“What kind of story?” I asked.

“Just office talk.” He took a slow sip from the steel rim.

“Someone in the accounting department.”

Daniel set the mug down firmly on the counter next to his phone.

“People leave dangerous objects around their kids,” he said.

“Then they act surprised when child services shows up and takes them away.”

“That’s awful,” I said.

I looked up at the small black dome mounted high on the dining room wall.

The glass lens pointed directly at the oak table and gave off a faint blue glow.

“Did you finish setting up the new camera system over there?” I asked.

“It runs on motion sensors now.” He tapped the dark screen of his phone to wake it up.

“The data is saved locally.”

“Do we really need it inside the house?” I asked.

“You never know what happens when you’re not paying attention.”