About two hours later, Norma's cell rang, and when she picked up, she could only hear Norman whimpering. "Norman? Honey, is that you? What's happened? Talk to me."

The whimpering continued.

"Norman, please. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Mommy?" the younger voice asked.

"Yes?" Norma answered. She knew this had to be the child, the one who called herself Zoey. Norman hadn't called her mommy since he was very young. "I'm listening. What is it?"

"I wanna come home. I'm scared, and I want you to come get me."

Norma sighed. "I can't, Zo. It's better you stay with the doctors until you feel better."

"The bad man is here," she said.

"What bad man?"

"The one who hurt Norman."

Norma's breath caught in her throat. "Who was it?" she asked, desperate to hear the answer.

"This is why I'm here," came Louise's voice. "Zoey gets quite upset. I've told her she can't cry like that or she will wake Norman."

"She said a man hurt him and that he's there now. Do you know who he was, Louise?"

"The one in the dark hat."

Norma groaned in frustration. "I mean his name. What was his name?"

"Norman's sound asleep. I can't risk waking him."

"Louise, please, I need to hear it so I can help."

"I don't wanna scare Norman."

"It could be our secret."

"Norma, he's not ready yet. If I say it out loud, he will wake up again."

"What's so wrong with his being awake?"

"He gets upset when he's awake. That's what happened when I killed Blair Watson. He- he got confused, and I took over."

Norma's mind reeled. "You killed Blair Watson?"

"Yes. Norman wasn't safe with her. I had to protect him."

Norma said, "We'll talk later, Louise," and hung up the phone, turning to Alex with her face as pale as a ghost. He'd been carrying the dinner trays, but sat them down when he saw the look in her eyes. "Norma, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling her close.

"Louise just confessed she killed Blair Watson," she answered in a whisper.

"Louise as in Norman's protector personality?"

"Yeah, she said Norman wasn't... safe. She... said... she... protected him." Her breathing was suddenly ragged and shallow. Alex rubbed her back. "Breathe for me, Norma," he said in a soft voice.

Norma was starting to feel herself go into a panic attack. "Alex, get me out. You have to get me out. I can't breathe, and my chest... and I can't see very well... I'm scared, Alex. Help me." Her words came in a breathy tone as if she couldn't quite get them all out.

"How can I help?"

"Give me... your hand," she gasped out. "And keep... keep talking."

He took her hand and rubbed it with his other one "You're safe, Norma," he said in a soothing voice.

"I'm trapped. I... can't get out."

"No, you're here at the beach house. You're with me. You're safe,"

"Alex?"

"I'm here."

"Don't... let go."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely." He kept rubbing her back.

About ten minutes passed, and she finally relaxed. "Alex, why didn't I see how sick Norman was?"

"Sometimes it's hard to see when the people you love are struggling."

"Do you think they can save him?"

"I hope so, for both of your sake," he whispered, hugging her to him,