Page 141 of Reinventing Cato
The room was…swimming.No, I’m swimming…swaying.The air looked wrong. Shimmery.
“Drugged,” he whispered.
Max stiffened. “You’ve been taking drugs? That’s not—”
“No. S-someone’s slipped me…something. I need to get…outside. Fresh air.”
“Take a coat. It’s started to snow.”
Fuck that.Cato was unaware Max had followed him from the house until he stumbled. He’d have fallen if Max hadn’t caught him. There was a thin layer of snow on the path, but that wasn’t why he’d almost hit the ground.
“Cato, you’re worrying me.”
He pulled free of Max’s hold and staggered down the road. Vigge’s car was gone.What the hell?
“Do you need me to take you to hospital?” Max asked.
Where was Vigge? Why wasn’t he answering? Panic surged up Cato’s chest and blocked his throat. He was certain something bad had happened.
“Tell me what’s going on,” Max snapped.
“I don’t know.” Cato’s iPhone buzzed with a message. Vigge, finally.
Morley Street car park top floor. I have him. No police or he’ll die.
Cato’s lungs locked. This wasn’t from Vigge. He turned to Max. He had to trust him. No way could Cato risk driving. “Take me to Morley Street car park. Fast. Please.”
Max stared at him. “Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
“Don’t mess around. It’s important. Drive me there. Please, please.”
Max sighed. “Fine.”
Cato did his best to keep up with him, but hesitated at Max’s silver Lexus. Was this a trick? Were Max and Louise behind this? It was hard to think straight.
“I thought you wanted to go to the car park?” Max asked. “What’s wrong?”
“I do.” Cato got in the car.
“Tell me what’s happening.” Max fastened Cato’s seatbelt when Cato couldn’t manage to do it himself.
“Water?”That had to help, didn’t it?
Max unscrewed the top off a bottle and handed it to him. Cato drank almost all of it. “Wait.”
He struggled out of the seatbelt, pushed open the car door and scrambled out. Fingers down his throat made him throw up, but he knew it wasn’t going to help much.
Max had come round to his side. “I’m going to take you to the hospital.”
“No.” Cato got back in the car. “Drive!”
Max slid behind the wheel and started the car. “Okay. Talk to me.”
“Hurry, Max. Long story short. Three…three people I’ve had sex with have been stabbed to death.”
“What?”
Cato shook his head to clear it. “Police suspect I did it.” He drank the rest of the water. “Don’t even think of asking me if I did. Didn’t.” His head was pounding. “I’m being set up. Turn right here.”
