Begging for Trouble Read Online Free

at a crime scene?”
    Sam shrugged. “It rarely happens, but we’re supposed to bring them to the city shelter. I don’t know if—”
    “The city shelter? God, no!” Rob cried. “She’s my baby, the only thing I have in the world I can count on. Please, Detective, let Ellie take her for tonight, and ask someone for permission tomorrow.”
    Sam and Vince exchanged looks of impatience.
    “I’ll sign papers—do whatever I have to do so she can stay in Ellie’s custody,” Rob continued.
    Vince opened the top of the carrier and held it out to Ellie. “Don’t touch anything. Just remove the dog.”
    She slipped her hands inside, cupped the tiny pooch, and lifted Bitsy to her chest. The adorable dog weighed all of four pounds and was trembling like a scoop of Jell-O on a plate. “You okay, little girl?”
    Bitsy snuggled into her arms.
    “We’re taking Mr. Chesney to Green Street,” said Sam. “Where he’ll be processed for arraignment. I’ll phone you about the dog tomorrow.”

Chapter 2

    Ellie arrived home from the club, paid the cabdriver, and pulled the extra leash she carried for emergencies from her bag. After snapping it to Bitsy’s rhinestone collar, she walked the pup to the corner. Bitsy squatted, did her business, and huddled at Ellie’s ankles until she was picked up and carried to the apartment building.
    She’d made a few tries at getting the poohuahua to talk on the taxi ride, but so far Bitsy hadn’t said a word. Ellie imagined the pup was probably still in shock from all the terrible things that had gone down in Rob’s dressing room. Between the screaming, the police, the EMTs, the swarming investigators, and seeing her owner covered in blood, she’d had a night filled with chaos and upheaval.
    At the top of the porch steps, she held the still-shaking pooch in one hand, dug for her keys with the other, and unlocked the door. She juggled the tiny dog until she got inside, then held Bitsy close to her chest and climbed the two flights to her condo.
    Ellie thought about knocking on Vivian’s door on the way up, but it was after one, too late to disturb her friend when there was next to nothing she could say. Hoping to calm Bitsy and get her settled, she continued the climb while she whispered soothing words. “It’s okay. You’re safe now. Nothing’s going to happen while you’re in my care.”
    No comment from Bitsy.
    “I know you’re upset. I would be, too, if I saw what you saw. But Rob will be fine, and you’ll be back together soon.”
    She sighed. The poohuahua didn’t make a sound, just continued to tremble, ratcheting Ellie’s worry quotient to the breaking point. On their twice-daily walks, Bitsy had no problem speaking her mind, but when Rudy was with them she was a regular chatterbox. The dog’s absolute silence now was a concern. Maybe if she got Bitsy together with her yorkiepoo, she’d be more willing to speak.
    After doing another juggling act to open her apartment, she went into the kitchen, set her tote and Bitsy on the table, and removed her coat. “Do you want to walk or should I carry you to the bedroom?”
    Not a sound, not even a plaintive whimper, escaped Bitsy’s doggie lips.
    Ellie scooped her up and held her near. “I feel your pain, sweetie, but you’ll sleep next to Rudy tonight. I’m sure that will make you feel better.”
    They entered the bedroom and she smiled at her boy, curled on the pillow next to her own. “Now that’s what I call being a good watchdog,” she teased, setting Bitsy on the foot of the bed. “Did you help the robbers clean out the apartment?”
    “I knew it was you the second the door opened,” Rudy answered after yawning. Then he stretched and gave a sneeze. “Why’d you bring Bitsy to our house? Was Bobbi-Rob’s act so bad she decided to leave home?”
    Tsk ing, Ellie started to undress. Rudy had known about Rob Chesney’s cross-dressing from the moment they met. The stinker thought it amusing that she was in