The old woman snorts and the sound immediately turns into a coughing fit that rattles deep in her chest.
I strip off a glove and pull out my phone, flicking on the flashlight before shining the beam into the canopy of blanket and tarp. Ruby immediately squints at the sudden brightness, lifting one gnarled hand to block her face.
But she’s not fast enough.
I reach around the cart to grab her hand, yanking it down so I can get a better look at her.
Her weathered face is pale and drawn and a light sheen of sweat covers her forehead.
“You’re sick.” I touch the back of my hand to her brow, but I barely manage to make contact before she jerks away.
“I’m fine.” She pulls the dirty blankets tighter around her frail body. “You’re here to find out who Frederick met with, not to be a pain in my ass.” She leans to peer at where Victor stands just behind me, gaze wary as it sweeps down him. “Where’s the other guy who’s usually with you?”
I tense at the mention of Sebastian and immediately rock my head from one side to the other, forcing away the unwanted reaction. “Not here.” I shove my phone back into place. “Who did Frederick meet with?”
Ruby’s eyes linger on Victor a second longer before coming back to me. She leans closer, her voice low enough that I’m the only one who can hear her response. “Everyone.”
It’s not the answer I was hoping for.
“Who, specifically?” I don’t want to assume anything, not when it comes to this.
I need to know exactly who is against me so I can show them just how bad of an idea that is.
“All three of ‘em.” She glances at Victor again and her lips seal off.
“Ignore him.” I lean to block Victor from her line of sight. “I want names.”
Ruby snorts at me again, which turns into another coughing fit that takes more than a minute to clear and leaves her voice even more raspy than before. “You know their names.” She hunkers lower, the drop and lift of her lids moving slower with each blink.
“Ruby.” I rattle the cart to wake her back up. I’m getting impatient and Ruby seems to be drifting to one side. “Leo?”
She gives me a nod.
“Hyde?”
Her eyes close as she tips her head again.
“Reece?”
“That’s them.” Ruby leans so far to the left that her shoulder presses to the building beside her, propping her in place. “Can I go back to sleep now?”
“No.” I straighten. “Now you’re going to the hospital.” She’s one of the best informants I have and I’m not risking losing her. Definitely not now.
Not when so many seem to be forgetting just how much power I hold.
Ruby jolts up straight. “What?”
I turn to Victor, ignoring Ruby’s screeching protests as she begins throwing a fit behind me. “Have someone come take her to Lincoln.”
“I’m not going there.” Ruby grips the shopping cart between us with her bony hands and wedges it back across the opening to her shelter. “Leave me alone.”
“Stop being dramatic.” I grab the handle of the cart, keeping her from pulling it any closer. “You’re sick.”
“I ain’t goin’.” She yanks on the cart with a surprising amount of strength, given how pale she is. “And if you try to make me I’m not telling you shit ever again.”
That makes me go still.
I will put up with more from her than most, but no one threatens me.