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Ruby

She watched Mr. Christmas pull away and felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Alison.

Ruby hit answer.

‘Hi, Ruby, I’m just wondering if you could do me a favor tomorrow. The construction workers are coming in the morning, and I was wondering if you could be there to let them in?’

Ruby felt a sickness in her stomach.

‘Sure, what time?’

‘They should be there around nine. Please be there for me at that exact time. They charge by the hour even when they’re waiting.’

‘Sure thing,’ said Ruby.

Alison thanked her and hung up. Ruby checked the street again. Quiet. None of Flynn’s team’s cars. They’d gone.

Her arm was still hurting. She was exhausted.

But she had no choice. She had to do this tonight. She went back into the Jacksons’ house.

Everything was as she had left it.

Ruby walked into the kitchen, picked up the hammer and moved into the hallway.

She stood by the painting of the red priest.

She heard the buzzing.

He called her name.

Ruby raised the hammer. Her arm burned in pain. The hammer went up, over her head.

She let it fly.

And the red priest became silent.

‘Hi, Ruby,’ said a voice.

A real voice.

She turned, shocked, toward the staircase and the voice.

‘We need to talk,’ said Eddie Flynn as he walked down the stairs.

‘I want to help you . . .’ he said.