David Wishart - The Lydian Baker

Felix's smile was still there, but it was false as an octogenarian's curls. 'But I told you, Valerius Corvinus,' he said. 'I didn't see Smaragdus after our last encounter several days before his partner's death. And I certainly did not know where he was hiding.'

'Yeah. Maybe not. But when I went to see his boyfriend Harpalus to arrange the meeting Harpalus assumed I'd come from you. The implication is that Smaragdus was expecting some sort of contact to be made. If he wasn't in touch already.'

'Harpalus needn't have been aware that our relationship had ended.'

'That wasn't the impression I got. Another thing. When I talked to Harpalus after I'd found Smaragdus's body he said he hadn't described me to his friend, he'd just said I was a Roman. That seemed to be enough for Smaragdus.'

'But I'm not a Roman, sir. I was born in Corinth.'

'Come on, Felix! You know what I mean! I don't care if your mother had bandy legs and drank mare's milk. Smaragdus knew who you worked for. The day I met him he was expecting a Roman, sure. I just wasn't the one he had in mind.'

'Sir,' Felix faced me levelly, 'I give you my bonded word that I had no other dealings with Smaragdus than those of which I've informed you.'

We stared at each other. He was lying, we both knew that. Proving it on my side was another matter, and we knew that too. The silence lengthened…

Ah, hell; right or not, I was in a no-win situation here, and it probably didn't matter anyway because that particular deal had never gone through. I shrugged my shoulders and sank a bit more of the Caecuban. 'Fine, fine. Okay, we'll leave that as it stands.'

Felix gave a small grunt. Maybe it was indigestion, not relief, but I wouldn't've laid any bets.

'So,' he said, and his voice was cheerful again. 'What happens now?'

'I carry on trying to find the statue. Plus Callippus and me do our best to nail Demetriacus.'

'I see.' He paused and then said tentatively: 'Perhaps then, sir, we can work together on your first objective.'

'Gee, that'd be nice, Felix, but somehow I don't think it would be a terribly good idea.'

He looked pained. 'Valerius Corvinus! Our interests coincide here! And if we do find the Baker I'm sure we can come to some amicable arrangement as to its disposal.'

I hesitated; I didn't trust Felix above half, but he was smart, too smart to antagonise and too dangerous to ignore. Also if you made certain allowances — considerable allowances — he was straight enough to rank with the good guys, if only just. Lastly, I needed the help. Sure I did.

'Maybe,' I said finally. 'Give me a day or so to think it over.'

'If that's the way you feel, sir,' he drew himself up with great dignity, 'then there's no more to be said.'

Huff, huff, pout, pout. I grinned. 'Okay. So how does this sound? If I find the Baker I hand it over to the public auctioneer and we bid for it fair and square. Agreed?'

'Ah.' Felix's eyes glazed. 'You…ah…think that's necessary under the circumstances? After all this was a private arrangement and with both principals dead we are the only two parties involved.'

Oh, no: I wasn't going to let the bastard wriggle out that easy!

'That's the deal, pal, take it or leave it. Argaius and Smaragdus may be dead, but Argaius left a wife in Crete. I'd like her to get what's coming to her. And if you do outbid me in the end I'm sure Priscus won't be too disappointed to have lost out to an imperial.'

'It might be advisable for him to do so in any case.' Felix didn't smile. 'If you take my meaning.'

Jupiter! That was something I hadn't thought of. Maybe we were lucky to be living under the Wart after all; and in five years' time we wouldn't be. Gaius would be emperor, and he was the sort who'd bear a grudge until hell froze over.

'Yeah,' I said carefully. 'Yeah, I take your meaning, pal. I'll bear that in mind. So. Do we have a deal or not?'

'We have a deal.' Felix stood up. 'But I mustn't keep you. No doubt you have more important things to do. It's been a delight to see you again, Valerius Corvinus, and, as always, extremely stimulating. Please do keep in touch.' He held out his hand.

'I mean to.' Sure I did, if only to make sure the bastard didn't throw me a wobbler the first chance he got. We shook. 'My regards to Memnon, by the way. He isn't around?'

Felix didn't hesitate. 'I gave him the day off. Knowing that we would be talking. It's his choir evening at the local men's club, and he always likes to attend if he can.'

'Is that so, now?' Gods alive! 'A choir evening. Right. You…uh…intend suspending him from duty altogether, by the way?'

'That,' Felix said primly, 'very much depends on you, sir. And on your decision re locating the statue.'

Well, I couldn't expect anything different, I supposed. But it did mean that I'd have to be extra-specially careful over Tiny. Felix might be okay at base, but his loyalties were fixed. If he got a crack at the Baker without me holding his lead Chrysoulla had as much chance of getting her money as paddling back from Crete on a washboard. Still, it had been good talking to the little guy again.

Besides, now I had something to take back to Callippus.

Dida was still waiting outside with the Twins.

'You find the man, lord?'

'Yeah,' I said. 'In a manner of speaking.' I took out my purse and held out a gold piece. 'Thanks, pal. Split this with your friends. Don't spend it all in the one shop.'

He grinned and pocketed the money. Gods alive, I was keeping the whole carriage-drivers' union in funds here! Or rather Priscus was. Still, it was worth it, and next time they might find Prince Charming for me.

'Where to now?' Dida said.

'Home, Dida.' I got in. 'That's enough for one day.'

We started off. The Twins weren't looking as happy as they had when we'd set out, but that was their worry. Well, maybe between here and the Lyceum Road we'd get hit by a gang of marauding Scythians who'd zigged instead of zagged at the Black Sea and they could try out their shiny new clubs. Meanwhile I closed my eyes and did my best to block out the smell of oil-jar-shifters' armpits.

That little conversation had been interesting, in more ways than one. Sure, finding out that Eutyches was my old pal Felix closed off one avenue of enquiry, but it raised the fresh question of how far I could trust the little weasel. Not that the answer was all that difficult: judging by both past and present acquaintance I'd put the distance at about half as far as I could spit. Felix had lied about his later contacts with Smaragdus, that was certain: there was no way Smaragdus would've painted himself into a corner over customers, and the fact that he'd taken me to the wrong cave instead of welcoming me with open arms, scruples or not, was a clincher. Shafting Demetriacus argued for a connection, too: I doubted if Smaragdus would've been brave enough or stupid enough to double-cross a guy like that unless he was pretty certain he had a fall-back, and a fall-back with clout, what was more. Felix's boss had that in spades; and remembering what Harpalus had said about Pergamum and Alexandria I'd bet good money that the little guy had sweetened the prospective deal with the offer of an anonymous place on the first ship out and guaranteed protection the other end.

If I hadn't been quite so certain Demetriacus was our man I'd be having grave doubts about Felix…

The driver's flap rattled. I opened my eyes.

'Lord?'

'Yeah, Dida.'

'I thought I'd tell you. Your Ethiopian. He's tailing us again. Plainer tunic but it's the same man.'

Uh-huh. So much for the choir at-home: the guy had probably been feeding his face in the kitchen all the time. Gods! That little bastard would lie on principle if you asked him what direction the sun rose! He must get some perverse kick out of it, like he did playing these damned games of his.