I think if her relationship with her parents has degenerated that far that either she can’t ask them, or they won’t offer to watch their 8 year old grandson for a couple of hours while she goes next door for a drink, then it’s time to cut your losses, sell at a reasonable price and move on before you never talk again.
I found that really weird, in a year were no one has been gallivanting out all nights they’ve just gone next door, the kid is of an age were at that’s time of night he’ll just be watching tv or playing xbox, neither of her parents could listen out for him or stick their head in the bedroom and check he’s behaving like once an hour.