Page 62 of The Murder Club

Dom silently agreed. They had gone from no clues to a confusing jumble of them. None of which offered them a clear trail to follow.

Was that the point? he silently mused. Were the texts and vague threats of more deaths done on purpose to blind them to something obvious?

Swallowing a sigh of resignation, Dom was on the point of rolling up his window when he abruptly recalled something that had been gnawing in the back of his mind.

“Did Gage leave anything behind?” he abruptly demanded.

Zac looked confused. “Like what?”

“Cash or jewelry?”

“Not that we could find. In fact, his house was almost empty. Like he’d sold off everything that had any value.”

Dom tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. It’d been obvious when Gage accosted Bailey on the street that he was desperate for money. And the fact that he’d sold off his belongings only emphasized his need to steal from his own mother.

“So no emerald ring?” he insisted.

Zac studied him with a searching gaze. “Why would you assume he had an emerald ring?”

“Nellie Warren told Bailey’s neighbor that she woke up at the nursing home and spotted Gage going through her belongings,” he explained. “Gage ran off, but when she checked her stuff, she discovered she was missing some cash and an emerald ring.”

“Wait. What?” Zac moved to grip the frame of the open window, peering past him to study Bailey’s pale face. “Why wasn’t I told?”

“Logan Donaldson.”

Zac made a sound of disgust. The name clearly was enough to explain the lack of a police report.

“Of course.” He glanced back at Zac. “No. We didn’t find a ring. And certainly no cash.”

“Interesting,” Dom murmured.

There was a static crackle before a voice floated through the walkie-talkie Zac had attached to his jacket.

“Sheriff, you’re needed back at the office.”

Zac reluctantly stepped away from the SUV, pointing his finger at his cousin.

“Bailey.”

“I know. I’ll be careful,” she promised.

Dom rolled up the window and pulled away. “Christ, I hate this,” he growled.

“I hate it too,” Bailey agreed.

“It’s time for cake.”

“And dogs,” she added.

“The perfect combination.”

Bailey glanced in his direction, a small smile curving her lips. “Perfect.”

Dom gripped the steering wheel, resisting the urge to slam his foot on the gas and zoom to the house at top speed. As much as he wanted to get Bailey naked, he wasn’t going to rush into an intimate relationship. When the time was right they would both know it. And it was going to be explosive.

They’d reached the edge of town when Bailey broke the comfortable silence. “Why did you ask about Nellie’s ring?”

“If Gage did steal it from his mother, it should have been hidden in his belongings.”