David Wishart - The Lydian Baker

'Very well,' Perilla said. 'There is just one small thing that puzzles me, though.'

'Sure. Spit it out.'

'A legitimately-bought gift to the city I could understand; but don't you think the Athenian authorities would be a little apprehensive about accepting a statue obviously acquired by skulduggery?'

'Uh…' Damn. 'Maybe. Put like that, I suppose…'

'Not to mention subsequent murder, kidnapping, grievous bodily harm…'

'Perilla…'

'Just a suggestion.'

'Yeah. Yeah, thanks. Point taken.'

Perilla leaned over and kissed me. 'Eat your dinner, Marcus,' she said. 'It'll all work out eventually.'

I bit savagely into a chicken leg. Ah, hell. She was right, of course. About the skulduggery angle, anyway. The Athenian governing class might turn a blind eye in public, sure, if it meant getting the Baker, but privately was another matter, and the private aspect was what Demetriacus was interested in. When the news got around the City's Beautiful and Good that the guy was a crook he'd've been lucky to find an invitation to the opening of the latest sewer branch line hitting his doormat, let alone a ticket for the archon's birthday bash. Still, I was on the right track, I knew I was. And whatever his reasons the bastard had been lying; Perilla couldn't get past that.

Nailing him for it, however, was another matter. I couldn't do that alone; I hadn't the authority.

Next day I'd have to go round and make my peace with Callippus.

He had company when I arrived. Well, maybe that was all to the good: at least he'd have to throw me out politely.

'Corvinus.' Not a smile. Callippus was evidently still gravely peeved. 'I was just going to send for you. Take a seat, please.'

Uh-oh. So it was rap-over-the-knuckles time right enough. I pulled up a chair.

'Hey,' I said. 'I'm sorry about landing you in it the other day, but — '

'This is Beryllus. He's an officer from the Melitides Gate station.' The other guy — he was standing — gave me a nod. 'There've been developments. The Melitides lads have found a body.'

A cold finger touched my spine. Oh, no! Not Cotile! I shouldn't've let her go back, especially in my carriage. These things get noticed.

'Luckily Melanthus of Abdera's description was passed out to all the stations in the city.' Callippus still looked serious as hell. 'Melitides were able to identify him and get in touch right away.'

My brain went numb. Shit. It was impossible.

'Melanthus?' I said. 'The corpse was Melanthus's?'

'We're fairly certain of that, sir.' Beryllus turned to me. 'Although it had been lying for some time. Naturally we're contacting his household for confirmation.'

'He was found by a courting couple late yesterday evening under some bushes on the Hill of the Nymphs.' Callippus was looking at the wall a foot past my left ear.

Oh, shit! Oh, Jupiter Best and Greatest! I shook my head to clear it. 'How long did you say he'd been there?'

'Three or four days, at least, from the condition of the body. It's a pretty out-of-the-way spot.' Beryllus's lips twisted into a grin. 'Hence the courting couple.'

'And this is the fifth day since Melanthus of Abdera disappeared.' Callippus stood up. 'Very well, Beryllus. You can go. Keep me informed.' The guy nodded and went out. Callippus waited until the door closed behind him. 'Corvinus, I ought to lock you up and throw the key away. If I could, I would, believe me.'

I was still in shock. 'Hey, come on, pal! Just because — '

'You've taken considerable pains to besmirch the name of one of Athens's most prominent citizens while all the time that citizen has been lying murdered under a bush at the edge of town. You've wasted official senior Watch time on fruitless wild goose chases in the course of which you've done your best on no grounds whatsoever to throw suspicion on other innocent citizens. You've behaved throughout in a boorish, high-handed and completely irresponsible manner which personally I find totally reprehensible. And you have the gall to come back this morning and off- handedly apologise for "landing me in it".'

'Uh…yeah.' Well, he had a point: maybe I had screwed things up a little in places.

'Exactly. That response sums you up.' He sat down and pulled a pile of reports towards him. 'Now I have work to do even if you haven't. As far as I'm concerned the case is closed. Melanthus of Abdera was attacked and killed by footpads and his body dumped. Can I say, however, that had we not, on your advice, wasted time and effort in trying to trace the living man we might have found the body before and had a chance of bringing his killers to justice. As it is, that is about as likely as your own chances of setting foot in this office again so long as I am Watch Commander. Now good day to you. Please ask my clerk to step in as you leave.'

I didn't move: I was getting pretty angry myself now.

'Okay,' I said. 'Sure. After you've explained one or two things. First. What the hell was Melanthus doing on the Hill of the Nymphs? Like you say, it's on the edge of town, and if he was jumped on his way home from the Scallop then he was going in the wrong fucking direction.'

'That was only where the body was found.' Callippus was glaring at me. 'He could have been killed anywhere. And, Valerius Corvinus, I will not have gutter language used in this station!'

'Yeah, okay. I'm sorry.' I swallowed hard. 'But just answer me this. You say Melanthus was killed by footpads. How many Athens muggers do you know who'll take the trouble to drag a corpse half across town after they've had the guy's purse off him?' I saw his eyes shift. 'His purse was missing, wasn't it?'

'That's beside the point.'

'You mean you don't know? Jupiter, Callippus, I thought you were supposed to be the professional here!'

' That is..!'

'And one more thing. I'd bet a rotten sardine to the whole of the City treasury that the guy's throat was cut.'

His hand slammed down on the desk between us. 'Now that is enough! I will not have my professional standards brought into question by anyone, least of all a Roman dilettante like yourself!'

'If it's necessary then someone has to do it, pal! And calling names won't get you off the hook either. I'm right about the cause of death, aren't I?'

He took a deep breath: angry Callippus might be, but even angry the guy was fair.

'Very well,' he said at last. 'Yes, Melanthus of Abdera did die from a severed throat. Which is not uncommon in these cases. And no, I do not know whether his purse was missing. But now that you've been so kind as to point out to me the gap in my knowledge I will remedy it forthwith.'

'You do that, sunshine. And while you're about it you might send someone down to the records office and check a bill of sale.'

That stopped him. 'What bill of sale?'

'A property transfer, dated about four years back. Between Melanthus of Abdera and your friend Demetriacus.'

There was a long silence. 'For the Scallop?' he said at last.

'For the Scallop. The house used to belong to Melanthus. He inherited it from his uncle, and he sold it to Demetriacus.'

'You're sure of this?'

'Hundred per cent concrete certain.' Now was no time for fudging.

I'd got him. Sure I had. 'But Demetriacus said he didn't know Melanthus.'

'He was lying. They've been bosom buddies ever since the Scallop started.'

'Corvinus, if this is another of your half-baked suppositions…'

'Just check, okay? That's all I'm asking.'

He gave me a level stare. Then he got up and opened the door.

'Critias!'

The clerk came in. He gave me a nervous look: the party walls in these government offices are pretty thin.

'Go round to Property Records,' Callippus told him. 'You're looking for a deed of sale to a house near Ptolemy's Gymnasium, date about four years ago, seller Melanthus of Abdera, buyer Demetriacus son of Demetrius. I want to know at once if and when you find it.' He looked at me. 'Especially if you don't. You've got that?'