“Why don’t you tell us your version of what happened,” Kerri suggested, as if they had one damned clue what she was talking about, “and we’ll go from there, Ms. Gibbons.”
“Certainly.” She sat a little straighter. “Mr. Abbott purchased a property on Whisper Lake Circle with the intention of removing the current older home along with any other buildings or patios within the property’s boundaries. His ultimate goal is to build a new, state-of-the-art smart home. When Mr. Thompson learned of the property’s transfer, he and Mr. Abbott had a disagreement.”
Kerri, like anyone else who lived in Birmingham, recognized the Thompson name. “Are we talking about the Mr. Theodore Thompson running for the Senate or his father, T. R., the one running for governor?”
“The son, Theo.” Her voice sounded the same, but the woman’s face clearly expressed her distaste for the man.
“Did your boss buy the place from Thompson?” Falco asked.
“No.” Gibbons folded one hand atop the other on the table. “The house was built by the parents of Mr. Thompson’s wife. After her mother passed away some years ago, Mrs. Thompson opted to sell the property. The problem arose when Mr. and Mrs. Thompson learned that Mr. Abbott had bought out the current owners and intended to remove the existing home. Apparently, Mrs. Thompson was disturbed by the plan and wanted to reacquire the property.”
“When and where did this disagreement take place?” Kerri asked.
“It was at the Giving Gala last week. Mrs. Abbott wasn’t feeling well, so I attended the event with Ben—Mr. Abbott—in her stead. Mr. Thompson approached him on the veranda outside the ballroom and demanded that he sell the property to him rather than destroy it. Mr. Abbott refused, and the exchange grew quite heated. Mr. Thompson threatened to take legal action to stop the work, and then he stormed off. I don’t think very many of the other guests saw or heard the exchange, but it was quite uncomfortable for several minutes.”
“Have Mr. Abbott and Mr. Thompson had disagreements before? Business or personal?” Chances were, Kerri realized, the two families knew each other well. Theo Thompson was five or more years older than Ben Abbott, but their fathers were about the same age. It was highly doubtful that the two didn’t know each other. If nothing else, they certainly traveled in the same social circles.
Gibbons shook her head adamantly. “Not at all. Mr. Abbott is a peacemaker. Everyone loves him. Mr. Thompson is quite a bit older than him, but the two families, the Abbotts and the Thompsons, have known each other for decades,” she said, confirming Kerri’s conclusion.
“My impression,” Gibbons went on, “was that Mr. Thompson had been drinking excessively that evening and lost control of himself. Considering his run for his father’s Senate seat, I’m surprised he behaved so badly about this, particularly in public. Has he taken some sort of legal step? Is that why you’re here? He did threaten to do so, and we’re fully prepared to react in kind.”
Falco looked up from his cell. Kerri suspected he’d already googled the event to see if there was anything in the news about the disagreement between the two men. He prompted, “Mr. Thompson believes your boss bullied the owners into selling the property.”
The woman’s cheeks darkened. “He did say something to that effect, but the statement is entirely inaccurate. Mr. Abbott wanted the property, and he simply approached the owner and offered a price he couldn’t refuse. There was absolutely no pressure or intimidation.”
“You mean, like ten times its current value?” Falco turned the screen of his cell toward Kerri and mouthed the word wow. “He has a habit of doing that, doesn’t he?”
“Is there a law against paying more than a property is worth?” Gibbons demanded, obviously taken aback. “Mr. Abbott would never do anything illegal. As far as Mr. Thompson’s reaction to his plans, the man is being completely unreasonable. If he and his wife felt some sentimental attachment to the property, why did they sell it in the first place? I’m certain the true issue lies with the wife.”
“Ms. Gibbons,” Kerri said, softening her voice, “we’re not here about the exchange you described or the purchase of any property. If there has been any sort of legal step taken against Mr. Abbott, we’re unaware.”
Her concern mounting, Gibbons looked from Kerri to Falco and back. “I don’t understand.”
“Did Mr. Abbott have any early appointments this morning?” Kerri asked. “Or maybe something last evening? Outside the office, I mean.” Once she gave the woman the news, logical answers might be difficult to garner.
Gibbons shook her head. “His final meeting of the day was at six last evening. A conference call with the San Francisco office. He was supposed to be in at nine this morning, but he hasn’t made it yet. I’ve called, but there’s no answer.” Her eyes widened. “Is everything all right? Mrs. Abbott is expecting and—”
“Does he do this often?” Kerri asked, drawing her attention back to the more pressing questions. “Come in late or do some business or personal errand before coming to the office without letting you know?”
She stared at Kerri, uncertainty creeping into her gaze. “No. Never. He’s completely anal about punctuality and staying on top of things. He always keeps me informed.” Her face furrowed with confusion. “What’s this about?”
“Ms. Gibbons, I’m sorry to tell you this, but early this morning Ben Abbott was murdered in his home, as was his mother-in-law. His wife, Sela, is missing.”
Shock claimed the other woman’s face before she burst into tears.
Kerri gave her a moment to gather her composure before going on. “We need several things this morning. First, a list of any ongoing issues Mr. Abbott or his wife might have been dealing with, professional or otherwise. The names of any staff members who had access to their home or who might have had more than a business relationship with them.”
“A clear picture,” Falco chimed in, “of your own relationship with Mr. Abbott.”
Gibbon’s face froze; then her jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious.”
“I cannot stress enough,” Kerri pressed, “how important it is that we know everything there is to know about this family. The smallest thing could help us find the person who did this horrible thing.”
Gibbons managed a tight nod. “Whatever you need. But I don’t see how this is possible.”
“What do you mean?” Kerri asked.
“How could this happen? Mr. Abbott has no enemies. Everyone loves him.”
Maybe, Kerri kept to herself. Except for the person who put a bullet in his head.
4
12:00 p.m.
York, Hammond & Goldman Law Firm
North Twentieth Street
The oldest and most prestigious law firm in the state. Theo Thompson stood outside the historic limestone building, the names engraved there and what they represented failing for the first time to give him comfort. How would he ever survive the shit storm that was coming? He’d spent the entire morning in meetings with his most influential supporters. They were all grumbling that his numbers weren’t hitting the gold standard his father had set decades ago. His numbers were rising, damn it. But not fast enough to make those vultures happy. What was worse, he had this Abbott business to deal with. The bastard had threatened to go public. He hadn’t come right out and said as much, but he’d repeatedly insinuated that he had proof of his allegations.