“What can I do for you gentlemen?”
“We understand you were present when some of our machines were removed for recycling.”
Swenson didn’t even attempt to sound genial. A salesman, he was not. But ten years ago he’d sold the town... Jax readjusted that thought—Clancy would have done the selling. Teddy Swenson had just been a young representative for his father’s company. Clancy had probably known those machines could be rigged, and he and Arthur Block had wanted to control the town council.
He had no proof that Teddy Swenson knew anything about vote rigging back then. Since he was now a politician himself, things may have changed.
Swenson continued. “The sheriff has raised questions about the removal. We were hoping your presence when they were removed meant you had the original contract specifying the terms of the city’s agreement.”
Hank Williams looked rightfully embarrassed. “The mayor kept a lot of those old files at home, and he’s not available right now. Clancy was acting in his place and well...”
“Yes, Mr. Clancy’s death must be a terrible loss to the city,” Jax sympathized, while running through every scenario that would have a California representative and partial owner of a voting machine company in his office. None of the situations he conjured were good. “I had only just met him. Surely his secretary or the mayor’s could locate the files?”
A copy of that contract had been on the thumb drive, which meant it had been in the city hall computer under Clancy’s name before the intruder wiped it. Surely that couldn’t have been the only copy? Or had all the copies been wiped somehow?
“They can’t find it,” Swenson said impatiently. “Apparently Clancy pulled the file to sign the removal agreement. It’s all legal and above board. We just need a copy to show the sheriff.”
“And we thought Norton might have one,” Williams added. “He wasn’t county attorney ten years ago, but he sometimes worked for the city.”
He’d have to read the blamed thing tonight. He sure as hell wasn’t telling these clowns where to find a copy until he had.
Could Swenson really have nothing in his own files to offer the sheriff as proof that he was allowed to remove the machines? Or was he attempting to remove evidence that the form Clancy signed wasn’t legal?
Jax nodded and sounded sympathetic. “I’ve only begun organizing Mr. Norton’s files. Anything in the last ten years is being digitalized. I’ll have my IT team go through and search for anything related to DVM or voting machines, if that might help?” If Evie’s screwball theories held, he could be sitting across from Pendleton’s killer—and possibly Clancy’s?
Except none of this made sense. Swenson could just stay in California and build his political career and have nothing to do with Clancy and a tiny town like Afterthought. Over thirty years ago, Teddy would have been too young to have been involved in the mine incident. Jax couldn’t see any reason for him to have offed the California lawyer, either.
A pity Evie wasn’t here to tell him if Swenson had the aura of a killer, but to Jax, he simply looked like a football player out of his comfort zone.
“You can’t just do a computer search right now?” Swenson asked, indicating the laptop.
Ahno, not trusting the football player. Jax wasn’t about to give away the hiding place for those files. He shook his head regretfully. “Sorry. My team is in Savannah, setting up my cloud account and the new office computers I just purchased.” He was getting good at this lying thing. “I didn’t expect to have an immediate need for those old files.”
Williams managed a glare from under wrinkled eyelids. “If you weren’t out there supervising the removal of the machines per the contract, then what in hell were you doing out there?”
Think fast, Jax.“I was asked to oversee thetechniciansent to audit the machines, per Miss Ward’s request. Norton’s signature was on the audit form, so I assumed it had been approved when the former mayor was in office, but no one had carried it out until Miss Ward asked.”
Williams looked satisfied.
Probably knowing DVM’s contracts never included audit clauses—Swenson frowned.
Jax checked his watch. “I’m sorry, gentlemen. I have an appointment to meet a client in ten minutes. I’ll have my IT department look for your contract, if you’ll leave me your cards.”
Not-terribly-bright Swenson pitched a card on the desk and lumbered out, leaving Williams to mouth the Southern courtesies as Jax escorted him to the door.
“What will the city do for machines in the next election?” Jax asked as they reached the hall.
“DVM offers a discount for trade-ins. That’s one of the reasons we need the contract—to see the original terms. Have your people put a rush on it, will you?” Williams asked crankily.
Ah yes, the old trade-in to keep selling the same product trick, even if the product was a piece of crap. Jax stepped into the hall, locked his door, and listened as the other pair descended the stairs.
Williams sounded apologetic. Swenson said nothing.
Jax texted R&R ordering security cameras in his office. He had a hunch he hadn’t seen the end of this.
Eighteen
Evie had just soldUgly Crystal Bug to a tourist and sent Loretta to buy them both ice cream in celebration when Dot entered. Evie checked on the other browsing customers before welcoming the city hall secretary.