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advice so much. And Theodotus’ also. He doesn’t care how he speaks in my presence either. What is this document about anyway? My eyes seem particularly blurred today.”
    “It’s a list of regulations regarding warehouse fees.”
    “Then it’s all right. Business owners have better things to worry about than blotched signatures.”
    Theodotus emitted a loud grunt. “But what about all this additional help I suddenly have, Caesar? Do you suppose I’m not already on the trail of the villain who killed Hypatius? Why would I need a fuzzy-cheeked excubitor and a slave to assist me with my investigations?”
    “I agree with Justinian. It’s in everyone’s interest that Hypatius’ murder is solved quickly,” Justin replied. “This business of a murder in the church. And Hypatius being a church patron. It’s got everyone’s attention. We have to be sure it’s solved in a manner that we can all be certain is, let us say, impartial.”
    “Impartial? What does solved impartially mean? Solved is solved,” Theodotus said impatiently.
    Proclus looked thoughtful. “Sometimes, however—”
    The emperor slammed his kalamos down on the desk. “We all need eyes everywhere. You have plenty of spies around the city, Theodotus. They don’t seem to have helped you catch the culprits.”
    “I see your point,” Theodotus admitted. “I will have a letter of introduction drawn up for these men, to facilitate their investigations, allow them to interview people. I just hope they don’t interfere with the real investigation. I am holding a dinner party tonight. I’ll set them to guard my guests. Theodora will be there so doubtless that will please her. She can report to Justinian that his slave is already keeping an eye on me.”
    The emperor slumped back in his chair, as if tracing a signature on a few documents had exhausted him. “I had high ambitions for my nephew once, until that little whore got hold of him,” he said. “Euphemia hates her. Theodora wants me out of the way so Justinian can rule, and what Theodora wants, my nephew wants. He never paid attention to these street brawlers until she came along. Just because the Blues aided the woman’s family when the Greens wouldn’t, is that a reason to put the whole empire into turmoil? Is this what it’s come to, that Roman citizens should be ruled by the daughter of a bearkeeper for one of the factions? Well, I’m not dead yet. And I don’t intend to die for some time.”
    Proclus removed the wooden stencil. Justin had obviously finished his labors although a stack of documents remained unsigned.
    “Don’t let this matter of Hypatius keep you from your work restoring order in the streets, Theodotus,” Justin went on. “Street riots threaten the empire as much as any conspiracy.”
    “I’ll skin everyone in the city alive if that’s what it takes to make the streets safe.”
    “It’s not the beatings and robberies and assaults that scare people, it’s all the counting and scribbling it down,” Justin observed. “If a clerk with a kalamos hadn’t recorded it, you wouldn’t have someone like Senator Balbinus railing about how there were two murders near the Strategion and fifteen assaults on the Mese overnight. Not to mention a grocer had three bunches of leeks snatched. Citizens wouldn’t be so fearful if we didn’t keep count.” Justin’s teeth clenched as he came to an abrupt halt and reached a trembling hand down to his leg.
    Theodotus reached into the pouch at his belt, took a few awkward steps forward and set a terracotta pot down on the desk in front of Justin. “Your medication for that old wound, excellency. A fresh batch. I made it only this morning.”
    The emperor drew the tiny container toward him. “You have served me well, Theodotus, and I trust you will continue to do so. Now off you go to prepare for your banquet. What entertainments do you plan? It’s a pity you can’t ask Theodora to perform some of her specialties for your