Her Eyes

Chapter 22: CATCHING UP

Alex spent a majority of the day at the station forming a plan against Zane. He stood scowling at the map for an hour until Deputy Lynn knocked at the doorway. She came in and shut the door behind her. "What are you doing?" he growled at her. He wanted to be alone.

            She stood at the foot of his desk, her arms folded in front of her. "Jury just came back. Kyle Miller has been convicted on the murder of Blair Watson. Thought you might like to know." She glared at him. He turned back to the board in an effort to ignore her. "So what does this mean? What do we do?" she snarled.

            He rolled his eyes before turning to face her. "What do we do about what?"

            "About Norman Bates and the fact that his semen sample matched," she stated, waiting for a response or some expression on his face. "He had sex with her the night she was killed and nobody but us knows about this." She was threatening him.

            "Well here's something we could do. We could prosecute Blair Watson for having sex with a minor. Oh no, shit she's dead," he shot back, walking over to the desk and throwing the papers he had down. He grabbed his jacket off the walk and stepped closer to her. She needed to know where they stood. "If you tell anyone I'll hang you from the highest tree for illegally running a sample in a criminal database." He stared at her, watching as her cowered a bit. "I gotta go. Thanks for the news." He turned and left her in his office—it was time for him to finish his talk with Norman Bates.

By the time he got to the motel Norman was already closing up. The rain was pouring down hard, soaking Alex as he approached the boy from behind. "Norman, Kyle Miller just got convicted for the murder of Blair Watson," he shouted through the beating of the rain. Norman turned around to see him. "I gotta know something. Why are you lying to me?" If there was one way pissed him of the most it was lying to him.

            The boy looked at him viciously. "I didn't lie to you!"

            "You did. I know you had sex with Blair Watson the night she was murdered," he pressed. He knew it was an uncomfortable topic for the boy, but he needed to trust him—why didn't anyone trust him?

            "I didn't." He could tell Norman was beginning to lose his temper.

            But Alex was tired of all the lies this family had told him. "Stop. I have evidence. I have physical proof. We did a test on you after the incident with Cody's dad. Your DNA matches one of the semen samples in Blair Watson from that night.

            He scoffed at him. "Impossible. I—"

            "Maybe you don't want your mother to know and I understand that," he cut him off. He felt bad...he knew how Norma could be. "I have to know what happened that night, Norman." He was getting too invested in this case. He was beginning to fall apart. "I have to know why you're lying to me. I have to know I didn't just convict an innocent man." He needed to know the truth, because if what he thought was true was true—he'd die a little. He'd be his father: the corrupt cop who'd frame anyone to get what he wanted—to benefit himself. "And if you don't cooperate I am going to have to go to your mother and tell her everything." Threatening people seemed to be the only way to get through to people. "I have to know the truth." He watched as Norman darted away from him eventually making his way up to the steps to the house. "Norman! Norman!" Why did this kid keep running away from him? Was he that scary?

He went back to his room and called up his dad's old partner, Declan Rogers. "Hey, it's Alex. You up for some coffee?"

            There was a sigh. "I'll meet you at the old diner down by the docks in a few," the old man replied before hanging up.

            It was a little late for coffee, but Alex wasn't one to waste time. He hopped in his SUV and headed over to the diner. It was an elderly hangout. The sound of an old tune from the fifties filled his ears as he watched the couples dancing on the dance floor. He spotted Declan at a table near the back wall, smiling at the waitress as she passed him before taking to seat across from the old man.

            "This must be serious," the man stated, gripping the coffee cup in front of him.

            Alex smiled slightly. "Can't I just have a cup of coffee with my dad's ex partner and get caught up?"

            Declan stared at him from across the table. He knew Alex well...probably better than anyone. He practically raised him. "Your dad was always worried about how serious you were, about how hard you were—"

            His dad didn't give a damn about him. "Listen I have a lighten side," he tried to sound less serious.

            "I can't wait to see it. It's probably not gonna happen today, is it?" He knew exactly why Alex had called him up so late—or at all actually.

            Alex looked down at the table as if he was ashamed to ask. He was ashamed—he hated that the only reason for seeing this man was Norman Bates. He hadn't seen him since the day he was elected sheriff...and that was centuries ago. "You still doing polygraph tests?"

            "You kidding," he laughed. "I'm going down to Portland two three days a week. It's too much sometimes." He looked at the sheriff—knowing how much he looked up to him as a kid. How many times he told him he wanted to be like him. "You know my reputation is killing me. It's only because I'm old. I'm still at it."

            Alex looked at him with a smile of admiration. "No, it's because of the way you conduct a test...there's nobody better. You could always figure out the truth."

             "I can't force anyone to reveal the truth. I can just tell you if they're lying," he stated, trying to read his face.

            Romero looked down at the table. He hated asking for favors. "Can you do a polygraph on this kid for me...off the record?"

            "And he'll agree?" He raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

            He brought his eyes back up to meet the man's. "Yeah, I'll get him too. I need to know if he committed a murder." He moved his gaze to the cup of coffee in front of him. "I put somebody else away for the crime—a real scumbag who deserves the time, but I can't—"

            "You know the law isn't perfect," Declan interrupted, giving him the same fatherly look he always used to.

            "No, it's not about that. If I went by the letter of the law this town would have been boarded up a long time ago." He looked him in the eye. "I need the truth. I have to know what happened. I need to know." It was killing him.

            The old man gave him an understanding smile. "Let's see what we can do," he stated, taking a sip of his coffee. "So how are you, Alex?" The sheriff shrugged in response, though he knew on the inside he was losing it. "I heard about your house."

            Alex rolled his eyes angrily. "I'm staying at the Bates Motel for now."

            He gave him a disapproving look. "The place run by the woman who called Lee Berman a—"

            "Yeah," he laughed. "That's Norma Bates for you." He smiled at the thought of her. He thought about her a lot lately. He thought about her smile, her eyes, the sound of her voice when she loses her temper. "She's some woman."

            "Have you asked her out yet?" the old man smirked.

            Alex scoffed, rolling his eyes. "It's not like that." He tried to hid his embarrassment.

            "You can't be alone forever," he told him, sipping his coffee. "I know you, Alex."

            The sheriff sighed knowing the man was right. "I should go. I got a long day tomorrow." He gave the man one last smile before exiting the diner and heading back to his car. He rolled his eyes at the thought of him and Norma get together. He'd never ask her out—she'd never agree to go out with him, besides she had a boyfriend. And Alex hated him.