Charlene had arrived three days ago, called him, leaving a message but receiving no response. Texts and emails went unanswered, and now she realised that he’d never given her an address. In the end she’d booked a place on the tour as the only way of seeing him.

She’d looked up the show online and learned the background story, and the role Lee was playing.

Up-and-coming English actor Lee Anton will be making his debut as Dr Franklin Baker, newly seconded to work at the Mercyland Hospital, where he rapidly becomes the friend and confidant of Brad Harrison, (played by Travis Falcon) and the only one who suspects his mysterious secret.

That morning she’d bought a newspaper, attracted by the headline-HEAVENLY ANTICS, the latest startling story from the show everyone’s talking about.

But to her disappointment there was only the briefest mention of Lee. Most of the page was taken up by a photograph of a man sitting with a girl on his lap, his shirt open to the waist, her hand seductively caressing his bare chest. His face was only half visible and for a fearful moment she checked in case it was Lee. But it wasn’t and she breathed again. It was only Travis Falcon.

Whoever he was, she thought, uninterested.

She knew she must be careful. Exposed to the glamorous temptations of Los Angeles, Lee was bound to have indulged himself, and she wouldn’t spoil things between them by harsh judgements. That was in the past. When he’d heard her news everything would be all right, and only the future would matter.

But she was glad it wasn’t Lee in the picture.

The queue was moving. Then she was inside, following the others in the guided tour that would end in the special privilege of being allowed to watch a scene being rehearsed. She paid only the slightest attention, while all the time her eyes wandered, seeking Lee.

Inside her head two voices were raging at each other.