Three Hands In The Fountain

`I wondered what was different. I was thinking about the black day. Some people might, as you say, travel to Rome early for these Games, to avoid a bad luck day. Last month the Ludi Romani started three days after the Kalends not two, so it didn't arise. That time the killer struck on the opening day of the Games, and you're assuming that's significant; But suppose whoever he brings is not particularly bothered about the grand parade? If they didn't want to travel on a bad luck day, they might just come up a day later.'

`You mean, he's not here yet!'

`Well, it's a thought. While you were all outside the Circus waiting for an attack last night, he might just have been arriving in Rome.'

I glanced at Petronius, who nodded glumly. `It's all to do again tonight, Petro.'

`I wasn't intending to relax.''

I meant to say we ought to look through the lists of vehicles that came in last night from Tibur, but the conversation, sheered off in a slightly different direction. `We need a strategy in case the killer does strike,' Julius Frontinus put in., `Of course we all hope he will be observed just before or during an abduction… But let's be realistic that would take a great deal of luck. If we miss it, and if he sets off with his victim, there may have to be a pursuit.'

'If he leaves the city boundary, the vigiles have no jurisdiction.'

Frontinus' gave me a look. `It's up to you two then. You won't lack support I have made some arrangements. The crimes are being committed in Rome, so if a pursuit is needed men can be allocated from the Urban Cohorts -'

Petronius, who loathed the Urbans, muffled a groan. `I have a whole cohort on the alert at the Praetorian Camp, with a fleet of horses saddled up. The magistrate who will hear the case if it comes to court will have to provide a chit for the Urban Prefect. It's all set up, but we need a name, for the arrest warrant-'

`Which magistrate?' asked Petro.

`One called Marponius. Have you come across him?'

`We know Marponius.' Petro loathed him too. He glanced at me. If, we had a chance to apprehend the killer, we would do it ourselves, in Rome or out of the city then politely request a warrant afterwards.

`I want this all carried out correctly,' Frontinus warned, sensing our rebellion.

`Of course,' we assured him.

Helena Justina bent over the cradle so the ex-Consul could not see her smile.

After Frontinus had gone, Petronius told me where he had been earlier. `Up the Via Lata – halfway to the Altar of Peace. Very smart. Very select. Big houses with big money

living in them, all the way out along the Via Flaminia.' 'What took you out there?'

`Checking that Aurelia Maesia really was there- with her sister.'

`I thought we were now regarding the Damon line of enquiry as defunct?'

`Nobody had told me then! Dear gods, working in the vigiles has its problems, but nothing like the frustrations of working outside them: Look!' He chopped the side of his

hand on the table. `Lying low isn't working -'

`So you wanted to put pressure on?' `Pressure's what I believe in, Falco.'

I knew he did. But. I believed in lying low. `Well, was old Aurelia there?'

`Both sisters were. Grata is even more short-sighted and decrepit than Maesia, but apparently that doesn't stop them both wobbling off to their seats at the Games every day. In

the evening they have friends in to dinner. They can't go out; there's a father who also comes for the family party and he's too feeble to take elsewhere. Jupiter knows how old he is!' `Did you see him?'

`No, the poor duck was asleep.'

`Lucky him!' I was feeling rough. And there; were nine days of the Augustales to go yet.

In the early evening I pulled on my best working boots. I wore wrist straps, which I rarely bothered with, and two thick tunics. I had a cloak, my knife in one boot, a purse for bribes. I bathed and lightly exercised, then had a shave to fill in an hour and warm me up cursing the barber's clumsiness;

Petronius would be wasting time in tedious confabulations with his colleagues in the vigiles. I let him go on ahead; to get it over with. With nothing better to do myself, I walked over by way of the Via Appia to the Porta Metrovia: I wanted to meet Damon. The indications were that he was not our killer, but he might know something useful about his fellow drivers from the Tibur area. I, had decided it was time, to question Damon directly.