Although John Slade wasn’t a regular at Gabriel’s Tavern, he had been there occasionally. On this night, he had some thinking to do, and Gabriel’s was the place where he knew he could totally crawl into himself and concentrate. Preoccupied, he never did see the stranger walk into the Tavern, so he was surprised to find someone sitting on the stool immediately next to his at the empty bar. He was even more surprised when the stranger told him who he was. And so began the most unforgettable—and...
