Page 117 of Reinventing Cato
“No.” Cato groaned. “When I got back here, I googled the name of his agent and rang him. I didn’t tell him why I needed to speak to…his client but I told him it was critically important. I also said I’d have to tell the police his name if I didn’t get to speak to him. He took my number. I’m not hopeful.”
“What’s his name? If you won’t tell me as a policeman, tell me as a friend.”
“Aaron Decker.”
Not a name Vigge recognised. “He could be summoned to appear as a witness, but unless you can prove you were with him, he might deny it.”
Cato paled. He tugged at his hair, twisting it hard. “You think I’m going to get arrested and this will go to trial?”
Vigge grabbed his hand and picked out the hairs from between Cato’s fingers. “Stop pulling your hair out.”
“You’re not sayingNo, don’t worry.” Cato shuddered, flinging himself back and covering his eyes with his arm.
“There’s a lot of police work that needs to be done. The team will look at when you were with people, who else might have seen you and compare where you were with the estimated times of death and where the bodies were found. You might not need Decker’s testimony to be exonerated.”
“I let them take my fingerprints. Was it the right thing to do? No, don’t tell me.”
Vigge didn’t think Cato needed to know that he was the closest to a suspect they had.
“So Idohave to worry.” Cato moved his arm and stared straight at him. He gave a heavy sigh and stood up. “I’m very sorry you’ve become trawled up in this. I didn’t drive straight off when I got back here because I wanted to see you, to tell you in person that I understand why we have to finish this now. Any further association with me is going to damage your career. I’ve probably already poisoned it. I’m sure you’ve been told to have nothing more to do with me. I’ve done nothing wrong, but whoever is trying to wreck my life is doing a pretty good job of it. I don’t want your life wrecked too.”
Vigge pushed to his feet. “I’m not letting you just drive off.”
“And if your boss was standing here? What would he be saying?I told you that your relationship had to end.You can’t even be this man’s friend.”
“He’s not in charge of my private life.”
“But he is in charge of your professional life and the two bleed together. I don’t want you to lose your job.”
He pulled Cato into his arms. “I’m not going to desert you. I want to help you. I’m not in charge of the case anymore, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. If you get called into the station, take a lawyer. Haven’t you watched any cop shows on the TV?”
“I don’t watch much TV.” Cato gave a shaky sigh. “If I’d watched the news, I might have twigged something was happening before now.”
Vigge frowned. “So who knows youdon’twatch the news?”
“Anyone who knows me.”
“But more likely those you currently share a house with.”
“Yes, but Louise and Max as well. Other friends probably. I mean, Idowatch the news. But only online and not local news.”
“How long have you lived on Selwyn Road?”
“Since September.”
Vigge frowned. “You’ve been doing your doctorate for how long?”
“This is the fourth year.”
“So where were you living before?”
“The first two years in college accommodation. The third on Davy Road. I’d have stayed there, but the place got flooded out and four of us had to find somewhere else.”
“How did it get flooded?”
“A tap left on in Franco’s room though he said he was sure he hadn’t left it on.”
“How did you end up with Sam and Pedro?”
