Nate
I pause before responding to the message, not out of indecision, but because urgency often provides greater insight than immediate answers. As I prepare to reply, the secure line rings with a call from Jackson, which I allow to ring twice before picking up.
"Hey Jackson, are you able to run the client?"
Jackson responds promptly and grasps the task.
"Already did," he replies. "Name checks out. Financials are solid. Property records confirm a house in Chicago. No outstanding warrants. No open litigation tied to the girlfriend."
"She took money," I say. "Any record of amounts?"
"No," Jackson replies. "He claims theft but doesn't specify figures. No reports filed. No civil action."
"Which means he doesn't want courts involved," I say. "He wants leverage."
"Agreed."
I lean back in my chair.
"He reached out before?"
"Yes. Two operators. Both declined."
"Why?"
"They said there wasn't enough to justify the time. No active trail. No financial panic. No digital footprint after she left."
"And his reaction?"
"He increased the offer."
Expected.
"They routed it to me after that," Jackson continues. "Client's yours."
Good.
"Any risk?"
"Low exposure. Medium complexity. Client escalating."
That last part doesn't concern me.
"Payment?"
"He's offering well above market for discretion."
Good.
"Then we proceed."
Jackson pauses briefly.
"Terms?"
"Location only," I reply. "No contact. No retrieval. Information ends the contract."
"Copy that."
I disconnect and draft the response.
Short. Professional. Impersonal.
I can assist in locating her current whereabouts.
My role is limited to information gathering.
Payment is required up front.
£6000 for location only.
Additional services are billed separately.
No guarantees beyond verified data.
If you agree, confirm, and I will proceed.
I send it, close the window, and get an almost instant reply—gratitude, relief, impatience. He thanks me, wants this done, sends the money, and says she's not rational when upset. I don't reread it; tone analysis can wait. For now, he's a client, and I've taken the job. Somewhere, a man believes he's buying closure, but really, he's only bought coordinates. What comes next isn't in the contract—yet.