Praise for the Pet Rescue Mysteries
Oodles of Poodles
“I love this series . . . Oodles of Poodles is a fast-paced mystery with a solid plot . . . In short, Ms. Johnston has written another masterfully wrought whodunit, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Oodles of Poodles is a delightful read and a must for all mystery and pet lovers.”
—MyShelf.com
“Linda O. Johnston loves dogs, and it shows in the details of shelter life that are peppered throughout the book . . . It’s a fun series, and the mysteries take some thought to solve. Animal safety in films is an interesting theme . . . There are serious issues raised in these books alongside the sleuthing. The reading is fun, and these books need a new home. How about yours?”
—Kings River Life Magazine
Hounds Abound
“Pet lovers and mystery readers alike will be impressed with Linda O. Johnston’s latest cozy, Hounds Abound . . . Johnston’s heart for pet rescue is evident in every page of this book . . . This is a whodunit that clearly has a deeper message . . . A great addition to a very heartfelt series!”
—Debbie’s Book Bag
The More the Terrier
“Johnston’s heroine’s compassion for her four-legged friends and their owners make her a likable heroine. Readers who enjoy a mystery heavy on this subject matter will enjoy Johnston’s latest.”
—RT Book Reviews
“[A] first-class whodunit . . . Well written . . . Johnston, an animal lover and advocate, is using her writing not only to give readers a great mystery but also as a platform for animal issues and awareness, and I find that commendable.”
—Debbie’s Book Bag
“[A] great story . . . Enjoy!”
—Once Upon a Romance
Beaglemania
“Gutsy Lauren Vancouver easily wins over the hearts of animals in need—as well as readers . . . [Vancouver is] an ardent advocate for homeless pets.”
—Rebecca M. Hale, New York Times bestselling
author of How to Tail a Cat
“Animal lovers will delight in a new series filled with rescued dogs and cats needing loving homes. Lauren Vancouver is a determined heroine who will solve the intriguing mystery at her private shelter.”
—Leann Sweeney, author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries
“Lauren Vancouver is a likable, efficient amateur sleuth, passionate about her work and smart about how she goes about her investigation.”
—Mysterious Reviews
Berkley Prime Crime titles by Linda O. Johnston
KENDRA BALLANTYNE, PET-SITTER MYSTERIES
SIT, STAY, SLAY
NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FERRETS
FINE-FEATHERED DEATH
MEOW IS FOR MURDER
THE FRIGHT OF THE IGUANA
DOUBLE DOG DARE
NEVER SAY STY
HOWL DEADLY
FELINE FATALE
PET RESCUE MYSTERIES
BEAGLEMANIA
THE MORE THE TERRIER
HOUNDS ABOUND
OODLES OF POODLES
TEAUCUP TURBULENCE
Specials
NONSTOP SPANIELS
Teacup
Turbulence
LINDA O. JOHNSTON
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China
penguin.com
A Penguin Random House Company
TEACUP TURBULENCE
A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author
Copyright © 2013 by Linda O. Johnston.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.
BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-63755-5
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / January 2014
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Cover art by Jennifer Taylor, Paper Dog Studio.
Cover design by Rita Frangie.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
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Teacup Turbulence is dedicated to all of the amazing people in pet rescue, and most especially those with vision and enthusiasm enough to determine where a particular type of pet is most likely to find a new home fast—and then figure out a way to get him or her there!
Plus, I’ve done it before, but I particularly want to thank my wonderful editor, Michelle Vega of Berkley Prime Crime, as well as my fantastic agent, Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management. I love working with both of you!
And once again, it’s nothing new, but I dedicate this book to my amazing husband, Fred, who’s my anchor as my mind flits around creating and writing. I additionally thank my adorable dogs, Lexie and Mystie, just for being there, and for giving me orders . . . and love.
Contents
Praise for the Pet Rescue Mysteries
Also by Linda O. Johnston
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
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
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Acknowledgments
As with all my Pet Rescue Mysteries, Teacup Turbulence is fiction, but it’s themed around something that’s real—in this case, pet rescuers who are dedicated to the idea of moving homeless animals to a place where they’re more likely to get adopted fast. Many of them are affiliated with groups that fly pets from one place to another, as in Teacup Turbulence. Others drive them long distances for the same purpose.
I want to particularly thank Hanoch Kohl for his information about this kind of flying, which he and others do in their spare time for Wings of Rescue.
&n
bsp; Chapter 1
“But I was here first!” The senior lady with frizzy yellow hair stood in front of me on the crowded sidewalk. She placed her hands on her hips and looked up with her lower lip jutting belligerently.
I tried to smile, in case this woman was a better potential dog adopter than she initially seemed. “That never matters in pet adoptions. What’s important is finding the right home for each of our wards.”
That’s my job. My passion. I’m Lauren Vancouver, director of administration of HotRescues, a wonderful shelter in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley.
“Well, I’d give the best home to Marvin,” the woman said. “I’m sure of it.” Now she sounded almost desperate.
We both turned to look at the long row of temporary wire enclosures that ran along the HotPets storefront behind us. Most contained dogs of all breeds and sizes. Farther away were crates that held cats.
I was happy to see lots of people staring into the fenced areas and crates, talking to the HotRescues staff and volunteers who’d come to help at this mobile adoption event, and petting leashed dogs brought out at an interested person’s request. An occasional round of barks hid the happy exclamations of potential adopters.
The closest pen held the miniature pinscher Marvin—along with some medium-sized terriers and a French bulldog mix.
Next to me on the other side, Naya Fayler regarded me with a worried expression. “I don’t want to cause you any trouble, Lauren,” Naya said. “But I really love Marvin.”
I’d gathered that. It was why I’d accompanied her and her husband Tom out here so quickly. I had sensed a pending adoption.
“And in fact, we were here first,” Naya continued. “I filled out the application to adopt Marvin before we went inside to the party.”
Naya appeared to be fiftyish, with short chestnut hair framing her face. Laugh lines crinkled at the edges of her blue eyes, but her skin was otherwise smooth and flawless, possibly the result of an excellent makeup job. She wore a dressy white tunic top over a long black skirt.
Tom stood talking with Bev, a senior, experienced Hot-Rescues volunteer who had come along to help at this mobile setup. Tom’s hair had receded from his forehead a bit, and what was left was salt-and-pepper and short. He had wide cheeks and a broad smile revealing slightly yellowed teeth. He was the manager of the new subsidiary, HotPets Bling, and I had just met him and Naya at the party taking place in the store’s back room to celebrate the HotPets empire’s fifteenth anniversary.
Dante DeFrancisco, the company’s owner, was also Hot-Rescues’ generous benefactor. After he’d introduced me to Naya and Tom, they’d told us about their immediate bonding with Marvin, and that’s when I’d accompanied them outside.
Not that I generally liked to okay a same-day adoption. But Dante had vouched for them. And they clearly were animal lovers.
Bev had handed me the Faylers’ adoption application that they’d filled out before. I, too, was dressed up, in a shimmering blue shirtwaist dress and low heels—very different from my usual HotRescues knit shirt, jeans, and athletic shoes.
I skimmed over the form, very aware of the still emotional woman at my other side. I had an idea how to handle her but needed to deal with this first.
Everything on the application seemed in order. The Faylers owned their home, had no other pets right now—they’d lost an aging dog a month before—and were empty nesters.
As I was, sort of. My daughter and son were away in college, although Kevin’s school, Claremont McKenna College, wasn’t too far from L.A.
I noticed something of particular interest. “You used to run your own pet-grooming chain?” I asked.
“That’s right,” Tom said, joining us. “But we sold out a few years back—nice profit, too, I might add. I already knew Dante from the pet industry, and he offered me a job with HotPets.”
And under hobbies . . . “You fly a plane?” I’d seen all kinds of hobbies listed on our application, but this was the first time I’d seen that the potential adopters were pilots.
“Yes—it helped us visit our grooming shops all over the western U.S. before. Now we just do it for fun.”
All seemed fine. In fact, it was better than a lot of applications I reviewed and approved.
That was a relief, since I would have had a difficult time vetoing an adoption by an executive of HotPets.
But that woman remained at my side, eagerly awaiting my decision on Marvin. I motioned for her to join me, and we meandered toward the parking lot at the far side of the walkway.
“I’m really sorry,” I lied. I’m seldom sorry about anything, and finding a great home for one of my shelter dogs was not something I ever regretted. “But there are extenuating circumstances beyond who saw Marvin first.” I didn’t need to explain that the Faylers had seen him first anyway. “Have you looked at any other dogs here?”
She shook her head sadly. “I just really liked him.”
“Well, let’s go see who else might fit even better with you.”
I nodded at Bev as I started leading the woman through the crowd and along the line of temporary pens. I mouthed the words “Okay” and “Marvin” and nodded toward the Faylers. Bev knew me well enough to understand that I’d approved the adoption. She’d have questions, but she could notify a staff member to start the paperwork.
“Now, let’s see,” I said to the lady. “I’m Lauren, by the way.”
“I’m Georgia.”
“What are you looking for in a dog, Georgia?”
“Tiny,” she said. “And cute. Just like the ones in those HotPets Bling ads.”
She gestured toward the small digital sign in the HotPets window, which looked like a miniature of the large billboards now set up in many areas within L.A. Notwithstanding how controversial these bright, illuminated signs were around here, Dante—wealthy and smart entrepreneur that he is—had negotiated the city council’s permission to post a lot of them in commercial areas.
The ads also ran on TV, all featuring adorable teacup-sized dogs—Pomeranians, Pekingese, Maltese, Chihuahuas, and more—that wore the new decorative HotPets Bling collars with attractive, unique, and fun designs set into them using rhinestones and other faux jewels—all attached, of course, in a way that they couldn’t be chewed off and swallowed by the animals wearing them. The actual collars were made in all sizes, though, so one could be bought to fit any dog.
Right now, there was a little Yorkie on the ad wearing a bright pink collar inset with designs of dog bones topped with halos, all in shiny gems. I had to admit the dog and his adornment were extremely cute.
Sure, a lot of other dog collars existed that were decorated in fun ways, including sparkling designs, but these were really special, like everything from HotPets.
The Bling ads had gone viral here in Southern California. Dante was using this as a test market, and so far it had been a huge success. I was delighted for him.
What was less delightful was how the ad campaign had caused a run on teacup-sized dogs. There used to be an overabundance of small dogs in this area, but now they were being adopted from HotRescues almost as soon as we saved them from the high-kill shelters and made them available. The same was true for every other local shelter, even the public ones.
Lots of lives were being saved that way, and I was delighted.
But the popularity of the tiniest dogs made them harder for interested adopters to find. No wonder Georgia had tried to glom immediately onto small min-pin Marvin.
“Marvin is a cute pup,” I told her. “But I’d like to introduce you to someone else.” I hurried her toward the far end of the enclosures—as fast as possible in the crowd.
Unsurprisingly, one of the volunteers, Ricki, already held the dog I had in mind in her arms, showing her off to a young couple with a child.
Not necessarily a good match anyway, I thought.
“Sorry, Ricki,” I said. “I want to introduce Mimi to Georgia.” I gestured toward the woman beside me as I took the little Yorkie
from Ricki’s arms. “Why don’t you show Frenchy to these nice people?” That was the French bull mix—small, but not as small as Mimi, and given up by a household that had kids. Seemed a better fit.
“Mimi?” Georgia said, reaching over to pat the little Yorkie. “Oh, she’s perfect! Can I take her home?”
“I’ll have a volunteer come here and let you play with her,” I said. “Then you can fill out an application. We’ll need to check some things out, but if all goes well you may be able to pick Mimi up at HotRescues tomorrow.”
Unless someone else with better credentials put in an application on her. In that event, all would not go well for Georgia.
What mattered was the care and future of the dogs.
“That’s wonderful!” she said. I showed her to one of the sturdy card tables we’d brought along to make it easier for people to fill out applications, and handed Georgia one. She started to work on it immediately.
I was finally able to check on the Faylers’ adoption of Marvin—almost complete, fortunately. Because Tom worked for the HotPets empire, I decided to waive the usual nominal fee we charge for adoptions.
“No way!” Naya exclaimed. “Paying that amount is the least we can do. In fact, I’d love to come volunteer at Hot-Rescues someday. Could I do that?”
“Sure.” I explained the process, which consists of an application and a visit to HotRescues for a tour and orientation.
“Great. Tom will do it, too, won’t you, dear?”
“Do I have a choice?” Tom said, aiming a fond smile at her.
I checked over their paperwork quickly, accepted their payment via credit card, and then we were done.
I rose and walked to the nearest fenced-in area, where I bent over to pick up Marvin, who was small and warm and lovable. When I put him near my face, he licked my nose. “Gonna miss you, guy, but you’re going to have a really great life now.”
I assumed that was true, with obvious pet lovers like the Faylers. But even so, I’d check to be sure.
I clipped one of our standard leashes on the ordinary collar we always provided with adoptions. “Looks like Marvin needs one of the HotPets Bling collars,” I said.