David Wishart - The Lydian Baker

'Yeah. Okay. Forget I asked.' I'd never understand Felix. The guy's thought processes were so convoluted he was lucky he didn't strangle himself going to the bathroom. 'Demetriacus is a local businessman. Among other pies he has his finger into is a brothel called Aphrodite's Scallop.'

'Ah, yes. That name is certainly familiar from Memnon's reports.'

A thought struck me. 'By the way. The cellar your gorilla pulled me out of. Was that the Scallop or not?'

'No, sir. It belonged to a house not far from here. The owner is abroad and the property is empty at present. That I did discover.'

'Uh-huh.' Well, that made sense, although I'd bet a jar of Falernian to a pickled walnut Demetriacus had charge of the keys. 'You have the address?'

'It's in Collytus, near the temple of Zeus Phratrios. The owner's name is Polyhymnius'

'Thanks.' I made a mental note. Callippus would be able to check it back, and it might give us another strand to the rope he was plaiting to hang the bastard. 'Memnon didn't think to follow Prince Charming when he left me tied up at all? Or did he?'

Felix sighed. 'Memnon may be willing, but he is not unduly burdened with brains. His instructions were to follow you and watch your back. He interpreted them literally.'

'A pity he didn't interpret them literally when the guy slugged me in the first place.'

'That is a sore point, I'm afraid. No pun intended.' I grinned. 'He did, I understand, witness the attack, although he was too late to prevent it. He considered that his priority thereafter was to follow and release you when opportunity offered.'

Yeah. There were holes in that one as well, but I didn't have either the time or the energy to bother with them now. 'Okay. It's done. Leave it. Let's talk about Demetriacus.'

'By all means.' I noted with interest that Felix seemed relieved.

'So.' I topped up my winecup. 'Background. Up to now Smaragdus has managed to keep you and Argaius apart, but just when he's ready to do the trade you hit him with the news that you've found he's got a partner and you want to meet the guy. Smaragdus is caught, and he knows it. He's got two options. One: he forgets the scam, goes to Argaius, tells him he's negotiated a sale, and takes his legitimate cut. The problem with that is that it comes too late. Argaius has set up a deal already, and he's going to be pretty surprised to find out he's suddenly got two customers ready to buy instead of one; also, pretty suspicious that Smaragdus hasn't told him about this second prospect before. And finally he's going to positively hit the roof when the three of you get together and he finds out you'd never heard of him.'

Felix nodded. 'A fair assessment. The second option?'

'Smaragdus solves the problem by murdering Argaius. On the face of it, this is attractive because when the sale goes through he ends up with the whole amount, which was his plan to begin with. The trouble is that option's too risky, because Argaius's death puts the deal into a whole new league, one that needs either total imbecility or total complicity on the part of his customer. Scratch imbecility: no one's that stupid. As for complicity, well, you and I may know Gaius wouldn't care a pickled anchovy about Argaius so long as he got the Baker, but Smaragdus can't be certain. Added to which now murder's involved our pal the Crown Prince would expect him to drop the price in exchange for a bit of imperial strabismus.'

Felix was smiling. 'Oh, Corvinus! You wrong the master, you really do!'

'Is that so, now?' I said drily. Like hell I did: where his own interests were concerned, Gaius was as single-minded as a fox in a chicken- run, and Felix would be on his side all the way. 'On the other hand, if you don't turn out to be an idiot or a crook after all' — Felix's smile widened — 'then the authorities are going to be involved. In which case Smaragdus will be asked questions he'd prefer not to answer.'

'But Argaius needn't actually be found murdered, sir. He could simply disappear. At least until the sale was made.'

'Exactly. That'd be sensible, and it would certainly grease the wheels because it would provide a moral let-out clause for a customer not unduly burdened with scruples.' Another smile. 'The only thing is, it didn't happen. Argaius's body was dumped the night after he went missing, in the most public place in Athens. Common sense says if Smaragdus had killed him or arranged his death he wouldn't have played it that way.'

'Unless he wanted to stage a bluff, perhaps? If Argaius were killed between his house and Mounychia Smaragdus would naturally be a prime suspect. However, if the body were found elsewhere and exhibited signs of torture — as it was and did — the implication would be that others were responsible who knew of the Baker's existence but not its whereabouts. With the man demonstrably dead by hands unknown and the body quickly recovered there might be no obstacle to finalising an unrelated business deal.' Felix smiled brightly. 'I'm speaking theoretically, sir, of course.'

Jupiter with little bells on! The guy had a nastier imagination than I had! 'You think Smaragdus was capable of that degree of sophistication?'

'Perhaps not. But it is a suggestion.'

'Sure. Only it doesn't explain why Smaragdus kept his head down even after he knew Argaius was gone.'

'Very well.' Felix nodded. 'Accepted.'

'And given that fact, the next question's obvious: if the guy was in hiding, really in hiding, then who and what was he afraid of?'

'You have the ball, Valerius Corvinus.' Felix sat back. 'Carry on. This is fascinating.'

'Okay.' I sank another mouthful of the Caecuban. 'A scenario. Let's say Smaragdus has a third option. He approaches — or is approached by, or maybe he already has been approached by — another potential customer who we'll call for sake of argument Demetriacus and who is unquestionably as crooked as a snake's backbone. They talk and come to an arrangement. Smaragdus will sell Demetriacus the Baker at a bargain price. Say two-thirds of what he and Argaius were asking together.'

Felix's eyes narrowed. 'That's quite a drop, sir. And one — if I've followed you correctly — that Smaragdus was unwilling to make. Why should he do so now?'

'Wait. There's another side to the deal, and that's the clincher. In exchange, Demetriacus undertakes to murder Argaius in a way that'll leave Smaragdus in the clear and provide a red herring or two in the process.'

'Ah!' A nod. 'Oh, I see.'

'Only then comes the twist, because remember we're talking about crooks here. After the agreement's been reached both guys independent of each other proceed to go back on it. Sure, Demetriacus kills Argaius as per contract, but before he does he persuades the guy to tell him where the Baker is; the idea being, of course, to heist the statue under Smaragdus's nose and leave him high and dry with no comeback. Meanwhile, however, Smaragdus has staged his own heist and moved the gold elsewhere. And when Demetriacus finds Argaius's cave empty and realises he's been out-manoeuvred he is not a happy little criminal.'

'Hence Smaragdus's continued disappearance and Demetriacus's attempts to trace the statue before and after his partner's death.' Felix was beaming. 'Beautiful, sir. My congratulations.'

'Yeah, well. It explains the facts, anyway.' I paused. 'Or all of them apart from one, rather.'

'And that is?'

'Smaragdus is sitting pretty. Argaius is dead and he has the Baker to himself. His only problem is that now he has no one to sell to.'

Felix's smile froze. 'Yes. Yes, I suppose that's true.'

'He's shafted Demetriacus, and the guy may still want the statue but only with Smaragdus's giblets hung round its neck. Me, I'm out: like I said, Smaragdus had his chance to make a proper pitch when we met and he blew it, intentionally, by taking me to the wrong cave.' I paused, and then said slowly: 'So, pal, you were the only one left.'