Page 76 of Reinventing Cato
“Yes.”
“Then maybe have it with you, just in case.”
“Where the hell are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
They both shivered as they left the house.
“I hope we’re heading somewhere warm.” Vigge turned up the collar of his coat.
“You’ll be warm enough. You have to be brave five times tonight. Driving here to see me got you one star. This is for star two.” Cato held out his hand.
“I don’t get a star for the T-shirt?”
“Maybe…if you take it off.”
Vigge chuckled and took hold of Cato’s fingers. “Right.”
“Are you thinking—I’ll be fine. I can hold Cato’s hand because I won’t see anyone I know. And if I do, I can always pretend I’m arresting him?”
“No. I’m thinking how nice it is to hold your hand. Again.”
Cato squeezed his fingers. “I could give you a bonus star for saying that, but I’m feeling mean. I won’t.”
“While we’re walking, talk to me about people who might be causing trouble for you.”
“Even though I made that list, I don’t think anyone hates me enough to threaten my family and mean it.”
“Someone does. Your mother could have been seriously injured. Maybe even killed.”
Cato’s shoulders slumped. “If it’s someone who wants me out of the running for the job… Well, I don’t know who NASA are interviewing apart from one guy, and the other candidates shouldn’t know about me either. I recognised the man who came out of the interview before me. Grant’s an American. Almost all the people they interview will be American. There have to be exceptional circumstances for someone who’s not American to get a job with NASA. And how would another candidate get my mobile number?”
“You already told me you’re easy-ish to find. A lie told to the right person… A fictitious school friend faking a posh English accent might call your mother and ask for it.”
“I don’t think she’d tell. She’d ask for their number and pass it on to me.”
“Good for her. Have you pissed off anyone in your faculty?”
“If I had, you’d think they’dwantme to get the job to get rid of me.”
“But you’d be leaving anyway in the summer, wouldn’t you? Forcing you to turn down an offer from NASA would cause you distress, and after you’d told everyone about it, maybe humiliate you as well. A definite dent to your ego and you wouldn’t be able to tell anyone the truth.”
“I’m popular,” Cato said quietly. “People in the department like me. I’ve always been popular.” He chewed the inside of his cheeks.Why am I doubting that now?
“Which is enough to make you unpopular with certain types of people. We’re back to who doesn’t like you.”
“Those I’ve slept with who turned out to want more than I was prepared to give? I don’t have a list of those. Only first names. Sometimes not even that. And who knows if they were lying? But a guy pissed off because I didn’t want his number after we’d had sex? Really? He’d take it this far?”
“If he’s mentally disturbed, maybe. What about your exes?”
“I guess Louise and Max are top of the Let’s-Fuck-Up-Cato list.”
“I want their full names, numbers and address.”
Cato wasn’t sure he wanted to do that.
They turned a corner in town and Vigge gave a quiet sigh. “Is this where we’re heading? A club? Or to that intriguing-looking bookshop next door?”
