Murder in Megara

Chapter Thirty-one

“It was because of the demons, sir! Released swarms of demons, they did, what with all their digging round that pagan temple! Should have been destroyed a long time ago, if you ask me.”

The City Defender glared at the captured arsonist, a man named James. “Demons, is it? Explain yourself.”

“Sir, I am a law-abiding seller of fish. Well-known for the excellence of my wares, landed fresh each day. Don’t sell anything over a day old. Work hard, pay my taxes, attend church faithfully, and-”

“Yes, yes, a pillar of the community. But what has this to do with your criminal behavior last night?”

John, newly returned from Lechaion, was present as injured party as the City Defender conducted an arraignment interview. The arsonist was a rough-looking man, his upper arm and shoulder wrapped in bandages. The door of the whitewashed room stood open, allowing the mixed odors of the city to enter on the rectangle of strong sunlight lying across a mosaic floor depicting a pastoral scene.

But not enough sunlight to dispel the darkness of Megaran justice unfolding before him, John thought.

“And then there was those unspeakable rites they was doing in that ruin,” the seller of fish continued. “Orgies, sir. Blood. Torture. Bound to free demons. And as we all know, they can take over a man, hook their sharpened claws into our souls, cause us to do terrible things we would not dream of, could not dream of, as sober and responsible citizens.”

The man appeared ready to burst into tears at the thought of what acts he might be capable of doing while in his possessed state.

“And so those others with you, companions you say you cannot identify, were all possessed by demons, leading to the crimes committed last night?”

The accused man nodded violently. “And my wife is worried about what I might do next. What if I get up at night and murder everyone in their beds? What if I start selling fish I know to be unfit to eat? What if I suddenly attack Halmus, who has done so much for Megara?”

The City Defender raised his hand for silence. “So your defense boils down to the fact you and your fellow conspirators were possessed by demons forcing you to set fire to this man’s property and assault his servant?”

The fish seller nodded.

“I see,” the City Defender went on. “I have heard this defense before and there is much in what you say. Given your sterling character, I find it to be acceptable. I am accepting it on condition you consult your church on appropriate ways to free yourself of the demon possessing you. In addition I order you to make a large donation to the church. No compensation is due to the owner of the property under the circumstances. If he can collect it from demons, he is free to do so. You may go.”

The seller of fish bowed, mumbled his gratitude, and scuttled away.

John hid his consternation.

“Now,” said the City Defender, “about the charges levied against you.”

“Charges against me? For raising demons?”

“For illegal weapons. Specifically a bow and arrows. As you are aware, private individuals are forbidden from making or purchasing weapons, including bows and arrows.”

“They are also banned from purchasing spears and swords, yet the arsonists had both.”

“This is the first I have heard about it. Do you have proof? You could see James was wounded. Do you have an explanation?”

“Yes. You may examine the bow if you wish. You will see it was not privately manufactured but rather bears the imperial seal from the armory at the Great Palace. Nor was it purchased illegally. Justinian authorized Senator Vinius to hunt with it in the parks beyond the city walls. It is a common aristocratic pastime. The senator must have brought the bow to Megara in case he wanted to hunt here. We found it in his residence.”

The City Defender seemed to consider this. “I see. I will allow it to pass. I have noted that your watchmen have been equipped quite legally.”

“Thank you.” John’s tone was acerbic. “Before I leave, Georgios, I wish to consult you on the matter of my property.”

The City Defender frowned. “There will be no compensation, if that is what you wish to argue about. A seller of fish has fewer financial resources than a man who owns an estate, and in this instance he was obviously not responsible for his behavior.”

“The man who owns an estate, in this instance, is twice injured. Once by those who sought to burn his house down and then again by the man who purports to administer justice. But in fact the matter on which I wished to talk to you relates to records applying to my property. I wish to consult them.”

Georgios shrugged. “It is not possible, I am afraid. Many of our land records were destroyed some years back in a fire. Ironic, is it not? However, in that particular case the fire followed an earthquake.”

“An earthquake, as I recall, not long after Justinian ordered more thorough audits of such records, not to mention the resulting fire offered a convenient way to dispose of incriminating documentation,” John pointed out.

“But why wait for a fire or earthquake? It would be simple enough to extract documents from the archives or replace them with forgeries. We have had some difficulties over land holdings since that fire, but, after all, earthquakes respect nobody, not even emperors. Who knows what evidence of malfeasance might have been destroyed?”