Death in the Fog Summary

The ring of the telephone wakes Spade in the middle of the night, and the caller reveals that Miles Archer has been shot and killed. Spade rolls a cigarette as he thinks about the call and listens to the foghorn on Alcatraz. Eventually Spade dresses carefully and calls a cab to take him to the site where Archer's body has been found.

Tom Polhaus, Spade's friend on the police force, relates the situation, and Spade tells Tom that Archer was out this evening trailing Floyd Thursby. Spade does not know any other details. Spade tells Tom he is going to call Archer's wife, Iva, but instead he calls Effie to make the call for him.

Spade returns to his apartment and settles in with a bottle of rum. Less than an hour later Tom Polhaus and a...