Deadly Dreamer - Book One ✔️

Chapter 31

"You okay?" I call out to Alex who's sitting in the lounge eating, while I make my own breakfast. Flicking on the coffee machine I turn, resting my lower back and hands against the counter and focus my attention on the sitting room.

Alex is staring distractedly at the morning news report going in the background, he seems off. The past few days he's been quiet but I'd been too strung out to ask sooner, now I regret my selfish act because I hadn't paid enough attention to Alex.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He mumbles without looking at me.

We both know that's not a good enough answer, so I press him further.

"I know when something isn't right with you. Now, tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." He replies shortly.

Pressing my lips together, I try again.
"Babe, please."

Sighing he says, "There's been lay offs at work. I'm just worried."

I can sense that he doesn't want to talk about it and that he hopes that's the end of the conversation and it will be, for now.

Entering the room, I settle in beside him and start to eat.

Focussing my attention to the TV ahead of me, the perfectly preened, blonde news reader shuffles her papers then looks to the right slightly to read the auto prompter for her next story.
"In other news, there has been a body discovered in a motel overnight. Police are remaining tight lipped on the situation thus far, they have however said that they are considering a possible link to a spate of murders throughout the country. We will bring you more on this story as it develops."

Without realising it immediately, I sit up a little in my seat. I'm definitely interested. A spate of murders. Surely they wouldn't reveal this unless they had some amount of solid evidence to back this up. Although they haven't said anything else significant about them, I feel the need to know more. Becoming antsy, I push my fruit around in my bowl. It's so close to home, I want to pursue this. Need to pursue this.

"I feel like we're surrounded by death lately." Alex says interrupting my thoughts.

I turn my head and look at him.

"Why do you say that?" I ask.

"With all these murders lately I'm surprised you don't agree with me." Alex looks at me, curious.

"I didn't say that. I've definitely noticed that there have been more publicised deaths in California, but sometimes these things happen." I shrug.

"It's been like an explosion of murders in the past few weeks, and still the cops have no leads on any of them? It's utter bullshit, they're clearly not doing their jobs right." He spoons in another mouthful of his oats.

"You can say that again. The upside is that at least a few of them have been really awful people. People who kill and people who harm children. I don't see the issue with that."

"No, I guess not." He mutters before going quiet again.

Looking at him I say, "You shouldn't worry so much about your job, it will be fine. You will be fine."

"We don't know that. What will I do if I lose my job? How am I supposed to support us without an income?" He pushes his food away, obviously having lost his appetite.

"You can do anything you put your mind to. But seriously, you will be fine. Really. " I lean over and rub his thigh gently to comfort him.

"I hope so." He says locking eyes with me.