Graveyard of the Hesperides

XLVI

We let Appius go off to the marble-suppliers’ guild.

As Tiberius and I walked, I was thinking about who killed Rhodina, and why. And who attacked Gavius? Was it the same person? If so, it couldn’t be Old Thales. If Thales killed Rhodina, why would anybody else need to stop Gavius talking to me about it?

I had no doubts the attack was meant to silence him. That meant whoever visited him knew about his plan to talk to me. How did the killer or killers find out? Appius had said nobody else joined them for supper. I would ask at the Brown Toad, where Trypho had seen Gavius go for a drink. Otherwise, he had a discussion with whoever came to his room, and that led to them killing him.

That would mean they habitually carried a knife. In Rome arms were illegal-although, as elsewhere, many in the High Footpath region ignored that. I had a “fruit knife” myself. In case I needed to slice up an apple, of course, your honor.

* * *

I started to discuss this with Tiberius, pacing so silently beside me. “The big problem is who now benefits from having Gavius dead-”

“No, stop!” he exclaimed. I was half prepared for it. I had noticed he was oddly introspective. His pace quickened, as if he had decided on a new destination. His expression became more open with me.

“What’s up, Aedile?”

“I have to go back to the mews. I promised I would return to talk to the doctor after he finished. Then I need to explain something to the parents…”

“The doctor will be still there? What are you keeping from me? You examined the body-and you took your time, don’t think I never noticed. Did you see something? A clue?”

“You could say that.” Tiberius took my hand as we walked, then he explained. “Gavius was punched in the neck with a blade. Blood would have flowed straight away. He may have stumbled, he probably fell down. At that point I imagine the dogs became very excited. The attacker might have felt it imperative to get away from the dogs before they went for him. Because of the blood, it would have looked as if Gavius was already dead.”

“But…?” I was already guessing where this would lead.

“The wound was not arterial; that would have been quickly fatal. The weapon must have missed the crucial spot … This is why I sent so urgently for the doctor. I didn’t want false hopes for the parents-that would be cruel. But the doctor is going to work on him-”

“You mean-”

“Perhaps he can be revived, brought back, saved. He was still warm. I thought I felt a pulse. When I first looked at him, Gavius was still alive.”