Page 74 of The Murder Club

Eric blinked. “I got an invite from the club. They were looking for someone who had gaming experience to help with a case.”

Dom’s disappointment was forgotten as he studied his companion with a narrowed gaze. Was it a coincidence that he’d been invited to the club or had Eric been deliberately chosen because of his connection to Bailey?

“How did they know you had gaming experience?”

“I may be a loser in Pike, but I have tons of fans on Twitch.”

Dom arched a brow. He didn’t know much about Twitch beyond the fact that it was watched by gamers, but he suspected Eric didn’t have tons of fans or he would be getting paid.

He probably had a few followers and whoever had invited him to the club was pandering to Eric’s ego to get him to join. Which would imply that they were acquainted.

“You never met any of the group in person?” he demanded.

“No. We have weekly conferences where we discuss ongoing cases, but it’s always online,” Eric insisted.

“Bailey mentioned a chat room.”

“Yeah, we have a private chat room where we can go to post messages about evidence we’ve found or suggestions to other members.” Eric shrugged. “Sometimes we go in and just spend some time talking about random stuff. But we never share names or anything. We like to stay anonymous.”

Dom wondered how much time Eric spent in the chat room and how much he’d revealed about himself without realizing what he was doing. It was obvious that he was treated as an outcast in Pike. It would be understandable if he sought companionship online.

“Why did you ask Bailey to join?”

“We didn’t have anyone in the group with medical expertise. And I thought she would enjoy it. She’s not like most people in this town who are terrified of technology.”

The smooth explanation sounded rehearsed. As if Eric had practiced the words before using them to convince Bailey to join the club.

“Did you need medical advice for a particular case?”

“A couple of them.”

“And Bailey helped?” he demanded.

“Yep.” Eric nodded. “She was great at spotting clues. Probably the best.”

Dom didn’t think Eric was exaggerating. Being a nurse meant she would have to develop an attention to the smallest details. Plus, she was naturally empathetic. She could sense when something was wrong or out of character.

“Did anyone in the group mention they missed her?”

“Everyone. Like I said, she was the best at seeing stuff the rest of us missed.”

“But anyone in particular?” Dom demanded. “Maybe they asked for her private information? Like her phone number?”

Before Eric could respond the door behind him was pulled open and the sound of footsteps echoed through the building.

“Eric, I don’t have much time . . .” The words faded as Dom turned to face the intruder. He was about the same age as Dom, with a round face and hair that was brushed to the side in an effort to hide the fact that it was thinning. His dark eyes narrowed as he came to an abrupt halt. “Who are you?”

“Dom Lucier. And you?”

The man scowled. “Logan Donaldson.”

“Logan Donaldson.” Dom felt his expression hardening into lines of disgust. “You’re the selfish bastard who was responsible for Bailey losing her job.”

The man took an instinctive step backward, as if sensing Dom’s burning desire to punch him in the middle of his fake-tanned face.

“What are you doing in here?”

With an effort, Dom squashed his violent impulse. Punching the idiot might make him feel better, but it wouldn’t do anything to help Bailey. And that was all that mattered.