In cities, inns were extremely popular and heavily frequented by people from all walks of life. One could even say that owning an inn was a remarkably profitable business. Innkeepers could cater to foreigners who had just arrived in the city, merchants who needed a place to rest during their travels, or even homeless people and individuals who had nowhere else to stay.
However, the people inns made the most money from were often criminals and thieves.
After committing grievous crimes, many criminals would flee to an inn and hide there until the situation outside had calmed down. Moreover, since an inn was technically a business establishment, the authorities could not simply barge inside whenever they pleased. Unless they had a warrant or a proper reason to conduct a search, they were usually required to follow certain procedures.
Because of this, many criminals and thieves regarded inns as a temporary safe haven.
Grey was well aware of this.
