A Cat Called Kat

Chapter Twenty-Two - Caroline Captured

I'd finished with the washing bit and was just luxuriating in the hot water when I heard a knock. So I hopped out, pulled on a bathrobe and made my way to the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It is just I," I heard Giulia answer.

"Just me!" I corrected her, kind of automatically, as I unwedged the door.

"It's just me," she repeated but, when she saw me, she forgot about her grammar lessons. "What the matter?" she asked, putting the breakfast tray down and popping a hand on my arm. I guess she could see that I'd been crying.

I had to have a little think about that and decided that knowing wasn't going to do her any good... and might even put her in danger. "I don't think I should tell you about it at the moment," I said, then I thought a bit more and added, "There's a shoebox under the bed... you are not to look inside it... in fact, you're not even to touch it."

"Yes, Miss," she replied with a bit of a curtsy.

I let her get away with it this time.

But then we were startled by another knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I asked

"It's me!" Slimeball announced. Giulia and I shared a smile.

"One moment please! I've just got out of the shower."

I hurriedly threw on some shorts and a t-shirt and Giulia scurried around, tidying up after me. I was vaguely wondering whether Captain Moretti had gone to tell him, after all. But... I mean... it didn't seem particularly likely... and, even if he had, I could hardly imagine that I was going to be in trouble for not letting the creepy git rape me.

Then I nodded to Giulia and she opened the door. She gave Slimeball a curtsy then scurried off to tidy up in the bathroom - out of the way, I guess.

"Good morning," I said.

"Good morning," he replied though his mind wasn't really on it. "We had an intruder come in over the wall last night and we've not been able to track him down yet so you're not to leave your room until I tell you otherwise. I'll be posting guards."

"Thank you for your concern," I replied automatically. "May I go out on the terrace."

"No. I'm afraid it's not safe."

"I understand. Would you like coffee?"

"No. The Chinese Associates have told me I have to come and see them."

With that, he turned on his heel and vanished. My prison had just got even smaller.

Of course the day dragged. Giulia did what she could to entertain me but, after a bit, her company dragged too. In the end, I sent her off to track down a television for me and we spent most of the afternoon watching rubbishy soap operas that had been dubbed into Italian.

I guess it says something about how boring my day was that I was looking forward to dinner with Slimeball. But, even here, we didn't go outside - I guess he really was worried that someone was going to try and shoot him. Instead, he took me down to one of the rarely-used inside dining rooms, passing a number of guards patrolling the corridors.

And afterwards, he didn't even try any of his normal slimy hand business. I suppose that was a bit of a bonus. He just sent me back to my room in the company of a couple of the guards. I wasn't really tired but I couldn't think of anything else to do so I climbed into bed.

I was a bit less shocked this time when Caroline woke me with the hand over my mouth thing. 'Hurry!' she signed and I could tell she was worried.

I started to move but was interrupted by shouts from outside on my terrace. Caroline put out a hand to stop me then signalled, 'Wait!'