Barton Square was home to small boutiques, coffee shops and a deli which was popular with the medical staff from the hospital, and that was where Ella had first spotted Dr Alex James, sitting outside at a wrought-iron table, reading a newspaper and drinking coffee. The second Ella clapped eyes on him she knew there was something about him – the way he carried himself, his Mediterranean olive skin and deep hazel eyes. He was drop-dead gorgeous and even though he was a stranger to her, Ella had a feeling that this man was going to be in her life. And she was right.

‘My parents had passed away…’ Ella let out a long shuddering breath and the tears slipped down her cheeks.

Callie quickly passed her a tissue. ‘Take your time,’ she soothed gently.

‘Their deaths made the local news but that escalated to the national news.’ Her voice quivered.

‘What happened?’ asked the policeman.

‘Carbon monoxide poisoning,’ replied Ella, ‘given off by the old gas fire in the Edwardian property they were living in. There was an article in the newspaper and I was sitting in my shop reading it, when Alex walked in. I was mortified, all blotchy-faced from my tears, with greasy hair,’ Ella reminisced. ‘But he introduced himself, asked if I was okay, and as soon as I explained about my parents’ death, he insisted on making me a cup of tea. He comforted me for an hour, the whole of his lunch break. I felt dreadful – he went back to work not having anything to eat.’

‘And he said at that very first meeting that he worked at the City Hospital?’ asked the police officer.

Ella nodded.

‘And when was the first time you picked him up from work?’ asked Constable Price.

‘Literally a week after. His flat was on the outskirts of the city and he used to ride the bus into work. He didn’t like crawling through the slow city traffic, so it was easier for me to pick him up, as I live closer to the hospital, and for him to come back to mine. It was a couple of months before we moved in together.’

‘And what’s the address of his flat?’

All eyes were on Ella.

Ella’s voice faltered. ‘I… I don’t know.’ As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed both policemen raise their eyebrows. ‘I know saying that out loud, it doesn’t sound very good, does it?’

‘Did you think it was strange that you never went to his home?’

Ella looked towards Callie who gave her hand a little squeeze.

‘No, I didn’t think about it. It was just easier for him to come to mine when he finished work.’

‘When he moved in, did he bring his belongings?’ the policeman probed.