I turned my head slowly, pretending to inspect the dusty spoked wheels at the rear of the carriage. “I see a very small man with a bald head, sitting on a rock. He has a large knife with which he seems to be slicing thin strips of wood from a small tree trunk that he is holding between his knees.”

“He is neither collecting wood chips, Matthias, nor is he carving a cane. You are looking at an agent who is in the employ of either Pilate or Caiaphas. Although you have been with me only two days, your actions are already under surveillance.”

“Are you sure, Joseph? That one doesn’t look as if he had enough intelligence to come in out of the sun, and I’ll bet he hasn’t had a bath in weeks.”

“You surprise me, Matthias. As a creator of mystery stories, surely you realize that a spy who looks like everyone’s conception of a spy is useless.”

I still couldn’t believe that such a scruffy character would be tailing us. After we were seated in the wagon, I kept glancing out the window at him, whittling away as if it were the most important function he would perform all day. Joseph showed little concern. Apparently things like this were a common occurrence in his life. He said, “You were undoubtedly seen in the Temple with me yesterday. Someone in authority is probably wondering why a new visitor to the city, obviously a citizen of Rome with some standing, has not taken the time to pay his respects.”

“Is that usual protocol?”

“It is for anyone planning to engage in trade here.”

“How about writers and historians?”

“Because you are in my company you have probably been mistaken for a merchant, and merchants planning to do business here are expected to make generous contributions to two treasuries, Pilate’s and the Temple.”

“Graft in the city of David?”

Joseph smiled. “It was invented here. However, I’m certain that a courtesy visit by us, to both Pilate and Caiaphas, will clear up any misunderstanding.”

“Oh, no! I want to pay them more than a courtesy visit I’ve got some very special questions for those two.”

The old man nodded, his eyes shining. “I thought you might have a few. We can arrange it whenever you are ready. And now, since it is still early in the day, who is next on your list?”

“Martha and Mary.”

“The sisters of Bethany? You need to further verify what you have just heard from Matthew and James?” he asked incredulously.

I said nothing. Had I told him my real reason for wanting to go to Bethany, he might have turned me over to Shem with instructions to lose me in the wilderness.

Joseph scratched at the creases in his forehead. “A visit to Martha and Mary, at this time, would not be in your best interest.”

“Why?”