Hey a people.. I am back again.. can't tell you all how honored I am to have such fantastic readers.. thank you everyone who have posted their token of encouragement.. I cannot say how important that is to me.. without further adieu here's the next part.. I wanted to make it longer but just got myself into a sudden trip with my colleagues.. will be off for few days.. so I thought of updating anyways.. hope you enjoy this one.. please do not forget to leave your reviews.. if you have any suggestions feel free to share..

Love ya all

Sabah.

"Bradley's body has been discovered.. dumped inside the trunk of a car.. the car was drowned in the water just at the old docks where we'd found Norman unconscious" Alex informed.

Norma's face turned pale instantly.. pushing a lump down her throat she asked.. "how'd she die?"

"apparently her head was smashed onto to something hard.. presumably rocks or something of concrete sort."

Silence persisted between the two of them for a couple of minutes.. Norma sat quietly with her eyes glued down at her feet.. she felt she had gone into some kind of a trance.. her soul was no longer within her body.. she was defeated.. exhausted.. she no longer had the strength to fight back..

Alex placed a gentle palm on her shoulder.. she looked at him in reception.

"Norma.. listen to me... her body's been underwater for more than 2 days.. it's hardly possible that any evident is left on her... having said that, it's a clear case of murder.. it will be investigated.. I can't do anything about that.." he took a pause... "I will get you out of this.. just do as I say.. you need to send Norman to Pineview immediately.. the sooner the better.."

"How am I gonna do that Alex..? you already know how he reacted the last time I mentioned Pineview.. he bloody killed someone! what if.."

Alex broke in before she could complete her sentence.. "Normaa! You're not listening.. there's a lot of things beyond my control now.. with the Sheriff election, the DEA getting involved in everything and Bob's murder investigation I am just not in the position t.."

"wha wha wait.. what did you say? Bob's murder? What? Bob Paris is dead?" Norma uttered in disbelieve.

"yeah.. but that's not the main issue now.. the thing is.."

"hold it Alex.. just hold it right there.. let me get this straight.. Bob Paris is dead? Someone killed him?"

"yes Norma.." he stated casually without making any eye contact.

"oh my god!" Norma grabbed a fistful of her hair in frustration "what the hell is going on? Why is everyone dying around me?" she turned towards Alex in anticipation of a logical answer, who was sitting like a log looking straight at the road deadpanned.. then it dawned on her.. "wait.. you told me the DEA was after him and you let him escape.. so how did he..?" before she could finish, his chocolate melting gaze met with her shiny blue orbs and she knew the answer.. Norma felt her heart stop in the ribcage as she realized the dreadful truth.. "no! no Alex.. you did not..!" she exclaimed vehemently..

Alex looked away instantly.. he felt exposed.. ashamed and vulnerable.. he never wanted her to know the truth about Bob.. he never wanted for her to think of him as a horrible person let alone as a cold-blooded murderer.. he feared she'd never trust him again despite what he did was only to protect her..

"look at me damn it! why did you do it? why Alex? Why would you do something so horrifying?" she yelled at him.

Alex didn't reply..

"Alex your silence is killing me.. how could you have done this? Ohh.. my God!"

"I had no choice.." he mewled from the back of his throat.

"WHAAATT?!" she was fuming in anger.. "how can you not have a choice other than killing a person?"

"I had to make sure that you are safe... that Norman is safe.. leaving Bob wasn't an option.. I had already screwed it up once.. I just wanted to make things right!"

"oh Alex.. killing someone can never be right.. you are such a sensible person.. such a wise decision maker.. how could you have..." her tone softened a little.. she slowed down for a moment grasping the complexity of the situation and attaining that somehow part of her was responsible for this whole situation.
"does anyone know that you killed him?" she asked breaking the silence.

"no! but the DEA has her target locked down on me.." he replied.

"there isn't any evidence though.. is there?"

"no.. hopefully not"

"god... Alex.. what have we got ourselves into!" she sighed. "what do you want me to do?"

Alex gathered a little courage and turned to look at her.. for the first time ever Norma Louise Bates was letting someone else take the charge and deep down Alex took pride that it was none other than he himself..

"you need to convince Norman and put him in Pineview ASAP.. when this investigation gets started the first thing they're going to track down is her friends.. and if they find any evidence against him there's nothing I can do" Alex concluded.

"okay.." she said obediently.

"and if it helps I can talk to him.." he offered to help convince Norman.

"no.. no it's fine.. I'll talk to him.."

"okay.. we should head back now.. it's late.."

"why?"

"what?" a baffled Alex asked.

"why are you doing this for me?"

"I don't know Norma.. I just—I just feel the need to protect you.." was his honest reply.

His silent gaze locked with her glistening eyes. Norma perceived a sense of shelter that she'd been seeking for her entire life.. the strings of her heart tugged in a strange zeal.. she placed her dainty palm to grab Alex's broad one..

"tell me you'll be there for me.. tell me I'm not alone in this.."

Alex aligned her hand interlacing his fingers through hers..
"no you're not.. I am always here for you.. today and forever"

Blood streamed a tad faster through her veins as Alex's entwining fingers became firm.. sure they had hugged before.. she'd pecked him a couple of times on his cheeks.. their physical proximity had been closer than this.. but never she'd gone through such a kind of rush before.. his skin was masculine, rough, yet delicate.. under the shade of those thick dark eye lashes, she could see herself crystal clear in his sparkling hazel eyes and they claimed she was beautiful.. a knot formed inside her stomach.. she felt a strange urge to close the gap between them once and for all.. collide on to his broad chest and seal his lips with hers.. hold him close to her heart and never ever let go.. but no.. not tonight.. Norma didn't want Alex to think that she was using him to protect her and her son.. because she wasn't.. not anymore.. though she knew he'd protect her anyway but having him with her meant something different now.. having him by her side meant strength.. having him meant someone to talk to.. someone who'd handle her crazy shit no matter what and still not leave her.. having him meant she was never going to be alone.. having him meant friendship, trust, care and perhaps... love.

It was half past 1 when Norma crept inside the house.. she was hoping Norman would be asleep by then.. she walked passed Norman's room carefully..

"Mother..!" just when she was about to enter her room Norman called back.. "where are you coming from?" he inquired.

"I .. I was just in the neighborhood.. some work stuff.." she stammered.

"what work?" he was suspicious.

"nothing important.. just met a friend.."

"oh.. since when have you had a friend?"

His non-stop questioning got her annoyed.. "Norman stop it! you wander around the village all day.. you are never at the office.. I never find you when I need you.. even then do I ask you so many questions? Stop acting like a child!"

Norman looked down at the floor.. "things have changed between us.." he stated.. "you never used to lie to me before.. but Dylan seems to know more about you now.. and it's obvious you were not in the neighborhood to meet some friend..!" he raised his head, looked her straight into the eyes.. a cold and lifeless stare.. something she failed to recognize.. was it her baby boy? she asked herself in her mind.. his glare to ripped her heart apart.. then he spun around to get inside his room.. slamming the door behind.

TO BE CONTINUED...