No Substitute for Motives — Carolyn J. Rose

While Barbara Reed's drug-cop boyfriend is away, her life spins out of control. Dave's daughter shifts to drama-queen overdrive, Cheese Puff hits new levels of canine entitlement, and Barb's overbearing sister demands help with a mid-life makeover. To complicate matters, things go missing from the high school, and a plot surfaces to close the city pool. Then things get worse -- Barb's neighbor is accused of killing a retired mobster known as Big Shiny. When she was Las Vegas showgirl royalty, Muriel Ballantine steered clear of the vicious thug. She insists she didn't recognize him when she rented the stage at a remote inn to practice her dance routine for a reality show. Barb is certain someone framed Mrs. B -- perhaps Glorree Morning, a high-kicking competitor from back in the day. When the investigation stalls and Mrs. B is placed on house arrest, Barb decides it's time to color outside the legal lines.