28.
~ Alex could feel his discomfort rising at all the familiar landmarks passing by. He hadn't been back to White Pine Bay since before Julian was born and had no interest at all in returning. He didn't care if he ever saw the house or motel again.
It had felt like a curse had been broken, moving away from that place with all it's bad memories. Like a weight had been lifted off of him and he had only good things to look forward to now.
Seattle held no bad memories. No one really kew that much about them, and they kept it that way. Everyone thought they were a quite couple in their mid thirties who had been young professionals and maybe on corporate burnout. That they'd grown tired of being professionals and wanted a slow and relaxing job. An easy pace to bring up their late in life baby.
That much was true. Alex's security team thought Dylan was Norma's kid brother and he never bothered to correct them. It was a situation too complicated to explain.
Now, Alex had to go back to this awful place and try to fix what should have been corrected a long time ago.
How could Norman have been released after only a year and a half? Was he better? Could he even get better? Alex couldn't let him know about Norma or Julian. Even if Norman seemed healthy and well adjusted, he still murdered Audrey Decody and he was certain that he killed Blair Watson. Just as Norma was sure he'd killed Bradley Martian.
A young man who'd killed three women would always be a killer and could never be trusted. Even if this Sheriff Greene didn't see it, didn't believe Alex because of what had happened. No one could see past Norman Bates' charming facade.
Alex caught his breath at the sight of the Bates Motel coming into view. He hadn't been here in such a long time and the sighs of neglect were obvious. Yet, there were clear signs of someone trying to make improvements.
A fresh coat of yellow paint was put up on the exterior of the motel. New plants were placed around the sign and there was evidence someone was doing some light repair work to the roof. The rot from recent rainstorms had created the need for sections of paneling to be stripped away. If Alex didn't know better, he would almost think Norma was busily making these repairs herself. Her sharp, appraising eyes cutting into workmen and ensuring they wouldn't miss anything.
Just like his wife, Alex missed nothing. He saw the pick up truck parked near the steps to the house. Surely it couldn't be Norman's. Maybe it was whomever he hired to do the repair work.
He noticed the addition of the ice machine on the side of the office. It was old and tacky and Norma would hate it. He noticed the candy machine and coke machine. Another add on Norma wouldn't tolerate. She felt it devalued the charm of her motel and made things look seedy. She'd been right.
The rooms were open for cleaning. All the doors and windows seeming to need the air to blow through just as Norma used to do on a day like this. It had the effect of making the rooms smell fresher. Alex walked the length of each cabin and saw no one. Heard nothing. He didn't go as far as to look into the cabins but saw the beds were stripped. Norman was either doing laundry or record business already.
Maybe his step-son was in the house. It would make sense he couldn't see anyone if he was in Norma's laundry room up at the house. Alex walked back the length of each cabin, remembering with fondness when he and Norma used to meet here. How they used to bicker at each other for no reason. How beautiful she looked that day watering flowers. How slightly shocked her face had become and how she'd stared blankly at him when he'd told her he could see through the curtains of her room at night. She'd stared right at him. As if daring him to say something about it. Daring him to make a joke or break the tension with humor. But he hadn't been that sort of man then. So he'd awkwardly walked away.
The office revealed nothing. Nothing at all except Norman had done some odd redecorating. Norman's office wasn't the cozy, professional office anymore with the nice feminine flares and bright, warm colors.
Norman had taken the dark, drab furniture from the house and made the office into a sitting room fit of an old lady. He'd even put his stuffed birds here and a bookcase. A side table with one of Norma's old lamp. The one with the crystals hanging off it.
Feeling uncomfortable here, as if Norma, her youth, her vigor, had been completely erased somehow, Alex backed away.
He'd go to the house and look around. It was possible Norman was there, or maybe in the village. Although Alex didn't want to venture into the village he'd once called home.
The house on the hill looked as dark and forbidding as ever, but Norma's cherry tree had already bloomed beautifully. It's waves of pink blossoms had burst to life like fireworks. Drawing attention away from the ugliness and imperfections of the house. If they had stayed, the house would have been painted and fixed up. It would have been a showplace. A beautiful thing.
But they had Julian. They had a good life in Seattle. That was better than this house or anything in the world.
He didn't want to walk up to the big house. Something told him to stay away from it. That it wasn't a good place to be anymore. That it wasn't Norma's house anymore and it wasn't a safe place.
Alex had an uneasy sense he wasn't alone here when the crunching gravel, quick and deliberate, made him turn around.
Norman Bates had advanced on him so quickly that he almost fell back in alarm. The younger man's glare looked malicious and dangerous and for a moment, Alex saw the killer those young women must have seen before they died. The same monstrous look he himself had seen when Norman had wielded that ax at him.
Reacting on instinct, he reached for a side arm that was no longer there. He hadn't carried a gun since leaving the Sheriff's office and his hand fumbled uselessly over his belt that had no weapon.
Norman, realizing he had take Romero off guard, looked at him like he was a pathetic animal.
"What are you doing here?" he asked plainly. "Where's Mother?"
"What?" Alex barked at him stepping back in alarm. He wasn't used to feeling attacked like this. It hadn't been apart of his world. Not for a long time.
Norman looked around the nearly deserted parking lot and saw that they were alone.
"She's not here." Alex told him. "We've been… we're divorced."
"So, what are you doing here?" Norman demanded. The younger man looked pleased Norma had divorced him. A smug 'I knew it' look on his face.
"I heard you were let out of PineView." Alex said gently. "I wanted to check on you."
Norman looked suspicious.
"Why don't you tell me where mother is?" he asked. "How I can get in touch with her?"
Alex shook his head. He wasn't about to do that. Norman had been returning his mother's letters and refusing her phone calls for the past year. Eventually she'd given up.
"I don't know where she is." he said calmly.
It was Norman's turn to take a step back. His face looked hurt. As if Alex had verbally slapped him.
"She left me." Alex shrugged. He had to picture his first wife when he said this. Mustering up all the resentment and hopelessness he'd felt at the time. All the self pity and loathing at what he'd done.
"You deserve it." Norman said hatefully.
"Probably." Alex nodded.
He nodded to the motel.
"You're making repairs." he said.
Norman was silent.
"It looks nice." he said.
Norman refused to take his eyes off Romero.
"When Mother comes home, she'll help me run the motel again." he said.
"Norman, why did you leave PineView?" Alex asked. He couldn't help it. He had to know.
Norman was silent. His face like a mask and his eyes cutting him down as if they were made of steel. Suddenly, an SUV, his old SUV with SHERIFF emblazoned on the side came roaring into the parking lot.
"Visiting hours are over, Sheriff." Norman whispered.
"Alex Romero." A woman jumped out of the SUV with Deputy Summers by her side. "I'm Sheriff Greene. Nice to finally meet you in person."
Her voice was curt, professional and made it clear it was time for Alex Romero to leave.
"Sheriff, thanks for coming so fast." Norman turned to Sheriff Greene and his entire demeanor changed. He was once again Norma's innocent son who could do no wrong. Who was shy and sweet and oh so trustful.
Alex almost laughed at the transformation.
"No problem, Norman." Sheriff Greene said with a smile to Norman Bates. She turned to Romero. "Mr. Romero. Mr. Bates here wants you to leave-"
"I'm going." Alex cut her off.
He stepped away from Norman and started towards the car he'd rented for the drive. He didn't want Norman to see his mother's car and think she was still with him.
Sheriff Greene was walking with him. Ensuring he would leave without incident. Most likely she would follow him out of town.
Romero turned to Greene.
"He's dangerous, Sheriff." he said at last. "His mother and I had him in PineView for a reason. We thought he was capable of violence towards woman. Don't say I didn't warn you. Don't be fooled by him."
He knew he sounded bitter and angry. The very type of person he himself wouldn't have listened to. If he'd still been Sheriff, and an angry former cop had come back to harass his step-son who was so far a good member of the community and business owner, he wouldn't have believed it either.
Sheriff Greene didn't seem to buy it.
"Maybe you shouldn't come back, Mr. Romero." Sheriff Greene said cooly. Her manners still professional yet very curt.
"I warned you." Alex said again before a wave of pain hit his head.
'You need to leave here.' a voice inside his head told him. 'This place is death. Go home. Your family needs you.'
He couldn't explain it, but there was an urgency to it. A feeling like he had to get home. Back to Seattle and never come here again.
As soon as he was in the rental car, his phone rang. Julian's smiling face was Norma's caller ID photo and he immediately picked up.
"Yeah." he said. It had always been his response and he wouldn't change it.
"You need to come home." Norma's voice sounded winded and exhausted.
"What's happened?" he said and started the car. He pulled the phone on speaker and started to drive. As expected, the Sheriff drove behind him.
"Julian okay?"
"He's fine." Norma assured him. "It's Will. Emma's father."
"What about him?" Alex asked although he already knew. Will Decody had been having some health problems lately.
"He's had a heart attack. A big one." Norma said. "I've already called Dylan. Told him to come home."
Alex could hear Julian give a sharp scream for attention in the background.
"How's Emma?" he asked.
"She's at the hospital." she said. "It's not looking good. I'm with her now."
"Okay." Alex said simply. He was done with Norman Bates. Done. He'd never be back to White Pine Bay.
"Are you near the motel?" she asked.
"No, I'm at a gas station outside of the county." Alex lied. "I never made it. It can wait. This is more important. Emma's family."
"Good. We need you here." Norma said. Her voice was sad. "You know, I was thinking you're right. We need to just sell that place. I haven't thought about it in a long time now. Not since Julian was born. It's such a burden for Dylan and we could use the money for Julian."
Alex felt the tension headache ease a little.
"I think that's a great idea." he said. Maybe if they sold the motel, Norman would have nowhere to go. His chosen hunting ground would be gone.
"How's Julian?" he asked.
"He's fine." Norma said quickly. "Just hurry home. But drive safe. I saw it's going to rain. Dylan is catching the next flight out."
Alex felt a rush of happiness heading south towards Julian and Norma. Towards his real home. Away from the unhappiness of White Pine Bay.
~ Rebecca was livid when Norman returned to the house. Her face flushed and her eyes wide.
"That was Alex." she spat. "That was Alex Romero. What did he say to you?"
Norman took a step back.
"He came to see the motel." he said slowly. He didn't like it when Rebecca was so hostile. She was becoming more and more aggressive these days. All this time shut up indoors.
"The Sheriff came by. I saw you through the window." she said.
"Yes, I know. You were in Mother's room. I told you not to go in there." Norman reminded her.
Rebecca looked annoyed. Her eyes rolled.
"I wasn't in your mother's room." she told him. "I can see the motel just fine from the front parlor. Although I could see better if you chop down that stupid cherry tree."
"You were in Mother's room I saw the curtain's move." Norman accused.
"No, I wasn't!" Rebecca spat. "Why would I go in there?"
She looked angry and she and Norman glared at each other.
He knew he'd seen someone in Mother's window. Seen a female figure glaring down at Romero and him talking.
Had it been Mother? Sometimes he could hear Mother creeping around in her bedroom at night. He'd have to check on her. Ask her if she'd seen Romero. Ask her if she still had feeling for Romero.
"What did Alex want?" Rebecca demanded.
"He wanted to look around. Wanted to know why I left PineView." Norman said. He was feeling confused. His head was hurting. Darkness was coming over him.
"Norman?" Rebecca asked. Her voice sounded worried and very far away.
"The Sheriff sent him away." Norman said. "We're fine now."
"Go, rest for a little while. You're having an episode." Rebecca ordered.
She was right. Rebecca was always right about these things. She pushed him upstairs to his room. Practically shoving him inside and locking his door from the outside.
Norman could feel it happening. Feel himself falling down into the blackness. Feel the emptiness engulf him and he was in the beautiful dream again.
The two rooms that connected his and Mother's room were open and she was there. Not her usual self. Not the mother he'd known before, but more sexual. More alluring. There was nothing maternal about this creature before him. She was raw and beautiful. Full of hate and manipulation.
'That witch sent you to your room I see.' Mother purred. She'd been looking out the window at the motel. The blue from the motel sign was glowing so bright it flooded everything. Mother's radiance was overpowering.
Insects were back, climbing up the walls and flying around Norman's face. There were cracks on the walls where more insects could get in. But the doors were locked. Rebecca kept them locked so, when Norman had his episodes, he would have them safely in these two rooms. In the two rooms where he felt safest.
"It's for my protection. You know that." Norman said feeling a bewitching dizziness come over him at seeing her.
She looked almost alien to him.
'When is she leaving?' Mother pouted and Norman felt delighted at seeing her dress strap had fallen off her shoulder. Did she pull that down for Romero or for him? Did she tease her hair for Romero? Her make up was especially bright just now.
"You saw… you saw Romero." Norman said.
Mother looked innocent. Her lovely and devilish face made Norman want to slap her.
'No.' she said with a child like voice.
"Don't lie to me, Mother." Norman said. "Do you still have feelings for him?"
'No.' Mother said and her face was that sweet innocent face that demanded Norman slap her.
How he hated her. Hated all women.
"Stop it Mother!" Norman shouted. "Stop it! He won't be back! He's never coming back!"
'Make that woman leave.' Mother demanded. 'I don't like her in my house.'
Her words were raspy and hissy. Like an old woman's.
Norman gasped to see the swell of her breasts and was afraid of the funny way it made him feel.
"Rebecca… Rebecca is my friend. We take care of each other." Norman pleaded.
'I bet you do.' Mother hissed. 'Just like you took care of Blair Watson.'
"No, it's not like that!" Norman cried.
~ Rebecca was kneeling outside of the master bedroom door. Norman was getting worse. His outbursts. His odd little moments where he would scream at nothing but shadows.
She'd taken to barricading him in his room. A room that lead directly into his mother's old bedroom and listen at the door as he had entire conversations with another person. Often times voicing both people. It almost felt as if there really was another person in that room, but that was impossible.
They were alone in this house. Not even ghosts lived here.
In a few hours, Norman would calm down and be himself again. He wouldn't remember a thing but be sick and tired for a day or so.
Still, Rebecca remembered Blair Watson getting murdered. Was Norman Bates involved somehow? Was he in PineView for being dangerous?
Was Norman Bates dangerous? Could he hurt her?