Free Ruby Redfort 1 - Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child

till you saw sense.” Brant folded his arms like a man who had just successfully completed the cryptic crossword.
    “You know what, Brant? You’re a genius!” She turned to Ruby. “Your father’s a genius, Ruby!”
    Ruby thought this unlikely but said nothing.
    “Miami! That’s exactly where she is,” continued Sabina. “Playing poker, I’ll bet. Thank goodness for that.” She poured herself another tomato-celery health juice. “She loves to gamble!” Sabina picked up her magazine,
Faces of the Absurdly Rich
. “Well, this is going to make old Freddie happy. It says here that security has been stepped up to record levels. Twinford City Bank now has the safest bank vaults in the whole of the country.”
    “Well, I’m relieved to hear it,” said Brant. “I just deposited my latest paycheck! I certainly don’t want to gamble with that!”
    Sabina laughed like he had just cracked the joke of the century.
    Ruby, who despite appearances had actually been paying attention to this conversation, thought about what her father had said — not about the gold, but about Mrs. Digby. Gambling in Miami — it was certainly a possibility.
    She was roused from her thoughts by a piece of toast freshly delivered to her plate. It was telling her something:
    Be ready in ten. Wear your sneakers.
    Mrs. Bexenheath, the school secretary, looked up to see what at first glance she imagined must be some Hollywood film star. It was as if he had accidentally strayed off the Walk of Fame and wandered unwittingly into the shabby halls of Twinford Junior High — so entirely out of place was he. However, this handsome man struck up an easy conversation with her, and before a minute had passed Mrs. Bexenheath had found herself agreeing to excuse Ruby Redfort from all lessons for the foreseeable future. She had concentrated carefully, all the while staring into his Hollywood eyes, wondering if they were brown or hazel. And although after he had left she couldn’t exactly remember
why
she had excused Ruby from classes, she did find herself very sympathetic.
    “Of course! Of course, she must take all the time she needs,” she had gushed.
    “Just remember, Mrs. Bexenheath, keep it hush-hush — oh, and don’t bother Mr. and Mrs. Redfort, if you need to ask anything then be sure to bother me.”
    “Oh, I will, I will,” said Mrs. Bexenheath sincerely.
    Hitch thanked the school secretary for her warmth and kindheartedness, and promised that
yes,
he would make a point of visiting the school again soon. Then he said good-bye and returned to the car where Ruby was waiting.
    “So?” said Ruby when Hitch got back into the driver’s seat.
    “Mrs. Bexenheath sends her warmest wishes and insists you take all the time you need.”
    “Really? What did you tell the old crab apple?” asked Ruby.
    “Well, it seems that your grandmother has contracted a rare but not infectious virus while bird-watching in the Australian Alps — condition, serious,” Hitch said, turning the key in the ignition.
    “There
are
no Australian Alps,” said Ruby.
    “Well, someone should have told your grandmother that because now look at her.”
    “I can’t, she’s in New York — probably all tucked up in her penthouse apartment,” said Ruby.
    “Let’s not tell Mrs. Bexenheath that, or she might get
really
upset.”
    “You know what, man, you’re some butler.”
    “I prefer household manager, but thanks, kid. Now, I think we should pay our friends at Spectrum a little visit.”
    “Why is it called Spectrum?” asked Ruby
    “You’ll see,” said Hitch as he sped out of the parking lot.
    Ruby sat back. Maybe this guy wasn’t so bad. He certainly knew how to concoct total nonsense. Perhaps they were going to get along after all.
    When they entered HQ it wasn’t via the manhole cover that Ruby had previously used. No, this time they had to climb along the side of the Twinford Bridge. She now understood why the toast had recommended sneakers.
    They stopped