`What about his men? Little Icarus and the Miller? Do you let them come here?'

`I told you, they're barred, the lot of them.'

`And none of the old gang have been in touch with you? What about Balbinus himself?'

`No.' It sounded like a lie. I watched her notice me thinking that.

`Balbinus is a shark.' Her voice was hard. `Believe me, Falco, he knows that he's met his match in me. I'm stronger than him, and if he wants to survive in Rome he'd better leave me alone. What – an exile who has returned in secret? He's a fool. He doesn't stand a chance.' She was talking too much now. This was not like Lalage.

She still had the wide-open gaze of a whore who was lying. The trouble with whores is they look like that all the time, even when spouting truths like vestal virgins.

`And what about Nonnius? How in Hades did you know he saw through Alexander's tale?'

`Alexander is the doctor?' `Was.'

`Oh, was! Failed to diagnose his own condition, didn't he? Well I know, Falco, because the whole thing was arranged by Nonnius and me. Don't worry your little head with the details, – but when Petronius sent his man with the fake story, Nonnius didn't believe him. He wasn't stupid. He could tell he wasn't ill.'

`So he made enquiries and found out that the doctor who was saying he was dying had a brother in the watch?'

`He was a rent-collector, Falco. He could easily add up! He told me about it. He was just laughing at first because the whole idea seemed ridiculous, but I saw how we could use it. We wanted to be rid of Balbinus. I was after sole charge of the brothel, and Nonnius intended to run all the rest. We planned it together.'

`Nonnius called Alexander back?'

`He had a lot of fun pretending to be terrified, and then convinced your friend the way was clear to clean up Rome.' `What about the dead Lycian?'

`He was killed here at Plato's.'

`I know that.' I was thinking fast. She had to be telling me that the Lycian's murder was deliberate. `It was a fix? The weasel who did the stabbing was sent in purposely?'

`No, Castus didn't need encouraging. He was a Balbinus plant. He used to hang around here and report back how things were. I didn't tell him anything; I knew how he would react if we could get a fight going. The girl was in on it, though. I didn't want her telling Castus to calm down when the row flared up.'

`They still work here?'

`Only the girl.'

She was horribly calm. She and Nonnius actually had the Lycian traveller killed so the watch could discover it `by accident', and so that they could provide evidence which Lalage could be `coerced' into giving in court.

I realised Lalage would never admit this formally, and hearing it today could prove fatal for me. The mood had become dangerous. I was deep within this place. No one knew I was here. If she decided to have me killed like the Lycian, I would be seriously stuck. I tried changing the subject. `Once Balbinus was supposed to have sailed away, was it Nonnius who organised the Emporium raid?'

`I've no idea. Once the court case was over, I didn't want to know anything about the street-gang side.'

`Really? I wondered whether you and Nonnius had been scheming together because you were having an. affair?'

Genuine amusement rocked her. `Only a man would imagine women conduct their businesses on the basis of love.'

`You were no admirer of Nonnius?'

`No.' She did not bother to insult him.

`You told me once you hated him and yet now you say you conspired together over the court case.'

`So? I loathed him, but I could still use him.'

`You've told a lot of lies. Why suddenly start telling the truth about Nonnius?'

`Because he's dead. As soon as I heard that, I guessed Balbinus had returned. You should have known too,' she taunted.

`We thought Flaccida murdered Nonnius.'

`Oh I bet she had a hand in it. The word on the streets is that it happened in her house. They say she was there gloating. They say she herself rammed that pot on his head.'

`A spirited witch!' My lip curled. `Is Balbinus at the house?'

`I doubt it. He's not stupid. That's the first place the vigiles will look.' She clearly meant they were stupid, or at least predictable.

`Well, thanks for all this. It's good of you to co-operate.'

`If you hadn't realised Balbinus was here in Rome, I was going to tell you myself.'

She had not done so, though.

I stood up. For a moment I half expected her to prevent me leaving. I was guarding against an attack, and this time not the erotic sort.

`You frightened of something, Falco?' She understood men. It was her trade.

`No, but you should be. Balbinus is back. You helped get him condemned. He'll be looking for you.'

`Oh, I don't think I need to worry!' She definitely meant it. I was wondering why. She rose, graciously acknowledging my departure as she supplied one possible reason in a scornful tone: `Balbinus won't be in Rome for long.' The smile she gave me was the sweetest available in her wide repertoire – as dangerous as a draught of aconite. `Balbinus won't even be alive, will he? Not now you're looking for the man!'

I told- her there was no need to be sarcastic, then I saluted the lady respectfully and took my leave.

Nonnius had hoped to take over the crime empire, but Nonnius was dead. I wondered who Lalage imagined would step in once Balbinus was settled for good. I wondered who she hoped to see running things then.

She was competent and ambitious. And Lalage, as I knew from many years ago, had always been a very clever girl.

LIII

THERE WAS NO chance that Petronius would welcome me with almond cakes if I came with my new information. Hearing that his ploy had been seen through by Nonnius would only make him flare up again. What was the point of harassing him? He knew Balbinus was back; he could work out for himself his own personal danger. All I had learned for certain was some unpleasant background relating to the court case. Lalage had implied she had some mysterious hold over Balbinus, but it could be bluff. If not, it was still too nebulous to be useful.

Nonetheless I felt I had gained a better grip on the situation. The main thing now was to find Balbinus Pius. I decided to risk my neck and tackle Flaccida. Too late: when I reached her house at the other end of the Circus, the vigiles were already there. I must have spent longer in the brothel than I realised. (Not the first man to be in that predicament.) The funeral of Linus was over now. Petronius had obviously come straight from it, with barely time for the ritual purification, in order to lead a search party at the Balbinus house.

Flaccida was standing white-faced and rigid in the street, surrounded by the few slaves she had been left for personal use. No one had been arrested, but members of the foot patrol were strategically placed so that interested passers-by (of whom there were many) were being held back away from her. Despite precautions, Flaccida must have managed to send word to her daughter because while I was there Milvia came scuttling up looking flustered. She was promptly corralled with her mother. Her house would be the next target.

I also reckoned Balbinus would not be found in either mansion. Petronius presumably knew that too, for I could see him leaning casually in a portico with his arms folded. When he looked over and spotted me, I made sure I was sitting against a wall chewing my thumb in a similarly relaxed pose. I heard him give an order to have the street cleared of gawpers, so I left of my own accord.

It would be easy to let this situation deteriorate until it became even more personal. Searching for Balbinus was already feeling like some grim competition between Petro and me. That could be an advantage if it sharpened us up. But it was equally likely to jeopardise our hopes of capturing the criminal.