Eli held the door for the rental car open for me, but gave me a hug before I sat down.  "Are you sure about this, Cora?  I could do it for you." He said.

I pulled back.  "I owe it to Lisa."

I sat down, but he didn't shut the door yet.  "Lisa would understand." He tried one more time.

"No, it's my job as her friend."

He shut the door, then got in and followed the detectives to a large brick building near the hospital.  Eli held my hand as we walked inside, then Detective Franks told us to have a seat while he made sure the M.E. had everything ready for me. 

"I'm going in with you," Eli said, and I gave him a half-hearted smile. 

"Thank you."

I heard footsteps, then Detective Sinclair approached.  "Everything is ready, but I would like to remind you, she's already been identified as the Lisa Simmons you knew.  You can change your mind and not do this if it's too difficult." He said.

"I don't think I will believe it unless I see her for myself.  That funeral director barely knew her." I said. 

"Okay, well, she is ready if you would follow me."

Eli never let go of my hand as we walked the long hallway, then through double doors.  We came to a large window that had the shades drawn.

"Are you ready?" Det. Franks asked.

"As ready as I can be, I guess." Eli squeezed my hand and the detective knocked on the window.  The shades lifted and the body came into view.  My legs went numb, and Eli caught me and held me up. 

"Is this the woman you knew as Lisa Simmons, Miss Ashley?" Det. Franks asked.

I buried my face in Eli's chest.  "Yes." I started to cry and once again my stomach turned. 

"I think I'm going to get sick."

"The bathroom is right behind you." Franks said.

I turned and barely made it to the toilet before I got sick.  Eli came in after me and helped hold my hair back. 

"Jesus Christ, Cora I am so sorry." He tried to comfort me. 

I finally finished emptying my stomach and sat back on the floor.  Eli handed me a napkin, then went to get me a drink. 

There is no question now, Lisa is dead, and everything I believed about her was a lie.  I don't even know her real name. 

"Here, drink this." He handed me a cold pop, and I tried to drink it. 

"We have to talk to the funeral director yet." I said, and rested my head back against the wall.

"I can do that for you, I think you need some rest." He said.

"You can't do it, Eli, I have to be the one.  Let's just go back to the hotel, I feel like I need another shower."

He pulled me off the floor, then the detectives had me sign some forms before we left.  They told me they would stay in touch and handed me a business card. 

We went to the hotel, and the first thing I did was brush my teeth, then took a shower.  I spent some time on the shower floor crying, while I tried to erase the image of Lisa laying dead on that table.  Eli had room service send up a little food because I haven't eaten much, and he swears food will make me feel better.  I tried to eat, but settled with some crackers, then got ready to meet the funeral director. 

He told us that we may need an attorney because Lisa did have a Will, and she left everything to me.  I couldn't care less about the damn Will, but I have no idea how to find her real name or her family.  They deserve to know she has passed away. 

He explained that since she had false identification, her assets are frozen.  I don't really care, but I need anything and everything that might lead us to her true identity. 

He made copies of everything he had on her, gave them to me, then explained her remains may not be released to him for a little longer since she requested a cremation.  Once that is done, he would be shipping me her ashes. 

It seems we have done all we can here in Seattle.  The police won't allow us into her house and there isn't anyone to contact.  I asked Eli to change our flight plans to return home today, but he refused and demanded that I rest at the hotel before we go home.  Maybe he was right, I slept the rest of the afternoon and the entire night. 

We arrived home in the afternoon, so I spent the rest of the day going through photos and trying to figure out how I can learn about Lisa's past.  I decided I would pay a visit after work tomorrow to Scipio High School and go through some yearbooks.  Maybe I will be able to find her senior photo and at least find her name. 

The next day, I did exactly that when I got off work.  The librarian was very kind and helped me find the right yearbooks, but I had zero luck. 

I feel betrayed by my best friend.  She lied to me, but at the same time, I am taking the loss very hard.  The last few nights I've had terrible nightmares of her laying on that table.  The worst one is when she quickly turned her head, her eyes shot open and looked at me.  It was so bad, I woke in a sweat and once again threw up.  My mom is growing more and more concerned and thinks I need to see a doctor for something to calm my nerves.  I am a disaster, and I'm afraid the viewers will see it when I am doing my morning weather reports.