It never is, brother!" I strode past my sister and clutched Helena in my arms. She could see my wrecked hair under its formal veiling and she felt me flinch as the sunburn hurt. She knew something bad had happened. I just held her. She buried her face in the shoulder folds of Petro's toga, shaking. I could have buckled and wept myself, but people might have thought I was upset over Theopompus. Maia had been watching us, with her head on one side. She put her arms around both of us briefly, pulled back my veiling and kissed my cheek. She had had troubles in her life; seeing other people with stretched emotions made her gruff. She took Albia to see the torches being lit to burn the bier. Petronius stayed with us, his eyes raking the funeral guests for known faces. To bolster myself, I began telling him quickly all that had happened yesterday after he left me at Portus. With her head on my shoulder, Helena listened. I got as far as being hijacked on the ship, trying to minimise talk of drowning. Then it turned out that Cotys had the chest with the scribes" ransom money; it must be the Illyrians who carried out the raid at the ferry."
I'd like to arrest this Cotys, if he shows," grumbled Petro. Bloody Rubella has ordered that unless it becomes unavoidable, we are to avoid confrontations."
Can't we make it unavoidable? Is Rubella obeying religious scruple or political diplomacy?"
There's just too damned many of them, Falco. We've got Illyrians here, plus the Cilicians too." I raised an eyebrow. He explained tersely, We reckon they have been working the kidnaps together an alliance."
Blood brothers? So who," I asked, lowering my voice slightly, is current favourite for killing Theopompus?"
Fifty-fifty bets."
And what about the ransom attempt? There must have been plenty of witnesses when the ferry was raided." Petronius scowled. Yes, and all anyone will say is that the raiders were exotically dressed."
Cotys and the Illyrians."
Yes, but did they send the ransom demand? Or," said Petro, do they just know who the real kidnappers are?"
Assuming Diocles actually was kidnapped." I mopped Helena's wet face on a corner of my toga. With Petro's stern eye on me, I checked nervously in case colouring came off on his precious garment, but she was bare of makeup. As the stole fell back I saw too that her hair was loose; she had put on no ear-rings or necklaces either. It was appropriate to disregard your appearance at a funeral. Even so, I felt that lump in the throat again.
I'd better confess, love, I've been in the sea."
Marcus, I told you not to fall in water."
I didn't fall; I was slung off the Illyrians" ship. But I followed your instructions about lying with my toes turned up and looking at the sky." I held her tighter. Thank you, sweetheart."
You must be a better pupil than I thought." I was a better pupil than / I had thought. How," asked Helena pointedly, did your father come into this?" Petronius was also looking at me sceptically. Anything that involved Geminus must involve a scam; still, investigating my dear father would be more trouble than it was worth.
Pa was fishing."
Catch anything?" asked Petro in a dour tone.
Just me."
