ASW Episode 254
The Case of the Sensitive Info
It was another Monday morning. The sign on the door said Private Investigator.
But the sign below that said wet paint and I was saying yes to a third cup of coffee.
It was cold and bitter, like a CISO saying they take security seriously.
My partner was out of town looking into a Hollywood murder plot, but that was like a bad threat model – too many actors and no lines of trust –
When a text walked through the door. They looked as if they wanted to blend into a crowd, but they were anything but plain.
They wore sunglasses and a hat with a brim the size of my tab at the local donut shop.
“I’m being blackmailed,” they said. “I don’t know who to trust.”
I’d heard this story before. I knew to be careful about timing my next words.
“I’ve got a public number, but I’m a private eye. I don’t share secrets.”
“It’s very personal. That’s my prime concern.”
“I’ll factor that in,” I said, mentally adding another digit to my usual fee.
“Only a finite field of people can ever know about this.”
“I’ve been thrown curves before. I can be discreet.”
Still, there was hesitation behind those sunglasses, so I added, “It’s secrecy from this point forward.”
They shifted nervously, but I could see we had reached an agreement.
“So,” I said. “Tell me your tale. One bit at a time.”