Page 56 of Riptide
Cara felt a chill. They'd been thinking of Blaire as confident, cocky, in control. But responding to a potential client at 2 AM suggested something else—obsession. Compulsion. Someone who couldn't stop hunting even when they should be sleeping.
"Show me," Cara said.
Tom pulled up the email.
Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out. Your case sounds challenging and I appreciate your candor about previous investigators. I specialize in locating individuals who employ sophisticated methods to avoid detection.
My fee for a case of this complexity is $50,000, paid in two installments. Half upfront, half upon successful location. Given the federal interest in Ms. Wells, discretion will be paramount.
I've done preliminary research and believe I can help. Can we schedule a call tomorrow to discuss details?
Best regards,
Blaire Mitchell
Cara read it twice. "She's in."
"Hook, line, and sinker." Reagan's smile was fierce.
"She started digging right after we went the inquiry," Tom said, showing them the search history. "She’s fast, and thorough. Checked everything we planted."
"And bought it completely," Piper said. "Even sent feelers to her network."
"Now the hard part," Tom said. "Keeping her distracted. Reagan, when she calls, give her just enough to keep investigating but not enough to find Miranda too quickly."
"I can do that."
"What if Blaire figures out Miranda's fake?" Piper asked quietly.
"Then we're in trouble," Wade said. "She'll know someone's investigating her. She'll blame Cara first."
"Which means we can't afford mistakes," Tom added.
Exactly. One wrong move and Blaire would burn everything.
"We don't make mistakes," she said firmly. "We're better than her. Smarter. And we have something she doesn't—each other."
Reagan's phone buzzed. "Blaire sent a follow-up."
Tom pulled it up.
Lisa,
One more thing—given the federal interest in this case, I need to know: are you prepared for the possibility that I might find Ms. Wells in a situation where she's already under investigation? My responsibility is to locate her and report back to you. What happens after that is beyond my scope.
I need to ensure we're aligned on expectations before proceeding.
-B
"Covering her bases legally," Reagan said. "Making sure the client understands she's just the finder."
"Smart," Wade observed.
Reagan typed a response:I understand completely. My interest is in knowing where she is and recovering what's mine. What the authorities do is their business. I'm preparedto pay for information, not involvement. I appreciate your professionalism. -Lisa
She hit send.
