Page 71 of Pied Sniper

“Do you know if she has ransom insurance?”

“I don’t know. Solomon is examining her finances. Do you want him to look for premiums paid out?”

“No, that’s fine. We can do that but if you find something before we do, or anything in an obscure channel, let us know.”

“What kind of person takes out kidnap insurance?” I wondered.

“Rich people. Or someone who plans to eventually cash in on it. Not all policies pay a ransom though, some are just indemnities. They pay for losses incurred, not ransom demands.”

“Does an incurred loss cover loss of earnings?” I wondered. Tiffany sometimes made daily vlogs, often reaching hundreds of thousands of views, which had to equate to a lot of money. Recouping those payments via insurance would be smart, but smarter still if she paid her bills in the first place.

“It’s a lead to check into. I don’t think much will come of it but I’ll keep you updated.”

“What’re Maddox and Farid doing?”

“There was a sighting over in Chester. They went to check it out. I heard from them ten minutes ago saying it led to nothing so they’re driving back. There’s something else, we’re doing a press conference later today. I’d like you to be there.”

“Sounds important.”

“It is. This kidnapping has gained nationwide coverage and so far, MPD and the FBI look like bumbling idiots who can’t find our own tails. We have no choice but to address the press and appeal to the public for their help.”

“Do you want me to say something? I don’t know if I can go on camera.” Also, what should I wear to look simultaneously authoritative in front of the nation, yet glamorous too? Besides that, was it really a good idea? Part of my success was my ability to be incognito and never get recognized as a private investigator. Fortunately, Garrett saved me from any decisions by saying, “Maddox and I will handle it. But we’d like you there to take a look at the crowd. You never know who might turn up to watch the chaos.”

“You think the kidnapper might show up!” I exclaimed.

“It’s been known to happen. Sometimes the perpetrator likes a first-hand look at the investigation. There’s no better access to that than by playing the concerned citizen at a press call.”

Another thought occurred to me. “Abigail was told not to involve the police when she got the ransom demand. Won’t this hurt Tiffany?”

“We considered that. We’re going to pretend this is all about the livestream and claim that Abigail isn’t cooperating. We won’t say that explicitly but we will mention there’s been no contact. The kidnappers have to expect us to say something. It would be strange if we didn’t, given the volume of press attention.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “It could tip them off if it looks like you’re deliberately avoiding any statement. I’ll be there to watch the crowd although it’s hard to know what I’m looking for. Tiffany doesn’t seem to have many people in her life, but various relatives have been mentioned. I don’t know if her orphan story is completely false but it’s definitely not the whole story.”

“In the absence of something obvious, just look for anything or anyone that strikes you as off. Anyone being furtive, too quiet, maybe on their own, maybe looking around too much.”

I pulled a face. Talk about a needle in a haystack! “I don’t suppose that narrows it down by much.”

“You’d be surprised. Most people will be there to hear what the spokesperson has to say. Usually, just a couple of local reporters, some concerned citizens, maybe a support group or the family involved. But in big cases like this, it’s been frequently observed that the perpetrator can and does show up. They feel compelled to join the circus. I guess they like the buzz and the chaos they caused. There’s also the element of staying one step ahead of the police.”

“Do you think they’ll directly try to find out anything about the investigation?”

“We’re keeping a tight lid on it but it’s possible they might think they can glean something from it. Mostly though, they just turn up to enjoy the chaos they caused. The whole case boils down to a woman who got injured and disappeared. If it can happen to a well-known woman, it can happen to anyone. It’s the type of thing that generates blind fear through a community. And they take pride in being the source of that. They may well even get off on it.”

“Now you’re freaking me out.”

“Anyone who attempts to kidnap you is a brave son-of-a-gun. And damn stupid.”

I thought about all the people who would chase the unlucky perpetrator down. “That makes me feel better,” I decided. “But if that happens, try to be quick about it.”

“I feel sure they’d give you back pretty fast,” snorted Garrett.

“That sounds like criticism. Kind of harsh. I admit I would not be a great kidnap victim though.”

“Let’s not confirm that anytime soon. Okay, I gotta go. Maddox is calling. The press conference is at 6PM. We’ll hold it outside MPD. I’ll text you to confirm the details later.”

“I’ll be there.” When I placed my phone on the desk, I realized Solomon was waiting patiently.

“I reached out to a contact at a gun range,” he said, “who just got back to me. He says we can go over and let him take a look at the video to give us information about the laser sight you saw in it.”

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