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“Blackmail targets generally fall into two categories in this modern age.” He cocked an eyebrow at that. “One—” thumb up “—the blackmailee really does have something to be blackmailed over. There are subcategories of that.” Index finger up. “The other is the blackmailee is innocent as that chair you’re sitting in, but he’s being scammed by somebody with a good photoshop package. Some folks are timid enough or exposed enough in other ways—a delicate reputation in a sensitive line of work, maybe—to be bothered by the attempt.”
I mentioned sub categories. One—” thumb again “—is the blackmailee really did the thing he’s being blackmailed over. The other—” index finger; I resisted pointing it at him “—is he did something he doesn’t want exposed, maybe is blackmailable, maybe just embarrassing, and he doesn’t want that out during the blackmail about the thing he didn’t do.”
And then Peter Hunt’s client fired him from the blackmail case.
Not too long after that, a hitter took a run at him, and while he’s at the police station reporting the matter in detail, he learns that other hitters had run at his pseudo-niece, Trang Thi Thao, who was chasing a lead on her late sister’s drug supplier.
Hunt decided it was time for Plan C.
I looked from one to the other and said, “Time for me to go to Plan C.”
“I don’t like Plan C,” Thao said.
“You don’t even know what Plan C is.”
“It’s one after Plan B, which means it’s even more desperate and risky and with even less chance of succeeding.”
“What happened to Plan B?” Jackie said.
“Way things are going, it’s time to skip ahead,” I said. “Get out in front.”
Jackie said, “You’ve been out front all along. You’ll get shot. Again.”
“Out front is different from out in front. One of those nuancicals. Been shot before. I’m still here. Besides, if I do, we’ll know who they are and where they are. If I don’t, we’ll still know who they are and where they are. Win-win.”
Jackie said, “And just what is this Plan C of yours, O Wise One?”
“I’ll let you both know right after I figure it out.”