Eli blinked. "You know my uncle?"
"He fixed a furnace for a friend of mine after three companies told her to replace the whole thing. Saved her a few thousand dollars." Ronan glanced at the flashlight hanging from Eli's hand. "What did you find?"
Eli took one breath and gave him the account in the exact order it had happened. He began with Rascal's escape, the torn fence, and the sound beneath the platform. He described the recently opened hatch, the room with its mixture of original machinery and modern controls, and the ventilation diagram. He told Ronan about the list of sixty-three names. He described the cylinders without guessing what was inside them and admitted that he had not understood all the information on the screen.
Ronan did not interrupt once.
When Eli finished, the man looked toward the rear of the building and held his gaze there. The rain made a steady hollow sound against the roof. Somewhere inside, the crowd cheered at a story reaching its familiar ending. Eli watched Ronan's face for signs of disbelief and found none. The absence of ridicule was so unexpected that his eyes suddenly stung.
"How long ago were you down there?" Ronan asked.
"A few minutes. I came straight here."
"Did you touch anything?"
"Only the hatch. I didn't touch the machinery."
"Good." Ronan's voice sharpened slightly. "And you didn't recognize the cylinders?"
"No, sir. I know what some warning symbols mean, but I didn't get close enough to read them."
Ronan turned toward Boone, who had remained in the doorway. "Tell Cutter I need him in the hallway. Nobody makes an announcement. Nobody leaves the building alone."
Boone nodded once and disappeared inside. Ronan looked back at Eli.
"Show me the entrance."
They went around the building beneath the trees. The wind was strong enough now to drive the rain sideways, and Eli had to lean into it as he walked. He pointed out Rascal, who watched them from his sheltered spot with anxious eyes. Ronan glanced at the dog and then at the boy.
"You came up here for him?"
"He's stupid, but he's mine."
Ronan made a sound that might have been the beginning of a laugh. "That's usually how family works."
At the platform, Eli opened the hatch. He went first because he knew where the steps were slippery, then waited while Ronan descended behind him. The underground room seemed colder than it had earlier. A low mechanical hum filled the air, and the modern cabinet threw a weak light across the floor. Ronan stood just inside the doorway and studied the room without speaking.
Eli had expected him to rush toward the equipment or demand an explanation from the boy who had brought him here. Instead, the club president moved slowly, keeping his hands away from anything connected to the new installation. He read the map. He recognized names on the roster and ran one finger down the printed list without touching the recent annotations. Then he approached the side wall, inspected the old equipment from a safe distance, and looked toward the industrial cylinders.