Nickolas Montano, jr. admits he's not Richard Grieco but his job as a private investigator parallels the popular television actor who portrays Dennis Booker on "Booker."

"I know I drive a nicer car than Booker," says Montano, who operates a sleek black BMW. "Booker just drives a motorcycle and a beat up looking car."

Grieco, formerly of "21 Jump Street" fame, plays a rebel cop turned private investigator for the fictional Teshima corp. Montano, like Booker, has worked for Japanese corporations but his job is not limited to one company or just investigating insurance fraud.

"Insurance fraud is big business," says the 35-year-old Montano. "I was working on a case where I think the husband might have murdered his wife for the huge insurance policy. People really do these things. What you see on 'Booker' could possibly happen in real life."

Montano says 20 per cent of his clients are Japanese or Japanese Americans. "Right now I'm working on a big case involving a Japanese construction company," he says without revealing any details. "I have worked for many Fortune 500 companies and Japanese firms that want to investigate their big business transactions. I get paid a lot of money to do this kind of work. They want to find out if the deal is legitimate.

"Working with Japanese clients is interesting. Sometimes Japanese people are so serious and business oriented. I remember one meeting I had with some Japanese clients where they were all wearing shorts. I just expected them to be dressed in their business suits. Believe me, I was shocked to see them dressed so casually."

The friendly divorced father of two daughters sits in a trendy San Francisco restaurant investigating a case involving possible embezzlement. During Montano's lunch a young attorney walks up to the table and asks his help in a murder case his law firm is handling.

"My job is 24 hours a day," says Montano, a 10-year veteran. "People constantly approach me in public asking my help. I work for lawyers, corporations and individuals.

Montano recently moved from his Walnut Creek office to the 43rd floor of the Transamerica building in San Francisco. His Company, Montano & Associates, specializes in security consulting and investigations. He has 10 associates including one Chinese man, who was a former San Francisco police officer, and a Japanese woman housewife.

"To become a private investigator in California, you must have 6,000 hours of investigative work," he says. "I worked for five years as a police officer in Clayton. I also do security work for many companies including Best Products, Longs, and K Mart. I think I was the youngest person to get my P.I. 's license at 24."

Montano is a certified international investigator CII, certified professional investigator CPI, and a certified security professional CSP.

"You would be surprised how much information is out there that is public record," he says. "There's always someone who knows something about you. It gets kind of scary thinking about that."

Although Montano knows how to operate a gun, he never uses his weapon on his job. "I have a permit to carry a handgun, but I never use it." he says. "I'm only after the truth."

Montano thinks there is a need for more Asian and especially Asian women private investigators.

"I know that Asians grow up in a culture where they are taught to mind their own business and stay out of trouble," says Montano, who recently opened an office in Los Angeles. "In my job I work with all kinds of people. It's an asset for me having someone who is Chinese and who can speak more than one language working for me. My associate knows about Asian culture and can relate to Asian people in a way I cannot."

A Bay Area native, Montano grew up with a father who worked as an El Cerrito police officer. He thought of becoming a lawyer. "One of the most interesting experiences I had as a cop was going undercover at 22 in one of the high schools in Contra Costa County," he says. "I was there to investigate possible narcotics on campus, not to arrest anyone. The only person who knew I was a cop was the school superintendent. This is like watching what the cops on '21 Jump Street' do."

Is Montano's job like "Booker," "Magnum P.I.," or "Simon and Simon"?

"I'm not shooting people or have people shooting at me," says Montano. "I don't think it's as glamorous as portrayed on television. I have gotten caught on occasion. Then I have to change my whole identity, car, clothes, everything. I do meet many women in my job. One important thing for a P.I. is to know your limitations."

Hiring Montano does not come cheaply. He charges between $50 and $125 an hour. Montano says, "I also do about 10 to 12 pro bono cases a year. I understand that people have problems and they cannot always afford to pay for the type of work I do."

Montano wants to see people protected and not taken in business or other personal transactions. He says one should be careful in business dealings. "Things are not always the way you think they are. I want people to know I'm there to help them out," he says.

What does Montano think of Richard Grieco?

"He's a talented actor who happens to be very good looking. I love watching "Booker" because it's so close to what I do in real life. If I looked like Richard Grieco, my life might get more interesting," he says. "I just enjoy being a regular guy who spends most of my free time with my daughters.

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