See Delphi and Die

"About a week ago. Is it relevant?'

"Could be,' I said, hoping to rattle him. Thinking back, it could have been Polystratus I had glimpsed with Phineus in the Forum, the day I ducked my head and walked away, en route to the Corinth acropolis with Cleonymus.

Wine was brought to us. I could not remember ordering. Maybe Polystratus was the type who, wherever he went, had a drinks flagon placed on his table automatically. It was not bad wine either. I wondered whether that surprised me.

I foresaw that I would be paying the bill. That's the way with men who have multiple business contacts. Unless they want to put you under an obligation – which can only be bad news – they tend to jump up and leave, a moment before the bill comes.

My father would actually ask for the bill with a lordly gesture – then slip away with perfect timing just as the waiter wrote his equals sign in the addition.

I drank in silence for a while. Thinking of Pa, always dampened my mood.

Then I asked Polystratus, in a noncommittal voice, to recount what had"happened on his visit to Delphi.

"Not a lot.' He shrugged, narrow shoulders rising within the slightly overlarge hollows of the yellow tunic. He passed a hand over his darkly stubbled chin."I wanted to bring the client back here with me to rejoin the others, but he refused. As a rescue mission, it was pointless. I saw him one evening at his lodging – he mentioned you, Falco. And your lady is here, I gather?'

I stuck to my point."So Statianus proved stubborn – but did he tell you what he was intending to do next?'

"No, he didn't.'

"And you yourself then left Delphi?'

Polystratus looked surprised."I had to get back. I'm needed. We

have people stranded here, as you must know. Phineus called me out to Greece to help him deal with the quaestor's office. The bright boy in purple won't let our group leave.' He pretended to look sideways at me."Anything to do with you, Falco?'

"Aquillius decided to hold them under house arrest all on his little own.'

Polystratus nodded, though of course he and Phineus blamed me. Aquillius may even have said it was my fault."We are trying to get hold of the governor. He should sort this problem out for us.'

"Do you and Phineus know the governor, Polystratus?' Nothing would surprise me.

"Oh, you are supposed to be the man with heavy contacts, Falco! Do you know the governor?'

"No,' I said sadly. I left it for a beat."I only know the Emperor.'

We were getting on superbly. We were the best of friends now. Sharing a drink; gazing at the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Corinth; considering whether to indulge in a plate of crispy whitebait; each wondering just how much the other knew.

"You must have spent several days across the Gulf,' I said."When Statianus refused to accompany you back,' I asked,"what were your movements?'

"I went to a local village,' replied Polystratus."Things to organise on my own account. Things to buy. Sidelines, you know.'

"In the big jars?'

"Salted tuna. Want a taste? I've kept one open in case anyone asks for a sample. I'd rather sell on out here and save the shipping costs, if I can manage it.'

I agreed to taste. It was an easy way to check his story. He borrowed a spoon from the men at the other table, who looked bemused but surrendered the implement as if they thought he was somebody important. Like Phineus he had that air; he expected to get his own way.

I stayed where I was. Whistling, Polystratus walked over to his cart, where he fiddled with one of the globular amphorae. He brought me a spoonful of fish, not too salty. I doubted it would travel well, but I had tasted worse.

"Not bad.' I challenged him about the containers. Most you see in Greece are the tall slender type."Last time I saw those fat, round-bellied amphorae, they were in Baetica, used for olive oil. I didn't know that shape ever came east for other commodities.'

Polystratus immediately nodded."Recycled. The miser I buy from doesn't even supply new jars… Can't interest you? I'll keep trying. Someone may like the stuff. I'll have to lug the whole consignment around with me, when we move.

"You are planning to restart the tour?'

"Oh haven't you been told?' Polystratus enjoyed being ahead of me."Aquillius can't hold up our clients indefinitely. We threatened him with an injunction and he's released them. We'll be shifting them to Athens – sniff at the Pnyx, give the Spartan girls the eye on the Erechtheion – are you a caryatids man? – scuttle up the Parthenon to pay respects to Pallas Athena, then sail off from Piraeus across the wine-dark sea.'

I hid my disappointment – knowing he could see it. I noticed he said"we'; did that mean he and Phineus were in contact, even though Phineus was an escapee?

"Apart from Delphi, did you only go to the salt-fish village?'

"You're fixated, Falco!' Polystratus gave me the street scoundrel's look of surprise."Here and there. This and that. What's the big issue? You'd be surprised how long it takes to persuade some lousy Greek fish-bottler to sell you a few amphorae. A day to roust him out of his hut and wake him up. Another day arguing about the price. A day while you buy him drinks to celebrate him ripping you off…' Without appearing to challenge me, he asked,"What were you up to over there, Falco?'

"Same as you. Trying to lure Tullius Statianus back to civilisation.'

"No more luck than me?'

"No, after you met him, he left. He went straight off to Lebadeia.' Polystratus again feigned not to have heard of the place."Trophonius,' I prompted."Statianus knew it had another oracle.'

"Oh it's one of those Boeotian shrines!… Phineus takes trippers. We include Trophonius in our Oracle Odyssey route – something a bit different – but there's not much take-up.'

"I can understand that.' If Phineus and Polystratus knew Trophonius was"a bit different', presumably they knew all about the ritual. Maybe they even knew how the oracle was really worked."I'd avoid that place in future. Statianus, for one, seems to have discovered that your "infinite journey plan" stopped being infinite in the underground chasm. He vanished, complete with two barley cakes. At least it saves you having to repatriate him in yet another funeral urn.'

"What are you saying, Falco?'

"He's probably dead.'

"Not another one!' Polystratus groaned dramatically – then tackled it head on. Are you suggesting Seven Sights Travel may be at the back of this?'

"It looks bad.'

"You have just made a very serious accusation against us.'

"Have I?'

"Prove it!' cried Polystratus, with the forthright indignation of a businessman who was no stranger to serious accusations."Produce the body – or otherwise, leave us alone!'

LII

I don't like releasing them any more than you do,' blustered Aquillius. Furious, I had accosted him that same evening at the governor's residence. He flared up in response. Falco, we can't show that any of these travellers had a hand in what happened to the bride at Olympia. They are menacing me with a lawyer. Your brother-in-law has put them in touch with his damned tutor in Athens, apparently.'

"Aelianus?' That seemed unlikely. I had taught him not to intervene in unsolved cases, lest he muddy the clues. Once I thought him positively unhelpful; now I would call him more of a dry observer. But not a meddler.

"He is studying with Minas of Karystos!' snorted Aquillius, impressed.

"Clearly a cretin.'

"Steady on, Falco. Minas has a stupendous reputation.'

"You mean he charges astronomical fees!'

Aquillius blinked nervously."I just think you may have overstated the case, Falco. Valeria Ventidia may have been killed by a passing stranger, whom we will never trace.