Lindsey Davis - See Delphi And Die

Sertorius Niger, passing, humphed. 'Waste of time and money!'

I had noticed that my nephews had sneaked off; I excused myself. Gaius and Cornelius were crouched under a serving table, heads together with young Tiberius. He saw me coming; ever the coward, once again he made himself scarce. Cornelius nudged Gaius. 'Show him, then!'

'Show me what?'

'I've got something for you,' Gaius announced. 'I had to trade with Tiberius. It took my hoplite helmet.'

'However did you get a hoplite helmet?' We had seen them on souvenir stalls, but they were bronze and cost a purseful.

Gaius winked. Always unhealthy, he had a sty. His mother would say I mistreated him. Well, she could have him back now and neglect him herself.

He stood up and surreptitiously slipped folded material into my hand; it looked disturbingly like one of his grubby loincloths. I felt something heavy and metallic. Cautiously, I investigated the bundle. The boys watched, hoping for praise.

Wrapped in the cloth was a jump weight, in the form of a wild boar. Made of bronze, with a worn old handgrip and a narrow top crest. 'Without the pair it has less value, I told Tiberius,' Gaius bantered professionally.

'You sound just like your grandfather.' Pa must have taught him. Sensing a revelation, my voice was faint. 'You know what we are looking at?'

'Yes, we saw the one Glaucus got for you at Olympia.'

'Gaius, I've had this weight ever since then. Have you been poking through my luggage?'

'Oh no, Uncle Marcus! Tiberius had this one. The killer must have kept it as a trophy, like you said.'

'This is the second one?'

'Tiberius doesn't realise what he'd got.'

'There was no need to do a swap. If you told me he had it, I could have dealt with Tiberius…' No member of the Didius family could miss bargaining, however. 'So, Gaius, where did Tiberius get it?'

'Oh it comes with complete provenance, Uncle Marcus,' Gaius assured me, still sounding as brazen as Pa. I raised an eyebrow. Gaius was a ghastly tyke, but good-natured under the weeping tattoos. 'I only parted with the helmet on condition he told me where he got this. Tiberius pinches things from the other travellers.' He would. 'He took it from some luggage that belongs to the odd man, Volcasius.'

I refolded the napkin. I thanked the boys and sent them to Helena.

Volcasius was now talking to Minas. Well, that was convenient. I walked around the courtyard to reach them. Other guests shouted greetings, as I went by. I smiled faintly. On my way I passed Polystratus, with his cauldron on his hip and a ladle. He was moving from table to table, sharing out his salt pork stew. Everyone was tucking into the roast kid and shark steaks, so he failed to arouse much interest. He filled their foodbowls anyway.

I took my time, moving surreptitiously. I glanced over to our table, meaning to signal to Helena, who had just been served by Polystratus. After several bad bouts of stomach upset, she avoided hotpots nowadays. I noticed that she quietly bent down and placed the bowl on the floor for Nux.

Minas had seen me coming, and had read my expression. I turned my back to the crowd and unfolded the napkin, showing Volcasius the jump weight. He gave an exaggerated start. 'How did you get that, Falco?'

'No – how did you get it, Volcasius?'

'It's the weapon that was used to kill Valeria.'

'I know.'

'I didn't kill her.' I knew that too. 'I was just doing your job for you,' Volcasius sneered.

He still believed he was better at my job than me. I remained calm. He was a witness. Minas needed him. Besides, although I would have got around to it, eventually, Volcasius had carried out the necessary search and I gave him credit. 'Where was this, Volcasius?'

'In his luggage pack.'

'Whose luggage pack?' Minas asked magisterially. 'Name him!'

'Polystratus.'

I turned back to the crowd. I thought Helena might be watching me, aware from the boys that I was on to something. Her attention was on something else. I saw a horrified expression seize her. Her stole slipped off, as she raised her arm and pointed, looking alarmed. She was calling to Nux.

I was too far away but I started to run. I was shouting in panic for Aulus and Glaucus. Then I was yelling at the dog.

Nux had her nose down in Helena's foodbowl. The dog was carefully cleaning up a piece of bone against the side of the bowl. The bone was of crunchable size, but she lifted it out delicately and placed it on the ground for special treatment. As I reached her, a final fast lick revealed a gleam of metal. It was a man's ring. I had seen a smaller one just like it. a decent piece, gold, probably bought in Greece, since it had a squared-off Greek meander pattern… We had found Statianus.

I had a momentary flashback to the globular amphorae Polystratus unloaded at Corinth. My gorge rose as I remembered tasting tuna. I could hardly bear to think about what must have been hidden in the other containers. I dared not imagine the butchery involved in filling them.

I bent to retrieve the finger-bone and the ring. Nux straightened her short legs in guard mode. A low grumble emerged from the back of her throat in defence of her bone. At the same time, because I was her master, her short tail wagged madly.

Aghast, Helena slid from her dining couch. She banged a goblet hard on the table. Those closest had noticed; they stopped talking.

'Everyone!' Helena called out. 'Please stop eating.' The party noise subsided. People were already raising goblets. They thought it was a toast.

Polystratus abandoned his cauldron and moved towards Helena. Glaucus and Aulus went for him. Glaucus kicked out. I saw a couple of jabs and a lightning move, then Polystratus was lying on the ground, with Young Glaucus astride him, one arm pressed to his throat. His father must have taught him that; I must ask him to show me.

Nux noticed Polystratus too. The growl changed from mere warning to frantic barks. Gaius rushed to restrain her before she attacked.

Helena spoke again. For the rest of my life I would remember her there, standing tall and erect in her silvery blue gown, clear-voiced and desperate. Nobody who heard her would forget it lightly.

'Please, everybody, place your foodbowls back on the serving tables. We will collect them up. If you want to avoid nightmares, I beg of you all – Do not eat the stew!'