The Warehouses of Caesarea

“The Guest”, a short story in THE DEADLIEST DECEPTIONS, is about one man’s simmering jealousy against his more successful sibling. The guest is staying in Alexandria with Miriam’s wealthy friend, Gershon, while his home in Caesarea is being renovated. But Gershon needs Miriam’s advice when his guest claims to need a bodyguard.

Gershon explains:

I met him years ago, when I was importing Palestinian wine. He and his brother maintained the warehouses—you remember the warehouses along the harbor, those vaulted buildings lining the promenade? I stored my Palestinian wine for export there. I kept asking myself how he could already need a bodyguard. He just got here! Who could be threatening him? As his host, of course, I knew I was responsible for protecting him. But I was also afraid. My entire household might be in danger.

The action accelerates when Miriam learns where Gershon’s guest went yesterday. Before she finds a bodyguard for him, she needs to know what danger threatens him.

Caesarea, a maritime city with an elaborate harbor, was the provincial capital of Judea/Palestina. Accordingly, storage facilities occupied a large area of the city. A large complex of warehouses and granaries uncovered in recent excavations indicate several types of storage facilities. But it is likely that Gershon stored his wine among the smaller warehouses, the ones for short-term use, since his wines were destined for export.

Gershon’s guest did indeed need a bodyguard in Alexandria. Fortunately, you will not.

All you have to do is click here.