Death Ex Machina by Gary Corby

Author:Gary Corby [Corby, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-61695-520-5
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2015-05-18T16:00:00+00:00

SCENE 24

FRIENDS MAKE THE WORST ENEMIES

“IT’S TRUE, I did take him with me as a companion to parties.”

Now that the truth was out, Lakon had settled down. He called for more wine, drank off his first and second cups in about three gulps, then held out his cup for a third. This he clutched in both hands sitting far forward

“But I only took him to the parties of influential men,” he added quickly. “Never to meet my friends. I would never be so cruel to my friends.”

“Was Romanos blackmailing you for money?”

“No, for influence.” Lakon sighed. “I recommended Romanos for third actor in the play. I suppose Sophocles told you that already.”

We nodded.

“It was part of the hold he had over me. I found it impossible to disengage myself from him. Every success I had, every major part I landed, there was Romanos insisting that I recommend him for a role.”

“So you recommended him for tritagonist,” Diotima said.

“He insisted on deuteragonist!” Lakon said.

“What happened?”

“Sophocles wouldn’t have it. He already had Phellis earmarked for second actor. I didn’t dare insist too strongly. As it was, Sophocles looked at me a little oddly when I pressed the case for Romanos. It’s not normal, you see, for an actor to take an active interest in casting a rival.”

“How did Romanos take that news?”

“He was angry. I pointed out that I had done everything he had asked. I could not be blamed for failure. He threatened me with exposure anyway.”

“That’s why you pressed again, after Phellis was injured,” Diotima said.

“Yes. Romanos gave me a look, as you carried away Phellis. I knew what he expected of me.” Lakon knocked back the last of his third cup of wine. The slave who stood behind him filled the cup for the fourth time. At the rate he was going, Lakon would be drunk before the interview ended.

I said, “Did Romanos tell you in advance that he wanted you to recommend him that second time?”

“I resent that!” Lakon said at once in instant and unmistakable anger. He sat up straighter. “I had no knowledge that Phellis would fall. I had nothing to do with it. What’s more, I don’t think Romanos did either.”

“Oh?”

“If I had any evidence that Romanos arranged that accident, don’t you think I would have exposed him at once? It would have solved all my problems.”

It would indeed. It occurred to me though, by the same logic, that Lakon had the perfect reason to kill Romanos.

“Besides which,” Lakon added, almost as an afterthought, “I would never hurt a fellow actor.”

“What did Romanos have over you?”

“My dear fellow, you hardly expect me to tell you that. We all have peccadilloes in our past.”

“Your peccadillo is one we’ll be hearing about.”

“No you won’t.” He said it with surprising firmness. “Even if it means my death, you’ll not hear it from my lips.”

I could hear the genuine emotion in his voice, and this time, for a change, I had a feeling that Lakon wasn’t acting.

“The hold Romanos had over you was that strong?” I said.

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