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“Okay. I’ll bring up the video feed whenever you want.”
“What is next to the library?” he continued.
Shah frowned. “There’s a sitting room on one side and a broom closet on the other. Why?”
Flynn shook his head. “Just wondering.” It was a lie and Shah knew it, but he was also smart enough to know that Flynn wasn’t going to answer any more questions.
“How’s everything else?”
“Aside from the power going out and all the guests wanting to leave at once?” Shah snorted. “Good.”
“No lasting effects from the power surge?” Flynn asked.
“Not that I know of. Everything appears to be functioning normally at this point but the storm isn’t over and according to the forecasters, it’s only going to get worse from here.”
“Gentlemen,” a voice said. Eli Fisher had come around the corner with two other men in tow. “How are you all this evening?”
“Fine, Mr. Fisher,” Shah responded. “Mr. Bryson, Mr. Lockerby. I hope you enjoyed the party?”
Steven Bryson snorted and shook his head. “The facade is just ridiculous. I’m surprised Archer is allowing this sort of thing. Only a matter of time before a member screws up and reveals something he shouldn’t. Rainy Day Club. Just stupid.”
“I admit, I think it’s slightly bizarre,” said Richard Lockerby, “but Archer Gray is not a stupid man by any stretch of the imagination. If he is allowing this, there must be a reason for it.”
For once Flynn agreed with Lockerby which was slightly surprising. Lockerby was known for being a smart, ambitious businessman, who didn’t rest on his family’s name, although he could have. The Lockerby name was synonymous with old money New York. He also didn’t suffer fools gladly which was another thing he and Flynn agreed on, but Flynn grew up a street kid, involved with gangs before he was even a teenager. Lockerby grew up on the Upper East Side and in the Hamptons. He’d had private jets and yachts since he was a kid. Flynn had brass knuckles and guns.
“Flynn,” Fisher said, “I hope you can reason with Archer about this.”
“Not my job to reason with Archer.”
He wasn’t getting involved especially with anything Fisher was selling. He and Steven Bryson were grade-A assholes as far as he was concerned. Although, Bryson was more of a puffed-up peacock than anything else. Full of bluster and great at nagging. Completely useless. That’s how Flynn thought of him.
Bryson sneered. “No one can reason with Archer.” He shook his head. “The man needs to be replaced. He runs the Society like it’s his.”
Fisher shot him a look and Bryson stopped talking.
Lockerby smoothed the moment over by saying, “It’s been an eventful evening. I will say I appreciated the effort, and the food was divine as always. Now if you gentlemen will excuse us, I think we’re going down to play some billiards.”
Shah piped up. “Enjoy yourselves.”
“I always do,” Fisher responded as the men headed down the stairs.
Flynn growled lowly as the men disappeared around the corner toward the back of the foyer and the door to the billiard room.
Shah mumbled, “Those are the kinds of members I like to steer clear of.”
Flynn made a noncommittal sound as he stared at the slowly dwindling crowd. Everyone wanted to leave at once…Was that done purposely? Did the lights legitimately go out because of the storm, or had someone deliberately cut the power?
He turned to Shah. “Aren’t there backup generators for this site?”
“Yes, but they didn’t kick in. I have no idea why. I’ve called maintenance to take a look.”
Flynn’s gut knotted. His instincts were bang on again. Something was off. “Are they checking now?”
Shah shook his head. “Nah. I couldn’t in good conscience bring the guy out on a night like this. Darrel’s wife is due any moment with their twins. I just couldn’t ask him to come now. He said he’d be here in the morning as long as Linda didn’t go into labor.”
Flynn sighed heavily. He’d forgotten he was in a small town. In NYC or Miami, someone would come out immediately, regardless of the weather especially since they’d be paid double time or more. “Right. Where’s the electrical panel?”
“Why?” Shah asked. “Are you going to take a shot at the generator? That’s outside behind the bushes beside the parking lot near the back right corner of the house.”
