Two For The Lions Read online

  Rutilius frowned. "He didn't really explain himself, and I could not decide what to make of him."

  "So what was his story?"

  "Well, that was the odd thing. After he had gone I realized he had never said what it was all about. He had got into my office with a general air of authority. He just wanted to know what I could tell him about a group of lanistae who had attracted interest."

  "Interest from whom?"

  "He never said. My feeling was, he was some sort of commercial informer."

  "So were his questions specific?"

  "No. In fact I couldn't see why I had let myself be bothered to speak to him, so I gave him a couple of addresses and got rid of him."

  "Whose addresses?"

  "Well, since we were in Lepcis at the time, your fellow Saturninus was one."

  This all sounded suspiciously like some agent of Hanno's hard at work. That could well explain why Hanno was coming to Lepcis, "on business' as Myrrha had put it. She had mentioned the land survey, but maybe he wanted to reconnoiter with this new provocateur. Suppose Hanno had arranged to have Calliopus lured to Lepcis on some trumped-up legal excuse--and was intending a showdown with both rivals?

  Whatever the truth of it, Scilla's wish to meet both men together could now be put in hand--with Hanno himself also available. It certainly looked as if Lepcis was the place to be.

  "And did you see "Romanus' again?" I asked Rutilius.

  "No. Though I wanted to, because of my errand for Vespasian. After he left, one of my clerks told me he had been asking if they had seen anything of you."

  LIV

  LEPCIS MAGNA DID have a harbor. Arriving by sea from Oea, we had sailed past the slight promontory where the civic center is handsomely sited, out towards a stadium which we could see right on the water's edge, then we turned back slightly into the port with a clear run. The harbor entrance seemed a bit narrow, but once that was negotiated we found ourselves in a lagoon at the end of a wadi, protected by various islands and rocks. One day someone with a great deal of money might come along and provide proper moles, wharfs, and maybe a lighthouse, though it would be a substantial project and it was hard to imagine what kind of influential big nut would think it worth the bother.

  Things could not have worked out better: I wanted to interview Iddibal, and since he was waiting for his father he was out on the quayside looking at ships coming in. I had been told he was in Lepcis, though he was not expecting me. I was down the gangplank and able to back him into a wine bar before he even remembered who I was.

  Rutilius Gallicus was taking Helena and the rest of my party to the large house he lived in. That was one great advantage of having a girlfriend whose father was a senator; every time we met another senator abroad, the new one felt obliged to be polite in case Camillus Verus was someone he ought to cultivate. Helena's father did know Vespasian well. That was always useful to mention if we needed help, especially in a strange city where I felt we might be heading into a dangerous situation.

  "In view of your Sacred Geese connection, I'm delighted to offer hospitality and protection!" Rutilius was presumably joking; I smiled as if I had every idea what he meant about the holy honkers, then left him to arrange transport for our baggage while I dealt with the bestiarius.

  Iddibal was much as I remembered him--strong, youthful, and well proportioned--though not of course wearing a gladiator's bare chest and bindings; instead he had on a long-sleeved, brightly colored African-style tunic and a small round cap. Now he was a free man he had adorned himself with bracelets and baubles. He looked healthy and fit. He showed a slight unease at meeting me again, though not as much as he ought to, and not as much as he was going to experience once I tackled him.

  "Falco," I reminded him courteously. I knew that unlike his father and aunt, he could understand and speak Latin; the next generation. Iddibal's sons would probably move to Rome. Well, they would unless he ended up with a capital conviction as a result of what we discussed now. "I've met your father on a couple of occasions, since I saw you in Rome. Your aunt too."

  On this basis we pretended to be happy social acquaintances, and I bought us both a drink. It was a small one; I was in informing mode. We sat outside, gazing at the dramatic blue sea. Iddibal must have sensed he was in trouble; he left his beaker undrunk, simply twirling it on the table nervously. He stopped himself asking what I wanted, so I let him guess for quite a long period.

  "We can do this the easy way," I said suddenly, "or I can have you placed under arrest."

  The young man thought about leaping up and making a run for it. I remained motionless. He would see sense. There was nowhere to go. His father was due; he had to stay in Lepcis. I doubted he knew the town well. Where could he hide? Besides, he had no idea what I had just accused him of. For all he knew it was a mad mistake, and he should just try to laugh it off.

  "What is the charge?" he decided to croak.

  "Rumex was killed. It was the night before you bolted with your aunt's kind help."

  At once Iddibal gave a quiet laugh, almost to himself. He seemed relieved. "Rumex? I knew of Rumex; he was famous. I never even met the man."

  "You both worked in the arena."

  "For different lanistae--and in different skills. The venatio hunters and the fighters don't mix."

  He looked at me. I gazed back, with a calm appearance that was meant to suggest I had an open mind. "Calliopus is coming to Lepcis, did you know?"

  He had not been aware of it.

  "Who's Romanus?" I demanded.

  "Never heard of him." It sounded genuine. If "Romanus' did work for his father, Hanno must be keeping whatever he was now planning to himself.

  "You're not safe in this city," I warned. However good Iddibal was with a hunting spear, he was at risk when surrounded by enemies on their home ground. Saturninus probably had just as good a reason to turn on him as Calliopus. "Iddibal, I know you were in Rome to cause trouble between your father's rivals. I imagine neither of them has yet realized what you were up to. I bet they don't even know you are Hanno's son--or that Hanno is quietly destroying them while they fight among themselves."

  "You intend to tell them?" Iddibal demanded proudly.

  "I just want to find out what happened. I have a client with an interest in some of it--though perhaps not in what you did. So tell me how far your involvement extended."

  "I'll admit nothing."

  "Foolish." I drained my drink with an air of finality and banged down the cup.

  The sudden action unsettled him. "What do you want to know?" This young man was tough in some ways, but inexperienced in being interrogated. Fellows with well-known, very wealthy fathers don't have to put up with being stopped and searched by the local watch. He wouldn't have lasted an hour on the Aventine. He had not learned how to bluff, let alone how to lie.

  "You stirred up Calliopus to various acts of sabotage? I don't suppose you had to inspire Saturninus; he would simply respond to the other man's stupidity. When did it all start?"

  "As soon as I signed up. About six months before I first saw you."

  "How did you play it?"

  "When Calliopus was moaning about Saturninus, which he often did, I would suggest ways to get back at him. We made his men drunk just before fights. We sent presents to his gladiators, that purported to come from women--then we reported the items as stolen. The vigiles turned over Saturninus' premises; we then vanished and there was nobody to press the charge. It did no harm; it just caused inconvenience."

  "Especially for the vigiles!"

  "Well, them! Who cares?"

  "You should do--if you're an honest man." That was over pious but it worried Iddibal. "What else?"

  "When things hotted up, some of us went to Saturninus' cages and let out his leopardess."

  "Then in return, the ostrich was poisoned--after which Rumex was killed. A hit for Saturninus, then one for Calliopus--and since you were thinking up the other incidents, the finger of suspicion falls on you for Rumex
too. But the serious trouble started with the dead lion. Are you implicated in what happened to Leonidas?"

  "No."

  "Calliopus always said you were."

  "No."

  "You'd better tell me what happened."

  "Buxus told Calliopus that Saturninus had made an approach to borrow a lion. Calliopus himself thought up working a switch. All the rest of us were told to take early nights and stay in our cells."

  "I bet you all peeked! What exactly went on that night?"

  Iddibal smiled and confessed, "Buxus was supposed to pretend he never heard a thing. He was bribed by Saturninus to lie low--Buxus and Calliopus split the cash, I think. Saturninus sent his men, who had been told where to find the spare key to the menagerie."

  "Under Mercury's hat?"

  Iddibal raised his eyebrows. "How do you know that?"

  "Never mind. The borrowers had been told they were getting Draco, the wild lion, but Leonidas was put in Draco's cage instead. So it all went wrong, and he ended up dead. Did you look out later when the corpse was being returned?"

  "No. I heard them at it, but that was hours afterwards and I was in bed. In fact they woke me up. Saturninus' men were hopeless; they made far too much noise. If we hadn't already known what was going on, the alarm would have been raised. Next day, when we knew the lion was dead and they had been panicking, we could understand their clumsiness. At the time we all grinned to ourselves at how inept they were, then we rolled over and went back to sleep."

  "I don't suppose Saturninus and his people got much rest," I said.

  "Calliopus thought Saturninus had killed Leonidas deliberately. Did he?" asked Iddibal.

  "Almost certainly not--though I don't suppose he cared when it happened. His main concern was how it looked for him if news got out that he had arranged a private show. It had to be hushed up, especially in view of an ex-praetor being hurt. Pomponius was very badly mauled; in fact, he's now dead."

  "So are you investigating this officially?" Iddibal asked, seeming worried. He must realize an ex-praetor's death would not go overlooked.

  "People close to the ex-praetor have appealed to the Emperor. They want compensation. Whoever is held responsible could face a hefty financial penalty." That made Iddibal wince. "Why did Calliopus keep blaming you afterwards?"

  He shrugged. "It was a ploy."

  "How?"

  "Partly to make it look like internal business, when you kept poking about."

  "Try another excuse--make it a better one."

  "Also, to explain to the others why he let my aunt buy me out."

  "So why did he allow that?"

  Iddibal looked annoyed. Either he was an extremely good actor, or it was for real. "she paid a huge amount. Why else?"

  I signaled a waiter who brought us more wine. Iddibal condescended to drink his first beaker, obviously feeling he needed it. When the waiter had gone back inside I asked quietly, "Why don't you just tell me the truth? That Calliopus wanted to escalate the war with Saturninus, so he asked you to kill Rumex?"

  "Yes, he did ask." I was astonished that Iddibal admitted it.

  "And?"

  "I refused to do it. I'm not mad." I was inclined to believe him. Had he accepted the job and carried out the gladiator's murder, Iddibal would not have told me he was ever approached.

  "Someone did it."

  "Not me."

  "You will have to prove that, Iddibal."

  "How can I? I knew nothing about Rumex being dead until you told me just now. You say it was the night before I left Rome? I was in the barracks all evening--until my aunt came with my manumission; then I went straight to Ostia with her. Fast," he explained insistently, "in case there was any comeback from Calliopus. Until Aunt Myrrha came, I was doing normal things, casual things. Other people will have seen me there, but they work for Calliopus. If you start stirring and he learns I was working for Papa, he'll be furious; then none of his staff will give me an alibi."

  Panic had gripped him, but being intelligent, he at once started to work out his defense. "Can you prove it was me? Of course not. Nobody can have seen me, since I was not the killer. Can there be any other evidence? What weapon was used?"

  "A small knife."

  "A hunting knife?"

  "I would say not actually."

  "You don't have it?"

  "By the time I saw the corpse, the knife was missing." It was possible Saturninus had removed it, though there was no obvious reason why he should. Anacrites and I had asked him; Saturninus had told us the weapon had never been found. We saw no reason to disbelieve him. "The general view is that the killer took the knife away with him."

  "Any other evidence?" Iddibal was cheering up.

  "No."

  "So I'm in the clear."

  "No. You are a suspect. You were working incognito, which you admit was in order to cause trouble. You left Rome hastily straight after the murder. You have just told me Calliopus did ask you to kill Rumex. This is certainly enough for me to hand you to an enquiring magistrate."

  He took a deep breath. "It looks bad." I liked his honesty. "Are you arresting me?"

  "Not yet."

  "I want to talk to my father."

  "He is expected, I'm told. What's he coming for?"

  "A meeting."

  "With whom?"

  "Saturninus, primarily."

  "What about?"

  "They do talk."

  "Regularly?"

  "Not often."

  "Saturninus is pretty gregarious?"

  "He likes to have a lot of dealings with a lot of men."

  "He can live on good terms with his rivals?"

  "He can live with anyone."

  "Unlike Calliopus?"

  "No. That one prefers to go into a corner and brood."

  "He'll be brooding rather heavily if he finds out who you are!"

  "He's not supposed to find out."

  "If you had known Calliopus would be coming--"

  "I wouldn't be here."

  "So what now?"

  "When my father's ship arrives, I shall skip aboard it and lie low until we leave."

  "Back to Sabratha?"

  "That's where we live."

  "Don't be smart with me. How much did your aunt pay for your release from slavery?"

  "I don't know the amount. She told me it was a high price. I didn't nag her for the details; I felt responsible."

  "Why? Was going undercover your idea?"

  "No. We were all in on it. The plan had been for me to do a moonlit flit, but in the end I wanted to be bought out properly. I cannot be a runaway; it would make me a hostage for the rest of my life."

  "Why did Calliopus pick you as a person to ask to kill Rumex?"

  "A bribe. My aunt had already been to see him, and he knew I wanted to leave. If I killed Rumex, he said I could have my release in return." Iddibal looked embarrassed. "I have to admit, even my aunt thought I should do it. Obviously it would have saved her a great deal of money."

  "Assuming you were not caught! When I was auditing Calliopus, I saw you and Myrrha arguing one night. Was that about killing Rumex?"

  "Yes."

  "So she asked you to do what Calliopus wanted, and according to you, you refused."

  Iddibal wanted to protest, but he recognized I was goading him. Hunting was a game he knew. "Yes, I refused," he reiterated quietly, keeping his cool.

  "Nice Aunt Myrrha then agreed after all to find the money, and she found so much that Calliopus released you on the spot. Has this situation caused you any difficulties with your family since you came home?"

  "No. My aunt and father have been very good about it. We are a close and happy family." Iddibal stared at the ground, suddenly subdued. "I wish I had never got into all this."

  "It must have seemed like a brilliant adventure."

  "True."

  "You don't realize how complicated and dark that sort of adventure will become."

  "True again."

  I quite like
d him. I didn't know whether I could believe him, but he was not sly, nor did he feign outrage when I asked him fair questions. And he had not tried to run away.

  Of course running away was not Iddibal's style. We had established that he preferred to be bought out. No doubt if I ever found any grounds to take him before a magistrate, the close happy family would rally round again and buy him out of that too. I had the inexorable feeling that I was wasting my time even trying to progress against these folks.

  I told Iddibal I was staying with the special envoy who was surveying land. That had a nice official ring. I gave the young man a long, hard look, then issued the usual wonderful warning about not leaving town without telling me first.

  He was young enough to assure me earnestly that, of course, he would do no such thing. He was naive enough to look as if he really meant what he said.

  LV

  THE AIR WAS hot and dry. I walked to the north shore and up to the forum. Whereas the principal building materials in Cyrenaica had been red-toned, Tripolitanian cities were gold and gray. Lepcis Magna hugged the coast so closely that when I entered the forum I could still hear the sea, surging against low white sand dunes behind me. There should have been bustle that would have masked the noise of the surf, but the place was dead.

  The civic center must date from the very beginning of the Empire, for the main temple was dedicated to Rome and Augustus. It stood in a cramped row with those of Liber Pater and Hercules--an old-fashioned, very provincial set to site so prominently. Perhaps this was not the real heart of Lepcis, however; the forum seemed to have been placed where it would be bypassed by those in the know. I looked across the square flagstones to the basilica and curia. Nothing doing. For one of the world's great commercial entrepots, this was a sleepy hole. I then crossed the sunbaked open space and enquired at the basilica if they had any upcoming case in which Saturninus was involved? No. Calliopus of Oea? No. Did they know of a subpoena deliverer called Romanus? No, again.

  The main temple, now opposite me as I emerged, had reassuringly familiar slim, smooth, Ionic columns, though even they had been given odd little floral sprigs between the volutes. I walked back to it and checked for messages: none. I left word myself of where I was staying in case either Scilla or Justinus turned up. I wanted to leave another message for somebody, but not here.