Page 122 of Deadly Revenge

She nodded at Max to take over the interview. While he didn’t seem to like Max, Carter at least respected him more than he did Jenna. She wanted to study his body language, and Jenna couldn’t do that and deal with the man.

“I’m surprised you’re not familiar with the company,” Max said. “TerraQuest bought up a bunch of land in the valley during the early stages of the dam project before the grant was even approved.”

If she hadn’t been watching closely, Jenna would have missed the tiny twitch in his left eye. The man knew the company—she’d bet her badge on it.

Max flipped back through his notes. “Who applied for the grant to build the dam?”

Carter adjusted his tie. “I did, before I became mayor—that was my job, to find money to fund the city.”

“You weren’t aware of anyone buying land back before the dam was proposed?”

He raised his right hand. “I have no knowledge of land purchases, not before or after the dam proposal, and I resent the implication of your questions. I have never done anything improper during my public service. Do you have any other questions?”

Granna’s voice sounded in her head.“If his lips are moving, he’s lying.”But how would they prove it?

Jenna looked over the questions they’d jotted down. “Were you aware several landowners died before the land acquisitions went through?”

Carter sat back in the chair. “Not really. I do remember your grandfather died in an accident about that time, but he’s the only one.”

Funny he would remember that one unless he meant it as a threat? “You don’t remember Earl Donelson dying?”

He frowned and stared down at the table. “Oh yeah. I’d forgotten—hunting accident, right? Shot himself while getting out of a deer stand.” Carter stood. “If you don’t have any other questions, I would like to get on the road. I have a speaking engagement at the Kiwanis Club in Chattanooga this evening.”

Max nodded. “Thank you for your time. We’ll see you tomorrow. Are you still arriving around 4:00?”

“Yes. I have a rally in Nashville at noon, and then an interview with one of the Nashville TV stations.” Carter paused at the door. “I hope anything said within these walls will stay here.”

63

Max looked across the table to Jenna. “That went over like a mud ball.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Carter was lying about not knowing about TerraQuest.”

“You caught that twitch too,” he said. “So, what did we learn other than he wasn’t being truthful with us?”

“That he was willing to throw Paul Nelson under the bus if it diverted our attention from him. I know Alex is looking into that aspect of his life.”

“So we could be looking at two different cases. Are you ready to check out the rest of those rental places?”

“Definitely. I know where they are—one’s not too far from the house.”

“I’ll meet you at your SUV—let me tell the receptionist we’re done with the room.”

Jenna pulled to the side door and was waiting when Max came out of the building. He climbed in and fastened his seat belt. “I keep thinking about that house we stopped at,” he said as they pulled away from the church. “How the grass was messed up—definitelymore than one vehicle there, and like someone hit the gas really hard and sped out of there.”

“Like they knew we were coming?”

They looked at each other. “Pull over so we can check for a tracker.”

They climbed out of the vehicle and knelt beside Jenna’s SUV, using their phones to shine a light under it.

“I don’t see anything,” Jenna said.

“I have a bug detector in the toolbox in my truck at your house if we don’t find it.” He moved down to the rear and felt along the inside of the bumper. His fingers closed over a small box, and he pulled it off.

The tracker was the size of a matchbox with a magnet on one side. He handed it to Jenna.

“I cannot believe I didn’t think of this before.”

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