Page 140 of Reinventing Cato
The house gradually began to fill. Some guests he knew, some he didn’t. Finally, Vigge turned up and Cato exhaled with relief.
“Careful how you ask questions,” Vigge said in his ear. “No machine-gun approach. Watch what you eat and drink.”
“I know.”
They split up and Cato fended off questions about NASA, saying he’d not yet heard from them. He tried to subtly ask Sam and Pedro’s friends about them. He learned that Pedro and his mother had lived in Rottingdean, which was why she ended up in a hospice in Brighton. He also found out that Sam had been accused of cheating, though the accusation had been withdrawn. But it made Cato wonder about the plagiarism he was alleged to have committed. Had that given Sam the idea?
Cato still thought it was more likely to be Sam than Pedro. Sam was too nice.Oh God, how pathetic that sounds. The nice one must have done it.Cato filled the work surfaces in the kitchen with hot food, helped by Vigge, and filled him in on what he’d learned.
“Can I have a swig of your beer?” Cato asked. “Your first and only, right?”
Vigge laughed. “Yes, Dad.” He handed Cato his Coors Light.
Cato took a swallow then and kissed him.
“I wish we could disappear,” Cato said. He wanted to move out right now.
“Not yet. Stay sharp. I need the bathroom.” Vigge downed the last of his beer and dumped the bottle in the rubbish bag Cato held out.”
Cato started to pick up empty paper plates and cans. The sooner this was over, the better. He didn’t want to ask more questions. He wanted to go with Vigge to his house, but he kept getting waylaid by people he hadn’t seen in ages.
When it struck him that he hadn’t seen Vigge for a while, he looked around, and when he couldn’t find him, he rang him. He expected Vigge to answer from the bathroom or maybe outside, but he didn’t answer at all.
The niggle of anxiety in Cato’s stomach made him swallow hard. He ran up to his room. It was still locked, and Vigge wasn’t inside. Back downstairs, he called him again and had no answer. Cato did a double take when he saw Max standing in the kitchen in his familiar long grey coat and red scarf, but his heart didn’t jump. He just felt annoyed. People parted as Max made his way through the crowded room to his side.
“I don’t remember inviting you.”
“I’m terribly hurt that you didn’t.” Though Max smiled.
Cato hadn’t had much to drink and yet he felt slightly lightheaded, which didn’t make sense. He’d stuck to tap water and a long slug from Vigge’s beer.I can’t be drunk.
“Are you okay?” Max asked. “You look…a bit dazed.”
Cato tried Vigge again. There was still no answer. He used his pay-as-you-go. Still nothing. Something was wrong.Nowhis heart raced.
“Two phones?” Max frowned. “What the hell’s going on?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Can we go somewhere and talk?”
“We’re done talking. I have better things to do.” More important things.
“I’ve left her.”
Cato’s jaw dropped and he slammed his lips together.
Max gave him a brief lopsided smile. “I left her because of you.”
“You made your choice months ago. I can’t deal with this now.”
Cato walked away and Max followed. “I’ll buy a place in Cambridge. We can live there together during the week. I’ll commute.”
His head felt wrong, as if there was something tiny scurrying around inside his skull. Unless he’d come down with some weird, fast-acting illness, he had to have been drugged.Max couldn’t have done it. He’d only just arrived.
Sam or Pedro.The fucking shits! Where are they?He spun in a circle.Not in here.As he made for the door, Max caught his arm.
“Will you give me another chance?” Max looked around at the packed kitchen and sighed. “I can’t talk to you in here. Let’s go upstairs.”
