Lindsey Davis - The Ides of April

We reached the crux of the interview. Scaurus writhed, as he attempted to put into words some delicate concept. "Suppose," he began carefully after a while. "Just suppose there had been one or two similar episodes."

"'Episodes.'" I savoured the word, as if impressed by his subtle vocabulary. "You mean, the strange rash of dead people?"

"I do not want to say that, Flavia."

"I know you don't, Cassius, my friend. That is why I am helpfully saying the words for you. I can spell out the unmentionable because I am not bound by your official code of confidentiality-though don't panic; I am always discreet."

The tribune looked as relieved as he was also torn. "I'll be perfectly honest with you, Flavia-" I doubted that! "There may have been one or two odd events that are causing concern. My men are on it, working all hours. We expect to contain the situation very soon. Until that happens, there will be no public announcement. That is absolutely normal procedure," he insisted.

"Absolutely," I concurred.

It made him anxious that I seemed to be compliant. I could see he felt he could not trust a young woman who sweetly agreed with him. He may have had deceitful girlfriends who robbed him blind, though I did not suppose there had ever been many. "The people at a high level who understand how to manage these things have said we must do nothing at this stage that could inflame the situation."

"Until you know what you are dealing with," I spelled out, as if we were cronies. He liked me knowing this standard jargon. "My family has always worked closely with the government. Cassius Scaurus, why don't you let me help you, by way of my enquiries?"

"Now then! You are not to be involved in this, Flavia!" The tribune panicked. My disingenuous offer scared him. He had been told to get rid of me, but here I was, smiling and moving in closer. "We have got to keep it professional. The powers above do not want any wild rumours that could shake public confidence."

"I would never encourage rumours."

"Oh we know that!" exclaimed Scaurus. All the rest moved about and shook their heads, keen to demonstrate to me that I was famous for being diplomatic and public-spirited.

I sighed. "You have been very frank, Tribune, whilst also being absolutely as discreet as your superiors could require. I appreciate all this."

"We can rely on you?"

"Of course you can." I even relented and took one of the neglected olives daintily between two fingers, shaking off the brine before eating it so none would drip onto the far-from-clean serving table. One of the braver men grabbed a cake while I was doing it. The rest were keyed up, ready to fall on the sweetmeats as soon as they could.

"Any time," swore Scaurus earnestly. "Any time the vigiles can help you with your work, Flavia Albia, you only have to come and ask. Titus Morellus-you know Morellus, don't you-"

"I do, I do. Wonderful fellow. Good family man, hugely experienced officer."

"Morellus has instructions to help you all you want."

"That is so good to know, Scaurus." If he wanted to believe he was winning me over, I could let him have his delusions. "But not on this?" I gurgled playfully, as if we were all pals now, sharing a joke.

"But not on this!" pleaded the tribune, his eyes dark with distress in case he had failed to coerce me as he had been ordered.

"Rely on me." I could be kind. I could tell lies too.

Rising to my feet, I shook hands very formally with each of them, then I made my escape. Behind me I heard the gasps of men who had been placed in an unfamiliar position that had made them very nervous, finally relieving their tension by snatching the almond cakes.

When I emerged into the courtyard with its untidy piles of smoky rope mats, Morellus was talking and laughing with some of the vigiles. Flitting from pillar to pillar, I managed to tiptoe down a colonnade without him or any other men noticing, and started back to the other side of the Aventine by myself. He caught me up, unfortunately.

"Holy hermaphrodites, Morellus! That man you work for is dog-shit. Still, I am glad to report he told me I should liaise with you. We are to share information-and to start off nicely, you are going to tell me everything I need to hear about these unexplained killings."

"Did Scaurus say that?" asked the enquirer warily.

"Of course. You don't think I would work a flanker on you- especially over something this important? Just when Scaurus has impressed on me the need to do things right?"

"I suppose so… not that I have been told much."

I took pity and seeded him with starter-facts: "Let's begin with, there seems to be an outbreak of strange, unexplained deaths. People arrive home from some perfectly ordinary local expedition, but they feel odd, have a lie down, then shortly afterwards are found dead. No explanation, and no marks on them."

Morellus nodded. We walked on.

"Are all the victims women, Morellus, and all middle-aged or elderly?"

"I don't know. That would be peculiar. Normally, the trend is for us to be chasing killers of young girls. The perps do it for…" Morellus paused awkwardly.

"Sexual excitement." I was brisk with him. The man was a vigiles investigator. He must know what serial killers did. "Sad bastards spewing their seed on corpses, who can't answer them back. Or, if these perverts can actually manage to operate their pricks, actual sex."

"Rape," he agreed, boot-faced. "Whether before or after death."

"Nobody raped Salvidia or Celendina. As far as we know, there was no attempt to so much as get their attention. No robbery occurred. No assault at all, in fact. . And if nobody realises there has been a murder, there can't be any excitement for the killer in waiting for the news to get out. No, Morellus, it won't do."

"It's a real puzzle, Albia."

"Is he merely thrilled by the fact he gets away with it?"

"He could be the type who enjoys thinking he is so clever, he completely fools the authorities."

"No anonymous notes thrown through the gates saying, 'I've done it again, you idiots!'"

"Oh plenty of those!" Morellus grinned. "All from Nonnius, about him stealing little girls' loincloths off washing lines."

"Are these deaths just happening here?" I asked, staying serious. "In our district? Or on a wider scale?"

"All across Rome," Morellus admitted. "If it's real."

"So what is being done to find out?"

"Hard to say. Where can we start? It seems to be completely random. Not just an invisible killer, but invisible deaths too. How are we to keep decent records, if nobody notices trouble and makes a complaint?"

"No, that is very inconsiderate of the public! Is anybody keeping records? What are the figures?"

"I've just been told to start." He sounded troubled by the instruction, and I didn't blame him. It would be tedious, probably pointless work.

"How will you go about it?"

"Check with funeral directors." He indicated a tablet stuck in his belt. "Scaurus presented me with a dirty great list."

"Oh," I said. I wish I was ashamed of my tactics when I went on innocently: "That must be the list Cassius Scaurus mentioned when he was burbling about cooperation-hand it here for a moment, and then I'll know which ones you are meant to be covering."

He handed it over. The man was so malleable. His wife must be having the time of her life. I bet she owned more snake rings and triple pearl earrings than any other woman on the Aventine, and when she wanted him to drive her bad-tempered mother to the country for a holiday, he just did it.

There were too many names and addresses to memorise, so I told Morellus the easiest procedure would be if I took the tablet home with me, made a fair copy then sent back his original. You guessed. The dumbo fell for it.