`I never asked you to.'

I stared at him.

'Rubirius Metellus did not take his own life, Falco,' Silius told me impatiently. `He enjoyed being a bastard – he enjoyed it far too much to give it up. He had been riding high, at the top of his talent, dubious though it was. And he was a coward, anyway. Proof of something that will suit me is there to be had, and I shall pay you well to look for it.'

I stood up and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. `This type of investigation has a special rate. I'll send along my scale of charges -'

He shrugged. He was not at all afraid of being stung. He had the confidence that only comes with the backing of huge collateral. `We use investigators all the time. Pass your fees to Honorius.'

`Very well.' There would be an on-cost for having the awful Honorius as our liaison point. `So let us start right here. What leads do you have? Why did you become suspicious?'

`I have a suspicious nature,' boasted Silius bluntly. He was not intending to tell me any more. `Finding the leads is your job.'

To look professional, I asked for the Metellus address and went to get on with it.

I knew then that I was being taken for a sucker. I decided I could outwit him. I forgot all the times that manipulating swine like Silius Italicus had outplayed me on the draughtboard of connivery.

I wondered why, if he used his own tame investigators normally, he selected me for this. I knew it was not because he thought I had a friendly, honest face.

IV

RUBIRIUS METELLUS had lived in the style I expected. He owned a large home occupying its own block, on the Oppian Hill, just beyond Nero's Golden House, half a step from the Auditorium should he want to hear recitals, and an easy walk from the Forum when he conducted business. Booths for shops occupied street frontages on his home; some rich men leave them empty but Metellus preferred rents to privacy.