Vengeance by Simon Scarrow

Author:Simon Scarrow [Scarrow, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141970301
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2014-03-06T00:00:00+00:00

14

‘So, Marcus, what can the governor, and I, do for you exactly?’ Euraeus smiled as he faced his three visitors across his gleaming walnut desk. They were seated on the stools that one of the aide’s clerks had brought for them, along with a tray of scented water and some pastries.

Marcus hastily chewed the mouthful of minted lamb and crust that he had been enjoying and wiped the crumbs from his mouth. At the same time his mind was hurriedly organizing his thoughts over how much information he should provide to Euraeus. Marcus explained the cover story that they had agreed on and then moved on to the real reason for their presence in Greece.

‘Caesar sent us here to find someone. A slave.’ He felt a twinge of pain as he used the word to describe his mother. ‘She is the – property – of a moneylender and tax collector who has an estate here in Greece.’

‘I see.’ Euraeus nodded. ‘And what does Caesar want you to do when you find this slave?’

Festus coughed a warning. ‘Marcus –’

‘Set her free.’ Marcus’s voice caught and he forced himself to control his emotions as he continued. ‘She is being held illegally. Kidnapped by the man who now claims to own her.’

Euraeus stroked his jaw. ‘This is a serious crime you speak of. A serious accusation at any rate. What proof is there that she was kidnapped? Were there any witnesses?’

‘Yes.’ Marcus felt a lump in his throat. ‘There was one.’

‘That helps if we are to bring the perpetrator to justice. Speaking of which, do you know his name?’

Marcus nodded. ‘Decimus.’

‘Decimus?’ The aide raised an eyebrow. ‘I know a few moneylenders by that name, none of whom strike me as particularly criminal.’

‘Really?’ Festus interrupted with a wry grin. ‘Seems you have a higher standard of moneylender here in Greece than I ever met back in Rome.’

‘There are many things in Greece that are of a higher standard than in Rome,’ Euraeus replied with a smile. ‘Our civilization being one of them. But back to the business at hand. Obviously we need to find the right Decimus to bring to justice. Do you have any other information about him that would help me?’

‘Only that he has an estate in the Peloponnese.’

‘Hmmm. That’s not much to go on.’

‘It’s a start,’ Lupus added. ‘There must surely be a record of the taxes due on estates in the province. Then it’s only a question of matching the records to the names and we should find the man easily.’

‘Oh, there are records all right. The trouble is they are at the fiscal procurator’s office down at Piraeus. I’ll have to send for them. They could be brought here in a matter of days, once the procurator returns to Athens.’

‘Where is he?’ asked Marcus, stifling his impatience.

‘He was called away to resolve a tax dispute in Thebes. Shouldn’t take long.’

‘Well, couldn’t we look at his records before he gets back?’

Euraeus looked shocked. ‘Such records are confidential, my dear boy. It would be unthinkable to make them available to anyone behind the procurator’s back.

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