mentions the name to Dominicus or for that matter anyone else in Tripolis.’ He turned to Cassius. ‘Several months ago, Afer’s business concerns were appropriated by the procurator and sold off. It later emerged that he had built up an enormous tax bill. He also had to sell off some land and relocate to a smaller property. The next name?’
Once they had finished, Cassius thanked the guildsmen effusively and reiterated his promise to speak to Dominicus about military billeting. Once back in his room, he sat down at the table.
‘Here, sir.’ Simo put the notes down in front of him.
Cassius was more interested in what he’d copied down at the basilica. Despite his supposed financial difficulties, Numerius Afer had purchased no less than four hundred acres of land north of Tripolis. It was both the most recent purchase and the most costly; almost thirty thousand denarii.
‘Anything useful, sir?’ asked Simo as he prepared his master’s bed.
‘Maybe, Simo. Maybe.’
VIII
‘Sir, sir, wake up. Sir!’
‘Yes, yes.’
Cassius was in the middle of a very pleasant daydream about Kitra. In fact the object of his desire was a composite: Hanina’s face and Kitra’s body. In any case, it took him a moment to remember he was sitting on a bench in the basilica garden.
‘There, sir,’ said Simo, pointing at the path.
Deputy Procurator Dominicus was striding along, a dozen subordinates in his wake. Still dozy, Cassius staggered as he stood up, then jogged between two sprawling bushes towards the path.
‘Deputy Procurator.’
Dominicus stopped and turned so abruptly that some of his men collided with each other. The administrator could not hide his annoyance that he was being dragged away from his daily work once more.
‘Good day, Officer,’ he said with a thin smile.
‘Good day. I have a couple of questions for you.’
Dominicus barged his way through his men and led Cassius into the shade of the basilica wall. ‘Yes?’
‘There are two individuals I need to know more about. One is named Vesnius Isatis. I gather he has had some difficulties of late.’
Dominicus flicked away a fly that was circling his head. ‘That’s something of an understatement. He’s a notorious womaniser. A few months ago, his long-suffering wife finally reached the end of her tether. She put a list of his conquests outside the forum for all to see. Apparently it was only the recent ones but it still filled a page. The scandal ruined his reputation in Berytus – he managed to offend just about everyone who mattered. I used to know him quite well – only socially, you understand. He doesn’t have the initiative to be involved in some criminal scheme, nor the time for that matter.’
‘I see. The other man is Numerius Afer.’
‘I believe he’s had his own difficulties,’ said Dominicus, ‘financial, that is.’
‘Apparently. Him I am definitely interested in.’
‘What do you need?’
‘Anything really – business interests, property, family, employees.’
Dominicus pointed at the basilica. ‘I’ll lend you one of my clerks, Planta, for the morning. He’s worked here for more than twenty years, knows everyone in Tripolis.’
‘Thank you.’
They walked towards the entrance. ‘Officer Crispian, on behalf of the procurator and the magistrate I must ask you to tread carefully. I asked the same of Quentin. You may be operating with the authority of Marshal Marcellinus himself but even the suggestion of involvement in a criminal plot could be very damaging for one of our citizens.’
‘I understand.’
‘Come, I’ll have someone find Planta for you.’
Despite possessing only one arm, the clerk soon proved himself to be both enthusiastic and capable. Cassius spoke to him in the same office he’d been assigned the previous day and Planta immediately confirmed that Numerius Afer had indeed fallen on hard times. Afer did not hail from one of the local families; he was in fact Sicilian, though Planta
Once they had finished, Cassius thanked the guildsmen effusively and reiterated his promise to speak to Dominicus about military billeting. Once back in his room, he sat down at the table.
‘Here, sir.’ Simo put the notes down in front of him.
Cassius was more interested in what he’d copied down at the basilica. Despite his supposed financial difficulties, Numerius Afer had purchased no less than four hundred acres of land north of Tripolis. It was both the most recent purchase and the most costly; almost thirty thousand denarii.
‘Anything useful, sir?’ asked Simo as he prepared his master’s bed.
‘Maybe, Simo. Maybe.’
VIII
‘Sir, sir, wake up. Sir!’
‘Yes, yes.’
Cassius was in the middle of a very pleasant daydream about Kitra. In fact the object of his desire was a composite: Hanina’s face and Kitra’s body. In any case, it took him a moment to remember he was sitting on a bench in the basilica garden.
‘There, sir,’ said Simo, pointing at the path.
Deputy Procurator Dominicus was striding along, a dozen subordinates in his wake. Still dozy, Cassius staggered as he stood up, then jogged between two sprawling bushes towards the path.
‘Deputy Procurator.’
Dominicus stopped and turned so abruptly that some of his men collided with each other. The administrator could not hide his annoyance that he was being dragged away from his daily work once more.
‘Good day, Officer,’ he said with a thin smile.
‘Good day. I have a couple of questions for you.’
Dominicus barged his way through his men and led Cassius into the shade of the basilica wall. ‘Yes?’
‘There are two individuals I need to know more about. One is named Vesnius Isatis. I gather he has had some difficulties of late.’
Dominicus flicked away a fly that was circling his head. ‘That’s something of an understatement. He’s a notorious womaniser. A few months ago, his long-suffering wife finally reached the end of her tether. She put a list of his conquests outside the forum for all to see. Apparently it was only the recent ones but it still filled a page. The scandal ruined his reputation in Berytus – he managed to offend just about everyone who mattered. I used to know him quite well – only socially, you understand. He doesn’t have the initiative to be involved in some criminal scheme, nor the time for that matter.’
‘I see. The other man is Numerius Afer.’
‘I believe he’s had his own difficulties,’ said Dominicus, ‘financial, that is.’
‘Apparently. Him I am definitely interested in.’
‘What do you need?’
‘Anything really – business interests, property, family, employees.’
Dominicus pointed at the basilica. ‘I’ll lend you one of my clerks, Planta, for the morning. He’s worked here for more than twenty years, knows everyone in Tripolis.’
‘Thank you.’
They walked towards the entrance. ‘Officer Crispian, on behalf of the procurator and the magistrate I must ask you to tread carefully. I asked the same of Quentin. You may be operating with the authority of Marshal Marcellinus himself but even the suggestion of involvement in a criminal plot could be very damaging for one of our citizens.’
‘I understand.’
‘Come, I’ll have someone find Planta for you.’
Despite possessing only one arm, the clerk soon proved himself to be both enthusiastic and capable. Cassius spoke to him in the same office he’d been assigned the previous day and Planta immediately confirmed that Numerius Afer had indeed fallen on hard times. Afer did not hail from one of the local families; he was in fact Sicilian, though Planta
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