Her Eyes

Chapter 37: DISCOVERIES

The next morning Alex stepped in his office to find Agent Babbit waiting for him. He gave her a look as he stripped off his coat, hanging it up on the wall. She glared at him. "Where were you last night?" She was annoyed—he didn't care.

"I went out looking for Bob," he stated plainly. He sat down at his desk and gazed up at her. He was beginning to hate his job—his life. He needed something new—something fresh.

She didn't believe him. "We sent out a search party. They're out looking for him right now. It's their job to find him not yours."

He wished he'd never called them in the first place. He wanted them to leave, but he knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. "I think I know Bob a little better than they do."

"Yeah. I know." She was implying something. She leaned in over the desk. "You may be the sheriff here...but this is my case. And right now things aren't looking too good for you. I don't trust you."

"I'm not so sure I'm the one you need to be looking out for." He glared at her. "I want him gone just as much as you do. He killed two women and he deserves to go to prison for it."

She stared at him blankly. "Why didn't you tell us this before?"

He leaned back in his chair smugly. "Because it's my case."

"If you're hiding anything—I will find out. I'll be keeping an eye on you." She turned and stepped out of his office. He wasn't too worried about her; she had no real power over White Pine Bay, but Alex couldn't fight off the eerie feeling rising within him.

It had been about a week since the Bob Paris incident and the DEA was still searching day and night for him. Babbit was driving Alex mad with accusations and unneeded paperwork. He was slowly becoming a regular customer at the local bar. He needed to wash his cares away. He needed to forget work and most importantly Norma. He hadn't spoken to her since the night he killed Bob. He wasn't sure his could ever face her again, so he drank.

This one particular night, the bar had a new waitress. She was a tall brunette, maybe late thirties. She smiled at Alex as she approached him. "Can I get you something to eat?" Her voice was soft and sweet. She seemed nice. But he tried not to notice.

"No, I'm good with just scotch." He raised his glass.

She looked around. There was no else in the bar to be waited on, so she took the seat across from him. "You seem a little sad." He shrugged. He wasn't one to talk to people he didn't know unless he had to. "I'm Natalia by the way."

"Do you always chat with your customers?" He raised his eyebrows, taking a sip of his scotch.

She didn't hesitate. "Are you asking me to leave?" She wasn't offended. She widened her grin. There something about her that Alex appreciated—she was something new.

He stared at her in bewilderment and shook his head. "I'm not sad. I just got a lot going on right now." He took another hit of his scotch; it soothed him. "I'm Alex."

She nodded. "You're the lousy sheriff everyone complains about."

"I'm sure I am." He wasn't amused. He downed the rest of his scotch. He was feeling rebellious. "When's your shift over?"

She grinned at him. "An hour."

He got up from his seat, opening his wallet and placing a couple bucks down on the table. "I'll be back."

And he did come back. She sat in booth waiting for him. She smiled as he sat down across from her. "I was starting to think that you weren't coming back," she laughed lightly. He liked her smile—she had nice teeth.

He shrugged a bit. "Yeah, well I like to keep my word."

"I'm glad you did." She stared at him for a moment, taking him in. "I just moved here a few weeks ago and I haven't exactly made friends."

"What made you move to White Pine Bay?" His inquisitive side was coming out. He was warming up to her.

She looked down at the table for the answer. "I wanted to start a new life. I had nothing to hold me down, so I left. I didn't have a good job. I didn't have any friends or family. I needed something new. How about you? Why have I seen you here every night this week?"

"I have some things I need to forget," he sighed, locking his hands together in front of him.

"A woman?" She gave him a playful grin.

His lips formed a smile. "Maybe."

They had been seeing each other every other night for a couple of weeks. She was what Alex needed. She wasn't using him for her own personal gain; she was just there with him. It turned out that they had a lot in common. They both had a troubled childhood and weren't seeking security.

They were eating Chinese take-out because neither one of them could cook. Alex liked the thought of his home being filled with someone else for once. He was tired of being alone, and from what he could tell so was she. They were in the middle of dinner when the doorbell rang. "I'll be right back," he told her. He got up and walked over to the door, peering through the window at the visitor. A familiar pain formed. It was Norma; she had been crying. He could tell because her make-up was smeared and her face held a dejected look. He opened the door slowly. He felt his heart pound wildly in his chest. "What are you doing here?" He couldn't look at her.

"I came to see you." She had her hands in her pockets, staring at him.

He was mad at her, though she hadn't directly done anything to him. He was mad that she distanced herself from him every time they got close. He was mad that she only came to him or called him when she needed something—when she wanted something for him. "What do you want?"

"I can't just stop by to see you. I know you don't have any other friends," she mocked.

"Oh and you do?" He glared at her. He didn't need her back in his life.

She gave up. She looked away from him. She was about to burst into tears. It took a while for her to speak, but when she did her voice was shaky; she couldn't keep her focus on him. "I'm so scared. I just—I don't know what to do anymore. Norman's gotten worse. And I'm afraid that—"

"Well you should probably talk to your therapist about that," he spat. He watched as the tears fell from her eyes and trickled down her flushed cheeks. It broke his heart; he loved her. He hated himself for ever letting her go. "Norma." He reached out to touch her, but she pulled away.

"Don't you dare touch me." She glared at him. She was mad at him for no reason; he hated that about her. "I don't need you."

"Then why you do you keep coming back?" he screamed. It echoed throughout the house. Her eyes widened as looked behind him. He knew that she saw her. She brought her eyes back to him—he betrayed her again. She rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but he caught her. They were on the porch now. He pulled her closer to him. He felt her breathing on his face. "What do you want from me?"

She didn't say anything; she just looked at him with those eyes—the ones he fell in love with. She sobbed lightly, resting her head on his chest. She'd won—she always won. He led her inside to his bedroom where he laid her down, kissing her forehead gently.

He walked back in the living room to find Natalia waiting for him. "That's her, isn't it?" she asked sadly.

He glanced at her before moving into the kitchen. "Yeah."