Free Children of the Fog by Cheryl Kaye Tardif Page B

under the name of O'Connell, since you called it in. But when I amended your husband's last name, it was flagged."
    "B-but that's impossible. Philip would never—"
    "Your husband's associate Morris Saunders is under investigation too. We suspect that they've been siphoning their clients' funds into offshore accounts. About eight million dollars in total."
    Eight million dollars?
    She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her husband—Mr. Defender of Justice—was an embezzler, a thief.
    "Aren't people supposed to be presumed innocent?" she asked in alarm.
    The aging detective gave her a rueful look. "Fraud had someone undercover. Someone who knows your husband quite well."
    "Who?"
    "I can't tell you right now. But you'll know soon enough."
    Sadie was silent for a long moment.
    "Ms. O'Connell?"
    "I…I thought you wanted to talk to me about Sam. I thought maybe you had found—" Her voice broke and she slumped forward, her hands covering her face.
    "I'm sorry, Ms. O'Connell."
    "Please," she said into her hands. "Just call me Sadie."
    "Look…Sadie. I know you don't need any more on your plate, but—"
    Her head snapped up. "But what? Eight million dollars is more important than my son? Is that what you're trying to say?"
    Jay reached a hand across the desk. "Please, hear me out for a minute. Most kidnappers are related to the victim. Often it's a spouse. Philip could have staged the kidnapping—"
    "You think he took Sam? For what, ransom money?"
    "He may have thought the bank would loan him money, or that he could get it from family or the law firm. If he thought he could get the money to pay them back and save himself, he could have taken Sam somewhere."
    Sadie was outraged. "No! Philip would never do that!"
    "Desperate people do desperate things, Ms. O'Con—Sadie."
    Shoving her chair back, she jumped to her feet. "My husband may be a coward and a thief, but he would never put Sam's life in danger for money. Never!"
    Jay shifted in his chair. "It's also possible that one of Philip's clients took Sam. Your husband took money from some very dangerous people. People who would do anything to get it back. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
    She gaped at him. "You think they took Sam to get back at Philip?"
    "It's possible."
    "No! It was The Fog."
    Sharp eyes pierced hers. "How do you know that?"
    She opened her mouth, readying to tell him everything. But then the Fog's hoarse voice filled her ears. "Little bloody pieces."
    Her stomach twisted in knots.
    Should she say something? Tell him what she knew?
    "Mrs. O'Connell, if you know something—"
    "No," she said, turning away. "I don't know anything that would help you find Sam."
    "Then why are you so sure it was The Fog?" Jay repeated.
    Careful, Sadie.
    "I just know. Call it instinct." She paused in the doorway and gave the detective a hard look. "When you find The Fog, you'll find my son."
     
    Afterward, Sadie drove to Gray Nuns Hospital. She'd been feeling a bit better as the day progressed, but she wanted to ensure that nothing was broken. Her ribs weren't so tender—until the technician asked her to flounder around like a fish out of water on the x-ray table. Turn on her right. Then on her left. Then on her back. She was in more pain when she left the hospital. She drove home and took a couple of Tylenols.
    With nothing else to do, she waited.
    And waited some more.
    When Philip returned home that evening, he retreated to his office. Sadie stared after him as fury boiled in the pit of her stomach. She was infuriated that the police weren't looking for The Fog and stunned by the revelations of her husband's criminal activities.
    She knocked, then opened the door. "Philip, I need to talk—"
    The words caught in the back of her throat.
    The office was in absolute chaos. It looked and smelled like a bachelor pad. The sofa along one wall was covered with twisted sheets and blankets, while a pile of Philip's clothes had been kicked into the corner. It was impossible to tell