As I expected, being put in the wrong made Volcasius vicious. "You think you're very clever, Falco!"
"No, I think I'm being treated like a fool," I snapped.
"Not by me." He was so self-righteous I could have leaned forward and chopped him off at the knees.
"By most of the people in your travel group. You are all accepting what happens far too casually. If you know something, do your duty and report it!"
"Three of the tour group are dead. Valeria, Turcianus, Cleonymus…" Volcasius counted them off. "Someone is picking us off like cornfield rats. Should the rest of us be scared, I wonder?"
"You should all be very careful." It was Helena who growled that at him. Like me, she was churning with anger after the freedman's death. Volcasius tossed his head and without any farewell or warning, suddenly stomped off.
Typically, he threw back a confusing remark over his shoulder. Did' you see our wonderful organiser, when you were with Cleonymus?" He did not wait for me to answer – nor, of course, did he explain. But it sounded as though he was aiming accusations against Phineus.
I sat on the bench for a while longer, sharing my deep melancholy with my wife.
In the end, curiosity got the better of me. I hated to feel manipulated by Volcasius, but his fingering of the tour escort fitted my suspicions and action was my style. I kissed Helena, rose, and said I was going in search of Phineus. Helena was on her feet as well. She kissed me again, holding me for an extra moment.
You too be careful, Marcus.'"Trust me.'
I found Phineus in a bar, near the one where I first saw him yesterday. He was alone, though there were two empty winecups in front of him; one of his many cronies had recently left. For some reason, I remembered the man I had seen talking with Phineus that morning, just before I met Cleonymus. He had seemed vaguely familiar. Still, Phineus would seek out a certain type. The one I saw earlier had been similar in dress and manner to Phineus himself, lighter built but also bearded.
"Have you heard the news?'
"What's up, Falco?' He seemed sincere. He was standing at a counter, on the verge of paying his bill from a very fat purse. The size of the purse riled me.
A man in his position, always alert for some new problem with customers, habitually stays calm. He was already halfway to his"nothing to worry about; let me handle it' expression and I had not told him anything. Being what he was, he was preparing to do nothing and hope the crisis would just go away.
"You have lost another of your clients.'
"What?' He groaned. If he was faking, he must be a good actor. As an informer I had met plenty of them, mostly not on a stage."What's happened now? Which one is it?'
"The freedman.'
"Cleonymus? He's a character!'
"Not any more. He fell off the acropolis.'
Phineus steadied."Is he dead?'
"Unfortunately.'
Now Phineus sighed deeply, standing still to take it in. He signalled the waiter to refill his wine beaker. I had a good look at his tunic, the same he wore yesterday. full nap, dyed to a gemstone hue of gorgeous dark ruby. Heavy belt, sharp boots, bulging pouch, hardstone signet ring with a thick laced strapwork setting. all his accessories were good. You could describe him as a well-dressed man. But was he the same well-dressed man who went up the acropolis? This prosperous city was crammed with businessmen who looked equally high-priced in style.
I put it to him straight out."Someone thought they saw you going up to Acrocorinth today.'
Phineus hardly registered that this was a dangerous question."Not
me. I've been at the port all morning.' He quaffed the whole new cupful in one go. Now he came out with whatever had preoccupied him."Oh pig's piss. This is a blow.' He looked to me for consolation; I had none to give."Travel is never safe. I've had a mule fall on someone and crush them, and a man struck on the head by a full amphora of Cretan red. We try to take precautions, but you cannot cover everything. Accidents will happen.'
I gave him a bleak stare."That presupposes this was an accident.' Without another word, I left him and went back to find Helena.
I had no evidence against Phineus. I was not yet ready to accuse him. I dared not even ask such pointed questions that he guessed what I was thinking. I could not risk frightening him off.
I would continue to watch the others. But he was in my sights now.
XXXVI
Back at the Elephant, I was relieved to find that the builders had taken an afternoon off. I could not have borne their dusty, noisy renovations. The landlord was hanging about. He had heard we had a connection with a fatal accident. This little excitement drew him to us, as if he thought a death gave us magical attributes. I asked what the public were saying; he said the rumour was that Cleonymus went over because he was drunk. I snarled that the public were idiots then, and sent the landlord packing.
In a clear space in the courtyard, Albia and my two nephews were crouching around Nux. She lay in a basket I had never seen before, putting on a brave little invalid act. When I appeared, she allowed the end third of her short tail to twitch; she lifted her nose to me. I knelt down and put my palm on her side; her eyes showed a look of panic through their matted fur fringe, though she managed not to yelp.
"That dog's had a real bashing!' Gaius exclaimed. He sounded more admiring of whoever had bashed her, than of Nux for enduring the agony. I lifted my hand from her ribs, where her small heart had been pounding; she settled down warily, allowing me to stroke her head. After a moment she even gave me a sad lick, to show there were no hard feelings.
"Good dog. You're safe now with us… Who hurt you, girlie?'
Nux put a hot black nose against my palm. Normally this was disgusting, but I let her snuffle.
Albia, whom Helena and I had first met saving the lives of some dogs in a building fire, stood up from bending over Nux."Are we sure it was not you, Marcus Didius?'
I was shocked."Don't even think that!' I stared at the girl. Her early life had been brutal; we forgot that a little too readily. She still had a lot to learn about trust, and when to apply it."Nux is a mongrel with appalling habits – but she's mine.' I took her in from the streets just like you, Albia, I thought – but did not say it.
Gaius and Cornelius were watching us too closely for comfort.
Albia said uncomfortably,"Young Glaucus thinks you kill people.'
"I don't know what his father told him to make Glaucus believe that.'
"Uncle Marcus was in the army,' said Cornelius, trying to convince himself that excused anything. He was right too.
"Uncle Marcus looks like a comedy clown, but he's secretly dangerous!' Gaius chortled.
I had had a hard day."Stop it, all of you.'
"Who was there when the man fell?' demanded Albia sternly. She had at least learned from Helena and me how to address a puzzle. I rose to my feet awkwardly, and fell on a stone bench. At that moment I was hardly the heartless exterminator they wanted to believe. I must have looked as I felt. washed out, depressed, and fending off feelings of guilt.
Since I had not answered her, Albia repeated her question. I forced myself to say,"All that's known for certain is that I left Nux with the freedman, who went over the edge.'
"So did Cleonymus like dogs or not?'
"No idea.'
"We can ask someone,' Albia decided."If he hated them, he could have kicked Nux.'
"Cleonymus was sitting with Nux perfectly peacefully when I left them.'
"And was Nux happy with him?' the girl asked me, intently.
"I would not have left her otherwise.'
The last thing I had expected this evening when I came home, was to find myself hemmed in by this bunch of suspicious interrogators. Gaius and Cornelius had gathered around, like Albia more concerned about Nux than the human fatality.