Chapter 7: The Shadow Outside Our Door
I watched the security footage three more times.
Then five more.
Each time, the same thing happened.
The figure appeared at the edge of our driveway.
The hood covered most of his face.
The backpack hung from one shoulder.
And the logo on the side was unmistakable.
Westbrook High.
My mind wanted to reject what my eyes were seeing.
Because believing it meant accepting something much bigger.
Ethan Collins had not only been involved in what happened to Maya.
He had been near our home.
In the middle of the night.
“Are you sure?”” I asked Jordan.
He didn’t answer immediately.
He kept staring at the screen.
“I’m sure.””
“You’ve seen that backpack before?””
“Every day.””
His voice was quiet.
“Ethan has that exact one.””
Claire came downstairs.
“What’s happening?””
Neither of us answered.
She looked at the screen.
Then at our faces.
“Arthur?””
I pressed pause.
“Someone was outside our house last night.””
Her expression changed.
“What?””
“Security camera caught him.””
“Who?””
I looked at Jordan.
He answered.
“Ethan.””
Claire covered her mouth.
“No.””
Jordan looked at her.
“Mom.””
“No,” she repeated.
Not because she didn’t believe him.
Because she didn’t want to believe it.
There is a difference.
A mother’s heart can accept that a stranger is dangerous.
It is much harder to accept that someone your child knows might be.
“We need to call the police,” Claire said.
I nodded.
But before I reached for my phone, Jordan stopped me.
“Wait.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because if we call now, Ethan will know.””
“Good.””
“No.””
The seriousness in his voice surprised me.
“He wants us to react.””
I studied him.
“What makes you think that?””
“Because this isn’t random.””
He pointed at the computer.
“First Maya gets scared. Then I get accused. Then this message appears.””
He looked at me.
“Someone is trying to make everyone think I’m the problem.””
The words hit me.
Because that was exactly what had happened.
Someone had created a story.
And we had almost believed it.
“Then what do you suggest?””
Jordan leaned back.
“We find out what he’s doing.””
I didn’t like the idea.
Not because I doubted him.
Because I had spent my entire life teaching my children not to chase danger.
“Jordan, you are not investigating anyone.””
His expression hardened.
“Dad—”
“No.””
“But—”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You have already carried too much.””
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue.
Then he stopped.
Because maybe he realized something.
He didn’t have to carry everything alone anymore.
The police arrived forty minutes later.
An officer named Marcus Hill reviewed the footage carefully.
He didn’t immediately dismiss it.
That impressed me.
Too many people look at teenagers and assume they exaggerate.
Officer Hill didn’t.
“Do you know if Ethan has a reason to be here?”” he asked.
“No,” I replied.
Jordan stayed quiet.
Officer Hill noticed.
“Jordan?””
Jordan looked up.
“I think he wanted me to see him.””
“Why?””
“Because he wanted me scared.””
The officer nodded slowly.
“That’s possible.””
“Possible?”” I asked.
“We need evidence.””
He pointed at the screen.
“This shows someone was here. It doesn’t prove why.””
I understood.
But understanding did not make it easier.
Before leaving, Officer Hill gave us advice.
“Keep your doors locked. Save all footage. Don’t confront him.””
That last part was directed at Jordan.
Jordan looked away.
“I wasn’t going to.””
The officer raised an eyebrow.
Jordan sighed.
“Okay. Maybe I was thinking about it.””
After he left, I found Maya sitting on the stairs.
She had heard everything.
“I’m sorry.””
I sat beside her.
“For what?””
“Because Jordan got dragged into this because of me.””
My heart hurt.
“Maya.””
“No, Dad.””
She wiped her eyes.
“If I had just told you what happened…”
“You were scared.””
“I should have trusted you.””
I looked at her.
“And I should have noticed.””
She looked surprised.
“What?””
“I should have noticed you weren’t okay.””
She shook her head.
“I hid it.””
“Yes.””
I paused.
“But you’re my daughter. I wish you never felt like you had to.””
She leaned against my shoulder.
For a few minutes, we sat there.
Then she whispered:
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Ethan wasn’t alone.””
I turned.
“What do you mean?””
“At the party.””
Her voice became smaller.
“There was someone else.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you see their face?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
She looked toward the living room.
“Because Ethan listened to him.””
“Listened to who?””
Maya shook her head.
“I only heard part of the conversation.””
“What conversation?””
She swallowed.
“Ethan said, ‘If we do this right, nobody will believe them.’”
The words made my blood run cold.
“Who was he talking to?””
“I don’t know.””
I looked toward the dark window.
The night suddenly felt much larger.
Much more dangerous.
Because Ethan might not have been the person controlling everything.
May you like
He might have only been the person we could see.
And someone else was still hiding.
