Collared For Murder Read Online Free PDF

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    Phillip Denford had been one of my customers? I racked my brain, trying to remember all my biggest orders, and then it jumped out at me: an online/over-the-phone purchase made late last spring. The caller had ordered one of each of my handmade products—for both dogs and cats—but hadn’t purchased any of the items I got from wholesalers. I remembered being flattered that the person liked my work so much. But I also remembered that the caller was a woman. Mari Aames? Most likely.
    “Well, thank you for that. I’m honored.”
    “You should be. I admire your concepts so much that I’ve sourced them to a manufacturer in Korea.”
    “What?” It was like his words weren’t even in English.
    “I’ve sourced them to a manufacturer so I canproduce them and sell them through my own online retail outlets, the Dapper Dog and the Classy Cat.” He brought his hands around to the front of his body, revealing the cat pajamas he held. He reached out and pressed the garment into my hand and wrapped my numb fingers around it.
    It took only a quick glance for me to recognize the seaming pattern in the pants and the piping detail at the neck, which were a mirror of my own product, but these pajamas were in a flannel pattern I’d never used.
    “I don’t understand. You’re telling me you’re going to sell my designs?”
    “Well, obviously they won’t be exactly your designs. For example, we’ll line the Pooch Parkas with synthetic sherpa, not genuine fleece. And you’ll note that the pajamas you’re holding have a notch at the front of the collar, which your design did not have.”
    “You can’t do this,” I said. “It’s got to be against the law.”
    He held up a hand and waggled it back and forth. “Maybe it’s on the line, but that line is pretty wobbly, Ms. McHale. Fashion law hasn’t really found its stride yet. As I said, we’re making some select design changes, and we’re not planning to sell the items under the Trendy Tails trademark, so I think we’re safe. But even if we’re not, even if we are crossing some vague legal line, what exactly do you plan to do about it?”
    I shook my head in confusion. “Sue!”
    “Mmmm-hmmm. Have you ever been involved in intellectual-property litigation?”
    “No.”
    “Yes, well, it’s a lengthy process. You’d need a lawyer. At least one. Preferably a fashion lawyer, and they don’t come cheap—and I’m not sure they come in ‘Minnesotan’ at all. Not to mention the textile, pet, and apparel experts you’d need. From what Pamela said, you’re doing good business, but you haven’t been open even a full year. There’s no way your business has the sort of reserves to fight an IP battle with an established company. Not to mention that my people inform me that you’re not independently wealthy. I don’t see how you could hold out against someone with my resources.”
    “You’ve been looking into my personal finances? How dare you?”
    “I assure you all of my inquiries have been legal. For example, a simple title search tells me you don’t own this building, that you’re renting both your business space and your home. It was also easy enough to find out about the various complaints your neighbor Richard Greene has filed against your business. Complaints that have surely cost you money to resolve.”
    It was true. Richard Greene owned the Greene Brigade, a shop dedicated to military history andmemorabilia. Despite owning a giant German shepherd named MacArthur, Richard was leery of loud and smelly critters possibly running off his clients. He’d tried to oust Trendy Tails from the neighborhood a couple of times. He’d stopped his crusade against us when he decided that it was more fun wooing my aunt Dolly, but his efforts had cost us a pretty penny.
    I was still having trouble wrapping my brain around the disaster that was unfolding before me. “But how can you do something like that? Just stealing someone else’s hard work. How can you