A Body In The Bath House

XLVI

magnus and I continued thoughtfully to gaze at the Marcellinus house.

"Nice billet!" I commented. "From, the superb workmanship, he even used labourers and craftsmen from the palace site. It's a cliche, the architect doing up his own house at the client's expense."

"It still stinks, Falco." Magnus was disgusted. He was a straight dealer who on principle denied himself the perks that Marcellinus had taken so readily. He must have known already what had been going on. That did not make it easier for him to stand here staring at the proof.

"Did Pornponius take liberties too?" I asked.

"No." Magnus calmed down slightly. "One thing you could say for Pornponius, he owned about five properties, but they were all in Italy none placed conveniently near a project. And I never knew him commandeer so much as a wood nail for any of them."

"How do you think Marcellinus got away with it?"

"Probably started small." Magnus forced himself to evaluate the fraud scientifically. "Genuine unwanted stuff. Mismatched colours. Overbought items. "Nobody will miss it; it will only go to waste…" Labourers they were trying to keep busy during quiet periods in the contract would be despatched to help out here. As project manager, Marcellinus could certify anything. If nobody picked up the increasing costs, he was laughing. And nobody did."

"Maybe."

"Don't pretend you knew about it, Falco!"

"No." But seeing what had now happened, I could name a palace bureau that must have Marcellinus on a file. There had to be some reason why Anacrites had sent Perella out here. It was typical that he would be acting on outdated information, when current problems on the new scheme made Marcellinus a mere side issue.

"Eventually, Marcellinus saw his source of supplies as a right?" I deduced. "He saw nothing wrong in it."

"Everyone here thought supplying the architect with goodies was routine/ Magnus confirmed. "My worst problem has been breaking that attitude. I thought the King was in on it still, he's a provincial. Marcellinus had a duty to set him straight."

"I'm sure that, finally, he embarrassed the King."

"Too late," said Magnus. "They had been too close. The King couldn't shake Marcellinus off. That was why Pomponius used to hate letting Verovolcus in on anything."

"The long shadow of Marcellinus thwarted all attempts to keep the new scheme solvent? I've seen for myself," I told him. "Even with me right there on site, Marcellinus was quite openly leaning on people like Milchato to keep his free gifts coming."

"Bloody Milchato takes a cut," the surveyor growled. "I'm damn sure of it."

"We can sort that. He worked here on the previous building. Time he had a career move."

"Oh "for further development of his personal craft skills", you mean?"

"I see, dear Magnus, that you know how it's done!"

"Just move the problem on."

"Move him to work on a military latrine at the bad end of Moesia."

"They don't have marble," Magnus corrected me pedantically.

"Quite."

We reflected on the failings and in the long run, the powers of gigantic bureaucracy. When that became too solemn, I mused ruefully, "It must have seemed so neat at first. Togidubnus has a refit- then so does Marcellinus."

"Then spoilsport Rome sends in a brand new project manager."

"Pomponius makes himself unpopular, so Marcellinus sees his chance to reposition. But the King has adapted to Vespasian's style; he definitely grows unhappy." Despite their famous friendship, I was now sure Togidubnus had sent me to see this villa on purpose. I was to discover the fraud. "Togidubnus wants to see the corruption end."

Magnus stared at me. "Just how badly does he want that, Falco? This murder seems rather too convenient."

I was startled. "You're surely not suggesting he had a hand in it?"

"He made damn sure he had left the scene before it happened."

"I don't fancy explaining back on the Palatine that a favourite of Vespasian's is a murderer!" I groaned. "But did he organise it? I do hope not."

"The Palatine may not be entirely clean, Falco. I bet this starts a whole way further up than Novio." Magnus was sharp. Too sharp for his own good, maybe. He might not have heard of Anacrites or Lacta by name, but he knew what went on.

I tried to disagree. "It's a menace. Murder draws too much attention."

"But this way, there won't have to be an embarrassing corruption trial," Magnus pointed out.

"True."

Was avoiding political embarrassment enough to justify this murder in Anacrites' eyes? Yes, his wheeler-dealing, double-standards section at the Palace would certainly see it that way. And they would not like Magnus and me deducing what they had done.

Helena Justina came out to the courtyard to join us. She looked from me to Magnus. "What have you found?"

I indicated the mass of stored materials, then waved an arm at the house. "Marcellinus had a lovely home- kindly supplied to him at government expense."

Helena took it calmly. "So the man was somewhat unscrupulous?"

"Why avoid libel? He was utterly corrupt." Helena sighed. "This will be a hard blow for the wife," I said.

At that my own flared up angrily. "I doubt it! In the first place, Marcus, they lived together here for a long time. The stupid woman ought to have noticed what went on. If she didn't suspect, then she closed her eyes purposely." Helena was hard. "Oh she knew! She wanted her fine house. Even if you tell her now, she will deny any wrongdoing, insist that her husband was wonderful and refuse all responsibility."

Magnus looked startled by her virulence.

I put my arm round her. "Helena despises meek little women who claim they know nothing of the business world."

"Parasites who happily enjoy the proceeds!" Helena growled. "When she wakes up, that woman's first thought will be whether she can keep the house."

"If it's all hushed up," Magnus replied bitterly, 'then she probably can."

"Expect comprehensive hushing. The Emperor," I told him dryly, 'won't wish to be seen as a tyrant who harasses widows."

Helena Justina had had enough. She pointed out briskly that if we were going back to Novio that evening, we should set out now. Leave the corpse. Let that woman deal with his remains."

"You're brutal."

"I'm angry, Marcus! I hate corrupt men- and I hate women who let them get away with it."

"Settle down. The widow may in tact be shocked and apologetic when she learns her husband was a crook."

"Never. She'll never see it."

"She may turn everything over to the grateful Treasury."

"She won't." Helena had no doubt. "That wife will cling to this villa ferociously. She will give Marcellinus an elaborate funeral. Neighbours will flock to celebrate his life. There will be an over scale monument with fulsome carved tributes. This pilfering grandee's memory will be cherished for decades. And the worst of it is she will speak of you and Magnus as mundane interferers. Men of lesser vision, men who did not understand."

"My lady is upset," I told the surveyor. I sounded proud of her, I'm proud to say. I'll take her home."

"She's bloody right!" proclaimed Magnus.

"Oh I know that."