I stared at the small black device in Gerald’s shaking hand. Then he whispered, “Don’t speak loudly. Please, let me explain before anyone hears us.” Karen appeared behind me with her phone ready to dial, but Gerald shook his head. He turned the device over, and my stomach dropped. A tiny red light was blinking on the back.

Gerald swallowed hard. “That light means it’s live. Someone has been listening to your family for three weeks.” Before I could answer, headlights swept across our porch. Down the street, an engine turned over, and a white van rolled slowly toward our driveway with its lights off. Gerald grabbed my arm. “That’s the man who planted it,” he breathed. “Get Karen and the kids away from the windows. Now.”