While staying at an Airbnb, a blinking light on the smoke detector caught my wife’s attention. At first, it seemed harmless, but something felt wrong. I climbed up to check and felt my stomach drop. Inside the device was what looked like a small camera lens, pointed straight into the room. We didn’t discuss it. Instinct took over.
We packed quickly and left without saying a word, driving until we were two towns away and parked outside a 24-hour diner. Still shaken, I posted an urgent review to warn others about what we’d found. The host responded almost immediately, but not with reassurance. Instead, they accused me of damaging a “transmitter” linked to a private security system.
Then came a chilling line: “They’ll come looking for it.” No explanation followed, only a vague threat that made everything feel worse. Trying to piece it together, I reviewed the photos I’d taken during our stay. In one image, I noticed a faint red laser dot glowing from behind a curtain. It didn’t look accidental. It looked intentional. The realization hit hard: this wasn’t a coincidence. We may have been tracked.
We drove three more hours to a city hotel, discarded the cheap phone used to make the booking, and paid in person. The next morning, I filed a police report, though it felt like a small response to something far larger. That night, lying awake beside my wife, one thought wouldn’t fade. Safety is often an illusion. Cozy photos and positive reviews can hide disturbing realities. Sometimes a blinking light isn’t there to protect you. Sometimes, it’s there to watch.
