David Wishart - Illegally Dead

Clarus laughed. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘That’s okay. No offence.’ We walked on for a bit in silence: Hyperion’s house — and his surgery — were near the temple of Juno; south of the market square, in other words, and as Acceius had said not all that far from the Bovillan gate. ‘You noticed the business with the bust.’

‘Yes. I didn’t know he’d been married before. How did you find out?’

‘Gabba. He said there’d been nothing funny about the death that he’d heard of, and childbirth deaths are common enough, but a sudden widower getting hitched again practically before his wife’s bones’ve cooled is bound to be suspicious. Especially to a stunner — a rich stunner — like Seia Lucinda.’

‘And did he? I mean, that quickly?’

I shrugged. ‘I don’t know exactly, but it couldn’t’ve been that long after.’

‘You’ve got a nasty mind, Corvinus.’

‘Yeah. Still, what kind of wife-murderer keeps a bust of the victim in his private study? And those tears weren’t fake.’

We were almost at Hyperion’s door now. Clarus stopped. ‘Any idea who attacked him?’ he said.

‘Uh-uh. My best guess is the obvious one: a friend or relative of the guy who attacked Hostilius. Of course, then we’ve got the question of why. Was it because originally both partners were targets or out of revenge because Acceius had killed the man’s pal?’

‘Could it have been Castor?’

I looked at him sharply. ‘Why the hell should Castor want Acceius dead? It was Hostilius he had the trouble with. Besides, if it’d been Castor Acceius would’ve said so.’

‘Yes. I suppose that’s true.’ Clarus hesitated. ‘It was just an idea, and he is missing, after all.’

‘Jealousy’s a terrible thing, pal,’ I said, grinning. ‘Don’t let it warp your judgment.’

He grinned back and ducked his head. ‘Fair point. You coming in?’

‘No, I think I’ll get on. I wanted to have another word with Veturina. Oh, one thing more, before I go.’

‘Yes?’

‘Publius Novius, the lawyer over in Bovillae. He got any sort of reputation locally?’

‘Not really, in the sense that you mean, at least that I’ve heard of. He’s been in the business for years, of course, and you don’t get to be a successful lawyer without knowing when to take the main chance. You have any particular reason for asking?’

‘No. Or rather, maybe, but it’s just an idea at present. Thanks, Clarus. You coming round for dinner this evening?’

‘I might be.’

‘Fine. See you then.’

I set off for Veturina’s.

She was in her private sitting-room this time. The room was practically identical to the one further along the corridor, that Hostilius had used — big, light and airy, opening onto the portico and the garden — except that instead of bookcases stuffed with law books the place was full of plants, growing plants as well as vases of cut flowers. No couches, either, just the well-padded high-back chair where Veturina was sitting, a low table and a couple of stools.

‘Valerius Corvinus. Welcome. Do sit down. ’ The lady was still wearing her mourning mantle. ‘That’s all,’ she said to the slave who’d brought me. He bowed and exited.

I pulled up one of the stools and sat. ‘Veturina, I — ’ I began.

She held up a hand. ‘First let me apologise for the…well, the scene I made two days ago when you were last here. I was overwrought, yes, but that’s no excuse. I behaved dreadfully.’

‘No problem.’ I cleared my throat. ‘Ah…I was just wondering about your brother. Whether he — ’

‘Whether he’s at home this time? Yes, he is, actually.’

I stared at her. ‘Castor’s back?’

‘I’ve just said so.’ She was looking at me coolly. ‘He came back an hour or so ago. I’m sure he’d be glad to speak to you if you have the time.’

‘Where’s he been?’

‘Staying with a friend in Bovillae. But that’s something you can ask him about yourself.’

Jupiter! ‘You knew, last time I was here, that he’d been missing for eight days, didn’t you, lady?’ She said nothing, but her lips tightened. ‘Did you know where he was then?’

‘No. I might have guessed, but I didn’t think — ’

‘He didn’t call back that evening? The day he had the quarrel with your husband in town? He wasn’t here when you had your own row with Hostilius and he told you he wanted him out of the house?’

Two red spots had formed on her cheeks. ‘Valerius Corvinus!’

Oh, hell; here we went again. None the less… ‘I’m sorry, Veturina,’ I said, ‘but this is too important for pussyfooting. I just can’t believe that Castor disappeared into the blue without telling you where he was going, or at the very least that you knew he’d gone and why. And that raises the question of why you tried to cover for him.’

She was glaring at me now. ‘If Scopas has told you — ’ she began.

‘It isn’t Scopas’s fault,’ I said quietly. ‘He started by lying to me too, only I twisted his arm and threatened to ask you yourself. He was just saving you pain, or thought he was.’

‘Then I’ve nothing further to say on the matter.’ Her lips clamped shut.

I sighed. ‘Very well, lady. You’re being really, really foolish, but have it your way. I’ll just have to ask the guy himself.’ I stood up. ‘This is where you saw Cosmus from?’

‘Yes,’ she said stiffly. ‘He came out of the portico to the right and went down the garden towards the gate at the far end.’

I stepped out onto the portico and looked along it. Yeah; there was the door Scopas had brought me in by on the previous occasion, with the opening to Hostilius’s sitting-room beyond it. Not all that far, only a few yards. ‘Incidentally,’ I said, ‘the, uh, day that Quintus Acceius came to see your husband, the day after he was attacked, did they meet in his room?’

‘Yes.’ The ice was still in Veturina’s voice, but I had the impression that — again — she was beginning to regret the way she’d behaved. Not changed her mind, just begun to be sorry she hadn’t been a little less abrasive. Definitely not a looker before she leaped, Hostilius’s widow. ‘That’s right.’

‘And you were here?’

‘I was.’

‘You hear anything? Of the conversation?’

‘Valerius Corvinus, I am not in the habit of eavesdropping!’

‘Right. Right.’ She’d hesitated for a split second, though, before she’d answered, and that was interesting, especially since what I’d got wasn’t a simple denial. Grieving widow though she might genuinely be, I had very serious doubts about Veturina. I didn’t trust her much above half, for a start. ‘Just checking. Quintus Acceius told me it was bread-and-butter legal business, nothing very important.’

‘Oh, you’ve asked him already?’ She looked relieved. ‘Yes, that’s right. Or the occasional words and phrases that I did hear when the breeze was in the right direction would suggest it, anyway.’

Uh-huh; too quick, lady, too quick! And much too eager. ‘Such as?’ I kept the tone flat.

‘I…can’t recall anything specific.’

And I was Cleopatra’s granny. ‘Come on, Veturina!’ I said. ‘There has to be something you remember.’

She was looking flustered. ‘I…did hear Lucius mention a Julian inheritance tax law. Or so Castor — ’ She stopped dead.

I gave it a couple of seconds, then I said neutrally: ‘You, uh, passed on what you’d heard to your brother.’

Veturina coloured. ‘I may have said something to him later, yes. Just in conversation.’

Just in conversation. Yeah, right. Me, I’d bet a flask of Caecuban to a rotten fig that whatever juicy snippet she’d chosen to pass on just in conversation had had nothing to do with inheritance tax; and a second flask that — because she had passed it on — I already knew what it must’ve been, at least in broad outline. ‘You heard something that affected Castor, didn’t you?’ I said.