I nod in agreement, and Walker hands me a file and a few papers I may need. Then the three of us move together.
Before I enter the interrogation room, Santigo places a hand on my shoulder. “You got this.”
I give him a half smile, grateful for his confidence in me.
When he drops his hand, I pull my shoulders back and open the door.
Abbott sits with both hands cuffed to the table, his jacket folded over the back of his chair. Without the coat and knit cap on, he somehow looks younger.
His hands shake, and his knee bounces rapidly under the table.
He’s probably having an adrenaline crash.
Crossing the room, I sit down in the chair across from him and set the file on the table. Abbott’s eyes are glued to the metal around his wrists. I wait another minute before I jump right in.
“Why?”
Abbot’s gaze finally lifts.
“Did you know that Silver Pines destroyed the habitat of hundreds of prairie dogs?”
I keep my expression neutral. “Is that what this is about?”
Abbott continues with his own line of questioning. “Do you know what animal relies on prairie dogs as their main food source?”
My head tilts to the side. “Are you talking about the black-footed ferret?”
“Yes.” Abbott nods as he makes a gesture with his hands like he’s finally being heard.
I blink once. “So, you went to Silver Pines tonight in hopes of…what?”
Abbott’s tone is factual. “Spreading the word. If more people knew, we could save the ferrets.”
He’s completely convinced by his own unreasonable logic.
“And you planned on doing that with a loaded gun and a can full of gasoline?”
Abbott’s eyes move to the corner of the table. “You can’t make an omelet without cracking some eggs.”
There’s the drop of doubt I can exploit.
“I need you to hear me loud and clear.” Resting my arms on the cold table, I lean forward. “The moment you bring violence into your cause, your validity and your credibility go out the window. You could’ve made a difference, but you chose to kill two?—”
Abbott’s eyes widen. “Kill? I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Forgive me if I don’t take you at your word.” I shrug. “You brought a rifle to a public place and aimed it at Neil Redford in the middle of a crowd. You fired the gun twice.”
Abbott’s forehead wrinkles in confusion.
“And then there’s Derek Holt and Reverend Ricks?—”
Abbott’s back straightens. “Oh, God. You thinkI’mthe Debt Collector?”
If surprise could be manufactured, I'd never seen anyone fake it this well.
I angle my head toward him, lifting my brows. “You were carrying around the essentials of a serial killer.”
Abbott shakes his head fervently. “I didn’t do that. It wasn’t me.”
