw a man in a uniform carrying two parcels. The last time sheâd received a parcel it almost led to the destruction of spy agencies across the world. 5
âWhat if itâs the man who tried to kill me on the slopes,â she whispered.
âA killer who knocks?â Linden questioned.
âKillers can have manners too, you know,â Toby reminded him sarcastically.
Max ignored them and grabbed one of her ski stocks that had been left in the hall.
âYou donât think thereâs a possibility it could be someone else?â Linden asked.
âWho else could it be?â
As Linden thought of the many other people it could be there was another knock.
âComing,â Max ushered Toby and Linden to the other side of the door.
She again looked through the curtain and saw something that made her heart go cold. The guyâs delivery uniform was too small for him and beneath it Max could see a different layer of clothing. The real delivery guy was probably lying in the garden somewhere while this phoney had taken his suit, put it on over his clothes and was here to kill her.
Max clenched her teeth and flung open the door. Before the guy could say anything, she hit him with her stock. He fell to the ground with a pained groan and a thud like a sack of potatoes.
âMax?â Linden and Toby leapt out from behind the door to see the crumpled figure of the guy beside two parcels.
âWhat did you do that for?â Toby asked, worried Maxâs skiing accident had dented her brain.
âHeâs not a real delivery person,â she said withmore than a hint of victory in her voice. âThese arenât his real clothes.â
âIâve heard
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