THE GASLIGHT
The police arrived at Maya’s apartment at 7:00 AM.
She was still awake, sitting at her kitchen table, staring at the photographs from Kaela’s apartment. The dream journal. The business card. Her own reflection in the window.
Three knocks. Loud. Official.
She opened the door.
Detective Leah Park stood in the hallway, her face unreadable. Behind her, two uniformed officers.
“Maya Cross?”
“Yes.”
“We need you to come with us.”
“What’s this about?”
“Dr. Elias Vance has filed a complaint. He says you broke into his patient’s apartment. Stole evidence. Harassed him.”
Maya’s stomach dropped. “That’s not what happened.”
“Then you can explain it at the station.”
They cuffed her.
In front of her neighbors.
In front of her daughter.
Danny stood in the doorway of her bedroom, her eyes wide, her phone in her hand.
“Mom?”
“It’s okay, baby. It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Maya Cross, you have the right to remain silent—”
Danny started recording.
Maya didn’t fight.
She let them take her.
The interrogation room was small and gray and smelled like old coffee.
Leah Park sat across from Maya, a file folder in front of her, her expression neutral.
“You broke into Kaela Morgan’s apartment.”
“I climbed through an unlocked window. The door was sealed. I needed to see—”
“You touched evidence at a crime scene.”
“Kaela isn’t dead. She’s missing.”
“She’s a missing person. That’s a crime scene.”
Maya leaned forward. “Detective, I’m not the bad guy here. Dr. Vance is.”
“Dr. Vance is a respected member of this community. He’s been treating patients for twenty years. He’s never had a complaint. Never been sued. Never been investigated.”
“Three of his patients jumped off a bridge.”
“Three of his patients killed themselves. People do that. It’s tragic. But it’s not a crime.”
“Did you know he referred them all to each other? Sarah Chen met Elena Vasquez in his waiting room. They became friends. They started dreaming about the bridge together.”
Leah’s expression flickered.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Clara Bennett’s sister. Rachel. She told me Clara mentioned ‘a friend from group’ who talked about the bridge. I checked. Sarah and Elena were both in Vance’s Tuesday evening group therapy session.”
Leah opened the file folder.
Maya couldn’t see what was inside.
But she saw Leah’s face change.
“The Tuesday evening group,” Leah said slowly. “How many patients?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I was trying to find out.”
Leah closed the folder.
“Stay away from this, Ms. Cross. Stay away from Dr. Vance. Stay away from his patients.”
“Or what? You’ll arrest me again?”
“Or I’ll let him handle you.”
Maya’s blood ran cold. “What does that mean?”
Leah stood up.
“You’re free to go. For now.”
She walked out.
Maya sat in the gray room.
She didn’t move for a long time.