Page 88 of Deadly Revenge

“Yes. Some people sold out, but your granddaddy wasn’t about to sell. My Walter told that man who came to the house to getlost and never come back. What he offered was an insult, not that Walter would’ve sold if it’d been a million dollars. Then three years later the state comes along and tells us we have to sell.” Eva stopped and caught her breath, then looked pointedly at Max’s cake he hadn’t touched. “It’s not good?”

“Sorry.” He took a bite. “Delicious. Do you know what the initial offer from the state was?”

She shook her head. “It’s been so long ago. I couldn’t even tell you what they ended up paying us. Sam and Randy handled everything after the accident. They helped me to get moved here.” Eva looked around and smiled. “It’s the house where I grew up, you know.”

“It’s good that you could come back home.”

Max knew exactly how much the state gave them after the court hearing. He made a mental note to ask Sam about the initial offer, and TerraQuest’s offer. While this wasn’t stocks, it still smacked of insider trading on someone’s part. “Why do you think Harrison Carter could be involved in the death of Paul Nelson and maybe Joe Slater?”

She raised her head, her gaze fiery. “Those three were thick as thieves back then. And until the dam came along, Paul and Joe didn’t have a pot to—”

“Granna!”

Eva’s face turned crimson. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but every time I get to thinking about that dam reservoir, I want to curse.”

“It’s all right.” Max patted her hand. Maybe they’d better change the subject. He took another bite of cake with his coffee. “This is really good, Eva.”

“Thank you.” Eva beamed at him. “I love to cook, and Jenna does too.”

“Granna, I do not.”

“Well, you would if you ever tried it.”

“I don’t have to.” She hugged her grandmother. “I have you. Besides, I cook some, I just don’t love it.”

“You’re a fantastic cook, Eva, and I bet Jenna is too.” Like he’d ever find out. He forked another piece of the cake and looked up in time to see Jenna blush.

Once he finished the cake, Max shifted his attention back to Eva. “Okay, back to Harrison Carter. Why do you think he’s involved in the deaths of three people?”

Eva pursed her lips. “I said more than I should’ve. Sam’s always saying I need to watch my words.” She sighed. “I don’t think Carter actually killed them, although I wouldn’t put anything past that man. But I think they would still be alive if they hadn’t known him. He”—The mudroom door scraped open and stopped Eva in midsentence.

“Anybody home?” Sam called.

She put her finger to her lips and shook her head. “We’re in the kitchen. Come have some carrot cake.”

Eva’s too-bright voice was a dead giveaway they’d been discussing something Sam probably didn’t want her to.

“Want some coffee?” Jenna asked when her uncle entered the kitchen. This afternoon he’d added a John Deere cap to his outfit and was chewing on a toothpick.

“I’ll get it. You two sure are coming around a lot,” he said as he poured his coffee.

Max saw no need to answer him. He had a few questions he’d like to ask Sam out of his mother’s hearing, but he didn’t want to be obvious about it. “I understand you have coon dogs?”

Sam eyed him with suspicion and gave him a curt nod. “You?”

“Actually, not yet, but my brother does—he’s been trying to get me to coon hunt with him. He has some fine Treeing Walkers.”

From Sam’s expression, Max had gone up on the man’s respect meter. “Who’s your brother?”

“Lewis Anderson. Lives up near Franklin.”

“I’ve heard of him, and you’re right, he breeds good Walkers, almost as good as my Treeing Tennessee Brindles.”

“You raise Brindles?” Max pumped excitement in his voice. “My brother mentioned adding them to his brood stock.” He gave Sam a wicked grin. “Got one for sale? Maybe just once I can get ahead of him.”

“Maybe. I don’t sell my dogs to just anyone. They’re working dogs, and I put in a lot of sweat training them. I gotta know the buyer will work ’em and not buy a dog just to one-up his brother.”

Max took his coffee cup and dessert plate to the sink and ran water over them.

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