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“Just once,” I answer honestly

“Strange how he moved out just as you moved in”

I shrug “He was upset When Bill-E’s grandparents were killed, he wanted to get away from here It reminded him of when his parents were murdered”

“Maybe,” Reni sniffs “But who did he go to?”

“His aunt”

Reni shakes her head “Grubbs didn’t like his aunt Or any of his other relatives He told me about them Dervish was the only one he loved Bill-E loved Dervish too Yet both of the and neither has bothered to pay hie”

Her eyes are hot with er For reasons she maybe doesn’t even know, she blames me for the disappearance of Grubbs and Bill-E And to a certain extent she’s right

I say nothing, figuring silence is better than a lie After a minute of quiet, Reni asks softly, “Do you have a number for Grubbs?”

“No, but I could probably ask Der—”

“Don’t bother,” she interrupts “I asked already, when I couldn’t get through on his mobile He said Grubbs didn’t want to talk to anyone He told me to email, and I did, but it wasn’t Grubbs who answered I’ to be his nephew”

I’m not sure how to respond

“This has so to do hat happened to Loch,” she whispers, and her expression changes, beco more haunted “You knoho Loch was?”

“Your brother,” I croak

She nods “Soht say it wasn’t coincidence that the pair ith hirandparents of one were butchered Or that the uncle of another has spent the last six —everyone—dear to him”

“What do you want?” I ask stiffly