But in this part of town, he knew, credibility was a rare commodity.
Gareth and his friends entered the tavern, and several of his old compatriots stopped and looking his way. Their expressions told him that they were surprised to see him alive; they looked as if they were watching a walking ghost. He did not blame them. He also felt certain that he would die the night before, and that it was a miracle he had survived.
Slowly, the room came back to life, and Godfrey made his way over to the bar, Akorth and Fulton beside him, and they took up their old seats. The barkeep looked at Godfrey warily, then ambled over to them.
“I didn’t expect to see you back here so soon,” he said in his deep, shaky voice. “In fact, I didn’t expect to see you here at all. You seemed pretty dead last I saw you.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Godfrey responded.
The barkeep looked over, rubbed the stubble on his chin, then broke into a large smile, revealing crooked teeth. He reached out and clasped Godfrey’s forearm, and Godfrey clasped him back.
“You son of a bitch,” the barkeep said. “You really do have nine lives. I’m glad your back.”
The barkeep filled mugs for Akorth and Fulton.
“None for me?” Godfrey asked, surprised.
The barkeep shook his head.
“I promised your sister. She’s a tough one, and I’m not keen to break it.”
Godfrey nodded. He understood. A part of him wanted the drink, but another part of him was glad for the encouragement not to.
“But you didn’t come to drink, did you?” the barkeep asked, growing serious, looking back and forth between the three men.
Godfrey shook his head.
“I’ve come to find the man who killed me.”
The barkeep leaned back, looking grave, and he cleared his throat.
“You’re not saying I had anything to do with it?” he asked, suddenly defensive.
Godfrey shook his head.
“No. But you see things. You served the drinks. Did you see anyone last night?”
“Anyone who shouldn’t have been here?” Akorth added.
The barkeep shook his head vigorously.
“If I had, don’t you think I would’ve stopped him? Do you think I want you poisoned in my place? It upset me worse than you. And it’s bad for business. Not many people want to come in and get poisoned, do they? Half my clients haven’t returned since you keeled over like a horse.”
“We’re not accusing you,” Fulton chimed in. “Godfrey is simply asking you if you saw anything different. Anything suspicious.”
The barkeep leaned back and rubbed his chin.
“It’s not so easy to say. The place was packed. I can’t remember a stream of faces. They come in and out of here so quick, and half the time, my back is turned. Even if someone snuck up on you, the chances are I would’ve missed it.”
“You’re forgetting the boy,” came a voice.
Godfrey turned and saw a drunk old man, hunched over, sitting alone at the end of the bar, who looked over at them warily.
“Did you say something?” Godfrey asked.
The man was silent for a while, looked back to the bar, mumbling to himself, and Godfrey thought he would not speak again. Then, finally, he spoke up again, not looking at them.
“There was a boy. A different boy. He came and left, real quick like.”
Godfrey recognized the old drunk; he was a regular. He had drank at the same bar with him for years, but had never exchanged words before.
Godfrey and Akorth and Fulton exchanged a curious glance, then all got up and ambled their way over towards the end of the bar. They took up seats on either side of the old man, and he didn’t bother to look up.
“Tell us more,” Godfrey said.
The old man looked up at him and grimaced.
“Why should I?” he retorted. “Why should I stick my nose in trouble? What good would it do me?”
Godfrey reached down, pulled out a bag of thick gold coins from his waist, and plopped them down on the bar.
“It can do you a lot of good,” Godfrey answered.
The old man raised one finger skeptically, reached over, and pried open the sack. He peeked inside at the stash of gold, far more than he had ever seen in his life, and he whistled.
“That’s a high price. But it won’t do me much good if I don’t have my head. How do I know your brother’s not going to send his men down here and poison me, too?”
Godfrey reached down and plunked a second sack of gold beside the first one. The