Free The Alchemist's Apprentice by Dave Duncan Page B

help you clear up a mystery before innocent people became involved. He agreed to come and see you.” Just as I had agreed to go with Raffaino Sciara.
    Imer’s mouth twitched. “Criminal investigation is the responsibility of the state inquisitors, nothing to do with you!”
    â€œWe all have a duty to report evidence of crime,” the Maestro said. “Are you sure there was a crime? Let me explain. When the procurator was overcome, I hurried to his aid as fast as I could. I detected symptoms characteristic of a certain poison. However—” He raised a tiny hand to forestall an interruption. “The substance in question is also a potent physic. The procurator was old and perhaps forgetful. If he accidentally took his medicine twice, or if he had an unusually severe reaction to the drug, which is possible, or if he had just opened a fresh preparation that happened to be a little stronger than intended…then there was no crime. We need to know if the procurator’s own physician had prescribed this particular physic for him. You must know who was sent for that night? So will you tell me the doctor’s name?”
    â€œAnd then what will you do? Blackmail him as you have tried to blackmail me?”
    The Maestro dropped his pathetic-old-man mask, shedding ten years and dropping his voice an octave. “Alfeo, you brought me an idiot. Put him back where you found him and give that letter to the lion.” He reached for his staff.
    â€œWait!” Imer snapped. “I withdraw that remark. It was uncalled for and I apologize. What exactly are you proposing?”
    The Maestro leaned back and studied him with distaste. Eventually he said, “I am proposing, lustrissimo , to wind up the medical case on which I was consulted in your house two nights ago. If I can satisfy myself that the patient died by misadventure, I shall so report to a certain senior magistrate who has already asked me, unofficially, to investigate the matter. It is my hope that the authorities will then be content to let the matter rest. If I do not, a formal inquiry will be launched. Then you, and I, and a great many other people, will be seriously inconvenienced, embarrassed, and disturbed. If that is what you prefer, then go away and stop wasting my time. If you want to have your skull crushed in a vise, you will be on the right track. Otherwise you should give me your full cooperation.”
    Twitch…twitch…“I shall answer any reasonable question, but without prejudice and only in strictest confidence.”
    My master sighed testily. “In a murder case? You know that you are talking rubbish. What was the name of the deceased’s personal physician?”
    Imer’s face shone red with fury. He was a curiously bad actor for a man who must impress panels of hard-bitten judges for a living. Perhaps that was why he had gone into the used book trade. “I do not know. You were there also, so why don’t you know? Senator Tirali took over, you will recall. He ordered me to go and fetch a litter! I sent a man to find one and then tried to calm the ladies, some of whom were very upset. Orseolo was taken home and everyone left.”
    â€œNot helpful.”
    â€œThe best I can do. You want me to invent answers?”
    â€œWas anyone else taken ill?”
    â€œNot that I am aware of.”
    â€œWho was the servant who poured the wine?”
    â€œThere were two—Giuseppe Benzon and a man I heard called Pulaki, a servant of the merchant Karagounis, whom you met. Benzon has been in my employ for four or five years.”
    â€œIndeed?” the Maestro murmured. “Karagounis is from Athens, in Turkish Greece. Is this Pulaki also a Greek native?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œIf so he would be a subject of the sultan. You let a subject of the sultan serve wine to, er, Nasone ?”
    Imer had seen that one coming and did not faint or cry out with horror. He