Page 37 of Don't Cross Mo Ellery

I roll my eyes. “How could you possibly know that?”

“Iknow it,” Claudia says. “Every time Cran saw me with my afternoon Chardonnay and ice, he said that he ‘wouldn’t touch it with someone else’s lips,’ and I needed his homemade sauerkraut to detox my liver.”

She smiles, giddy, and this feels like very bad news for me.

“So what does that mean?” I ask reluctantly.

“It meansyoujust gave us our first clue.”

Shitballs.

I came here to end this.

And somehow, I’m making it worse.

Chapter 12

Thanks to the so-called clue I accidentally pointed out, Claudia is more convinced than ever that Cran was, in fact, murdered. So she takes the next logical step and tells me I have to go to his funeral.

*deep sigh*

According to her, the murderer will almost certainly be there, and it’ll be a perfect place for the dogs to have their John Grisham moment. She instructs me to attend as a mourner and wait for the dogs to tell me who the bad guy is.

When I suggest that the two ofthemdo it, Claudia just snorts and reminds me that since they both have bad blood with Cran, it would look suspicious. It has to be me. A nobody.

She actually says that part out loud.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Benny argues. “There will be family at the funeral. People who are actually grieving.”

“For Cran?” Claudia snorts. “That’ll be the day.”

“Andit’ll be too chaotic for the dogs,” Benny adds.

“Ooh yeah, I agree with Benny,” I say, and he gives me a longlook. Yes! It’s already happening! He and I are moving past enemy territory! I consider seductively touching his arm to cement the transition, but then he jerks a thumb at me.

“Plus, she’s not exactly a smooth operator, she might actually make things worse.”

Okay, rain check the seduction.

Claudia shakes her head. “She’s what we’ve got to work with.” And at that, the meeting is officially adjourned.

Two days later, I am putting on a black dress and killer heels so I can take three huge dogs to a stranger’s funeral.

I know what Benny said. He’s probably right about the funeral being a little chaotic for the dogs. And about me being too chaotic for this funeral.

But I have an ulterior motive, and it’s not uncovering a murder.

It’s about returning the three small horses I’m currently hiding in my studio apartment to their loving family of origin. And doing that very quickly, before any more cops can accuse me of stealing them. Plus, there’s the financial aspect of this situation: These dogs are colonizing my life. The snacks alone are going to bankrupt me.

So here I am, getting ready to go to a funeral.

Claudia mentioned that Cran’s business partner is his brother. And honestly, whoshouldbe taking care of these dogs? Their dog uncle, obviously. So I’m going to bring the dogs, like Claudia wants me to, and then when the brother takes custody, it won’t be my fault. It’ll just be the way it is.

Sorry, Claud.

My phone buzzes.

I’m downstairs, says the text.