‘A friend? You?’ Piscus looked at Cato in his worn cloak with undisguised contempt. ‘I don’t think so. Why would a wealthy merchant like him have anything to do with you? Be on your way.’ He clicked his fingers and his bodyguards stepped forward menacingly.

Cato bowed his head and stepped back. ‘My mistake, sir. Perhaps it wasn’t my friend.’

He turned and left the hall, moving off along the paved area in front of the guild halls, deep in thought. What was Cestius up to? The gang leader from the Subura clearly had another identity, or there was another man in Rome who could have passed as his twin brother. Cato discounted the idea at once. The man he had followed looked, moved and sounded just like Cestius. In which case why was he passing himself off as a merchant? And what was he doing down in the warehouse district? There was one way to try to find out. Cato made for the small basilica given as the address of the man who leased the warehouses. Entering the building he saw that it was on a much less impressive scale than the grain merchants’ hall. A score of open-fronted offices lined the walls. He found the sign of Gaius Frontinus easily enough. Below it, the office was fronted by a plain stone counter. A clerk sat on a stool behind it, working through a ledger.

Cato coughed. ‘Excuse me.’

The clerk lowered his stylus and looked up. ‘Yes … sir?’

‘I’m looking for Gaius Frontinus.’

‘He’s not here, sir. May I help?’

‘Perhaps. I’m inquiring about leasing some storage space down on the wharf.’

The clerk took in Cato’s poor appearance. ‘We don’t lease lock-ups. Just warehouses.’

‘That’s what I’m after.’

‘Then I can’t help you, sir. We let them two months ago. There’s nothing available.’

‘I see.’ Cato frowned. ‘Who did you let them to? Perhaps I could talk to the man and get a sublet.’

‘I am not at liberty to say, sir. In any case the master dealt with that contract personally.’

‘Then can I see Gaius Frontinus? To discuss a contract when the present one expires?’

‘The master is not here, sir, as I’ve already told you. He left Rome on business a month ago.’

‘Did he say when he would be back?’

‘No, sir. He just left me a letter telling me to take charge in his absence.’ The clerk coughed self-importantly. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, sir, I have work to do. You might try one of the other leasing offices. I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for with one of the smaller concerns. Good day.’