When the older guard returned he looked flushed and even more anxious than before. With him was a man of a similar age wearing a dark green tunic and expensive shoes.
‘Good day. I am Dryas, steward of Master Megakreon’s household.’
‘Good day. Your man told you why I’m here?’
‘He did, and I have spoken to Master Megakreon. Numerius Afer is a good friend of his. Master Megakreon asked me to suggest that you arrange a meeting for tomorrow. If you consider that unacceptable, you will have to take the matter up with Centurion Cethegus. Cethegus is a lifelong friend of my master and – as I’m sure you’re aware – commander of the Tripolis garrison.’
Cassius was aware of that; the men at the way station had told him. He also knew that Cethegus was away supervising repairs to the coast road and he wasn’t about to waste time chasing after him. If Afer was involved in the counterfeiting, he could warn his associates or flee.
‘Not good enough, I’m afraid. Has to be now.’
‘Officer, please.’ Dryas came forward and lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘My master and his friends have been drinking most of the afternoon. He is in an … exuberant mood. If you were to cause a scene it might not end well for anyone.’
‘There will be no scene if he sends out Numerius Afer. I doubt I will need more than quarter of an hour.’
‘Sir, I really …’ The steward somehow whispered even more quietly. ‘Officer, what can I do for you? If you could make an accommodation I’m sure we could come to some arrangement.’
Cassius was not averse to a bribe on the right occasion but this was not it; he was rapidly running out of patience and the stakes were too high. ‘I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. If Afer’s not standing where you are in two minutes, my friend and I are going to find him.’
Dryas sighed, then hurried back through the door.
Cassius watched some gardeners watering a dry patch of turf. A pair of maids appeared from the side of the house, each carrying a candelabra. Cassius winked at the prettier of the two but she ignored him. The guards parted to let them through the door.
‘I reckon that’s about a minute,’ said Cassius.
Indavara nodded.
After a while the big guard laughed and pointed at him. ‘Gods, I can see his lips moving. Not mastered counting in your head yet, friend?’
Indavara coloured and looked away. The older guard chuckled.
‘And you are a mathematical genius, I suppose?’ said Cassius. ‘Here’s a number for you. Twenty.’
‘What about it?’
‘If you’re lucky, I won’t have to tell you.’
Something thumped into the door behind the guards and a man lurched out. Judging from his lined, saggy face, he was well over sixty but his hair had been dyed a ridiculous shade of auburn. He was dressed in an opulent toga striped with silver and gold thread. He looked rather drunk and rather unhappy.
‘You – are you this army fellow?’
‘Officer Crispian. Good day, sir.’
Dryas exited the villa behind his master.
‘As you can see, I’m entertaining.’ Megakreon gestured towards the terrace. ‘Come back another time, there’s a good chap.’
‘Sir, I’m afraid that’s not possible. All I need is a few minutes with Numerius Afer. Perhaps there’s somewhere quieter where we-’
Megakreon stepped closer; very close. He was tall, almost as tall as Cassius, who tried to ignore the foul breath upon his face.
‘You do know who I am?’
Cassius kept his hands clasped behind him and his tone conciliatory.
‘I do, sir. But I am carrying out a criminal investigation for the Imperial Security Service. I have made a polite request and I would like to see Afer now. If you don’t mind.’
Megakreon slapped a hand on Cassius’s shoulder.
‘I’ve known Afer for ten years. It’s not possible that he could be involved in anything criminal. Take my word for it.’
Cassius stepped back and took the spearhead from his satchel. ‘Sir, I hold the rank of centurion and a written authorisation from Marshal Marcellinus. I have the right to question whomever I please.’
Megakreon glared at him. ‘Not here, son. Not today. I suggest you turn around and walk down my drive or you’ll be out of the army by the end of the week. All it will take is the right letter to the right man.’
Cassius didn’t appreciate being called ‘son’. Not now; not after all he’d been through in the last three years. He didn’t much appreciate being told what to do either, not by this drunken old prick anyway.
‘And I suggest you tell Afer to come out immediately, or we’ll go and get him.’
‘By Jupiter you shall not.’
Cassius walked around Megakreon, past Dryas and up to the door. He knew Indavara would be right behind him. He spoke to the guards.
‘I am an officer of the Imperial Army and I am going through this door. I advise you to get out of my way.’
‘Don’t move an inch,’ said Megakreon. Cassius was aware that a good number of the guests had moved to the side of the terrace to watch.
‘That number,’ he said. ‘Twenty – the number of fights my friend won. In the arena.’
The guards looked at Indavara then glanced at each other and stepped aside.
‘Very wise,’ said Cassius as he walked into the villa.
‘By the gods … I have never … this …’ Megakreon sounded as if he were about to expire.
The first room was quite small and contained three luxurious couches and a dozen guests, who were already backing away.
‘Good day,’ Cassius said brightly. ‘Can anyone tell me where I might find Numerius Afer?’
A middle-aged woman pointed through a doorway.
‘Thank you.’ Cassius and Indavara walked on, past a thick damask curtain and into a large atrium. The skylight was a colossal glass square. Four white busts framed the room, each standing upon a plinth of pink marble.
Sitting below the skylight was a female harpist. She was surrounded by guests but had stopped playing as others came in from the terrace to see what all the fuss was about. Cassius felt rather sick as he saw just how many were present at the party. He wanted this over quickly.
‘Numerius Afer?’
‘I believe he’s outside,’ said an elderly gentleman leaning on a stick.
‘Ah, thank you.’
‘Get them out!’
Cassius and Indavara turned to find Megakreon shepherding the guards from outside plus another pair towards them. He slapped two of his employees on the back. ‘Do it or you’ll never see a single bloody coin from me again.’
‘Now, there’s no need for any unpleasantness,’ said Cassius, retreating.
Indavara stood his ground and took the stave from his back. ‘I’m guessing no blades, right?’
‘Right.’
‘Rush him,’ yelled Megakreon. ‘Now!’
The two new arrivals charged. Indavara kept his hands in the middle of the stave and waited. He waited so long that Cassius almost shouted at him to do something.
The bodyguard struck out with the right end of the weapon first, catching one guard on the chin. His victim’s eyes shot up into his head and he fell straight on to his backside, spilling a few coins that rolled away. Indavara shifted his weight then used the left end, hitting the next man a glancing blow on the cheek. As his hands went up to his face and he staggered away, Indavara thumped the stave down on to the curve of his back, pummelling him into the floor.
The older guard from outside had clearly decided he would risk unemployment but the big ex-soldier bravely elected to have a go. He was already moving at a run when Indavara shifted his grip to one end of the stave and swung the other into his flank. The guard lurched to one side and cried out but then reached for his sword.
‘Oh no you don’t.’ Indavara closed in and jabbed the stave into his opponent’s hand, cracking it against his body. ‘Didn’t you hear? No blades.’
Gritting his teeth, the guard stared down at his red, limp right hand, then reached for the sword again, this time with his left.