Three Hands In The Fountain

`Pardon me, Marcus. How can I do that? I know you and Petro!'

`Then you know we have had our successes.' I was trying to keep my, temper. Faced with girls with wild theories, always appear open to suggestion.

`What I know is you're a pair of loons.'

I appealed to Helena Justina. She had been listening with the downcast air of a woman who knows' it will be her task to be sensible, whatever her heart says. `Ours is a good idea, Marcus, but I can see why you're nervous'

`It's far too dangerous.'

`You would be there to protect us.'

`I appreciate the offer. You both mean too much to me, and I don't want you to do it. I can't lock you in -'

`You'd better not try!' interrupted Maia.

All I could do was to ask them to assure me they would listen to my warning and not try anything stupid after I was gone. They heard me with pitying expressions, then gave promises of good behaviour so solemnly that it was obvious they would do whatever they liked.

It was time to sharpen my knife and attune my mind to danger. I had no time to deal with these two when they were trying to annoy me

There are men who would let the women they love take a risk in a desperate cause. Helena and Maia were courageous and clever; if we ever did use decoys they would be an excellent choice. But using decoys was far too dangerous. Something unexpected was bound to happen. A mistake or a trick would leave them exposed. It takes only a second for a man to grab a girl, then cut her throat and silence her for ever.

`Stay at home, please,' I begged them as I went off on my watch that night. Maybe they had been holding further discussions while I was preparing myself for action, because they both kissed me quietly, like well-behaved sweethearts. My heart sank.

They seemed far too amenable. Were they planning to try out their crazy scheme without telling me? Dear gods, I was in enough trouble.

FIFTY FIVE

We watched outside the Circus all night. Once again I was patrolling the Street of the Three Altars; Petro set up camp at the Temple of the Sun and Moon. It was mild, clear-skied and humid. Not too hot, yet, enough to generate an exciting atmosphere. Girls were floating about the streets in flimsy dresses, their shoulder brooches half unpinned and their side-seams agape while they burrowed happily in their packets of nuts and sweetmeats, hardly looking around to see who might be ogling and following them. Bare-armed, bare-necked, bare-headed open invitations to lust., I had never seen so many; carefree and confident Roman women, all apparently oblivious of their physical insecurity.

I was losing heart. There were far too many people, far too few of us on duty, far too many exits from the Circus, far too many streets where unwary home-goers might be picked up in the dark.

We stayed there until we were dropping. Our concentration was stretched unendurably, not least because we were so unsure who we were looking for amongst the throng. The Games had ended, the litters and chairs had come and gone, the prostitutes and drunks had taken over the district, and then even they went home: As first light began to show, I walked along to the Temple. Petro and I stood together for a few minutes, looking around.

The streets and temple steps were strewn with litter. Stray dogs and huddled vagrants rooted among the debris. A few lamps dwindled. There was silence at last, broken only by occasional disturbing noises from dark alleyways.

`If he was here, then we missed him,' said Petronius in a low voice. `He may, have got someone.'

`What do you think?'

`I hope not.'

'But what do you think, partner?'

'Don't ask, Falco.'

We walked home together wearily to Fountain Court.

FIFTY SIX

Helena woke me around midday. She brought me a drink, put the baby in my arms, then snuggled up on the bed at my side while I slowly, came to.

I freed a strand of her hair which had become trapped under my elbow. `Thanks for being here when I came in.' I was pretending to joke about the threats she and Maia had made. `Did I wake you?'

`I never really went to sleep. I just dozed, worrying about you out there.'

`Nothing happened.'

'No,' said Helena quietly. `But if you had seen him,: you would have gone after him. I was worried about that.'

`I can take care of myself.'

She nestled closer, saying nothing. I lay silent myself, worrying about leaving her every night, knowing that when she thought I was doing something dangerous she stayed awake for hours, opening her eyes at every sound and sometimes even jumping up to look out down the street for my return.