The Ghosts Of Her Past (A Completed, Steamy Romantic Mystery)

Part Sixty Eight

Blaine's POV

I ran into that hospital faster than I have ran in my life.  I saw the reception desk and quickly stopped.  "My girlfriend was brought here, her name is Cora Ashley.  Please tell me where I can see her." I'm out of breath.

"Let me see where she's at." The woman started typing into her computer.

"Are you Blaine Lowell?" Some guy approached me.

"Yes." I turned to him.

"I'm Eli Ashley, Cora's brother.  She's been asking for you, but I think I should fill you in on a few things before you go back.  Follow me."

He led me to a lobby.  "Cora gave me your sister's phone, but I didn't have a chance to look at it until I took my truck for an oil change.  I looked through it while I was waiting and found some crazy messages between your sister and Gray. 

From what I pieced together from the phone and Gray's own words, he had been threatening your sister.  From what I understand, her son got sick with a fever one night.  Your aunt and uncle took him to the hospital, but they didn't have any kind of guardianship, so they had to call your sister to sign off on the treatment plan.  It appears Gray was the doctor, which means he found out she was living under an alias.

He was going to tell Cora, and your sister made a deal with him.  She promised to get Cora to go back with him if he kept her secret.  He started using this information to blackmail her into writing a will leaving everything to Cora.  He wanted her to fake her own death so he and Cora would have the money together.  Your sister refused, saying a fake death would expose her secret.  He threatened kill your nephew if she didn't do as he said.  Your aunt was in on it to get her cut of what Gray could get out of your sister. 

Gray thought a baby would get them back together, so your sister knew when he could get Cora pregnant, and they set it all up.  In the meantime, she was trying to help Cora by calling some big wig in New York and having a job offer presented to Cora back home.  She felt Cora was safest at home and away from Gray.  She double-crossed him and tried to get out of town, but she died before she had the chance."

I slowly took a seat.  "Then why did my sister sleep with him?"

Eli shook his head.  "It wasn't willingly, he raped her."

Once again my blood is boiling. 

"He got what he deserved," I growled.

"In my opinion, his death wasn't slow enough. He was sick, it's creepy the way I could see it in his eyes." He said.

"Is she okay?" I asked.

He shook his head.  "Physically she and the baby are fine, but she's in shock and blaming herself." He said.

"How the hell can she blame herself?" I'm confused.

"She thinks she made him sick by leading him on all these years. It's a mess, she keeps repeating the same thing over and over.  That he's dead and it's her fault.  Our mom is with her now while they're waiting for a social worker, and the police want to question her. I already gave my statement." He said.

"Can I go back?" I asked.

"They're only letting one person back at a time, but I can pull Mom out for a few." He said. 

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

I might appear calm on the outside, but I'm a mess on the inside.  It's not going to be easy to see her in this state, but I have to push through it as I do with everything else. 

I followed Eli back, and he went behind the curtain and said something to her mom.  The curtain opened, and I wasn't surprised her mom is a classic beauty.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, although I do wish it was under better circumstances.  I'm Wilma Ashley, Cora's mother." She shook my hand.

"Blaine Lowell, and yes I do wish it was under better circumstances.  How is she doing now?" I asked.

She sighed.  "Not well. I can't get her out of those bloody clothes, and she's in shock.  She has asked for you, but other than that, she keeps repeating it's her fault he's dead. She also feels very guilty about your sister." She said.

I'm dying to bust through that curtain and sweep her out of this place.

"She can't stay in that house tonight.  If she wants to stay with me, I'll book a suite." I said.

"No, you're both welcome in our home.  I will send Eli for her things, and I'll help get her settled.  You're free to go on in to see her." She said. 

"Thank you."

I went into the room that had several beds, but only one had the curtain drawn. 

"Cora!" I rushed to her and she threw her arms around me and started crying.

"I'm so sorry, Blaine.  She wasn't crazy, and its all my fault." She held on to me tightly. 

"It is not your fault, once again she could have asked for help.  None of this is on you." I held her tightly.

"He's dead, it's all because I strung him along." Her body is shaking as I held her.

"Cora, you have to stop with the blame.  You had no way of knowing what was going on in his head.  It's over now, you're safe." I said. 

"Please don't hate me. He raped her and blackmailed her after everything she already went through." She cried.

"She put herself in that situation when she used an alias.  He targeted her and that's not your fault.  They both plotted against you."  I feel like I can't hold her tight enough.

"No, she tried to save me.  Ciara was behind my job offer, she helped me get away from him."