“Perhaps this will jog your memory,” I said.
Turning to the men from the torture detachment, I signaled for them to begin.
~ ~ ~ ~
I will not go into the details of the next couple of watches. Eventually, Publius confessed everything. He and two other men were summoned by Cornuficius, told to follow Joseph, with orders to kill him quietly, then dispose of the body. Publius gave a detailed description of where they dumped the corpse, or at least most of it; they had decapitated him, then fed his head to some pigs so that it would be harder to identify the corpse. They took Cornuficius’ marker for the debt, nothing more than a scrap of parchment to give back to Cornuficius, who was waiting in his tent for the deed to be done. What neither I nor Publius knew was that the Jews considered the pig an unclean creature, so apparently feeding Joseph’s head to such a beast made the crime that much more horrific, further enraging them. Once I had Publius’ full confession, I had Diocles summon Fuscus and Sertorius, the latter being the one man I trusted in the 10th Cohort, summoning the former because he was the Pilus Prior, and whom I suspected would not mind being part of Cornuficius’ downfall. Diocles led them down to the basement where I was waiting outside the interrogation room, both of them still trying to shake the sleep off, obviously bewildered.
“I need you two as witnesses and to accompany me when I arrest Cornuficius.”
Clearly shocked, they looked at each other before Fuscus asked why, and I told him. I had expected at least Fuscus to be, while not happy, at least relieved that we were about to remove the man who was undermining his authority with the Cohort, but he was visibly shaken and seemed skeptical.
“Forgive me, Primus Pilus, but I don't think that Cornuficius can be arrested without evidence.”
Sertorius had remained silent, regarding me steadily, but he nodded his head in agreement. I had not planned on this and I felt the anger welling up within me, yet somehow I swallowed it down, forcing myself to acknowledge that Fuscus was acting correctly. Reluctantly, I opened the door to the interrogation chamber then waved them in, where Publius sat slumped in the chair, the men from the torture detachment sitting on the floor against the wall, resting from their exertions. At least, it was what remained of Publius, who was more dead than alive and had been begging me to kill him. I was glad that I had not done so yet, though it was not because I had any pity for him. The two Centurions both recoiled in shock at the sight of him, Sertorius giving me a look that I will never forget, an expression of mingled respect and disgust at what I had done to one of my own men. Ignoring him, I walked to Publius to shake him, and he almost tipped the chair over as he tried to avoid my touch, whimpering in fear.
“I'm not going to hurt you again, Publius,” I said gently, and his pathetic expression of gratitude was like a javelin in my gut.
Unlike many men, I took no pleasure in inflicting pain; it was a tool to get what I wanted, nothing more. Perhaps this is what Diocles calls a rationalization but it makes it no less true.
“I need you to tell the Centurions what you told me, that's all.”
Publius the man had long since disappeared. All that was left was a creature eager to please me, so he repeated everything he had told me. He was somewhat hard to understand, between his swollen lips and the rest of the teeth he had managed to keep now missing, but he was clear enough that there was no doubt that Fuscus and Sertorius understood him. Once he was finished, his head dropped to his chest as he passed out from the effort.
I looked at the two men, studying their expressions. “Are you satisfied now?”
Fuscus looked relieved, while Sertorius’ expression was harder to read, yet they both answered that they had heard enough.
“Now, I'm going to arrest Cornuficius and I need you both to be there as witnesses, and Fuscus, I'll need you as a witness at his questioning.”
They were clearly uncomfortable, but they both agreed to come with me, not that it was an option. Diocles had gone to the provost to arrange for a detachment of men to accompany us, and we met them outside the headquarters building. Marching to the camp, we were passed through the Porta Praetoria, with me leading the small procession directly to Cornuficius’ tent. Rousing his startled and very scared slave, I pushed him through the flap separating the Century office from Cornuficius’ private quarters and I wish I could say that I was not enjoying the moment immensely. He was asleep, but at the commotion, he reached for his sword immediately, causing me to put my hand on my own, though I cannot fault him for his reaction, because I would have done the same thing.
“Decimus Pilus Posterior Gaius Cornuficius, you are under arrest for the murder of Joseph of Gaza,” I announced in my official tone, trying but probably not succeeding to avoid sounding triumphant.
He blinked in confusion, then seeing Fuscus and Sertorius, I saw for the first time the real Cornuficius, his lips curling in contempt at the sight of his Primus Pilus. For a moment, I thought he was going to resist as his fingers curled more tightly around the handle of his sword. However, I think he saw the eagerness in my eyes, so he slowly relaxed his hold.
“I don't know what you're talking about, Primus Pilus, but I'm anxious to get this matter cleared up,” he said with a trace of his old smoothness.
“I'm sure you are, Pilus Posterior,” I responded. “So let’s not delay any further. Please get dressed.”
He clearly thought that he was going to be given his privacy to do so, but while I was willing to stand out in the outer office, I ordered two of the provosts to stand watch over him. This clearly made him angry, though I do not know whether it was because of the insult or that he had planned on making a getaway. Either way, he was ready in a few moments, dressed in his full uniform; certainly that was his right, yet it did not make any difference to me. He was being led away under guard no matter what, and I wish I could say that I was not so petty that I was willing to take him quietly. I was not, making enough racket to rouse the dead, or at least the sleeping Gregarii of the 6th Legion. Marching through the camp, men were awakened by the sound of our hobnail boots and to the sight of Cornuficius being marched, clearly under guard, to whatever fate awaited him. What the men did not know was that Cornuficius’ future could be measured by watches, and that those watches were going to be filled with more pain than even he could imagine.
~ ~ ~ ~
I had Publius removed from the interrogation room, though I took pains to make sure that the signs of his interrogation were not washed away, the pool of blood around the chair plainly visible. Cornuficius walked into the room, stopping suddenly when he saw the chair and gore around it. The two men from the torture detachment pointed for him to sit down when I shoved him forward. For a moment, I thought he would try to resist, but I think he knew I would welcome it, so he obeyed my order to strip down to just his tunic before walking stiffly to the chair and taking a seat. He watched me intently when I leaned over to tie him down to the chair, but he did not struggle, nor did he speak. Once he was secure, I stepped away then motioned to Diocles, who was standing with a wax tablet and stylus, waiting to dictate.
“I've told you why you've been arrested, Cornuficius. Let me now explain what the evidence is that led us to you, and who gave it.”
“I’m most anxious to hear who has lied about me, Primus Pilus.”
I have to say that he was remarkably composed.
“Unfortunately for you, Cornuficius, I have no reason to doubt what I've been told so far and I believe that Caesar will find it credible as well.” His face remained expressionless and I wondered how long before his composure cracked and if it would take physical means to make it happen. “Gregarius Publius has confessed to killing Joseph of Gaza on your orders, then disposing of his body according to your instructions, including decapitating him and feeding his head to some pigs.”