“What do you make?” Beth was impressed.
“Several items.” He walked to one table with many packaged boxes waiting to be shipped. He picked one up, handing it to her. It was a survival kit. “I am a chemical engineer. My job is to find ways to keep food from spoiling, and to make foods that previously were unable to be preserved, preservable.” Walking to another table, he picked up another package, inside it had a plain brown stick that said on the box it was able to draw energy from the environment. “Shade is a mechanical engineer; Evie decides what goes into the medical kits; Knox is our computer engineer and develops our programs so that our customers can order online. You name it, one of our people are experienced in that field.”
“You guys supply the Doomsdayers.”
Razer laughed. “Yes, but not only them. Countries that have a high probability for natural disasters order them to keep their families safe. Our customers are from a wide range.”
“You guys are a corporation?”
“Yes, all the full members living in the house are stockholders, some with a larger piece than the others. Except for Natasha and Bliss, when they become full members they will be given a share.”
“I can’t believe this. I had no idea. No one in town does, they believe and think you’re a motorcycle gang stealing and selling drugs.”
“You can’t tell anyone Beth. It goes against the rules for me to show this to you.”
“Then why show it to me?”
“Because I did not want you thinking I was too lazy to work for a living. I also did not want you thinking the club was guilty of illegal activity. If you thought that, why go out with me?”
“I said people in town thought that, not that I did. I never believe gossip.” She walked around the factory asking questions when it was a product she had never seen before or used in a different way than its intended use. He showed her a small lightweight shovel that had ten different uses, one as a deadly weapon. She was going to order one for herself.
“I wish you had involved the community more, jobs are needed desperately.”
“That was our plan in the beginning until our money was stolen.”
It finally clicked with Beth. “Your corporation put up the original money for the plant. You own the factory, plant, and land around here.”
“The six of us on the board were in the military together and came up with this idea. We pooled every dime we had together and what we could borrow from our families. Everything was on track to open when the machinery was ordered and the money to pay for it wasn’t.”
Beth nodded. “Gavin Stolms took it and disappeared.”
“No, Gavin’s older brother is the club leader. Viper sent him to Treepoint to handle everything up here while we worked in Ohio. We worked hard and put all our cash into opening this factory. He didn’t steal the money from his own brother and the club. He was murdered. We can’t prove it, his body has never been recovered, but we know that’s what happened.”
“Until we find out who killed Gavin, we won’t open the factory to outsiders.”
Beth nodded her understanding. “I don’t think you will ever discover who murdered him. Whoever did it obviously covered their tracks well. The people here love to gossip about everyone’s dirty little secrets, but anything criminal that could potentially harm their families, you’ll find their mouths zipped shut.”
“That’s what we discovered. That’s why we let Sam hang out, trying to find out what we could about the locals.”
“I don’t think that is the only reason Sam hangs out. Does she know about this?”
“No, we keep her away. She’s not allowed on the property Monday through Thursday.”
“Perhaps I could ask around and see what I could find out.”
“Don’t even think about it. You already have a big enough target on your back.”
The sound of a car pulling in outside had them looking towards the window which overlooked the parking lot. Evie was parking her car. Beth frowned, she shouldn’t have been back so early. Looking at her watch she discovered they had been in here several hours, it was almost lunchtime.
“Let’s go back to the house. You have to be hungry and I am starving.”
In the house, voices were coming from the kitchen. Beth entered the large room to find the majority of the members crammed into the kitchen and dining room. Food was set out around the counter, as well as a variety of drinks.
Razer handed her a plate, which she filled with eggs, bacon, and toast. “We do brunch on Sunday’s, usually this would be lunch.” Razer explained. He found two spots at the table across from Jewell and Evie. Everyone ate and it wasn’t until they sat drinking coffee that Beth asked about Mrs. Roger’s.
“She was fine when I left. Her son showed up with her grandchildren they were going to stay until the neighbor showed up.”
“I am glad. I felt guilty you working my shift for me.”
“Don’t be. I’ll find a way for you to even the score,” Evie joked.