I forwarded his email to my client (so they would know the source if they were reassigning and not  to send it back to him).  I told him I was leaving it up to the client.  I know they have another source for CO and I haven't heard a peep about this order since.  As for the abstractor, I guess he chose the guaranteed non-payment for this one.  I'd hoped in this stand-off, with my email stating pretty much what I said in my post, he'd realize that holding it hostage wasn't getting him paid but we never got the search and my client was apparently as miffed as I was and went elsewhere.