Christie Barlow - The Lake House

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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