away. but that puppy love was something he never got over, even after heather married. >> were you still carrying that torch? >> yeah. but i didn't really let it show. i respected heather too much. >> reporter: around heather's birthday in the spring of 2013, after she had lost all that weight, ed told detectives he reached out to wish her well and got more than a thank you. heather had big news. she and chris had separated. >> at that moment in her life, she needed a friend. and that was what i was there for. i was there right when she needed me the most. >> reporter: but ed said that shoulder to lean on soon turned into something more. >> talking. just, you know, listening to her problems. and then it just, you know, progressed from there. >> progressed in what way? >> oh. you know, i'm a flirtatious person. and just became flirtatious.