“No,” I said. “I think someone’s been coming into my flat.”

“That’s odd. I change the locks after every tenant leaves so that they can’t get back in. I was here just a few weeks ago. Is that when you moved in?”

“Yes. I’ve not been here long.”

“Phone Gill while I put the lock on,” he said. “If she agrees, I’ll do it and won’t charge.”

“My phone’s upstairs,” I said. “Won’t be a minute.”

I called Gill from my bedroom. “Sean’s here to put a bolt on the front door,” I said. “Thanks for sending him over. I’ve asked him to change the locks as well but he said I had to check with you. I’m happy to pay.”

“Has something happened?” she asked. “First it was a bolt, now the locks. Are you okay?”

“I thought someone was in my flat on Wednesday night. I woke up and heard the front door click.”

She took a deep breath. “Oh my God, that’s my worst nightmare. Of course you can get the locks changed.”

“Thanks. It’s hard, living on my own. If there’s someone with you, you’ve got backup. It’s terrifying when you’re on your own.”

“Wasn’t your boyfriend there then?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“But you said . . .” She sounded confused. “You asked for a spare key for your boyfriend.”

“What?”

“You e-mailed me. Hold on, let me check.” She was quiet for a few moments. “Here it is. On June twenty-seventh. Wasn’t that the day you moved in? You sent an e-mail asking for a spare key for your boyfriend.”

I remembered that day. It was the day I’d gone to Manchester on that wild-goose chase and come home to find my dresses hanging up.

“Are you there?” she said. “Ruby, are you still there?”

I tried to pull myself together. “I didn’t send that e-mail. Did you see the person who picked up the key?”

“No, I wasn’t here then. I’ll have to ask around.” She sounded panicky now, exactly how I felt. “I’m really sorry, Ruby. The message was sent from your e-mail address. I had no reason to believe it wasn’t from you.”

“I know. Don’t worry.” I just wanted to get her off the phone now. “I’ll sort it out.”

“Was anything taken?” she asked. “Have you noticed anything’s missing?”

“I don’t know.” But as I spoke my eyes rested on my bed, on the pillows. The scarf I’d been holding that night, that I’d put on the pillow beside me before I slept, had gone.

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