Colleen Collins (CC) and Shaun Kaufman (SK)
CC: You had lost your job. You drank to excess, and you were stoned all the time. And it was like, what are we gonna do?
SK: You kind of threw out the idea …
CC: Of a private investigation’s agency.
SK: Involving you and I.
CC: And by the next week I was sitting on surveillance. So, I just jumped into the deep end. We were so desperate. So we did crazy work for, like, no money.
SK: What I clearly remember is chasing people for days for a $37 fee. But, what it felt like to me was I was worthwhile at something again.
CC: We have solved a lot of cases going through trash.
SK: That’s what you do.
CC: Yeah.
SK: I remember on this case, going through the trash. And we’re standing there with cameras taking pictures of it, ’cause I don’t want it after that.
CC: We always take pictures of trash.
SK: Yeah. I think it was like August. And it’s, like, particularly smelly.
CC: The problem was it was attracting dogs, and I’m afraid of dogs. [Laughs] I was so scared.
SK: And all of a sudden we’re doing lots of infidelity investigations, and it doesn’t exactly inspire a great deal of romance in your own life.
CC: I remember our relationship was limping along. But being forced to work together really forced us to deal with a lot of things.
SK: It’s tough, actually, to be on surveillance with somebody who’s pissed off at you.
CC: [Laughs]
SK: I remember going to some sites, and we’d been having some discussions on the way up there ’cause you drive a long time–you talk.
CC: [Laughs]
SK: And the next thing I knew, our conversations did get more positive. And there was more laughter. I know that our relationship really took off at that point. Our work relationship took off. Without the business I’m not sure that we would have … you know, made it. And now …
CC: Oh, better than ever.
SK: This is the relationship I wanted when I was 17 and didn’t know that I could have. I wish that I could be in this relationship another 200 years. If I could bargain with God … it’s just like, I love you so much.
