Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 11: The Trap

Maya’s entire body shook with adrenaline as she and Ethan sped toward the police station. Her phone was clenched tightly in her hand, her mind replaying that last message over and over.

"Nice try, Maya. But it’s too late."

Too late for what? Was he watching them right now, planning his next move? She wanted to throw her phone out the window, smash it to pieces, but that wouldn’t change anything. He was always a step ahead, always watching.

Ethan kept glancing at her as he drove, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. “We’re almost there,” he said, though the tension in his voice made it clear that he didn’t feel any safer than she did. “Once we hand this over, they’ll be able to track him down.”

But Maya wasn’t so sure. Her stalker had been careful from the beginning. He had access to her life in ways she couldn’t even comprehend. Would a single piece of evidence be enough to stop him?

As they pulled into the parking lot of the police station, a sinking feeling settled in her chest. They were doing the right thing, but why didn’t it feel like enough?

Ethan parked the car, and they both hurried inside, where they were quickly ushered to an officer they had spoken to before. Detective Harper, a woman in her early forties with a steely gaze, listened as they explained what they had found—the hidden camera, the messages, and the timing of the stalker’s latest threat.

Harper examined the tiny camera they had brought in, her expression hardening. “This is significant,” she said. “We can trace the manufacturer, see if we can track down where it was purchased and by whom. If your stalker is monitoring you this closely, he’s making mistakes. We can use those to our advantage.”

Maya nodded, though she felt no relief. The anxiety gnawed at her, the same question burning in her mind: What is he planning?

Harper stood, motioning for them to follow her to a room where they could file an official report. As they walked down the hallway, Harper glanced back at them. “You said he messaged you again, right after you found the camera?”

“Yeah,” Maya said quietly, clutching her phone. “It’s like he knew we were looking for it.”

“Then he might be more desperate than you think,” Harper said, her voice low. “Stalkers escalate when they feel they’re losing control. He’s trying to scare you into making a mistake. That’s why it’s more important than ever for you to stay somewhere safe.”

Maya swallowed hard, her mouth dry. She knew Harper was right. But being told she needed to hide only made the fear more real. If her stalker was escalating, there was no telling what he might do next.

“I’m staying with Ethan,” she said, glancing at him. “I don’t want to be alone.”

Ethan gave her a reassuring nod, but she could see the fear in his eyes too. He was just as uncertain as she was.

“We’ll keep officers close by,” Harper assured them. “But I want you both to be extra cautious. Don’t go anywhere alone. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

Maya nodded, grateful for the protection but still uneasy. As they finished filing the report, Harper handed Maya her card.

“If anything happens—if you notice anything suspicious, or if he contacts you again—call me. Day or night.”

Maya tucked the card into her pocket, praying she wouldn’t need to use it.

---

That night, Maya sat in Ethan’s living room, feeling like a prisoner in her own life. She and Ethan had spent hours talking to the police, but the tension in her chest hadn’t eased. If anything, it had grown worse. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how little control she had over the situation.

Ethan sat beside her, scrolling through his phone, trying to find any more clues in the stalker’s messages. The police had taken the camera, but they hadn’t found any other physical evidence—no fingerprints, no traceable information. It felt like the walls were closing in, and Maya hated it.

“I feel like I’m suffocating,” she muttered, burying her face in her hands.

Ethan looked up at her. “We’re going to figure this out, Maya. He’s slipping up, and the police are onto him now. He’s going to make a mistake.”

“I don’t know,” Maya said, shaking her head. “He’s been one step ahead this whole time. He knows every move I make. It’s like he’s inside my head.”

Ethan paused, his eyes narrowing as if something had just clicked in his mind. “Wait a second…”

“What?” Maya asked, her voice tired.

Ethan turned his phone toward her, showing her one of the first messages she’d received from the stalker. It was simple, just a taunt about how she looked in class that day. But Ethan zoomed in on the time stamp.

“Look at this,” he said. “That message came in right after you left school, but we always assumed he was watching from a distance. What if he wasn’t?”

Maya frowned, not following. “What do you mean?”

“What if he’s not watching you from a camera or spying from afar? What if he’s been closer than we thought—like, right in front of you?”

Her heart skipped a beat as the implication of his words sunk in. “You’re saying he’s been there the whole time?”

Ethan nodded grimly. “It explains why he always knows where you are. What if it’s someone we’ve already seen? Someone who’s been around you without you even realizing it?”

Maya’s mind raced through the possibilities. The people she passed in the hallways, the strangers at the café, even the familiar faces of her classmates. Had her stalker been right in front of her this whole time, blending into her life, hiding in plain sight?

Her phone buzzed again, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Unknown: Getting closer, aren’t you?

Maya stared at the message, her blood running cold. He knew. He always knew. Every time they got closer to uncovering his identity, he was already ahead of them.

“We need to get out of here,” Ethan said, his voice urgent. “If he’s nearby, we can’t stay in one place.”

Maya stood, her heart hammering in her chest. But just as she reached for her jacket, the doorbell rang.

Both she and Ethan froze, staring at the front door in disbelief.

“Maya, don’t—” Ethan started, but Maya was already walking toward the door, her hand trembling as she reached for the handle.

The doorbell rang again, louder this time, echoing through the quiet house.

With a deep breath, Maya yanked the door open.

And standing there, on the other side, was someone she never expected.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the familiar face before her.

“It’s you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.