The Lake House
Christie Barlow

One More Chapter

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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2020

Copyright © Christie Barlow 2020

Cover design by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2020

Cover images © Shutterstock.com

Christie Barlow asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008413071

Ebook Edition © December 2020 ISBN: 9780008413064

Version: 2021-03-03

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

A Letter from Christie

Acknowledgments

Thank you for reading…

You will also love…

About the Author

Also by Christie Barlow

One more chapter...

About the Publisher

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.

‘Christ, I don’t know.’ She stood up and raked her hands through her hair. ‘All these questions.’ Ella was beginning to feel a little agitated. They shouldn’t be here talking about football – they should be out looking for Alex. ‘I’ve never asked! He goes and plays football, then comes home.’

‘Try and keep calm, Miss Johnson, take a seat. These are just standard questions, so that we can try to build a picture of Alex’s routine,’ the officer soothed.

‘You need to get out there and find him. He can’t just disappear off the face of the earth with no trace. Something has happened to him, I know it. He wouldn’t do this to me, he messages me all the time.’ Ella’s voice wavered as she sat back down at the table.

‘And his phone? Have you rung his phone since Alex has disappeared?’

Ella nodded. ‘Yes, of course I’ve rung his phone. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve rung his phone, but all it says is my call can’t be connected. Alex never has his phone switched off. Please, please just find him!’ she pleaded.

‘We’ll do our very best. It’s our job to investigate, and our first stop is the City Hospital.’

‘Good, because they wouldn’t tell me anything.’ Ella was taking in huge gulps of air as she tried to catch her breath. ‘They said they can’t give out any information about any member of staff, due to data protection.’

‘Leave that to us. Have you got anyone who can come and sit with you?’

Through her tears all Ella could manage was a nod. ‘My friend Callie is on her way. She’s travelling from Scotland, but her train gets in…’ Ella glanced up at the clock on the wall, ‘any time now.’

Both policemen stood up. ‘That’s good. We’ll be back in touch after we’ve visited the hospital.’

‘Will that be today?’ Ella just wanted answers.

‘Yes, hopefully today.’

Hearing a knock on the door, Ella’s eyes widened. She scraped back her chair and rushed to the door. ‘Alex… Alex!’ she shouted and flung the front door open… to find her friend Callie standing on the doorstep.

Feeling like her legs were going to buckle underneath her, Ella held on to the door tightly. ‘He’s got a key, Alex wouldn’t be knocking, he’s got a key.’

Callie opened her arms wide and grabbed on to her friend. Ella could feel her whole body physically shaking. ‘Thank God you are here. I can’t believe this is happening.’ Once again, a tsunami of tears ran down her cheeks.

‘I’m going nowhere,’ replied Callie, noticing the two policemen standing behind Ella. ‘Is there news, have you found him?’

Ella shook her head and let go of Callie as the police constables walked outside.

‘We’re going to the hospital now and we’ll be in touch as soon as we have some more information.’

‘Thank you,’ replied Ella, watching them head out towards the police car that was parked outside.

As soon as Ella closed the door behind them, she turned towards Callie. ‘I just don’t understand this, Callie. The ache in my heart is killing me. Where is he, Cal? What the hell has happened to him?’

‘I don’t know, I just don’t know.’ Callie hugged her friend again, then passed her a tissue from the box in the hallway. ‘I’ll make you a drink. Have you eaten?’ she asked, following Ella into the living room.

Ella dabbed her swollen eyes. ‘I can’t think about eating, showering or anything. I haven’t even slept, in case I miss a call from him. Where is he?’

‘I wish I knew, Ella, I really do. You can shower now I’m here, and I’ll make you something to eat. You have to keep your strength up.’

But Ella wasn’t listening. She’d sat down on the sofa and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly. She began to rock gently. ‘He just needs to come home.’

‘The police will do their best to find him.’

‘I’ve got this horrible sinking feeling. Someone can’t just disappear with no trace.’ Ella swallowed down the lump in her throat.

‘We’ll have news soon, I’m sure,’ soothed Callie.

‘All I keep thinking about is the worst-case scenario. They’re going to find him dead, aren’t they?’

Callie slipped her arm around Ella’s shoulder and pulled her in close. ‘Try not to think like that, stay positive.’

For a moment, they sat in silence. The last forty-eight hours had taken their toll and an exhausted Ella finally fell asleep. Gently, Callie removed her arm, then laid Ella down on the sofa and covered her up with a soft grey throw. Tip-toeing out of the living room, Callie headed towards the kitchen and switched on the kettle to make a cup of tea.

She would let Ella sleep whilst she could, but hopefully there would be some news soon.

Three hours later, Ella woke up startled. Hearing a loud knock on the door, she was up on her feet to find the same two policemen standing back on the doorstep. There was something about the look on their faces that she didn’t like. This wasn’t good news.

‘What is it? Have you found him?’

‘Are we okay to sit down?’ asked Constable John Price.

‘Yes, please do.’ Ella gestured towards the chairs, whist Callie perched next to Ella on the sofa and took her hand.

‘There’s no easy way to say this. We’ve been to the City Hospital…’

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.

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.

Now Ella felt like she was under investigation. Why were they questioning her like this? She hadn’t done anything wrong. Her only crime was to fall in love. She shared a look with Callie, raising an eyebrow. ‘Do you think it’s weird I never went to his flat?’

Callie hesitated. ‘If you thought it felt right and he was being genuine…’

‘Alex is genuine! What are you saying? He could lying at the bottom of the river… murdered… anything! And you’re asking me ridiculous questions about his clothes, what he moved in with.’ Ella was bordering on hysterical now. She didn’t want the police sitting there asking her stupid questions. She wanted Alex to be found and brought home.

‘Ella, I’m on your side,’ reassured Callie, ‘but I can hear what the officers are saying. Alex James is not who he says he is and doesn’t work at the hospital.’ Callie’s voice was calm.

Ella was quiet for a second, and she felt a quiver in her stomach. She wanted to turn back the clock to Monday morning before Alex had left for work, when everything in her life had been normal. At this moment in time she wanted to be anywhere but here, listening to this. She’d spent twelve months with this guy. She knew who he was!

‘Your friend is right,’ added the policeman. ‘That’s exactly what we’re saying. So, did Alex move in with any possessions?’

Ella tucked her feet up on the settee and cast her mind back. ‘It was a weekend; I remember because I was working in the shop and he borrowed my car to move stuff. He brought one suitcase full of clothes and shoes…’

‘Was that it?’ continued the policeman. ‘No furniture from the flat? TVs, electrical devices?’

‘No, he didn’t need to bring any furniture, as I had all my stuff and most of it belonged to his landlord. All he had was his clothes and white coats for work, a few shirts.’

‘Any photographs of family?’

Ella shook her head. ‘Nothing.’

‘Can we go back to the death of your parents?’ questioned the police officer. ‘Did your parents leave you any inheritance?’

Ella looked puzzled. ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ She was starting to feel a little agitated. ‘Why is this relevant?’

The policeman was staring at her, waiting for her to answer the question.

‘Yes, I received two hundred and fifty thousand pounds. But I’d rather have my parents than the money.’

‘And did Alex know that you were going to receive a large sum of money? Have you lent him any money?’

The room fell silent, and Ella felt a tightness in her chest. The colour drained from her face as everyone watched and waited for her answer. ‘Yes… but… he’s going to pay me back.’

The policeman raised an eyebrow. ‘How much money did you give him?’

Wearily Ella walked over to the dresser and pulled out her savings account book and slid it over the table.

‘You gave him the whole two hundred and fifty thousand pounds?’

Ella nodded her head sadly.

‘Why?’

‘He had cash-flow problems and needed the money to help his brother out of a business predicament. But he said he’d have all the money back in my account by the end of the month. He promised.’

‘Have you met his brother?’

Ella felt her chest tighten again. ‘No.’ Every time she answered their questions her mind whirled.

‘What about credit cards? Bank accounts?’ questioned the officer.

‘I barely use my credit cards. If I don’t have the money, I don’t spend it. I have no debt whatsoever.’ Ella headed for the kitchen and returned with a pile of unopened statements. She tore the top one open and stared at the statement in her hand. She frantically began tearing each one open.

She had difficulty focussing on the numbers in front of her, feeling disbelief as she pushed the statements across the table towards the officers.

‘I-I didn’t spend all this money!’ Ella stammered. ‘This wasn’t me. How am I ever going pay this back in a lifetime?’

The police officers cast a glance of the statements. ‘There’s over ten thousand pounds’ worth of debt on this card, and you had no idea?’

Ella was in a state of shock, and she shook her head. ‘The card is in my purse. It can’t be possible; I just don’t understand.’ She muttered as she reached for her purse. She desperately searched all compartments for the card, but it wasn’t there.

‘It’s gone,’ admitted Ella, suddenly feeling exposed and judged. ‘What am I going to do? He’s maxed out my card.’

‘Our guess is the man you know as Dr Alex James is a professional fraudster. He targeted you when you were at your most vulnerable after your parents’ death and pursued your inheritance,’ shared the police officer gently.

Ella buried her head in her hands. With her heart thumping fast and the tears falling down her cheeks, she felt sick to her stomach. She had nothing left; Alex had stolen everything from her, including her heart. With all the evidence laid out in front of her, Ella had to face facts. The man she’d let into her life was an imposter and she didn’t know anything about him at all. Everything had been a lie. Whoever Alex was, he’d played the long game and swindled Ella out of everything. And he was never coming back.

She fell into Callie’s arms as she sobbed and clung on to her for dear life. Ella couldn’t believe he’d planned the whole thing, she couldn’t believe anyone could be so cruel. She thought they’d been in love. He’d kissed her like she’d never been kissed before, he’d made her laugh and feel beautiful in her own skin. They were going to be together forever. He’d said so and she’d believed him.

‘What the hell am I going to do? I’ve lost everything!’

Ella’s Johnson’s whole life had just fallen apart… again.

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