Trouble Play: A Vista de Lirio Mystery
This desert oasis has gone to the dogs, and things are about to get bloody.
(Not the dogs though. The dogs are fine.)
TROUBLE PLAY
Comedian EV Lane thought she’d done it all, but taking on the role of mistress of ceremonies for the Desert Fancy Dog Show may be her most challenging gig yet. The locals are a menagerie of high-strung prima donnas and nervous Nelsons, and she’s not talking about the dogs.
When high-stakes competition leads to gruesome murder, she’s going to need every telepathic power at her disposal—and every psychic friend she knows—to make this show go on. Pesky police detectives, dangerously attractive investigators, and a menagerie of our favorite Vista de Lirio characters make this mystery the most twisted yet!
TROUBLE PLAY is the third book in the Vista de Lirio series, a paranormal mystery series by Elizabeth Hunter, best-selling author of the Elemental Mysteries, the Glimmer Lake series, and The Irin Chronicles.
Praise for Elizabeth Hunter
A fantastic cosy mystery, full of twists and a little spice.
SASSAFRACK, GOODREADS
Elizabeth Hunter's books are delicious and addicting, like the best kind of chocolate. She hooked me from the first page, and her stories just keep getting better and better. Paranormal romance fans won't want to miss this exciting author!
THEA HARRISON, NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Developing compelling and unforgettable characters is a real Hunter strength…. Another amazing novel by a master storyteller!
RT MAGAZINE
The bottom line: if you're not reading Elizabeth Hunter's novels, you should be!
A TALE OF MANY BOOK REVIEWS
This book more than lived up to the expectations I had, in fact it blew them out of the water.
THIS LITERARY LIFE
Elizabeth Hunter actually makes me look forward to growing older, especially if comes with these awesomely fun psychic perks. Her new paranormal women's fiction series is a truly fun, entertaining read!
MICHELLE M. PILLOW, NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Trouble Play
A VISTA DE LIRIO MYSTERY
ELIZABETH HUNTER
Trouble Play
Copyright © 2022 by Elizabeth Hunter
ISBN: 978-1-941674-86-4
Ebook edition
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Designer: Karen Dimmick/Arcane Covers
Content Editor: Amy Cissell
Line Editor: Anne Victory/Victory Editing
Proofreader: Linda/Victory Editing
For more information, please visit ElizabethHunterWrites.com
Recurve Press, LLC
PO Box 4034
Visalia, CA 93278
USA
For Charlie,
Chidi,
and Simba
Also for Abbie and Regal,
And always and forever,
For Mac, the bestest boy
Note from the author:
No canine, feline, or camelid (real or imagined) was harmed during the writing of this book.
There were, however, countless hours that the author’s dogs did not receive either attention, pats, or treats. Please appreciate their sacrifice in the creation of this fictional work.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Looking for more?
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Elizabeth Hunter
Chapter One
The camera operator drew nearer, and Evy fixed her smile as Lexi Storm, morning news anchor and fixture of Palm Springs society, opened the live segment.
“It’s that time of the year again, dog lovers. The Desert Fancy Kennel Club Dog Show is almost here, and I’m with this year’s hosts, local entertainer EV Lane and—all the way from the London, England—Chip Dunklin!” Lexi turned away from the camera and pointed her perfectly white smile at Evy and Chip. “Thanks for being with me this morning, you guys. Evy, great to see you again. Are you excited about this? I’m so excited about this!”
“Happy to be here.” Evy turned on her television persona. “I am so excited. I’m feeling a little sorry for Chip though.” Evy pointed at her cohost. “He’s the knowledgeable, serious person who’s going to have to correct my mistakes all week. I’m just that lady who loves dogs.”
It wasn’t the first time Evy had appeared on Desert Daily, but it was the first time when she’d been highly medicated. The world around her felt a little muffled, but it was better than the telepathic onslaught she’d been fearing.
Chip chuckled jovially—playing the part of the kindly, seasoned professional—and responded to Evy in a soothing British accent. “I’m sure Evy will be an amazing cohost. I can already tell she’s a dog lover, and what’s not to love?” He spread his hands and looked around. “In just a few days, the convention center will be full of intense competition, the thrill of victory, and I’m sorry to say, probably a few disappointed howls.”
Evy turned to Lexi. “Chip’s talking about the owners and handlers of course. The dogs are much better sports.”
Both Chip and Lexi laughed, and Evy was grateful she only heard their audible voices and not the rush of garbled dialogue that made up the mental background noise of most people’s minds.
For months she’d been learning to live with a form of telepathy that forced other people’s thoughts into her head. It was confusing, exhausting, and the only way she’d managed to control it a little bit was with heavy antianxiety medication.
Evy wasn’t an insecure person—you couldn’t survive in the comedy world if you were insecure—but lately she felt like she’d been battling for her sanity.
“I do think that dog shows attract very strong personalities though, don’t they?” Lexi directed her attention at Chip. “And this year the kennel club has made this an open. Chip, as the experienced dog-show professional in the group, what does that mean?”
“That’s a great question.” Chip turned his beaming smile to the camera. “The president of the Desert Fancy Kennel Club, the visionary Bunny Butterfield Barker, has decided that this year the annual competition should not only celebrate dogs from local and national shows but a select group of international competitors as well.”
“Wow!” Lexi said. “How did they qualify?”
Chip continued. “These are all champions in their own respective countries who have been invited by the club to take part in this show.”
“That’s amazing!” The television host was grinning. “So this is not just a national show anymore but an international one?”
“That’s right.” Evy popped in. “There are dogs and handlers coming from purebred-dog clubs in Asia, the Middle East, and South America this year. It’s really exciting.”
“Chip, you’ve been working in the dog-show world your whole career, isn’t that right? Is this a common thing? To have an international show like this?”
“It’s a bit unusual in the US, Lexi. Definitely a way to put the Desert Fancy Kennel Club show on the map for international breeders.”
Evy might have felt out of her depth in the technical aspects of Dog Show World, but at least she looked good. Her two best friends had helped her pick out her slim black suit. With her chin-length hair recently trimmed and new blunt-cut bangs that emphasized her large eyes, Evy knew she looked striking, which was what she needed with a cohost who looked like he’d been born to wear a tuxedo.
Lexi was still focused on Chip. “And you’ve been working with dogs your whole life, is that right?”
Chip’s warm brown eyes were fixed on Lexi. “My father was a Norwich terrier breeder, and I grew up handling the dogs for local shows. That grew into around ten years of professional handling in the dog-show world. In all those years, I’ve never seen a competition like this. It’s very exciting.”
“You’ve worked with some of the owners and breeders who are participating this week, isn’t that correct?” Lexi’s eyebrows rose. “Now is that a conflict of interest?”
Chip smiled, and Evy couldn’t help but think that Chip and Lexi looked like a matched pair, Lexi with her carefully coiffed hair and Chip with his neat jacket and perfect accent.
If she left, would they notice?
“Luckily, I’m not judging this competition,” Chip said. “And I have my wonderful cohost to keep me in check.” Chip turned to Evy, and his eyes lit up. “I’ve only just met Miss Lane, but I’m confident this is going to be one of my favorite commenting jobs
. It’s wonderful to have a cohost who knows so much local color.”
Evy nudged his shoulder with her own. “That’s polite Britishspeak for I know all the local gossip.” Evy turned to the camera and winked. “Better watch the dog show, Desert Daily viewers. You never know what secrets might slip out.”
“Now that’s a promise!” Lexi laughed. “Evy, I can’t wait to listen to you and Chip for the broadcast. When is everything starting?”
Chip answered again. “This is a benched show, so the owners will show up starting on Monday of next week to get their stations set up, the pens situated, and allow the animals to acclimate before the breed judging starts on Tuesday.”
Evy added, “We’ll have an opening ceremony on Wednesday; then group judging will start on Thursday. Chip and I will be there to be your guides for everything.”
“And it will run through the weekend?”
“The Best in Show judging will be on Sunday afternoon,” Evy said. “But there are hundreds of wonderful dogs that visitors will be able to visit and observe in the convention hall starting on Tuesday, along with visiting the vendor market, of course.”
“Shopping.” Lexi’s eyes lit up. “I understand there will be over one hundred vendors at the show this year?”
Push the vendor market. That’s what Lorain, the show chairwoman, had emphasized. “That’s correct,” Evy said. “Palm Springs is a shopping town, and this show will have something for everyone. There are vendors catering to two-footers and four-footers at the market.”
Lexi kept her brilliant smile fixed on Evy, who grinned back like she’d been caught on hostage video. It felt unnatural and uncontrollable.
“And what about the kids?” Lexi asked. “I’m assuming this is family friendly?”
Evy kept going. “Watching dogs on TV is always fun, but the show organizers have gone out of their way to make this a real family event. There are crafts, activities, games, and a petting area, so please come down and bring the kids. They’re going to have a blast.”
Chip added, “That’s one of the best things about dog shows, Lexi. They really are wonderful entertainment for the entire family.”
“Chip, Evy. Thank you so much for joining me today, and I cannot wait for next week.” Lexi turned to the camera. “After the break we have the current Best in Show title holder coming to visit us! That’s right—Baron, the legendary standard poodle, and the woman herself, Bunny Butterfield Barker, are up next along with one of the international guests this year, Juliet Lomax of London and her adorable miniature schnauzer Jade.”
There was a pause, and then a camera operator shouted, “And we’re off. One minute thirty, Lex.”
Evy felt her gut unclench, and with that moment of relaxation, a flood of background voices managed to slip in.
—ready for the nine o’clock—
—think I’ll get a wrap for—
—noticed me? She hadn’t even looked—
Nope. The jumbled voices weren’t welcome. Evy closed her eyes and clamped down on the mental shields she’d been practicing for months.
“Thanks, guys! You were great.” Lexi jumped off her tall chair and hustled to the wings where a young woman was holding a bottle of water and a mirror. “Evy, I expect you to drop some shockers.”
Evy laughed, but it sounded brittle to her own ears. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“That’s not the EV Lane I know!”
“What can I say, Lex? They’re keeping me on a short leash for this one.”
Chip was already off to the side, chatting with an older woman in full show regalia who had a black standard poodle sitting near her feet. Near them stood an elegant woman in a brilliant orange wrap dress who carried a tiny brown dog with curled whiskers in her arms.
Evy guessed that Bunny Barker was the tiny White woman with a silver bob wearing a designer suit. The woman next to her was much taller, Black, and carried herself with a regal air. She had to be the international competitor, Juliet Lomax from the UK.
Evy wandered over and held her hand out to the black poodle. “Hey there.”
The poodle ignored her, keeping his eyes fixed on Bunny and Chip, but the small brown dog shook in her owner’s arms and barked with righteous ire.
“Jade, no.” The tall woman tapped the dog’s nose and gave Evy a cutting look. “Please don’t stress the animals.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Bunny cut her eyes away toward Chip. “Charles, nice to see you. We need to get the dogs on the stage, but I’ll talk to you later.”
Bunny led the other woman and the two dogs onto the stage where they took their place on a low couch an assistant pointed out to them. The black dog named Baron immediately sat at attention on Bunny’s left side while the little brown dog turned in circles, inspecting the area before she settled down.
The broadcast had come back, and a chirpy meteorologist with abundant curls was sharing the weather forecast.
“I used to work for her.”
The weather lady? Evy turned to Chip. “Who?”
Chip nodded at the stage.
Evy’s eyebrows went up. “The Lomax lady from London?”
“No—Bunny.” He smiled. “I worked for Bunny.”
“She’s not very happy Lorain hired me, you know.”
“I’d heard there was some tension.” Chip smirked a little. “Bunny has very fixed opinions, but she’s not bad at heart.” He nodded at Baron. “I was Bunny and her ex-husband Stewart’s handler in the show ring for years. I probably know her dogs better than she does.”
Evy didn’t know what to say to that. “Well… That one doesn’t look neglected.”
“Oh no, Baron is the pampered prince. Did you see his collar?”
“I didn’t notice.” Evy looked back at the dogs. “Very sparkly.”
Chip leaned closer as the forecast ended and the camera turned back to Lexi, Bunny, the British woman, and the two champion dogs sitting at their feet.
“Those aren’t rhinestones,” he said. “They’re not even crystals.”
Evy’s eyes went wide. “You can’t mean—”
“Twin custom-made Cartier chokers,” Chip said. “Platinum with diamonds for her dog Zara and platinum with diamonds and onyx for Baron. I heard someone say her ex-husband spent something like a million dollars for the pair.”
Holy shit, that was insane. “Who spends that much money for dog collars?”
“Bunny.” Chip looked amused. “They had a custody fight, you know.”
“Wouldn’t their kids be too old for that?”
“No kids. The custody fight was about the dogs.”
Evy’s mouth dropped open. “No way.”
“They had a huge kennel, but Bunny’s ex ended up with most of the younger dogs, and Bunny got the prize. They both agreed that Baron and Zara shouldn’t be separated, so she got them both.”
And their collars. Evy shook her head. “Lexi was right. These dog shows attract some very strong personalities.”
Chip’s eyes hadn’t left the two dogs on the stage. “You have no idea.”
* * *
Evy got home and carefully hung her black suit in the closet. She only had three designer outfits that fit in with the Palm Springs society crowd, and those pieces had been carefully chosen.
“Aunt Marie?” She slipped into a pair of linen joggers and a cropped tank top. She might have hated having a flat chest when she was younger, but the older she got, the more she loved her lack of boobs. “Marie?”