“And you. Van tells us that you wanted to be here when we spoke to the police. Why?” It was a question I hadn’t asked Van.
Mr. Fields’s eyes shot to Van and back to me. “I thought Donovan would have explained that.”
Van handed him a cup of coffee. “I didn’t want to take away your limelight. I also wondered if you’d know more by this morning.”
“What?” I asked, the small hairs on my arm standing to attention.
The older gentlemen gave a placating smile as he shook his head. “It’s nothing to be concerned about, especially regarding what happened here” —he looked around— “two weeks ago.”
“But isn’t that what they’re coming to discuss?”
“Mostly,” Van answered. “Lawson wants both of our statements. It’s not the situation with Madison that’s up in the air. It’s Phillip. I also can’t reach my PI. One of those things might be unquestioned but both? Odd.”
“Yes,” Oscar said, “the important thing is to be honest but not to overshare. Let them ask questions before you volunteer.”
“Why would we be anything but honest? We don’t know where Phillip is.” I looked at Van. “Or your PI.” Pushing my chair back, I stood. “Mr. Fields, Van and I spent a week in a hospital in Madison, in case anyone has forgotten that. We just got home a few days ago.”
Mr. Fields nodded. “From what I’ve been able to learn, the last sighting of Donovan’s brother was at your parents’ home in Chicago.”
My gaze narrowed as I tried to remember. “Didn’t Rob, your PI,” I said, looking at Van, “say that Phillip had a ticket to fly to San Antonio?”
“His name was on a ticket, but the ticket went unused,” Mr. Fields said. He took a deep breath. “I did learn one more thing this morning. I finally received a call from the institution in San Antonio where Madison Thomas was a patient.”
We all were looking his direction.
“Mrs. Thomas showed remarkable improvement. The doctors determined that she was no longer a threat.”
They determined wrong.
My pulse began to thump quicker as I reached for the back of the chair.
Mr. Fields went on, “The visitor log shows that Phillip visited his wife only a few days prior to her release.”
My knees grew weak as I forced myself back onto the chair at Vicki’s side.
“What the hell?” my friend said. “Do you think Phillip helped Madison get out of the hospital before he came to Chicago?”
Mr. Fields turned to Van. “You gave me information a few weeks ago about an MMT Corporation, a shell company.”
“Yes.”
“That same shell company arranged a rather substantial deposit into a 529 for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas’s daughter. This deposit came hours before Mr. Thomas visited his wife prior to her release.”
“When exactly was Madison discharged?” Van asked.
“Phillip and Madison have a daughter?” Vicki asked at the same time.
“December 23,” Mr. Fields answered.
As I nodded to Vicki, my gaze met Van’s.
“What are you two thinking?” Vicki asked.
I was the one to answer. “Van and I announced our engagement on December 23. The news release went out that morning.” I shook my head. “But her release didn’t happen in a day.”
“When did Phillip visit Madison?” Van asked.
“The twentieth,” Mr. Fields said.