Illegally Dead by David Wishart Page B

worthwhile opinion. The best I can do is to assure you, in the strongest possible terms, that if a second will existed then we knew absolutely nothing of it, and would certainly have welcomed its appearance if it had because it would’ve solved the whole ridiculous problem. Fair enough?’
    ‘Fair enough.’ Gods! Food for thought there, and no mistake. Also, it gave Fimus a potential motive in spades for wanting the guy dead. Definitely an angle to chase. ‘Uh...you mind if we move on?’
    ‘Not at all.’
    ‘The attack in the street, six days before your partner died. What can you tell me about that?’
    Acceius frowned. ‘Very little, I’m afraid, barring an account of the event itself, which you’ve no doubt already heard.’
    ‘You didn’t recognise the man? Neither you nor Hostilius?’
    ‘No. At least I didn’t, and Lucius gave no indication then or later of having done so. It was...most odd. However -’ He stopped.
    ‘“However”?’
    ‘I’ll leave that for the moment, Corvinus, if you don’t mind. Don’t worry, I’m not prevaricating, and I won’t forget. No, as far as I’m aware the man was a complete stranger. Mind you, to be honest I can’t swear even to that categorically: he was in a filthy condition, beard and long matted hair, ragged clothes, and he wasn’t young or well-preserved, either. A complete tramp. I have wondered if he couldn’t’ve been a...well, someone who had a past grudge against one or both of us, real or imagined. Someone either Lucius himself before we became partners or we together, subsequently, had prosecuted.’ Another shrug. ‘As I say, it would’ve had to’ve been a long time ago, because if not then one of us would have been sure to recognise him, but it’s not outwith the bounds of possibility by any means. Memory does fade. And the fact that, whoever he was, he wasn’t a local man makes it even more likely any connection can’t’ve been at all recent.’
    Yeah, well: I’m not stupid, and I’d been thinking along those lines myself. ‘Did he say anything? When he attacked you?’
    ‘He shouted “Wait!”, I remember. Then when he was going for Lucius he said...well, I think the words were “Take that, you bastard.” Certainly something like that, nothing very significant or original. But then again it happened so quickly that I can’t be sure.’
    ‘“Bastard” singular? And a singular verb?’
    Acceius smiled. ‘Really, Corvinus,’ he said. ‘I hardly think -’ He stopped. ‘No. Oh, no, my apologies. I see, and you’re quite right, it does matter a great deal. You’d make a fair lawyer yourself. Still, my answer is yes, definitely singular: he was speaking only to Lucius.’
    ‘Did you have to kill him?’
    ‘No, that was a complete accident. The knife caught in Lucius’s mantle and I grabbed the man’s wrist and forced it back. At least, that was all I meant to do, but as I said he was old and in poor condition. The result was that I overestimated his strength in comparison with my own, his hand went further than I intended, and the knife took him full in the side. I won’t lose any sleep over his death, I admit, but the killing was not a deliberate act.’ He hesitated. ‘In fact - and this brings us back to the however I mentioned earlier, I wish now that I had disarmed him.’
    ‘Yeah? Why’s that, pal?’
    ‘This is...I’m sorry, but this will sound...the only word is “silly”.’ Another hesitation. ‘You know...have you ever felt, Corvinus, that you’re being watched? Followed, even? I mean, had the feeling completely irrationally, with no objective proof whatsoever?’
    I straightened. ‘You think someone’s watching you?’
    ‘Yes. I have done since the day of the attack. Which’ - he grinned - ‘I’m perfectly ready to admit need have no sinister implications at all. This is not Rome. In Castrimoenium we don’t expect to be attacked in the street, in broad daylight, by knife-wielding thugs, and the