Jane was still thinking. ‘Suppose someone wanted to discredit him. That’s why we got the crap assignments. But as you said, we weren’t as bad as people thought, so they tried to break us up instead. People would say Ellis couldn’t hold a team together. Is that why they offered me a job with Callen? I did wonder about that.’

She waited for him to tell her that of course they’d wanted her for her own qualities, remembered it was Luke Parrish, sighed and abandoned the wait.

Luke was rushing on. ‘And Smith was drafted in to cause trouble. Because that’s what she does – only she didn’t stick to the plan. She saw an opportunity for herself. She couldn’t resist my charm, my good looks, my . . .’

‘Money . . .’ Jane supplied.

‘And she made it personal, and perhaps whoever it was couldn’t control her any longer, so they killed her.’

‘Or it was just a jealous ex.’

‘Or it was just a jealous ex.’

‘Either way, the scandal might finish Ellis. Weaken him and you weaken Hay.’

‘And now,’ said Luke, ‘we’ve done a better job of undermining Ellis and Hay than anyone could possibly have managed. A member of his team – either me or you, it’s not important – murdered a fellow officer and the other members of his team broke her out of gaol, stole a pod, triggered a radiation alert . . . bloody hell – we’re real criminals, aren’t we?’

Jane shivered. ‘We are now.’

28

28

Neither of them got much sleep after that and eventually they gave it up. Jane assembled their breakfast while Luke sat cross-legged in the open doorway, manufacturing what he swore would be the very latest thing in Roman fashion.

They were ready to go as the sun rose. As was, apparently, the rest of Rome. The sun had barely risen and already they could hear the street noises drifting over the rooftops. According to Luke, every Roman must be out on the streets yelling at every other Roman out on the streets.

They turned to the AI for guidance.

‘Pod – give details of this area.’

Obediently, the AI responded in its pleasant, female voice. ‘The fourteenth district of Rome, Trans Tiberim, is situated on the west bank of Rome. The name means “beyond the Tiber” and . . .’

‘Speed up, please.’

‘Originally this area belonged to the Etruscans, who . . .’

‘Never mind that – what’s happening now?’

‘This area is commercial and comprises many markets, trading in . . .’

‘Skip all that.’

‘The area is cosmopolitan with many vibrant . . .’

‘I’m not buying a bloody house here. Get on with it.’

‘A large community of sailors . . .’

‘Bugger the sailors.’

‘I do not have details for that type of establishment.’

Jane could only be grateful that long years with her grandmother had taught her facial control.

The AI tried again. ‘Jews and Syrians . . .’

‘Bugger the Jews and Syrians, too.’

‘Under the Emperor Augustus . . .’

‘Do you actually have anything relevant? Anything at all?’