Her Eyes

Chapter 2: PAIN

It had been a couple of days since he had last seen the woman, but he still couldn't seem to shake the thought of her from his mind. Romero was in his office signing off on some old cases that needed to be filed away, when his phone rang. "Romero," he answered.

"Alex, it's Maggie. I think something happened to Keith. He hasn't been answering any of my calls or anything. I went over to his house, he wasn't there, neither was his truck." The voice on the phone was shook from anxiety.

"All right. I'm on it," Alex huffed. He hung up the phone and sighed deeply. Summers was always getting himself into trouble, and it was always Alex's job to bail him out. He just hoped it wasn't too late.

The next day was the same old story: more paper work, more idiots calling for unneeded protection. Then it came: the phone call about Jerry Martin. Phone calls like that were nothing new to the White Pine Bay police department and they were most certainly not new to Alex. People in the drug business were always doing something to piss someone else off-it was a part of daily life in White Pine Bay.

Alex answered the phone in his usual monotone voice. "Romero."

"Sheriff, they need you down on highway 84 by the Bates Motel. There's been an accident."

Alex rolled his eyes at the thought of seeing that woman again. "I'm on it."

When he arrived, Norma Bates was already there waiting for him. He noticed she was more dressed up than the last time he had seen her. She smiled as he approached her, this simple action burning unexplainable holes through his gut. He stood beside her as they watched the towing company strap Jerry Martin's car onto the lift.

Alex felt a strange obligation to explain the situation to her. "That's Jerry Martin. He has a warehouse down the road. Someone must've set a fire there. He was trapped inside of it."

Norma looked at him in shock. "Someone intentionally set fire to his warehouse...that's horrible."

He glanced over at her, surprised by her sympathy. "Yeah, horrible."

A voice called out to him from the distance. "Sheriff, there's something here you need to see."

Norma watched as he walked over to the other men. She let her eyes follow the firm movements his body created.

"There's a truck parked over there in that opening. We believe it may be Summers' truck," the officer said.

"All right," Alex replied. He turned to catch Norma leaving. "Mrs. Bates." He watched as she whipped around at his words. "Come here please." He led her to the opening in the tall grass.

A pain formed in her stomach when she laid her eyes the rusty old truck.

Alex sighed silently cursing Summers. "Yeah, that's it," he told the men. He studied Norma's reaction to the truck. "This is Keith Summers' truck. He used to own the motel. He hasn't been home in a couple of nights, have you seen him?"

"I don't know him." She answered too quickly. "Why is his truck here?"

Alex was taken aback by her response. What was this woman trying to pull? "Well that's what we're wondering," he mocked.

All she could force herself to do was shrug, which annoyed the hell out of Alex. "Well good luck with everything," she stated in a tone of indifference. She took one last look at the truck before sauntering off. This woman has some nerve acting the way she did in front of him-it was as if her sole purpose in life was to annoy him.

When he returned back to the station, Alex received yet another phone call this time about Summers. "We're going back to that motel tonight," he told Shelby with a huff.

It was ten o'clock at night, not really the time to be paying anyone a visit, but Alex was certain he'd get something out of the woman. On the drive there, he turned to Zack, giving him his best evil glare. "You are not to say a word the entire time we're there," Alex threatened. Zack nodded and they pulled onto the lot, soon making their way up the stairs to the house. Alex knocked on the door, peeking through the window.

Norma peered back at him. She took a deep breath and opened the door. "Good evening, gentlemen," she greeted. Alex eyed her form. She stood there boldly in her robe. "Sorry to be in a robe. You caught me getting ready for bed." She smiled at Alex.

A smile was not going to win him over, not tonight at least. "We need to ask you some questions."

She turned her smile towards Zack, who stared at the floor. "Ask away."

Alex kept his gaze on her. "You said you hadn't seen Keith Summers."

"Yes, that's correct," she stated, glancing at Zack.

"We have an eye witness who said he saw Summers standing on your front lawn talking to you and your son, and it looked a little heated," Alex questioned.

Her body filled with a quick rush of panic. "Well I didn't know you meant had I ever seen him," she laughed awkwardly, putting her focus back on Zack. It was as if she was waiting for him to say something-something to defend her honor.

"So you're admitting you did see him." Alex would push this woman until the very end.

"No I never said I hadn't ever seen him so I'm not admitting anything," she rushed.

Alex could sense the panic and frustration in her voice. "Did he make any threats to you?" he asked sympathetically. "Cause he wasn't too happy about you buying his property at a foreclosure."

"The fact that I bought this property at a good price hardly incriminates me in his disappearance," she shot back in offense.

Alex had had enough of this woman. "He disappeared? I don't remember bringing up a disappearance," he surged.

This man astounded Norma. She never met someone who had the audacity to push her back. "No, but you're implying it."

"No, I believe you're inferring it," he corrected, feeling he had won this one.

Norma turned her attention back to Zack, which only frustrated Alex more. "Well that's all the information I have, so is that it?" she asked rudely.

"No, I'd like to take a look inside if you don't mind," he stated, attempting to walk into the house.

"Actually I do mind." She placed her hand on the doorframe blocking his entryway. "I think you need a search warrant for something like that," she taunted him. She turned her eyes back to Zack, who took that as his cue to leave.

Alex glared at her. "You better work with me," he growled. "I'm the last person you want on your bad side."

She gave him an indifferent shrug once more. "Okay," she said softly.

Alex was at a loss for words. This woman was like no one he had ever met before. He glared at her one last time before turning and making his way down the stairs. He hated this woman, and a part of him wanted her to know that. He sighed and climbed into his SUV. This woman would be the death of him.