“You buzzed?” Gregor went to the wall by the door, where there was a panel with a video screen. He pressed “Play” on the last recorded footage, and sure enough, there was Ruby, waiting by the entranceway. “It must have been Constance who answered. Sorry about that. I was working out. In my room.”

Ruby noted the use of the term my room. Not our room, then. He lived with her, but he wasn’t with her. She was gathering evidence, still unsure whether to fully believe it.

“Ah yes. You hate gyms. But not exercise, clearly.”

He gave a half smile. “Come through—you can meet them.”

The short hallway led to a large, immaculate living room. There, seated on one of the couches was a small woman in a green, skin-tight jumper dress, with bare feet, her dark hair plaited in a long rope that coiled over a shoulder and reached almost to her lap. Standing, holding the edge of the couch, was a small child in a red sleepsuit, with a cockscomb of black hair, rosy cheeks, and pale skin.

“This is Leonie,” said Gregor. “Say hi to Ruby, baby girl.” He waved a hand at the toddler, who stood completely still and stared at Ruby with huge gray eyes just like her mother’s. “And this is Constance.” To Constance he said, “Ruby lives in the West Block. Remember, I told you we met on the tram the other day. Ruby plays the violin.”

The woman raised her eyes to Ruby’s. The only person smiling was Gregor. When Ruby glanced at him, he made a kind of reassuring yet apologetic face and a half shrug, as if to say, “Sorry about them.” Looking back at the mother and daughter, the way they regarded her seemed guarded, almost startled. Wild animals caught in a beam of light, alert to whatever might come next.

“Hiya,” said Ruby, grinning and waving, not knowing whether to try any other kind of greeting. Constance and Leonie continued to stare at her. There was no vibe whatsoever for a hug or a double-cheek kiss.

The living space was bigger than Ruby’s entire apartment. There were two identical couches arranged around a stylish coffee table, facing a very large flatscreen TV affixed to the wall. Floor-to-ceiling blinds concealed the impressive picture window onto the city, and if they had been open, she would have seen that it was overlooked by only one window, her own. Four doors led off the main space. The door to the kitchen stood open; the others were shut.

Ruby settled herself on the couch opposite Constance. Gregor took the remote and turned the music down a little. She was grateful for that. It was impossible to concentrate on anything else when music was playing.

“Nice place,” said Ruby. “How long have you lived here?”

“Two years, three months,” said Constance, her voice dreamy, almost wistful. “And six days.”