Ella’s heart was thumping so fast, she thought it was going to burst through her ribcage at any second. Callie gripped her hand tighter.

‘What is it?’ Ella’s voice faltered, her whole body trembling. ‘Have they found him? Is he dead?’ she blurted.

‘I’m afraid there is no Dr Alex James working at the City Hospital. We’ve checked and double checked.’

Ella’s mouth opened and closed. The words hung in the air whilst she tried to process what she’d just heard. ‘But… but…’ Ella looked towards Callie, confused. ‘He’s worked at the City Hospital for the last three years. I drop him off and pick him up from the car park there. He has his doctor’s coats hanging in the wardrobe, his spare lanyard is in the drawer. There must be some sort of mistake.’ Ella felt a tightening in her chest as her mind raced.

‘Could we possibly have a look at his lanyard?’ asked the Constable.

Ella was already up on her feet, pulling open the drawer. ‘Here it is.’ She handed the lanyard over to the policemen, who passed it between themselves.

‘See, there has to be some mistake.’ Ella’s voice was hopeful.

‘Ella, this isn’t a lanyard from the hospital. It’s a fake.’

Feeling baffled, Ella looked towards Callie, then back towards the policemen. ‘I don’t understand what you’re telling me.’

‘I’m afraid that the man you knew as Dr Alex James isn’t a real doctor. We aren’t sure that’s even his real name.’

Ella felt the burn of bile in the back of her throat, and an uncontrollable shudder swept through her entire body. Her breaths were now coming in short sharp bursts. The initial shock of what she was hearing just didn’t make sense.

‘It’s going to be okay,’ Callie reassured.

‘It’s not, though, is it?’ Ella knew she was being sharp, but she couldn’t help it.

‘Ella, please can you start from the beginning. How did you meet Alex?’

‘Take a deep breath,’ encouraged Callie, handing her a glass of water from the coffee table.

After taking a sip, Ella exhaled. ‘I’m the owner of the gift shop on the corner of Barton Square next to the City Hospital.’ She noticed that Constable Price was tapping away on an iPad whilst the other officer was writing in his notepad.