Chapter 5
After Ben was released from the hospital he, the Cummings, and Casey all returned to Sunset Beach. All were eager to find out if Maria was okay and if Derek had been found.
They arrived at the hospital and were greeted by the Torres and Gabi.
"Oh my god what happened to you?" Ricardo asked Ben.
"Derek."
"Should have figured."
Sara stood behind Casey not wanted anybody to see her. They were her friends but she was just so embarrassed. She knew she shouldn't be but she just couldn't help it.
"Dad, Mom I want to go home."
"Okay honey."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Casey asked concerned.
"No. You should stay here."
Hank put his arm around Sara's shoulders and led her out of the building.
"You guys want to fill us in?" Antonio asked.
"Derek kidnapped me and took over my life…again."
"Why was Sara acting so weird?" Gabi asked concerned for her friend.
"She…uh was a victim of Derek's wrath."
"What did he do?" Ricardo asked almost not wanting to know.
"He hired a man to follow her when he went to Seattle. That's just say the guy took his job a little to far."
"How far?" Ricardo asked again not really wanting to know.
"He raped her."
"I was right. I didn't want too know."
"Did you find Derek?"
"No."
"We have almost everybody working on finding him…and Tess."
"Tess?"
"We think she left with Derek. Tim found a picture of them together and she nearly bludgeoned him to death."
"How's Maria?" Ben asked.
"She's much better. She needed a lot of blood but Derek missed all her vital organs."
"Can I see her?"
"The doctor is with her right now. I just got kicked out."
Ben sat down. He really didn't want to wait. He wanted to see Maria's face. He wanted to see her smile and tell him that she loved him. He looked over at Meg. She had waited for him, "Meg why don't you leave?"
Ricardo turned, "Ya, take Gabi with you, please?"
"Ben I want to stay."
"Me too."
Antonio laughed, "I think you guys are going to lose." He said as Meg and Gabi both crossed their arms across their chests waiting for Ricardo and Ben to tell them their had to leave.
"Fine you guys can stay." Ben said giving up. He just didn't want Meg there when he told Maria what he was about to tell her.
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"Just how do you think this all adds up?" Benson asks. "Why was this guy hired to rape somebody?"
"And why does everybody know him as Nick Wolson but…"
"No one by that name exists."
"Do you think we should bring Sara back here and see if she can identify this man?"
"No she's been though enough."
"How about Ben Evans? He was in a hurry to get out of Seattle."
"Let him deal with whatever his brother did to his wife first. Then we'll bring him in."
"Fine. Maybe he can shed so light on why this man was stalking Sara and found next to his body after he was attacked."
"Let's hope so. This is one case I can't wait to end."
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Everyone told her so was so lucky to be alive.
But Maria didn't feel lucky. Her brother-in-law had tried to kill her, she had been sleeping with her brother-in-law thinking it was her husband, and she had lost her son.
Maria had never thought that she would ever have to feel as much pain as she did when Ben told her that he wanted to be with Meg but this hurt so much more.
For the longest time the only thing that kept her alive was the fact that she had her son. But now even that was gone. Maria had never felt more alone in her life.
She curled her body into a tight round ball and let the tears freely flow down her face.
"Maria?"
Maria turned and saw Ben's face. The looked at each other neither knowing what to say. Maria slowly turned her head away from Ben not wanting him to see her pain.
"I have something I have to tell you. About Derek, about us and you past."