Eliot's apartment is overrun by a TV crew to do a segment on a VIP (Very Important Pooch). Eliot assumes its him only to find out it's Terri Springer, voted Businessmutt of the Year. He learns more than he knew about his neighbor, which helps him get past writer's block for the latest cartoon plot. In a parallel development, Ace Hart has cracked his one thousandth case but finds very little acclaim. Instead, it turns out that Rosie O'Gravy is missing, and Ace ends up on her trail, interviewing friends, family, and foes.