Graveyard of the Hesperides Read Online Free

long as this remained his bolt-hole, there would never be. To me he had a distinct mother’s-boy air, old-fashioned, innocent, probably selfish, ill at ease in company. Like many people who hanker to run a bar, he was poorly equipped for it. Perhaps the Hesperides had been there so long it would run itself despite him. He wanted success and was not tight with his money, as we knew from the work he was having done. I presumed he could afford it because he had no social life and no other calls on his cash.
    Since refreshments would never be forthcoming, Faustus and I sat ourselves down, waited a moment in a friendly fashion for Liberalis’ nerves to settle, then waded in.
    â€œThe workmen have found a human skeleton, or parts of it. I had to stop them working so we can investigate. Fortunately Flavia Albia has a talent for this, so if I don’t have time, she will conduct some checks. People have mentioned a disappearing barmaid, someone called Rufia?”
    Faustus had begun, while I watched the way Liberalis received the news. He took it like any householder with a project: “Will this hold up the job?”
    Faustus ignored that, as if waiting for our news to sink in and Liberalis to speak more decently. “Is the barmaid story familiar?” he asked sternly.
    Liberalis became more guarded. “I may have heard rumors.”
    â€œDo you know when she is supposed to have vanished?”
    â€œOh, I’m not sure. Many years ago.”
    â€œYou knew her?”
    â€œYes.” So going by his age, her disappearance could not have been quite as long ago as the rumors suggested.
    â€œAnd people believe somebody killed her?”
    â€œHazard of her job.”
    â€œIt didn’t put you off taking on the bar?”
    â€œNot at all.”
    â€œYou thought it was merely a rumor?”
    â€œI am not afraid of ghosts.”
    I leaned forward as I suggested gently, “I think you ought to tell us more about your connection with the Hesperides, Liberalis. Were you waiting for your predecessor to pass on so you could take over? I have the impression you had been planning how to renovate, once you obtained the premises. Is that correct?”
    â€œWe were distant cousins. He was older. He had no one else to leave it to. We always knew it would come to me one day. Yes, he’d had the place a long time so he probably lost interest in change, while I sometimes thought about better ways to run the place. I used to have dinner there. I would look around and imagine what I could do with it; that’s natural.”
    â€œNo animosity?”
    â€œI wouldn’t have wanted to upset him. It was harmless daydreaming that I don’t suppose he even noticed. I think he was glad to know his place would stay in the family. But we rarely spoke about it.”
    â€œWhat was his name?” Faustus interjected.
    â€œThales. Everyone always called him ‘Old Thales.’”
    Thales was a Greek name. So the barkeeper may have been Greek. Or more likely not. The Greeks are famous for traveling abroad to resettle for economic reasons, yet I could not imagine they would come to a notorious part of Rome and buy a dingy bar. Immigrant Greeks were either slaves who became very high-class secretaries or financiers in high-end trade or banking.
    â€œThales was a well-known local character?” I asked, concealing how much I despise such types.
    â€œOh yes.” Liberalis looked a little jealous. “Everyone knew Old Thales. He had a great reputation.”
    â€œWhat as?” asked Faustus, keeping it light.
    â€œOh, you know.”
    We sat quietly, with raised eyebrows, implying that we did not know. The truth would emerge if I started asking around, but it would have been useful to know first how Liberalis assessed his predecessor. They must have been opposite types.
    â€œA rather colorful landlord?” I hinted eventually, determined to extract more.
    â€œLarger than