Free Fashion Faux Paw by Judi McCoy

this business lives on gossip, and I assume that since you’re the one keeping an eye on the snack table you hear it all.”
    “Sometimes, but I do spend a lot of time talking to the dogs. They miss their caretakers and this place is crazy loud. Plus the wild smells make them nutty.”
    “Stop right there, Triple E, or you’ll be in trouble.”
    “Talking to the dogs? You mean giving them treats, taking them out, correct?”
    Smiling, she glanced at Rudy. She could get out of this one on her own. “I do all that, yes, but I talk to them, too. It makes them more comfortable when I treat them like their owners do.”
    “Ah, I see.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Back to the gossip. Have you heard anyone talking about Kitty and how she got into the competition? Or the argument I had with Lilah a few weeks ago?”
    “Argument?” asked Ellie, playing dumb, something she did really well.
    “Kitty said she told you about the fight Lilah and I had after I realized she’d stolen Kitty’s designs.”
    Which meant he had to know how bad it looked that Kitty was the one taking Lilah’s place, especially since he’d accused Lilah of thievery.
    “Oh, that argument. Sure, Kitty told me about it, but it didn’t sound bad to me. And I almost forgot. Detective Vaughn asked me to give you a message. He wants to talk with you again, so please find him,” she said, gauging his reaction.
    Jeffery’s eyes narrowed. “Did he say what he wanted?”
    “Uh-oh,” said Rudy. “I think you pushed the wrong button.”
    “Um, not exactly. Just something to do with the gift bags.”
    “What does he want to know?” His nostrils flared. “Did he hear about Kitty’s promotion?”
    “Yes, he knows about Kitty taking Lilah’s place in the competition.”
    After muttering a curse, he heaved a sigh. “What do you think I should do?”
    Ellie swallowed a gasp of surprise. It was clear that Jeffery King did know something was up with Detective Vaughn, but why did he care about her opinion? “You’re asking me? I’m a professional dog walker, not an attorney or a—”
    “Do you think I need a lawyer?” The words rushed out as he began to pace, dragging Ranger along behind him. “Damn, I knew this was going to happen.”
    “You knew what was going to happen?” she asked him. And why? She grabbed the Greyhound’s leash. “I’m sure it’s just more routine questioning. That’s what the cops do when they investigate a murder.”
    He swung around to face her. “Then they do think Lilah was murdered?”
    She held back a groan of frustration. How much could she tell him before she broke her promise to Vaughn? “Her EpiPen turned up empty, Jeffery, and since that’s something Lilah would never let happen, well, it’s fairly damning evidence. Since you were a part of the committee that chose her as a competitor—”
    “I excused myself from the selection committee as soon as I figured out that Lilah stole my sister’s work.”
    “Kitty mentioned it, but still . . .”
    He ran his fingers through his hair, much like his sister did when she was upset. “I know we just met, but Kitty told me she heard from Patti that you have some experience with episodes like this.”
    “Episodes? I’m not sure what you mean.”
    Before he could answer, Patti stuck her head out the door. “Ellie, my time is up. I’ve got to run. I’ll talk to you later.”
    Ellie straightened her shoulders. “We have to go in. I’m shorthanded and I need to be with the dogs.” She hurried her charges inside, with Jeffery and Ranger following behind. “If you want to talk about this, you’ll have to hang with me, but I think that, for your sake, you need to find Vaughn first.”
    “I can’t believe anyone would murder Lilah. Want her dead, sure,” said Cassandra McQuagge. “Marcus, Claire—even I wished she was gone from the planet a couple dozen times, but I didn’t hate her enough to actually do the deed.”
    Ellie eavesdropped on