He was looking unconvinced. ‘And why should you bother to ask anyone at all? You tell me you didn’t especially know the family?’
‘That’s true. But my patron used to use me to investigate such crimes — it has become a sort of habit with him, I suppose — and Gracchus got to hear about my reputation in this field. He is paying me to find the murderer and prove Pompeia innocent.’ I paused and glanced at him. ‘I hadn’t intended to tell anybody that — I wanted them to assume I was a simple citizen, wanting to talk about a crime I’d witnessed, that is all.’
He finished the wine slowly and pushed the cup away. ‘You know, I’m inclined to believe you, citizen. I think I’ve heard of you, by reputation anyway. A protégé of Marcus Septimus, you say? Are you that pavement-maker who once foiled a plot against the state?’
I bowed my head. ‘The Provincial Governor was good enough to say so, citizen.’ I felt so weak and giddy with relief, I would even have been grateful for a sip of wine.
But that was not to be. He folded his arms and went on scrutinizing me. ‘Marcus was praising you in the curia one day. A fine mind under a humble exterior, he said. Only a pity that you weren’t a richer man, because you would have made a useful councillor yourself. Would you agree with that assessment of yourself?’
I could only smile wryly at this analysis. ‘My wealth, or lack of it, is largely in the hands of His Excellence himself, since he feels it would “insult” me to pay me for my time, but these assignments inevitably keep me from my trade.’ I paused. I was afraid this sounded rather critical — which could make for serious trouble if Marcus heard of it — and I hastened to add quickly, ‘Though of course he has always given me gifts in kind instead — many of which are very generous.’
Redux gave an unexpected hoot of laughter at my words. ‘Presents, eh? Well if I know Marcus, they are gifts which rarely require him to reach into his purse. Rather like that wedding salver, in fact.’ He raised one eyebrow at me.
‘A very handsome gift,’ I said, refusing to be drawn.
Redux surprised me with his response to that. ‘Loyal as well as honest? You impress me, pavement-maker. So tell me something else. Why should Gracchus employ your services? I hardly imagine that he wants to wed Pompeia after this? She isn’t such a girl as would make one desperate. . Aaah!’ He leaned back in his chair again and slapped the desktop with a triumphant smile. ‘Gracchus is desperate for that dowry, isn’t he? I’m only guessing, but I’ll wager he’s in debt.’
I nodded, mentally acknowledging the man’s intelligence.
I realized that Redux was looking expectantly at me. ‘Well, am I right?’ he prompted. ‘Gracchus is in debt? Or don’t you know the answer?’
‘There may be something of the kind, I think. In fact, from something that I overheard, I’m sure of it. Of course he didn’t say as much to me.’
‘I knew it!’ He clapped his pudgy hands. ‘Well, there’s a wonder! Gracchus inherited a fortune only months ago. I wonder how he managed to squander it so fast? Fine living? Or prostitutes? Both of them perhaps. Or betting on the chariot racing on the sly? It only takes a little to get a man in deep. Those moneylenders in the forum are quite merciless.’
I took a risk. ‘You don’t suppose that Antoninus has got his teeth in him as well?’
That shook him. The triumphant manner faded in a trice and Redux glared furiously at me. ‘What do you know about Antoninus? I warned you, citizen. .’ His hand was already moving to the drawer.
I managed to forestall him by leaning forward and saying peaceably, ‘Oh come, citizen, what else am I to think? I don’t know anything about Antoninus, except what I deduce — that he clearly has a hold on you, and probably on several other people in the town. You asked me earlier: “how much does he want”, and that set me thinking, even at the time. It might have just been business — his setting a high price for something you required — so I tested you with that suggestion about Gracchus I just made. And now I’m sure I’m right. After your reaction, what else could it have been? You would have worked it out yourself if you’d been in my place.’
I meant it, but the flattery did its work on him. ‘I suppose it’s possible,’ He was still scowling, but his hand moved from the drawer. ‘My foreman said you mentioned Antoninus in the yard.’
‘Only because he asked me to call on him today — sent a message saying he has important news for me. That is the only communication with him I have ever had, and I have no idea to what it might relate. I know it sounds absurd. But my servant has the writing tablet, you can read it for yourself. I assumed it was something about the poisoning.’
He seized the jug and poured out the last remaining drops of wine, then drank them at a gulp. He hadn’t used the dipper at any point, I saw. He was still frowning. ‘But why should Antoninus send a note to you?’
‘I have asked myself the selfsame question, citizen. I wondered if Gracchus had mentioned me to him, and he’d hoped to impress me for my patron’s sake. He has asked Marcus to propose him to the council, I believe. His Excellency told me so himself, before he left. Though I don’t know what “important information” Antoninus has.’ I felt myself colour. ‘I even wondered if he intended to offer me a bribe.’
A derisive hoot of laughter, louder than the last. ‘Antoninus, offering a bribe to you? I doubt it, citizen. Does an eagle condescend to catch a fly? More likely the information is concerning you, and he is going to propose that if you put in a word for him to Marcus Septimus he will desist from telling your patron what he knows.’ He shook the jug hopefully above the empty cup, but there was not a drop.
‘I see. .’ I said, thoughtfully, searching in my mind for what I might have done. I could not think of anything particular just now, but there are always small infringements which a man can make — not wearing a toga in a public place, or spitting too close to the statue of the Emperor. Or had I said something unwise about my patron, as I had done just now? ‘Antoninus would have made it his business to find out that sort of thing?’
‘Literally his business, pavement-maker,’ Redux said. ‘You clearly have the measure of the man. Antoninus claims to be a fellow trader, and he is too — in a way — but most of his business is the opposite of mine. Where I buy cloaks and dormice and sell them on again, he trades in information, but keeps it to himself. At least, one hopes he does. What’s more, he requires a handsome fee for doing nothing — as it were — and it is a very successful business in all kinds of ways. If times are poor, he simply requires his customers to pay him more than once. You can’t do that with potted dormice, citizen. Sometimes he even puts the price up, the second time around. And — as a rule — his clients simply pay. They’re not usually in a position to complain to the authorities. And, of course, if he does offer normal goods for sale, the same people will pay him anything he asks.’
‘Extortion,’ I said thoughtfully. Marcus would be very interested to hear of that.
‘Or bribery, if you prefer to think of it that way. A mutually profitable arrangement between friends, is how he talks of it. Either way, it’s clever — though not a pleasant trade. And don’t ask me where he gets his information from. I only wish I knew.’ He shook the jug again, and I realized for the first time that he was becoming slightly drunk.
Otherwise, perhaps, I would not have dared to ask him, as I did, ‘And what is it that he knows about you, citizen?’
For a moment he looked tense, and then he slowly smiled. ‘You’d hardly expect me to tell you that. You are clever, pavement-maker, I concede. You’ve already got far more information from me than I meant. But I’ve paid Antoninus money to keep my secret safe, and I’m certainly not about to share it openly with you. In any case, it is a purely private matter, nothing to do with Honorius’s death.’ The plump face creased into a humourless, wry grin. ‘Although, of course, I’d always be likely to say that, wouldn’t I? You will simply have to take my word for it. And that is all I’m going to tell you on the subject, citizen.’