"Linda Evans - Time Scout 2 - Wages of Sin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Evans Linda)

been smiling in such enormous relief.
"Found him tied to a public fountain," one of them explained when asked.
"Three blocks farther on."
Lupus nodded and stalked on. He found the fountain, but no trace of the
thief. So he started bribing shopkeepers for information. He hit paydirt on
the third bribe.
"Yeah, he strolled off that way, whistling like he owned the Emperor's
palace."
"Thanks." Lupus flipped him a second silver sestertius and headed that way.
The streets here weren't quite as twisted and winding as they were across the
river. Lupus spotted him within five minutes. Every impulse in him said,
"Now!"
But he held back.
If he followed the little snake back to his lair, he might recover more
than just the money he'd lost. Who knew how much this rat had swindled since
coming to Rome? The thief led him a merry chase. Evidently, he was intent on
touring the whole blasted city. He paused now and again to buy wine and
sausages with money he'd swindled from other victims, then bought a few
trinkets a woman might enjoy wearing.
By the time the little rat re-crossed the Tiber and stopped to stare at the
great temple complex atop the Capitoline hill, Lupus was out of time. Either
he had to shake the rat down now and get back his money or he'd miss the
fighting matches for which he was scheduled today. He was actually advancing,
hand on the hilt of his gladius, when a third alternative occurred to him.
He had noticed a couple of wide-eyed beggar brats staring at him and paused
to consider what use he might make of them.
"Are you really Lupus Mortiferus?- the bolder of the two asked, eyes round
with wonder and a glint approaching fear.
I am.
Wide eyes went rounder.
Lupus smiled coldly. "Want to earn some money?"
Mouths dropped open. "How?"
"See that man?" he pointed out the thief. "Follow him. Find out where he
lives and tell me and I'll give you enough silver to buy slaves of your own."
The boys gasped. "We'll follow him! But how can we let you know where he's
gone?"
Lupus sighed. Starvation left a man stupid and these boys looked like they
hadn't eaten properly in years. "One of you stay wherever he's gone," Lupus
said patiently. "The other of you, come find me. I'll be at the starting
boxes, waiting."
He gave each boy a couple of copper asses as incentive, showing them the
silver in his purse as greater incentive, then headed grimly back toward the
Circus. He had some fights to win. Given his mood, Lupus Mortiferus pitied his
opponents today. The crowd ought to be very pleased with his performance. And
afterward ...
Afterward, a certain foreign thief would learn the bite of Roman revenge.
Agnes Fairchild's voice rose on a half-scream of hurt rage. "You used me,
Skeeter Jackson! How ... how dare you-"
"Agues-"
"Don't touch me! My God, to think I gave you a ticket, money, slept with