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Authors: Lindsey Davis
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thought you said this lift was planned? That they knew just what they were going for? How could anybody know that you had half a treasury in Syrian dinnerware, coincidentally brought home by me that very evening and locked up there for only one night?'
Pa looked offended. 'They must have found it by chance.'
'Oh donkey's balls!'
'There's no need to be coarse.'
I was doing worse than that: I was taking a stand. 'Now listen, Pa, let's get something straight. This loss is your affair. I don't want to hear any nonsense like you'll not pay Helena because you never took delivery-'
'Stuff you!' scoffed Pa. 'I'd never cheat that girl, and you know it.' It was probably true. He had a sickening reverence for Helena's rank, and a wild hope she would make him a grandfather of senators one day. This was not the moment to tell him he was halfway home on that one. In fact, that was when I started hoping we would have a girl. 'Look son, I know how to shrug off a reverse. If the glass is gone for good I'll have to carry the loss and keep smiling. But after you buzzed off last night, I looked through the boxes. It was beautiful quality-'
'Helena can pick out a tasty jug.'
'Too right. And I'm damned if I'll let it go without a fight. I want you to help track it down for me.'
I had already worked out what he wanted. I had my answer ready too: 'I have to earn. It need a fee. I'll need expenses.'
'Oh we can come to some arrangement,' murmured Pa in his airy fashion. He knew Helena would be so upset when she heard this that I would probably end up searching for him for free. He also knew that finding stolen art was my speciality, so he had come to the best man. Other people would be after my services too. Pa had got to me first, before anyone else who had suffered losses today - anyone who might actually pay me - could claim my time.
I downed my wine, then shoved the bill across the table pointedly. If he was paying my expenses he could start with the one for entertaining him. 'I'm off then.'
'Beginning already?' Pa had the grace to look impressed. 'Do you know where to look?'
'That's right.' Well, I knew how to lie well.
X
In fact, I had only one plan at this stage. Petronius Longus had been hauled to the Palace by the imperial guard. He was in grave trouble. After all the times he had criticised the way I carried out my own work, I could stand watching him squirm. I was off to see how he tried to convince the Emperor that he knew what he was doing.
Besides, Petro was my oldest friend. There was a risk he was about to lose his job for today's action. If I could, I would help him bluff his way out of that.
I marched up the Clivus Victoriae to the old Palace of Tiberius, where the bureaucrats still had their offices.
Petronius Longus was sitting on a bench in a corridor. He had been there long enough to start looking worried. His face was pale. He was leaning forwards with his knees apart, staring at his upturned palms. I saw him twitch as I arrived. He pretended to look suave. I thumped his shoulder and berthed alongside.
'Lucius Petronius - the man who brought Rome to a standstill!'
'Don't harass me, Falco!'
'Don't fidget. I'm here to back you up.'
'I can manage.'
'Well you can manage to get yourself into a fix.'
'I don't need a nursemaid.'
'No, you need a friend at court.' He knew I was right. 'You've been there, I take it, Falco? What's going on now?'
'Fusculus is keeping the crowds penned out. Porcius is distributing riot shields. I didn't see Martinus. Pa told me the gist of last night's disaster.'
'He lost that glass of yours, he says.' Petro knew my father well enough to allow for possible deception. I was unperturbed by the insult to the family name. It had never stood high, least of all in respect of Papa. 'They were a sharp crowd of thieves, Falco. I don't like the smell of it. Geminus lost his glass; we know that was quality. Calpurnius was deprived of a huge haul of porphyry that also only came in
Pa looked offended. 'They must have found it by chance.'
'Oh donkey's balls!'
'There's no need to be coarse.'
I was doing worse than that: I was taking a stand. 'Now listen, Pa, let's get something straight. This loss is your affair. I don't want to hear any nonsense like you'll not pay Helena because you never took delivery-'
'Stuff you!' scoffed Pa. 'I'd never cheat that girl, and you know it.' It was probably true. He had a sickening reverence for Helena's rank, and a wild hope she would make him a grandfather of senators one day. This was not the moment to tell him he was halfway home on that one. In fact, that was when I started hoping we would have a girl. 'Look son, I know how to shrug off a reverse. If the glass is gone for good I'll have to carry the loss and keep smiling. But after you buzzed off last night, I looked through the boxes. It was beautiful quality-'
'Helena can pick out a tasty jug.'
'Too right. And I'm damned if I'll let it go without a fight. I want you to help track it down for me.'
I had already worked out what he wanted. I had my answer ready too: 'I have to earn. It need a fee. I'll need expenses.'
'Oh we can come to some arrangement,' murmured Pa in his airy fashion. He knew Helena would be so upset when she heard this that I would probably end up searching for him for free. He also knew that finding stolen art was my speciality, so he had come to the best man. Other people would be after my services too. Pa had got to me first, before anyone else who had suffered losses today - anyone who might actually pay me - could claim my time.
I downed my wine, then shoved the bill across the table pointedly. If he was paying my expenses he could start with the one for entertaining him. 'I'm off then.'
'Beginning already?' Pa had the grace to look impressed. 'Do you know where to look?'
'That's right.' Well, I knew how to lie well.
X
In fact, I had only one plan at this stage. Petronius Longus had been hauled to the Palace by the imperial guard. He was in grave trouble. After all the times he had criticised the way I carried out my own work, I could stand watching him squirm. I was off to see how he tried to convince the Emperor that he knew what he was doing.
Besides, Petro was my oldest friend. There was a risk he was about to lose his job for today's action. If I could, I would help him bluff his way out of that.
I marched up the Clivus Victoriae to the old Palace of Tiberius, where the bureaucrats still had their offices.
Petronius Longus was sitting on a bench in a corridor. He had been there long enough to start looking worried. His face was pale. He was leaning forwards with his knees apart, staring at his upturned palms. I saw him twitch as I arrived. He pretended to look suave. I thumped his shoulder and berthed alongside.
'Lucius Petronius - the man who brought Rome to a standstill!'
'Don't harass me, Falco!'
'Don't fidget. I'm here to back you up.'
'I can manage.'
'Well you can manage to get yourself into a fix.'
'I don't need a nursemaid.'
'No, you need a friend at court.' He knew I was right. 'You've been there, I take it, Falco? What's going on now?'
'Fusculus is keeping the crowds penned out. Porcius is distributing riot shields. I didn't see Martinus. Pa told me the gist of last night's disaster.'
'He lost that glass of yours, he says.' Petro knew my father well enough to allow for possible deception. I was unperturbed by the insult to the family name. It had never stood high, least of all in respect of Papa. 'They were a sharp crowd of thieves, Falco. I don't like the smell of it. Geminus lost his glass; we know that was quality. Calpurnius was deprived of a huge haul of porphyry that also only came in
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