Three Hands In The Fountain

After we left his house Helena Justina said nothing immediately. Then she reached her decision. `He's not involved. I think if he had killed her he would rail against the supposed murderer more dramatically. He would issue threats, or offer ostentatious rewards. When he says Asinia was perfect, his protestations, would be louder and longer. But he just sits there, hoping his visitors will soon leave him alone. He's still in shock, Marcus.' I thought; she had finished, but then Helena murmured, `Did you see the rock crystal necklace that the slave girl, was wearing? I imagine it's one which belonged to his wife.'

I was shocked. `Has she stolen it?'

`No, she was wearing it; openly.'

I was even more shocked. `Are you. telling me after all that Cicurrus had a reason to dispose of Asinia?'

`No.' Helena shook her head and smiled at me gently. `He's heartbroken; that's genuine. I'm telling you he's just a typical man.'

THIRTY SIX

As the days passed and the clues diminished we were gearing ourselves for a last night on surveillance outside the Circus Maximus' when the Games ended. Frontinus and the Prefect of the Vigiles were making it an official exercise. Every spare man was to be drawn from the watch cohorts.

I spent some time at home during that day. Helena needed rest, and I needed to be with her. Working night shifts all week helped me avoid being wakened when the baby-cried, but it left Helena with all the duties when she was already exhausted. I knew she was feeling demoralised. Julia had discovered that she could rack our, nerves to breaking point by wailing for long periods, though if either of her, grandmothers came over to see Helena the dear child stopped as soon as they picked her up. Helena was tired of being glared at as if she were either not trying or plainly incompetent.

Helena had slept all afternoon. I kept Julia quiet by a method Petro had revealed to me. It involved the baby and me snoozing in the porch together' with a cup of honeyed wine, not all of which went into Papa.

The only real interruption was a visit from that latrine-wall lizard Anacrites.

`What do you want? And keep your voice down. If you wake the baby she'll wake Helena, and if you cause that to happen I'll wring your grimy neck.'

There was no reason to suggest he failed to wash; Anacrites had always looked almost too sleek. His clothes were faintly dandified. His haircuts were suspiciously neat. He fancied himself as a looker. The only truly filthy thing about him was his character.

'How did you get yourself hitched up to a consul, Falco?'

`A good reputation and impeccable contacts.'

`That must have cost a lot to fix. Can I sit down?' `Still poorly? Have a step.'

I myself had carried out a wicker chair, in which I was sprawled with one arm around the sleeping baby. Nux, lying at my feet, filled up the rest of the tiny landing outside my apartment. Anacrites could neither step round me to go indoors and fetch out a stool, nor even reach the shade. He had to drape himself in the baking heat on the dusty stone stairs. I'm not a complete bastard. I was not trying to give the invalid another headache, just turning him into a sun-dried raisin to encourage him to leave.

I tipped my cup at him and drained it. As there was only one, he could only nod in response. Even this hint failed to work.

`Your game of draughts with Frontinus is getting in my way, Falco.'

`Oh, I am sorry!'

`There's no need to pretend.' `Irony, dear fellow.'

`Crap, Falco! Why don't we join forces?'

I knew what that meant. He was as thoroughly stuck as Petronius and me. `You want to link up, pinch any ideas we have, and claim all the credit yourself?'

`Don't be harsh.'

`I've seen you at work before.'

`I just think we are duplicating our efforts.'

`Well, maybe that gives us twice as much chance of success.' I too could sound so reasonable it made the other party squirm.

Anacrites darted to a new subject. `So what's this rumble you've got going on tonight?' His ears were well pricked, apparently. Though with all the vigiles cohorts being stretched to breaking point in order to supply us with our troops, at the Circus word was bound to filter out to any half-trained spy.

`Just some anti-vandalism measure Frontinus dreamed up.'

`How's that? He's ex-officio, apart from the water deaths enquiry.'

`Oh, is he? I wouldn't know; I, don't take much interest in politics – too murky for a simple Aventine lad. I leave all that unscrupulous stuff to suave types with Palace upbringings.' He knew I was being disingenuous – and insulting him with his inferior social status. I had never bothered to find out, but, Anacrites was bound to be an ex-Imperial slave; all Palace officials were nowadays.

Unable to settle, he changed tack. `Your mother's been complaining that you, never come and visit her

`Tell her to get a new lodger then.'

`She wants to see more of the baby,' he lied.