Murder in Megara

Epilogue

After returning from Megara, John decided to sit for a while in the triclinium. It was raining again. Through the open windows he could smell the distinctive earthy odor parched land breathes out when it finally drinks in moisture. He could hear the rain tapping at the roof and noticed how the water, trickling down the wall from the leaking roof tiles in the corner did indeed cause the painted waterfall to sparkle realistically.

“What are you thinking about, John?” Cornelia sat down next to him.

“The misery I’ve caused my old friends. Leonidas is crushed to find out his son is a murderer. And Alexis, though he perhaps did not act illegally, will certainly be removed from his post because of his dishonesty regarding my mother and her will.”

“You didn’t ask to come here. You couldn’t turn your back on injustice. If there were any justice at the emperor’s court we would still be in Constantinople.”

John continued to stare at the artificial waterfall. “You see now, I was right in avoiding my past.”

“Let’s not argue over that. How did you come to realize Alexis was innocent? You told me when you got in that you’d been up all night talking with the City Defender and Justinian’s spy and I’m sure you’re tired of explaining it all, but I’m curious.”

John acceded to Cornelia’s wishes and marshaled his thoughts, pulling them away from his broodings. “All the circumstances that made it plausible for Alexis to be the murderer applied equally to Stephen. Enriching the monastery might lead to Alexis being promoted to bishop and it would also open up the position of abbot for Stephen. Stephen had easy access to the manuscripts in the library too. He shared some of Alexis’ knowledge of antiquities, the significance of pagan ceremonial baskets, for example. No doubt he read the account of the concealment of the Corinth treasure before Theophilus stole it. He knew as much as Alexis about what was going on at the monastery. Anything Alexis didn’t tell Stephen, as his constant shadow, Stephen would doubtless have overheard, given his penchant for eavesdropping. He would have known about my mother’s bequest to the monastery one way or another. Stephen had just as much opportunity to arrange for Diocles to dig at the temple when the overseer visited on business.

“As for the commission of the murders, quite apart from the fact that I could not see the Alexis I knew as a killer, how likely was it that he would be venturing out into the dark with his terrible eyesight, through fields with half-concealed pits?

“Most importantly there were two things pointing to Stephen’s presence at the scenes of the killings. The colored cloths tied to the basket at the temple and the cross-shaped lights that Peter saw while in the pit and recalled as a dream and what Hypatia saw at the forge. The cloth strips were like those Stephen gave my mother to tie in her hair. The strange light patterns were like those thrown by the church-shaped lantern Stephen used when I visited the monastery. Peter, being Christian, saw the lights as what they were meant to represent, while Hypatia, being Egyptian, identified them with the Key of the Nile, the ankh.”

“The ankh is more or less cross-shaped,” Cornelia agreed. “And we know Stephen was out the night Theophilus was killed because he rescued Peter from the pit. But what was he doing? Meeting Theophilus?”

“He ran into my stepfather by accident. Theophilus stole that document purporting to name the location of the treasure while he was at the monastery to do an odd job or on the pretense of visiting my mother. He returned to the estate to search. Stephen had only intended to leave a pagan ceremonial basket, perhaps to be found by Diocles’ excavators. It would certainly cause trouble one way or another.”

Cornelia frowned. “He intended to help inflame Megara against us even further, until we fled or were forced out?”

“That’s right. But when he came upon Theophilus he realized a corpse would endanger me more than the basket. And it would remove an unwanted competitor for the riches as well.”

“Then Stephen didn’t think he was killing you?”

“Not according to his confession.”

“He has already admitted to the murder?”

“To the murder of Diocles also, as soon as he was arrested. I believe he was eager to tell his story while I was a witness, rather than waiting for Georgios to interview him privately. In which case the questioning might be less civilized.”

“Did he say why he killed Diocles?” Cornelia asked.

“Yes, and it was more or less as I had guessed. It seems Diocles had gone to hide with Petrus after Lucian threw him out. He was working on illegal schemes with both tenants. But Petrus didn’t want him either. That left the overseer in a hopeless situation. Since I’d relieved him of his position he couldn’t continue his partnership with Stephen, using the estate slaves to dig at the temple. Stephen admitted he enlisted Diocles because he couldn’t conduct much of a search on his own. Why he thought Diocles would honor any agreement between the two had the hoard been located, I can’t say.

“Diocles asked Stephen to meet him at Petrus’ forge. He threatened to expose him unless Stephen gave him money. So Stephen, having already committed one murder, had no compunction about removing Diocles.”

Cornelia shook her head. “It is hard to believe that Alexis didn’t know what was going on right under his nose.”

“I have not only pointed out the murderer but also supplied enough information to the City Defender to dismantle a criminal conspiracy. My investigations are finished.”

“I’m glad to hear it, John. Will the City Defender actually prosecute anyone, aside from Stephen? He let the arsonist go.”

“That was before Justinian’s spy, Matthew, came forward. Georgios won’t try to cross the emperor.”

“Is there really enough evidence to bring all the criminals to justice?”

“As I told Georgios, part of my explanation is as flimsy as a spider’s web but remember, the size of the prey those webs catch and hold is out of all proportion to their substance. There is the freshly minted counterfeit coin found in Halmus’ secret warehouse, and the fact, as Peter realized, that Halmus was lying about his pilgrimages. No doubt his absences were for less than pious purposes. Diocles was dealing not only with Halmus, but with Petrus, Lucian, and my stepfather. Theophilus and Diocles cooperated in getting iron to Petrus and Lucian hid the illegal weapons the blacksmith made. Almost certainly the arsonists were armed with the products of Petrus’ forge. And the coin mold, concealed in a spot my stepfather would have known about, indicates he was involved in that endeavor also, and thus, further linked to Halmus.”

“There are enough connections to make a web, but a spider’s work can be beautiful in the morning, glittering with dew.”

“Not this web. And remember, Matthew has been busy too. I only stumbled over a few of the criminals while looking for a murderer. There are plenty of others in Megara who will be hearing knocks on their doors, including a certain seller of fish.”

“And what does it mean for us, John? Will the natives see us in a different light?”

“At least they won’t try to burn our house down or stone us in the streets.”

“We will need new tenants unless Philip plans to stay in his father’s house.”

John’s expression hardened. “I have told Philip to go. He cannot remain in my employment. I can’t trust him. He concealed his father’s illegal activities from me.”

Peter appeared in the doorway bearing honey cakes and wine. He hesitated as John looked up at him sharply.

“I asked Peter to bring us something to eat,” Cornelia explained.

“I’m glad you’re here, Peter,” John told him. “Please find Hypatia and bring her here.”

When Peter departed John pulled a scrap of parchment from the pouch at his belt and handed it to Cornelia. “This is the account of the treasure of Corinth that Theophilus stole from the monastery. Take a close look. You can see it is a palimpsest. Whoever wrote about the matter used an old bit of parchment from which the previous writing had been erased. But not eradicated completely. In a good light you can make out a legal term or two and in the corner, part of Justinian’s name. This sheet was probably from a copy of the emperor’s Institutes. Just a few years old, in other words. The document is not contemporary with Alaric’s sack of Corinth. It’s nothing more than a fraud, a prank. It has already killed two people.”

Cornelia held the document up to her eyes. “I can make out some of the words underneath, as you say. How were the others deceived?”

“Alexis is half-blind and Stephen, my stepfather, and Diocles were blinded by greed.”

Peter returned with Hypatia.

John stood up and addressed them. “I wanted to speak to both of you at the same time. As you well know, much has changed and sometimes in the face of change it is impossible to maintain our lives as they were. Therefore, as of today, you are no longer in my employment.”

Peter stared at John in disbelief.

Cornelia jumped to her feet. “John! I know this business with your friends has upset you but-”

“There is nothing to discuss. I have already chosen two of the estate employees as replacements.”

Peter finally managed to speak, sounding as if he had a noose around his neck. “I know I have caused problems, master-”

“I am no longer your master, Peter. You and Hypatia were not banished from Constantinople. You chose to come here. You are free to return if you wish. If, as I hope, you would prefer to stay, you may have Petrus’ house or Lucian’s, whichever would suit you best. I consider your long years of loyal service a fair price for either.”

Peter blinked in confusion. “But, but…master…”

Hypatia said nothing. For an instant she locked grateful tear-filled eyes with John’s, then pulled Peter firmly out of the room.

The rain was coming down harder now. Hand in hand, John and Cornelia watched it refresh the earth.