‘What did Polycarpus have against Mucia Lucilia? Reorganising the household?’ I asked, playing innocent. His main beef may have been that Mucia planned to let him go, in favour of her own steward, Onesimus.

Graecina conceded the point. ‘Yes, she wants – wanted – her own people around her. Personally, I don’t think you can blame her.’ She shrugged. ‘It was all going to sort itself out.’

I decided to test ideas on her. ‘Am I right, that Mucia’s steward Onesimus was sent to Campania to be in charge through the summer, while your husband was to be left here? Onesimus will be back empty-handed now, of course … Mind you, hasn’t any conflict between the stewards resolved itself? I heard Polycarpus might be offered an opening elsewhere?’

‘Well, you keep your ear to the ground!’ cried Graecina admiringly.

‘Just doing my job.’ I slipped in a question about the ex-wife: ‘I’m surprised you spoke well of the ex. I heard Galla Simplicia is the kind of woman who would resort to violence? If Aviola brought in a rival, wouldn’t she do her utmost to remove the rival?’

‘What are you asking, Albia?’ Graecina was stalling.

‘Would Galla go so far as to hire killers − as has been suggested?’

Graecina looked truly shocked. ‘That would be terrible!’ I wondered. Did Polycarpus’ wife have to feel grateful to Sextus Simplicius for offering Polycarpus a new place? Did that mean she couldn’t risk blackening the name of the new master’s female relative? ‘Oh, Albia, how could she do it? How would a woman find people to do such a thing?’

‘Well, she herself might have no idea – however, there is someone here with excellent local contacts … I have to ask you: Graecina, did Galla ever try to get your husband to do something bad?’

‘He wouldn’t!’

Maybe Galla asked him, but Polycarpus hadn’t mentioned it to his wife. I always assume men do not tell their wives anything those wives might disapprove of.

Think about it. If Galla Simplicia restored friendly relations with Polycarpus by persuading her cousin to offer him a job, then Polycarpus, the all-knowing, wheeling, dealing facilitator, might have been able to tell Galla who the criminals were around the Clivus Suburanus. If he didn’t know to start with, people Polycarpus knew could tell him.

I had seen him operating. He could work out how to make contact. Adept at dropping the right word in the right ear, he could fix a secret meet. I bet the neighbourhood’s chief gangster either knew who Polycarpus was, or had sidekicks willing to vouch for him. After which, employment is always welcome to businessmen, including gangsters. It would be short work for them to tender for the job, agree a price, claim a deposit, programme the work, receive the necessary victim-profile and a sketch plan of the apartment, then do the deed.