"Don't worry, these people are all friends." The mage puts a reassuring hand on Brigit's shoulder and the woman visibly relaxes. He says, "What is your name, my lady?" She answers, "Brigit." He says, "Brigit, I need your help. There have been three murders in the past few days here in Orussus. What do you know about them?" She responds, "I... I'd rather not say." "I understand that," he says, "But innocent people are in danger if you don't tell us what's going on. We just need to know why people have died and who did it." She replies, "Kamdar and Wilbur were arrested, so-" She halts, unable to continue for some reason. Her eyes dart around the room, to the door, to the cleric, and back to the mage. She continues, "And no more people will die." Vagan's eyebrows raise.
"Brigit, you know that's not good enough." She looks a little ashamed. "I need to know what you know. I promise you, we will keep you safe from harm, no matter what your involvement." He glances at Vagan, and Vagan nods. "What do you know, Brigit?"
She looks at him with watery eyes and proceeds to spill it.
"It all started in Earling. Brimbor hired Flodal and me to steal an artifact from a wealthy prude, Khemidrov, for Kamdar Fatwon. Khemidrov is a retired Medibarian general, and an artifact collector. Flodal and I successfully obtained the artifact, and then discovered that Brimbor was going to double cross us, so we made off with it. First we fled to Monemvassia, and from there we took a ship to Orussus, the Flying Lion. I... I got to know the captain, and I left the artifact with him for safekeeping. Flodal and I hid in Orussus, thinking that we had escaped Kamdar and his cronies. Flodal was... a cruel man. I couldn't escape him, s- ... I went to Archer. Then Archer was murdered. Then Flodal was murdered. I knew it had to be Wilbur, Kamdar's thug. I was the brains, Flodal was the brawn, and Kamdar knew I knew where the artifact was. He was trying to scare me, and he succeeded.
"I asked Archer's associates, these two here, to help me. They did, and I was supposed to stay with Eppy, Archer's assistant. But before I did, the Flying Lion was in port, and I had to get the artifact. So I went to the docks. I went aboard the ship and told Jacobin to deliver the artifact to Archer's office. Apparently Kamdar and Jobe all followed me, because when I tried to leave the ship, they were all there, and they for- ... escorted me into a private cabin on the ship. I made a deal with them, but only to get away. Jacobin and I fled, and Jacobin was shot with poisoned arrows. We got split up. I suppose he made it to the office with the artifact and died from the poison. I tried to send for Mr. Magruder and Ryland, but before they came, I was discovered again and forced to flee. I hid near the Tower Inn and waited for Mr. Magruder and Ryland to return there.
"They eventually did, and we went to their room to talk, but Kamdar and Jobe were already there, waiting for us. I wanted them out of my life. We decided to give them the artifact. Mr. Magruder and Ryland arranged to meet them in their room the next day. I got a room at the Coronet. The next evening we all met at Mr. Magruder and Ryland's room and they gave Kamdar the artifact. It was a fake. Kamdar grew very angry, murderously angry. He threatened to kill Mr. Magruder and Ryland. Then he and Jobe left. I thought I was free, but then the Watch caught them downstairs. I... I was sure Fatwon would do anything to get off, including framing me, so I ran back up and asked Mr. Magruder and Ryland for help. They said they would, and went to talk to the Watch. While they talked, I tried to escape out the window, but I fell. And now... here I am."
She takes a deep, shaky breath, looking at Devlin and Ryland, expressionless. Vagan speaks up. "Miss Brigit, you tell a true story. But you left out some important parts. Money changed hands in the artifact exchange. I believe all three of you left that room a hundred platinum Dragons wealthier, no? And of course, there's Archer's murderer. You didn't say who did that, Brigit. It wasn't Thursby. Archer may have been sketchy, but he was a cunning detective. He'd never let a mark he was trailing get behind him like that, so don't give me that load of-" The mage gives Vagan a harsh look, and the senior officer shuts his mouth and glares.
The mage says, in a calming voice, "Brigit, please understand, my friend is very upset. People have died. Do you know who killed Mr. Archer?" Brigit is silent, she looks pleadingly at Devlin. All eyes in the room glance at the adventurer, and then return to Brigit. She looks like she wants to speak but can't. "Please, Brigit. I promise you, we will keep you safe. Do you know who did it?" She slowly nods her head, "Yes." Then, the inevitable question: "Who?" She shakes her head.
Vagan opens his mouth to say something and then finds that he cannot speak. He shuts his mouth and glances around the room at the other officers. One of the men shakes his head, but the other nods and says, "My lady, you know you are in a zone of truth. If you do not disclose the identity of the killer, it is grounds for the Orussian courts to convict you of the murder." A look of resigned horror shrouds Brigit's beautiful features. The mage says again, "Who?"
"... I did."
Vagan nods, the corners of his mouth perk up ever so slightly. The mage presses Brigit, "Why?" With nothing left to hide, she explains in a scathing tone, "I wanted to get rid of Flodal. He was brutal, and cruel, and wanted half the profit from the artifact. I stole his dagger and then got Archer on his trail. I met Archer in the dark, while he was tailing Flodal. He recognized me, and I called him over. I got in close, and killed him. Thursby should have taken the blame, but then he was killed by Wilbur, and the whole thing compounded and just..." She looks sullenly at the ceiling and then turns her gaze to the mage, her friend. "But you promised, you have to keep me safe, right?" Vagan interjects, "We certainly do, miss. Safe for a long time, in a room of reinforced steel."
Tears begin to stream down Brigit's face, and she closes her eyes and pulls her legs to her chest. "I'm still young, I can't go there, please, you mustn't let them take me," she pleads to the robed mage by her side. He pulls away, shaking his head. She spins her head to look at Devlin and calls him by name, "Mr. Magruder, I- I- I-" She can't seem to get the next word out. She shuts her mouth and slams her fist into the bed in anger and anguish. The two officers move to bind her. She gives everyone in the room a poisonous glare as they guide her off the bed and out of the room.
Vagan addresses Devlin and Ryland. "Well, gentlemen, it seems you're off the hook. Almost. What exactly were you planning to do with the dirty money? You do know it's a crime to accept payment for stolen goods, fake or not." Vagan doesn't look angry or happy at all, instead he wears a rather neutral expression.
