Cover

Dedication

For Gary Barlow,

I’m now single so please call me… in fact hold that call… in my mind every guy I’ve met has been an arsehole so if you are an arsehole I never want to know. *Sighs*

So I think it will be best just to stay friends.

Prologue

Ella Johnson’s life was in turmoil. She just couldn’t understand how this could even be happening to her. She’d barely slept in the last forty-eight hours and was consumed with worry and confusion, as her whole world was shattering around her.

Her fiancé, Dr Alex James, had gone to work as normal on Monday morning but had never come home. There was no trace of him; his mobile phone no longer connected, their brand-new Range Rover had vanished and there had been no withdrawals from their bank account. None of it made any sense, and Ella checked her mobile phone and local news reports for the umpteenth time that day.

Hours earlier, with the constant pain of not knowing what might have happened to Alex twisting in her heart, Ella had been sitting at the kitchen table in front of two policemen, giving a statement.

‘And nothing out of the ordinary happened between you? An argument, perhaps… anything?’ The police constable was poised with his pen.

With tears rolling down her cheeks Ella shook her head. ‘Far from it. We cuddled in bed and Alex brought me a cup of tea, like he has done every morning since he moved in.’

‘And how long have you lived together?’

‘Ten months,’ replied Ella, remembering the day they’d met like it was yesterday. ‘But we’ve been together for just over a year… we’re getting married next year!’ Ella was distraught and none of this made any sense. They’d already picked the venue, organised the invitations and, knowing how difficult it was getting time off work, Alex had booked his leave already.

‘And Alex’s friends, have you spoken to them? Has he been in contact with any of them?’

Ella was silent for a moment. ‘I’ve never met any of his friends.’ She knew as soon as the words left her mouth that it sounded lame, but although Alex spent a lot of time mentioning friends and colleagues, after he’d finished his shift at the hospital, he always wanted to spend time with her alone, which of course she never objected to.

‘Never? How about work colleagues?’

Ella noticed a look pass between the two officers. ‘No, but Alex talks about them all the time and he plays football with them every Thursday night… five a side.’

‘At which sports club?’ The policeman was poised with his pen again, waiting for Ella’s answer.