Page 143 of Reinventing Cato
“Oh, he won’t wake up anytime soon. I made sure of that. He won’t wake up at all if you don’t jump.” Pedro gave a horrible laugh and Cato’s heart lurched.
“What have you done to him? Why did you kill the others? Just because I had sex with them?” Another small step forward.
Max had to have rung the police by now. The moment Cato heard any noise on the roof, he intended to throw himself at Pedro before he could stab Vigge again. He edged a little closer. He could feel vertigo kicking in even without him looking down. His chest was tight, his heart rate fast.
Keep him talking.“Was it really you who threatened my family?”
“Stop moving towards me and jump. You have ten seconds.”
“I’m scared of heights. If you want me to jump, you’re going to have to push me.” Cato figured that Pedro wantedhimdead more than he wanted Vigge dead. But any move toward Vigge by Pedro and Cato would have to do something. He glanced out through the falling snow and saw a line of vehicles heading in the direction of the car park.Please be the police.
“Stop dicking around. Jump or I’ll stab him again. That’s a big enough incentive.”
“Will you call for help for Vigge?” Cato asked.Distract, delay, decide.
“Five, four…”
“Please,” Cato pleaded.
“What’s going on?”
Cato turned to see Max heading their way, swinging his car keys. He’d wrapped his scarf around his lower face to disguise himself. Why hadn’t Max stuck to the plan?
As Max shouted “Hey!”, Cato felt Pedro push hard against his lower legs and he toppled over the edge of the building.
He cried out when he hit the roof and continued to fall, sliding down the tiles, flailing for something to halt his descent.Fuuuck!Then his feet hit the guttering and he had one moment of hope as he stopped moving, before a connection gave way. As his feet slid into fresh air, Cato lunged sidewise and managed to grab hold of the guttering that was still attached, but as it took his weight, another joint snapped and the pipe peeled away from the edge of the roof, leaving Cato hanging half on the roof, half in mid-air. All that held him in place were a couple of pieces of plastic.
Cato didn’t even dare breathe.Oh God. I don’t want to die.
He could hear sounds of a struggle above him, Max’s voice, then someone shouted “Police.”
“Help him!” Max shouted. “Someone get over here. For fuck’s sake, do something! That bastard pushed him off the roof. Cato, hang on.”
Cato wished he could close his eyes but they stayed firmly open. He stared at the snow-covered tile next to where he had his cheek pressed and thought about Vigge.Please let him be okay. Even if I don’t make it, please let Vigge be safe.
“Shit,” someone else said.
Cato didnotwant to hearshit.He wanted to hearDon’t worry, we’ll have you back on the roof in a tick.No one said that.
“Hurry up and do something!” Max yelled. “Cato, can you catch hold of my scarf?”
Cato wished he could make a joke like—I’m not worried about my neck getting cold—but he didn’t dare open his mouth. Shallow breathing and plenty of thinking were the only things he dared risk.
“Someone find a rope!” a man yelled.
“Don’t move!” yelled someone else.
You think?
When Cato heard something crack, he wondered if his luck had finally run out. Hemightsurvive from this height, if his fall got broken by each of the roofs he landed on, but it would be a miracle. That last drop was a big one.
“Fire engine’s on its way. Don’t move!” someone shouted.
He was cold. No coat, just a thin T-shirt and his skinny jeans.Ah well, at least my arse looks good.He swallowed hard.If I can joke, I can’t die, right?But his humour wasn’t working to keep him calm. His fingers hurt from clinging to the plastic. His arms and stomach hurt from where he’d slid down the roof. He was pretty sure he was bleeding. His heart was out of control. But if he fell again, none of that would matter.
All he had to do was hang on and not move. And that included not shivering. Something that he couldn’t help doing. He heard a rattle and out of the corner of his eye he saw a rope sliding towards him with a loop at the end. It fell past him. If he let go of the guttering, it was the end.
“Can you grab it?” a guy called. “Put your foot in the loop?”
