up, she’d made it a point to become his friend. Now she wondered whether Rob had made up his sorry tale just to garner sympathy. Had he lied about his stiff and unbending parents? Had he lied about being straight? More important, had he lied about committing a murder?
Though she hated to admit it, some of Sam’s ideas made sense. Greed was the cause of as many crimes as jealousy and hatred were. Carmella was jealous of Rob’s chance at fame and the opportunity for a successful career. Was it possible Carmella had something Rob wanted?
Turning into the Beaumont, she grinned at Natter and passed him his coffee.
“Thanks, and have a good day,” the doorman said with a smile.
Hearing that Rob was innocent was the only thing that would make her day good. “Looks like I’ll have to take a trip to Guess Who today,” she muttered as she led the dogs to the elevator.
“Since when?” Rudy asked from the floor.
She gave Natter a wave when they entered the elevator. “Since now,” she told her boy. “There are a couple of things I need to look into.”
Ellie walked to her next stop, breathing deeply of the cool air. She couldn’t remember the last time there’d been a snowfall, and there was rain in the forecast, which she hoped would bring the April showers six weeks ahead of time to herald an early spring. The weather had been so nice, in fact, that she couldn’t recall the last time she’d wrestled one of her charges into a coat, sweater, or booties.
Now at the Davenport, she made a point of handing Randall his tea. Fearful that the poohuahua might cry or throw a fit at not being able to see Rob, she also passed the doorman the dogs’ leads and raised an eyebrow that asked if he would keep them.
Randall, being a good friend, acknowledged her with a nod and led the pups behind the front counter, in effect blocking them from the view of anyone walking by. After collecting the last dog in the Davenport pack, she herded Sweetie Pie, Buckley, Jett, and Stinker to the elevator and gave them a lecture as they waited for their ride down.
“Okay, everybody, listen up,” she began. “Bitsy’s downstairs with Rudy, and I expect you to be on your best behavior. No arguing, grumbling, or commentary.”
“Tell that to the boys,” Sweetie Pie advised. “I’m always on my best behavior.”
“Ha!” shouted Stinker. “That’s not what we hear.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” said Ellie. “What about when Babs brings home an overnight guest?”
“You’re talking about a man, right?” The Westie snorted. “ That’s so different.”
The rest of the pack, all male, yapped at once.
“You’re such a girl.”
“Little Miss Fussypants.”
“Someone grab me a cryin’ towel.”
“Enough,” Ellie ordered. “Bitsy is your pal. I don’t want to hear a word about Rob’s arrest. You got it?”
Mumbles of “yeah” and “if you say so” filled her head and she smiled. These dogs had been her first clients, so each of them held a special place in her heart. Even Buckley, the grump, made her grin.
She led them into the elevator. Time to change the subject. “So, Buck, tell me a little more about your last visit to Madame Orzo. Did she read your mind? Do you have another appointment?”
“I say she guesses, because she can’t really see into my head, but Hazel made another date with her,” the maltipoo yipped. “That woman gives me the creeps.”
“Everything gives you the creeps,” said Jett, her Scottie with an attitude. “I never heard any dog complain like you do.” He gave his muzzle a toss. “’Cept for Stinker.”
The comment started another round of insults that continued until the elevator hit the ground floor. She collected Rudy and Bitsy, and aimed for the park, where she gave everyone an extra amount of time to do their business. When the canines treated Bitsy the same as usual, she was so relieved that she pulled a bag of biscuits from her tote and gave each dog a reward.
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Though she hated to admit it, some of Sam’s ideas made sense. Greed was the cause of as many crimes as jealousy and hatred were. Carmella was jealous of Rob’s chance at fame and the opportunity for a successful career. Was it possible Carmella had something Rob wanted?
Turning into the Beaumont, she grinned at Natter and passed him his coffee.
“Thanks, and have a good day,” the doorman said with a smile.
Hearing that Rob was innocent was the only thing that would make her day good. “Looks like I’ll have to take a trip to Guess Who today,” she muttered as she led the dogs to the elevator.
“Since when?” Rudy asked from the floor.
She gave Natter a wave when they entered the elevator. “Since now,” she told her boy. “There are a couple of things I need to look into.”
Ellie walked to her next stop, breathing deeply of the cool air. She couldn’t remember the last time there’d been a snowfall, and there was rain in the forecast, which she hoped would bring the April showers six weeks ahead of time to herald an early spring. The weather had been so nice, in fact, that she couldn’t recall the last time she’d wrestled one of her charges into a coat, sweater, or booties.
Now at the Davenport, she made a point of handing Randall his tea. Fearful that the poohuahua might cry or throw a fit at not being able to see Rob, she also passed the doorman the dogs’ leads and raised an eyebrow that asked if he would keep them.
Randall, being a good friend, acknowledged her with a nod and led the pups behind the front counter, in effect blocking them from the view of anyone walking by. After collecting the last dog in the Davenport pack, she herded Sweetie Pie, Buckley, Jett, and Stinker to the elevator and gave them a lecture as they waited for their ride down.
“Okay, everybody, listen up,” she began. “Bitsy’s downstairs with Rudy, and I expect you to be on your best behavior. No arguing, grumbling, or commentary.”
“Tell that to the boys,” Sweetie Pie advised. “I’m always on my best behavior.”
“Ha!” shouted Stinker. “That’s not what we hear.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” said Ellie. “What about when Babs brings home an overnight guest?”
“You’re talking about a man, right?” The Westie snorted. “ That’s so different.”
The rest of the pack, all male, yapped at once.
“You’re such a girl.”
“Little Miss Fussypants.”
“Someone grab me a cryin’ towel.”
“Enough,” Ellie ordered. “Bitsy is your pal. I don’t want to hear a word about Rob’s arrest. You got it?”
Mumbles of “yeah” and “if you say so” filled her head and she smiled. These dogs had been her first clients, so each of them held a special place in her heart. Even Buckley, the grump, made her grin.
She led them into the elevator. Time to change the subject. “So, Buck, tell me a little more about your last visit to Madame Orzo. Did she read your mind? Do you have another appointment?”
“I say she guesses, because she can’t really see into my head, but Hazel made another date with her,” the maltipoo yipped. “That woman gives me the creeps.”
“Everything gives you the creeps,” said Jett, her Scottie with an attitude. “I never heard any dog complain like you do.” He gave his muzzle a toss. “’Cept for Stinker.”
The comment started another round of insults that continued until the elevator hit the ground floor. She collected Rudy and Bitsy, and aimed for the park, where she gave everyone an extra amount of time to do their business. When the canines treated Bitsy the same as usual, she was so relieved that she pulled a bag of biscuits from her tote and gave each dog a reward.
Back in
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