David Wishart - Germanicus

'Maybe he was just going through the motions,' I said. 'Maybe Artabanus of Parthia and the Wart had made their deal already.'

'In that case why not send Drusus? He could have done with the extra kudos, and from all accounts he has the necessary deviousness to push things through if the Parthians did try a double cross. Also Drusus is the emperor's son as much as Germanicus, even if he is junior. So there would be no question of outraged protocol.'

'Drusus wasn't free. He had his own fish to fry in Pannonia.' I was clutching at straws. She was right; Drusus would've been a natural choice, given the circumstances. And the poor guy could certainly use a round of applause back at Rome.

Perilla was twisting her hair again. 'There's one thing that does support your theory,' she said slowly.

'Yeah?' I tried to keep the surprise out of my voice. No point having her smug as well as smart. 'What's that?'

'Agrippina is a Julian. If the succession is an issue then it's relevant that one of their children would be next in line.'

'Explain.'

'Germanicus had three sons. Drusus only had a daughter. If Germanicus were to be the next emperor then his eldest son would be a fortiori the new crown prince.'

Uh-huh. That made sense. Germanicus's eldest son Nero was fifteen already, with the second boy a year younger and Gaius — Agron’s Caligula, the Little Boot — rising ten.

'Right,' I said. 'Which would leave Drusus to do a Tiberian tap dance in the wings.' Three sons. The succession. Tiberius's tap dance. My neck was itching…

Ah, leave it.

'Marcus?'

'Hmm?'

'Your eyes have gone glazed.'

'Yeah? Oh, it's nothing. Just an idea, but it won't come.' I reached over for the wine cup: my brain needed lubrication. 'So what do you think? About the theory?'

'That Tiberius had Germanicus removed for incompetence? I'm sorry to say that it has its attractions. Apart from the Armenian problem, of course, which is crucial.'

The wine went down the wrong way. When I'd finished coughing my guts out, I said: 'Really? You like it? No kidding?'

She smiled. 'I wouldn't go quite that far. I still can't believe that Tiberius would commit murder, especially the murder of his own son, adopted or not. However I'm willing to accept that he might do it in one circumstance and one only. Where the future of Rome was at stake.'

The future of Rome. Perilla had hit it smack on the button. The Wart, as I've said before, might be six different kinds of bastard but he was straight. If the reasons behind the murder were purely dynastic, or purely personal, then I'd've believed Livia was responsible, but never the Wart. He was a soldier, he didn't think that way. To Tiberius what mattered was the empire and his duty to it, and screw popular opinion.

I had that itch again. There was something…

Three sons. Tiberius's tap dance. The succession…

Sons…

'Oh, Jupiter!' I said softly.

'Marcus? What's wrong?'

I waved her down. I had to get this straight. Another cup of wine would help…

'Maybe it wasn't the Wart,' I said. 'Oh, sure, it could be, despite the problems. In fact, Germanicus's success with Parthia makes it even more likely he didn't do it. But if not there's someone with an even bigger reason for getting rid of the guy than the emperor.'

'And who might that be?'

'Drusus. Tiberius's real son.'

Perilla was quiet for a long time. Then she said:

'Yes. Yes, you're right. I hadn't considered Drusus.'

'He's got a motive. He's got one hell of a motive. The Wart, whether he likes it or not, has edged him to the sidelines, exactly like Augustus did to him twenty years back. Germanicus had three sons old enough to be groomed for the purple, while Drusus was stuck with a daughter. Only about a year ago the situation changed, didn't it?' Our eyes met. 'Because Drusus's wife Livilla got pregnant.'

Perilla nodded. 'And had twin boys. Yes. Drusus wasn't to know that at the time, of course. She gave birth after Germanicus's death.'

'The chances were fifty-fifty, lady. Good odds. And Imperials are good breeders.' Sweet gods, it made sense! 'Suddenly the ante's gone up. Drusus has responsibilities, or he soon will have. He's a family man in the only way that matters in the succession stakes. Only as things are he hasn't a hope in hell of getting his bum off the bench. Worse, after Armenia Germanicus is riding even higher than ever.'

'So Drusus takes matters into his own hands and has his stepbrother murdered.' Perilla looked thoughtful. 'Would he do that?'

I shook my head. 'I don't know. I don't know enough about the guy. Not many people do, because he's spent most of his life out of Rome. Sure, he and Germanicus were supposed to be close but like my father said he's a pretty cerebral character. Maybe he's always secretly hated Germanicus's guts. Jupiter knows he's had reason. Or maybe the temptation was just too much, especially with Livilla pushing. From all accounts that lady's a tough cookie.'

'She's Germanicus's own sister!'

'So what? You think that would stop her?'

'I don't know.'

'Nor do I, but I wouldn't take bets. The Imperials aren't exactly a togetherness family.' I lifted the jug, but it was empty. An omen. I'd had enough for one night. 'Anyway, it's too good to miss. That's our next project. We check out Drusus.'

Perilla looked at me. 'Bed first?'

I grinned and kissed her. 'Bed.'

We were on our way up when Bathyllus oiled through from the kitchen. Obviously he'd been lying in wait.

'Yeah, Bathyllus?' I said in the most discouraging voice I could manage. 'What is it?'

'I'm sorry to disturb you, sir,' he said. 'I would have told you earlier, but I'm afraid it slipped my mind.'

'These things happen, little guy. Just make it quick, will you?'

'Yes, sir. It concerns Livineius Regulus. You recall you asked me recently where the gentleman lived?'

'Yeah. Yeah, I recall that.' Jupiter! Didn't Bathyllus have any sense of occasion? 'What about him?'

'I heard earlier this evening that he's dead, sir. Murdered. I thought you might be interested.

Jupiter Best and Greatest! 'You have the details?'

'His body was found at the foot of the Gemonian Stairs, sir, with a hook in his throat. He had been stabbed in the back.'

Perilla gasped. I felt pretty shocked myself.

'They have any idea who did it?'

'No, sir. Robbers, presumably.' A sniff. 'The Aventine is quite an uncultivated district. Goodnight, sir.'

'Night, Bathyllus.'

We carried on upstairs in a more sober frame of mind than we'd left the hallway. I'd wanted another word with Regulus and now it seemed I wouldn't get the chance. Someone, somewhere, evidently considered that he'd flapped his mouth once too often already and shut it for him. Permanently.

There was one other thing; maybe it was coincidence but I doubted it. Whoever had knifed Regulus had a pretty sick sense of humour. The Gemonian Stairs run down from Aventine to Tiber. After their execution unpopular criminals, particularly traitors, are dragged down them with hooks and tossed in the river for the rats to gnaw. I'd been sent a message. No more pussyfooting around. Now we were playing for real.

Next morning I checked with Watch headquarters. They put me on to the guy who'd found Regulus's body. He was off duty, and I took the address: a tenement not far from the Appian aqueduct. When I found it there was a kid sitting on the step outside, shelling peas into a bowl.

'Hey, sonny,' I said. 'You happen to know where I can find Flavonius Lippillus?'

The kid set the bowl down. 'You already have. And less of the sonny.'

I did a double-take. He didn't look old enough to shave, let alone help keep order in one of the toughest districts of the city. 'You're Lippillus?' I said. 'Of the Aventine Watch?'