Page 120 of Reinventing Cato
Vigge stayed silent.
“We could go up on the train from Peterborough and hire a car. Five and quarter hours by train, or about six by car, to Glasgow at least, and I think the train would be easier. If you don’t want to stay with your parents, we could book a hotel.”
Vigge still didn’t say anything.
“And I think we should go soon.”
Vigge nodded. “Tomorrow?”
“You sure?”
“Yep. I’ll take a day’s leave. Let’s book the train and the car.”
“We need to check that Hendry will be there.”
“I’ll ask my sister. She works at the school he teaches at. Let’s go back to the house before we turn into snowmen.”
Vigge made up a lie about needing to surprise Hendry, got the answer he hoped for and made the bookings. Cato wrapped himself around him on the couch.
“I’m not going to let you go,” Vigge whispered.
“Now you sound like a stalker.”
Vigge laughed.
Chapter Eighteen
They chatted on the train. Vigge found Cato endlessly fascinating, yet couldn’t think that Cato would feel the same about him.
Cato hated wearing suits and ties, but got turned on by men wearing them. He’d only slept a few hours a night when he was a teenager. He spent the other hours reading. Now he could sleep anywhere, any time. He loved animals, but didn’t want one because he wasn’t sure he could handle one dying, which was why he’d never felt the family pets were his. He had a brother with cerebral palsy who was a pain in the arse. Older sisters who used to drive him crazy and sometimes still did. He loved rain and snow and sun. He hated grey skies unless it was raining. He loved the colour blue. He didn’t like red. He’d been all over the world including Mauna Keaon the Big Island of Hawaii to use telescopes on top of a dormant volcano. He had a soft spot for Russia.
They didn’t talk about the murders, though Vigge knew even being with Cato was a disciplinary matter. He was still waiting for Cato to tell him he’d been offered the job. Why hadn’t he?Because he’s accepted it.Well, if he had, he had. All Vigge could do was hope the current police enquiry didn’t mess things up for either of them.
Chat ran out as the journey progressed. Vigge had become too overwhelmed with what they were going to do for any distraction to work. They had plans A, B and C. Vigge privately came up with D, E and F as well. He’d brought his violin with him on the pretext of asking Hendry if he knew anyone who might like to buy it. The other lie would be that Vigge had brought Cato up to meet his parents. Well, not quite a lie because Vigge would be introducing him, but he wouldn’t have chosen to do it yet. If ever.
Cato slept on the train. Vigge didn’t. His head was aching.What do I want to discover?He really didn’t know.
~~~
When he pulled up outside Hendry’s house, Vigge felt ice cold. Hendry’s car was there so he was almost certainly at home.
“Okay?” Cato reached over and squeezed his fingers.
“Yeah.”
They got out of the car, Vigge grabbed his violin, and they headed for Hendry’s door.
Hendry answered after the first knock and gave a chortle of surprise when he saw them. Vigge wasn’t sure whether he’d rather have seen worry on Henry’s face, an awareness that Vigge knew what was in his drawer and his life was going to change forever.
“Back again so soon? To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hendry, this is Cato. Cato meet Hendry. Can we come in?”
“Sure.” Hendry stepped back.
“Cato is the best violinist I’ve ever heard,” Vigge said as they followed Hendry to his living room. “And it made me realise that it’s about time I changed my violin. It’s not going to make me play like him, though I can always hope.”
Hendry nodded. “The instrumentdoesmake a difference.”
