BooksBarbecue
Back Nemesis Save as PDF
Chapters (65)
  1. COVER
  2. NEMESIS
  3. ROME AND LATIUM: SUMMER, AD 77
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62

Silvius was pecking at snacks now, undeterred by the subject under discussion. ‘The sites were too old. I wouldn’t even say for sure that the deaths occurred where we found the graves. Two were in a lonely spot. It’s a deep ravine, a place with a real sense of evil. We hated being there.’

‘A ravine?’

‘Water channel scoured out by a river at flood time. Dry in summer.’

Petro pushed back from the table, arms braced. ‘So—this is the question: what makes you decide your very old corpses, discovered close to Antium, are linked to the Claudius family who live—insofar as we can call what they do living—away across the marshes.’

Silvius paused. He liked to milk a situation. We all waited.

‘Petronius Longus, this is what I need your help for. There is a witness.’

‘What?’

‘Somewhere in Rome, we hope. Ten years ago, a young man fell into a street bar near Antium. He was hysterical and claimed he had been led off the road and nearly murdered by two villains. One man who seemed friendly and helpful had lured him, then suddenly jumped him and took him to an accomplice, an extremely sinister presence. He was obviously planning to commit terrible acts. The intended victim somehow escaped their clutches.’

Silvius himself shuddered, while the rest of us moved in our seats and variously reacted.

‘Nobody took much notice at the time. If there was any kind of enquiry, it dwindled away fast. All the locals now think it was a couple of Claudii—Nobilis and one of his brothers. They were never interviewed, nor put in front of the victim for identification. They must reckon they got away with it. But we know the young man came from Rome—which of course wouldn’t have helped him get attention in Latium. He is believed to have returned home after his ordeal. So, highly recommended Watch Captain with the interesting friends—’ Silvius raised his beaker to the Camilli and me. ‘You are requested to help me find him.’

47

‘All they knew was that the young man with the narrow escape was called Volusius. He was thought to be a teacher. Silvius had no details of his address in Rome. Petro had already tried the teachers’ guild. A pompous official, possibly detecting that Lucius Petronius despised formal education, said he would ask his members but it would probably take time.