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run the place, though Pedronius had to provide the other servants for himself, and, of course, there were lots of them needed in an establishment like that. There’s been bad feeling between the households ever since.’
    ‘Not a good beginning,’ Radixrapum said.
    ‘Exactly! And Pedronius is a superstitious man,’ I said. ‘And that is just the trouble. The other owner died there suddenly, you know. Pedronius fears that the house attracts bad luck. He wants this Apollo piece in his garden to ward it off and to appease the gods. Now he’s likely to suppose that the plaque is cursed as well. I only wish that I could get it into place before the story of the murder gets around. Unfortunately, I haven’t got a cart to move it on.’
    ‘But surely your decurion noticed it was here? It sounds as if he’d take delight in crowing over the tax-gatherer’s ill luck.’
    I shook my head. ‘He didn’t come inside. So you and I are the only ones who know the plaque has been here with a corpse.’
    ‘I see.’ He looked delighted. ‘Except for the murderer, I suppose. But he’s not going to tell.’
    ‘Exactly!’ I said dryly. ‘And we must work quickly now before Glypto’s curiosity gets too much for him and he comes in to look. If he tells his master, it will be all over town.’ I placed the lighted candle by Lucius’s bandaged head. ‘Though I expect it’s hopeless anyway. I can’t pretend there hasn’t been a death. Quintus will doubtless tell his dinner guests in exaggerated terms, and the tanner will see the army when it comes to get the corpse. But, all the same, I may yet find a way – if I can find my son and have a cart again. So another half-sestertius if you get the fire alight and keep your own counsel about what you have seen.’
    ‘Another half-sestertius, citizen? You have a bargain there.’
    He said it so eagerly that I rephrased the offer. ‘I will give the money next time that you call – after I have got that plaque in place and I’m sure that your gossip hasn’t reached the customer.’
    He grinned. ‘You can trust me, citizen. I’ll help you keep the secret in any way I can. For the money you are offering, I would do more than that. First, though, I will get the fire alight. Flame is known to purify a room and keep evil ghosts away.’ He knelt at once beside the hearth and began raking out the ash and dust. He tipped the embers from the brazier in and covered them with the dry leaves and kindling that I kept nearby, blowing gently on them until a flame appeared.
    The promise of money had worked its charm again. Perhaps I should have tried bribery with Glypto too, but I hadn’t thought of it. Anyway, I was not carrying much money in my purse and I was counting on bribing the watchmen at the gate – in case there was news of Minimus being taken out that way. I placed a second lighted taper at the corpse’s feet and turned to see how the fire was getting on.
    The turnip-seller had my leather bellows in his hand and had coaxed the flame to brighter life, and as I turned, he leaned back on his heels and tossed a log of wood into the hearth. He grunted and clambered slowly to his feet. ‘There you are, citizen. I think that’s well alight. But it won’t burn properly until you clean the hearth. You’ll have to get your slave to sweep it thoroughly some time.’
    ‘That is supposing that I ever find my slave again.’
    ‘Of course. But you said the tanner’s man had information that might help? Something that will help you to find the murderer as well?’
    ‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Glypto says so, but he has strange ideas. He talks about a green man in the alleyway. The tanner thinks he’s foolish and imagines things, but I am not being half-deaf so sure. It’s not the clothes or hair, apparently. In what way could a man be green apart from that?’
    The street-vendor scratched his turnip head. ‘I don’t know, citizen. You’re the clever one.’ His face brightened.