For a solid career in the investigative major leagues, expect to strike out a lot, get on base sometimes, and hit the occasional grand slam.
As private investigators, we sometimes forget that we will not always go undefeated. The average baseball Hall-of-Famer bats a little better than 300. Ted Williams’s lifetime batting average was .344. Ty Cobb’s average, at .366, has never been topped.
Ted Williams famously said, “A .300 hitter, that rarest of breeds these days, goes through life with the certainty that he will fail at his job seven out of ten times.”
For sluggers like Cobb and Williams, the job is simply to hit the ball. They fail most of the time, yet they are still heroes in the game.
Striking Out
As a PI, my job is simply to find the facts. Sometimes, I fail.
I keep replaying this one case in my head, a child abuse case from a few years ago that had me doubting myself. Our team had vowed to stay away from “general public” cases, since there are so many ways to strike out on these. But this case seemed straightforward: the mother had endured years of abuse from her husband and decided to act once her daughter became a victim. She finally reported the abuse to the authorities, but she was not getting any traction.
I decided to take this case, against my better judgment. I’ve had friends who were abused by trusted family members when they were children, so I made it a personal mission to help this victim of abuse and ensure that her voice was heard.
This “straightforward” case soon became complicated. After investigating for several weeks, I discovered that the father had connections to law enforcement higher-ups, who were protecting him. These connections were making it extremely difficult for us to obtain evidence and build a case against the man.
At the time, I was still a part-time police officer, and I soon learned that the father was also related to my superior at the department. This made things even more difficult — and made me start to lose hope.
Despite the challenges, we persisted, and with careful investigation, we were able to uncover enough evidence to support the mother’s claims. We gathered background information on everyone living in the home, spoke to former neighbors and employers, and even managed an undercover conversation with the subject’s new girlfriend.
In the end, our efforts came to nothing: the mother still lost custody of her child.
I was devastated for her, and if I’m honest, also for myself. How did I strike out on this? Did I let it get too personal, or somehow stray from being a professional fact-finder? Maybe I should have stayed in my lane and stuck to fraud investigations.
I slunk back to my metaphorical dugout and ruminated on my failure to help this vulnerable family.
Back in the Batter’s Box
A few weeks later, the mother called to retain our services again. She had a new attorney who planned to appeal, and they asked me to gather more information. I knew that we needed to act quickly and gather as much evidence as possible. I was inspired by the client’s faith in me, even after I had previously struck out.
Our team worked tirelessly to gather witness statements and photographs, and we encouraged the client to keep careful medical records, to paint a clear picture of the abuse the daughter had been enduring.
I finally got a hit — a home run, as a matter of fact. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, and we stumbled on some blockbuster information by knocking on one more door — a total long-shot door, one four houses down from an address last used by the father four years before. We knocked on that door with no real hope, but someone answered. And the moment we asked him about the client and her daughter, the man said, “Is (child’s name) okay?” His exact words.
This ex-neighbor had proof of the abuse on his phone that he and his wife had audio recorded and photographed years before. He had saved notes with exact times and dates of police reports and 911 calls that had gone ignored.
By finding this unlikely witness who agreed to be interviewed on the record, we were able to play a major role in the mother winning this case. And it only came to pass because our team kept swinging.
Grand Slam
Investigating a child abuse case involving a protected abuser can be challenging and heart-wrenching, and my personal ties to other victims may have initially clouded my judgment. But I stand by our decision to provide support and resources to those victims, even though our initial efforts failed.
I wanted to share this story with fellow investigators, and especially with anyone who’s just starting out in this business, so that next time you strike out on a case, you’ll remember this: you will always get another at bat, even if it’s for another client and another case. Just keep swinging.
It takes persistence and dedication to uncover the truth and get justice for those who need it. In our agency, we may not be batting 1.000, but I’m confident in saying we are in that client’s Hall of Fame.
About the author:
Neil Valois is a seasoned professional with experience in investigations, risk consulting, law enforcement, and the financial industry. He has developed a unique skill set that sets him apart in the field. As co-owner and director of investigations at Scorpio Global Solutions LLC, an investigative agency headquartered in Pennsylvania, Neil applies his expertise to deliver top-notch investigative services and risk consulting to clients across the country. His attention to detail and commitment to excellence have earned him a reputation as a trusted and reliable investigator.