Beagles Love Layer Cake Lies (EBOOK)

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Lyra fed Cinnamon, put the coffee on and headed for the shower. Two minutes later, with her hair soaped up, there was a banging on the bathroom door.

“I won’t be long.”

“Hurry up. I’ve got news!” Maggie yelled back.

Lyra sighed and did as she was asked. If Maggie said it was urgent, it most likely was. Dressed, and with a towel wrapped around her head, she made her way to the kitchen.

Maggie sat beside Lyra’s mother drinking coffee at the counter. A cup waited for her and she took a gulp of the hot liquid.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” she managed on a sigh of bliss at the first sip before noticing her mom’s eagerness. Since Patricia St Claire would usually be in the diner baking at this time of the morning, it somehow made her uneasy.

Maggie drew her attention by waving a sheaf of papers. “The contestants will be arriving at the hotel soon.”

Lyra checked her watch. “And?”

“You need to get down to the Conference room to greet them.”

“Of course I do.” Lyra pointed to her cup. “There’s plenty of time. Can I enjoy the lull before the storm for five minutes first?”

“Sure, I just thought you might like to go over their applications before you go. You know, get a handle on who they are and why they entered the competition.”

“I already did that.”

“Okay, but don’t you want to brush up?” Maggie raised a perfect eyebrow. “You used to pour over the applications for days.”

“That was back when the shows were televised and the stakes were much higher for the contestants. This is a more laid-back affair and we’ll have time to chat to each person without having to do extra takes that filming requires.”

“It’s a bit late for keeping it low-key, dear,” Mom told her. “The press have been here since yesterday and I believe they are camped out at the hotel already.”

“From what I’ve heard, this press group are nothing like what I experienced with the Paparazzi in LA. It will all be fine. Trust me.”

Mom frowned. “Naturally, we all hope for the best, dear, but I agree with Maggie that we can’t be too careful.”

Lyra had just taken a large gulp of coffee and almost choked when she caught the look between Mom and Maggie. “You mean with security? Why didn’t you two tell me you were worried?”

Mom and Maggie shared another look that Lyra couldn’t discern, but it was Maggie who spoke.

“We’re not exactly worried—we just want to be sure you stay safe.”

When Lyra and Maggie first dreamed up the competition she’d considered visiting the nearby towns to look at running one in each with a final in Fairview. After much thought she changed her mind. It involved too many issues with security and in truth she didn’t want to be away from her business for months on end.
Apparently, she wasn’t worried enough—and that bothered her. Had she got complacent? 
“You did say you had news, Mags. Do you know something I don’t?”

Maggie blew a wayward dark curl off her face. “Apparently, one of the contestants, Scarlett Finch, has had a few run ins with the law in Cozy Hollow.”