Bounty Hunter

“West Port Grey, no water.” I said to a repulsively thin bar maid. It seemed that it was the fashion here in West Port for a girl to starve herself to meet a very unattractive body type. I miss the good country girls from the old east. They had a little more meat where it counted.

The repulsive bar maid returned to where I was sitting at the main bar with a cup of dry grey sludge. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like it with a little bit of water? It’s awfully dry.”

“No miss, that’ll do fine.” I took the rusty goblet from her and slurped the thick substance down. “Another, if you’d be so kind.” The maid took back the goblet and went back to the drink counter.

“Wow, and I thought I liked my drinks strong.” A voice said from the behind me. I turned to see a middle aged man wearing the attire of a middle class merchant. “Do you mind if I sit?” He said motioning to the seat next to me where I had thrown my trail coat and country hat.

“I don’t care. It ain’t my seat.” I took the coat off of the chair and laid it over the back of my chair and placed my hat in front of me on the bar counter top.

The man sat down next to me. “So… where you from?”

I looked back at the man. “You tryin’ to sell me somethin’ or are you one of those… sexually confused individuals?” The man stared blankly back at me as if I had said something totally beyond his recollection. “Forget it. Whichever it is, I’m not interested.” I stared ahead at the collection of brews on the alcohol rack.

The man squirmed in his seat. “No, I had no intention of selling you anything or… umm, yeah.” He took the final sips of his drink and then continued. “I was just trying to make some small talk in a completely… none advantageous manner.”

The skinny bar maid returned and planted the dry alcoholic sludge in front of me. She then turned to the man next to me. “You want another one of those, Grey?”

“No, thank you Eli.” The bar maid then strolled to another table. “So… are you here for business mister…?”

“Chrissy… the name is Jasper Chrissy.” I said to the ever persistent salesman. I took a gulp of the heavy drink and then continued. “And yes I am here for business. I take it that your name is Grey, or was that the name of your drink?”

The young man shifted his body to face me after seeing that I was going to cooperate with his chat. “No it’s not my drink. I ordered the Whisky Musk.” He pointed to a bottle sitting half empty on the alcohol rack. “My name is Vahn Grey.”

“And what business do you have Mista’ Grey?” I asked passively taking another gulp of substance.

“Uh, I have a small trade caravan running up and down the Western Shore. I have a small shop here in the city where I sell my goods.” He looked down at his empty glass and looked to the bar maid and then back to me. “You didn’t share your business in West Port.”

I looked away from the beverages on the rack and faced the persistent man. “I’m a private criminal contractor, or as the average citizen says, a bounty hunter.”

The face of the young man became even more engaged. “Really? Wow. Who are you hunting or is that secret or something?”

“No, it ain’t a secret. I was originally hired to come up here to hunt up the rats that were responsible for the death of Gilden Lar’s two kids.” I slurped down the remainder of my second cup. “But now I’m after some man or… thing that is responsible for the recent gruesome murders at the Dark District. You wouldn’t happen to know anything that would help me out would you?”

“I wish I did. Word on the street is that it hunts at night. I don’t know if that helps you at all.”

I looked down at my hat and then placed it on my head. “Hmm, well thank you kindly mister Grey, but I best be goin’.” I started to put on my trail coat when a very familiar face walked through the tavern door.

Vahn Grey turned to see what I was looking at and then arose from his seat. “Randy… what are you doing back so soon?”

Randy rushed past him. “I just came back for my clothes, Vahn. Sorry for bugging you.” Randy walked into the back.

I turned to back to Vahn Grey. “You know Randolph Debterson?” My tone was low.

“Yeah, Randy and I go way back.” His face changed to one of suspicion. “How do you know him?”
I looked away from Vahn Grey and began to walk toward the back door Randolph had walked through. “I recommend you and that skinny Bar girl get out of here. I have some old chips to cash in.”