His breath came fast and dry through his nose.

“Paul came to my office at noon,” Evans said, the words dragging.

“He knew about my debts at the racetrack.

He laid ten thousand dollars in cash on my desk.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Why would my husband give you ten thousand dollars?”

“He said his wife was in an induced coma and wasn’t expected to survive the week,” Evans said.

“He said the baby needed to be placed right away, without the state getting involved.”