Ruby is working on her laptop. She set up an email address for her new identity months ago, giving Chloe Moore Facebook and Instagram accounts, but her online presence needs to be more convincing. She checks herself in the mirror, running a comb through her blonde hair. It’s still a shock to witness her transformation. There’s no trace now of the dark-haired girl she was, with eyes circled by black eyeliner. No one will recognise her as Craig Travis’s daughter.
She takes a few selfies, then posts them, slowly fleshing out her new persona. Ruby has never used social media before, because the police warned her against it, and dating sites were out of the question. Her father said that a relationship would be a mistake, so she’s never pursued one. Social media appears full of pointless rubbish. People upload hundreds of pictures of their clothes and pets, even their meals, as if every boring detail matters.
She scrolls through a London news site until she finds her actions reported. MAN STABBED IN WEST END ALLEY. Police are appealing for witnesses; they assume last night’s killing was a mugging gone wrong, because the man’s pockets were empty, leaving his identity a mystery. She’s willing to bet Malcolm Pierce was so friendless no one’s reported him missing. Her father would be proud, but she’d rather forget her victim’s agonised screams.
Ruby notices some new movement on the street. A middle-aged woman has emerged from the house opposite, her hair pinned back from her face. Ruby recognises her from photos she’s seen. Her name is Fiona Pullen; she’s a tall, curvy redhead with a relaxed smile, her skin shiny with health. She spends a few minutes fussing over her window boxes, then retreats inside. Another hour passes before a teenage boy appears, clutching a shopping bag from Sports Direct; Ruby can imagine him showing his mum the brand-new trainers he’s bought, after trying on dozens of pairs.
She leans back in her chair. Patience isn’t her best trait, but it will be essential to complete her mission. If DI Steve Pullen is working away, it could be days before he returns home. It’s almost 2 p.m., and she ought to go out before the landlady wonders why she’s skulking indoors on a sunny day. She decides to pick up food from a local shop to keep her energy high during her vigil.
The front door of number 7 swings open just as she’s leaving the B&B. Fiona Pullen gives her a smile, like she’s welcoming a new neighbour, then sets off with a gym bag slung over her shoulder. Ruby’s heart is beating with excitement as she follows in her wake, dodging street cameras and leaving a wide gap between them. She learnt years ago how to become invisible.