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Private investigator Leigh Hearon says being a female has actually helped her build a strong business in a competitive, traditionally male-dominated industry. “I’ve had clients call and say, “I want you on this because you are a woman,’” she said. Because of this, Hearon makes sure to market her company as female-owned and operated. Although some might be quick to think that her gender might possibly work against her, Hearon says stereotypical female characteristics help her do her job efficiently and effectively. “I’m a good listener and have a well-honed instinct about people,” she said. “Plus, especially at the beginning of my career when there were fewer female investigators, no one ever expected I was a PI.” That has worked to her advantage, when it came time to asking tough, personal questions from sometimes hostile witnesses. “I’ve been spit on before and my car has been kicked,” Hearon said. “People might think I’m the scum of the earth and I have to accept it and not take it personally.” And accept it she has because the job suits her well. “I’ve always liked mysteries,” Hearon said. “I grew up reading Nancy Drew.” Hearon typically works on 15 to 20 cases at a time that can last between three days and five years. Those cases vary widely, which is one of the things she loves most about the business. Hearon assists defense attorneys by interviewing and researching witnesses, examining crime scenes, and conducting background checks. “The prosecutor has the police to do their investigating,” she said. “I’m the parallel role for the defense.” Hearon also provides an important service to private citizens. She investigates unsolved crimes, even working on a homicide case in Seattle several years ago; locates dead-beat dads, relatives and runaways; works on infidelity cases; and investigates possible employee theft and fraud. Her days and nights are busy with face-to-face interviews, surveillance, and online and database research. “A lot of my work is computer-based,” she said. “Private investigators are in a sense information brokers.” That’s why she is able to operate her business from her Quilcene home. Although she maintains an office in Seattle and visits it weekly, her home office is the base of operation for Leigh Hearon Investigative Services. Her husband runs the Olympic Music Festival, and together they have spent their summers on those grounds so he could personally manage the festival, which features seasonal weekend chamber performances. This past summer, when it was time for the couple to return to the city, they just couldn’t bring themselves to leave their charming country home located on the scenic festival property. So, Hearon decided to create an exact replica of her city office in her Quilcene home and work mostly from there. “It’s such a nice balance here,” Hearon, who appreciates the small-town atmosphere, said. However, she doesn’t like doing surveillance in rural areas. The very fact that everyone knows everyone and the roads are less traveled make going incognito much more of a challenge. Since moving here full time, Hearon has managed to build a Jefferson County clientele—about 20 percent of her business now originates from Jefferson County residents and businesses. She works on three to four cases every day, and has her days and weeks planned in advance so she can slowly and methodically chip way at each case. “I’m a little obsessive compulsive,” she joked. Hearon admits to working up to 80 hours a week, but for the most part she doesn’t mind because it truly is her passion. Hearon became a private investigator in the late 1980s when male PIs were the norm. Things have changed today, in part because women like Hearon proved themselves in the business. About half of today’s PIs are women, she says. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, a master’s degree in public affairs journalism, Hearon was a seasoned journalist working as a copywriter for Microsoft. After asking herself the question, “What am I doing here?” and not being able to answer it, she approached a former newspaper reporter turned private investigator about a possible position. “I called him up and he gave me a case to analyze and write a report on,” Hearon said. “He read the report and told me I’d make a very good investigator.” For three years, she moonlighted as a PI at night and worked at Microsoft during the day. In 1992, Hearon quit both jobs and went out on her own. “It was January 1, 1992 the day I opened up shop,” she said. “I’ve never looked back. I could never ever go to work for anyone again.” Her journalism background has helped Hearon be a better PI. In fact, the transition in careers was an easy, natural one, she said. “PIs, much like journalists, are really just after the truth,” she said. Plus, Hearon even draws on knowledge she gained during a year of law school. For Hearon, private investigating is basically solving a big puzzle. She says she has to be willing to think on her feet, change directions if the clues direct her to do so, and most importantly, listen. To be a private investigator, Hearon says, she must be licensed by the state, and be bonded or have liability insurance. PIs today come from all walks of life, she says. Some are former schoolteachers and real estate agents, she says. There are classes offered today to offer an introduction, and Hearon says investigators don’t need a law enforcement background to succeed. She says she has only felt really in danger once, when she was investigating an unsolved homicide in Seattle. It was while working on that case that Hearon felt like she needed to carry a gun for her own protection. However, today Hearon says she stays safe by being smart. She doesn’t badger witnesses, rather is empathetic and non-threatening. Maybe it’s because she is a woman that people will talk with her easily and calmly, or maybe it’s because experience has taught her how to get what she wants. “I’m assertive in following the leads,” she said. “I know I’m fairly outgoing and I don’t mind talking to strangers. I have perseverance and patience, and I keep digging until I find the answer.” Hearon can be reached at 360-732-0732.
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