Follow the Gold

From the introduction: Something has been stolen from a powerful (but shady) merchant, and he has hired you to recover it. He will not say what it is, only that it is kept in a chest inscribed with his sigil. You have tracked the thieves who stole it to the Gilded Parrot, a seedy tavern and inn on the waterfront. You fear they are meeting with a buyer who plans to escape with the item by ship as soon as they have it; time is of the essence. Your informant slipped you a note with only the cryptic message: “To find the thieves, follow the gold”.