Burn Me Once Burn With Me (Ruby Grayson) novel Chapter 463

A middle-aged woman with frizzy, yellowing hair glared at them, her face twisted with annoyance. “What are you two girls up to? Can’t a person get any sleep around here?”

Fanny quickly stepped forward, all apologies. “I’m so sorry for disturbing you. We’re just looking for someone, but nobody was answering the door, so maybe we made too much noise.”

As she spoke, she discreetly pressed a wad of bills into the woman’s hand.

The dry crispness of the cash was immediately tangible.

The woman’s expression shifted. She cleared her throat, her irritation vanishing like a mask dropped. “Well, you should have just said so.”

She jerked her head toward the door down the hall, suddenly warming up. “You two are too late. That family moved out a while ago. Some fancy car came, whisked them away—must’ve been someone well-off.”

As soon as she said this, Ruby and Fanny felt their hopes sink.

“A while ago? When exactly?” Ruby pressed, her voice tight.

“About a week back, I suppose,” the woman said, scratching her chin. “But you know what’s odd? They barely packed a thing. My son said that car was top of the line, so you’d figure they struck it rich or something, but they all looked miserable.”

“Maybe they just didn’t want the neighbors to get jealous,” she added, smacking her lips, already tucking the cash into her apron. “Could be they were just pretending, acting all mysterious.”

Ruby and Fanny exchanged a glance.

“So they’ve left Stormhaven?” Fanny asked, still clinging to hope.

“No way,” the woman said, this time sounding certain. “Domingo’s son still goes to school here. Saw him the other day, coming home.”

At that, Ruby and Fanny’s eyes brightened.

“Do you know which school he goes to? Or when he gets out?” Ruby asked.

“School? No idea. I just know the poor kid’s had it rough—Domingo’s wife gave birth early, he’s always been sickly, but a smart boy. As for when he gets out… I usually see him around five or six in the evening,” the woman replied, frowning thoughtfully.

“Thank you,” Ruby and Fanny said in unison, already turning to leave.

But the woman hurried to stop them. “So… you’re really giving this to me?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows and nodding at the cash in her apron.

“Of course. And if we have any more questions, I hope you’ll help us out again,” Fanny replied with a polite smile.

“Absolutely!” the woman said, thumping her chest in assurance.

Fanny chuckled, pulling Ruby away.

“So the whole Domingo family moved out, but left the kid behind?” Fanny wondered aloud, her eyes narrowing as they rounded the corner out of earshot.

“Hanley’s more ruthless than I imagined,” Ruby said, her laugh edged with bitterness. “No wonder he seemed so sure I couldn’t unravel his lies.”

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