Her stomach pinched, suddenly frightened in case he was ill. She rushed into the open plan sitting room and looked down to where he usually slept. His daybed was empty. Rushing from the sitting room, she made her way down the hall to her bedroom. She flung the door open, but he wasn’t in there either. Pippa went from room to room, but he wasn’t anywhere in the living quarters.
She took a deep breath. She was panicking unnecessarily. Her aunt must have taken him downstairs into the pub so he wouldn’t be on his own all morning. It was a dog friendly pub after all.
Making her way downstairs, she looked down at herself before she entered the door which would open up into the pub. She looked a state. She had blobs of paint stained all over her clothes. She silently cursed Mina under her breath for the two-minute paintbrush flicking contest she provoked her into. Thankfully, all the customers would be gone by now. There would only be Aunt Morgan, her father, Declan and...Oliver in there. She puffed out her cheeks, which were already red at the thought of him seeing her in that state.
Oliver had his back to her putting away the dry glasses from the dishwasher and Brett was sitting at the end of the bar, sipping a coffee. His face brightened when he saw Pippa. ‘Here’s my princess. What have you been up to Pip?’
Oliver swung around to look at her, his eyes racking her clothing and his brow pulling into a frown.
‘Erm, decorating Declan’s new flat.’ She watched Oliver through the corner of her eye. His tense body language indicated he didn’t like her answer. She looked around for her pet. ‘Where Ginger, Dad?’
Brett pointed up to the ceiling. ‘Upstairs in the house, isn’t he?’
Pippa’s heart shot up into her throat. She rushed towards the kitchen and heard Oliver speak before she pushed open the door. ‘Was he there when you came down this morning, Brett?’
‘Yes, I believe so.’
‘Aunt, have you seen Ginger? He’s not upstairs, but he was there when I left this morning.’
Morgan and Declan spun around on hearing Pippa’s voice. Her aunt’s brow lifted with surprise. ‘He was upstairs when I came down.’ Her lifted brow dropped and pulled together. ‘He was in the house with Brett.’ Pippa’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Use the new tracker you have.’
A breeze behind her indicated the door was closing. Someone had come in from the bar.
Pippa shook her head. ‘I-I never attached the tag to his collar.’
Her aunt rushed forward. ‘I did...this morning. I saw it laying on the mantelpiece so I clipped it on.’
Oliver appeared at her side. ‘Download the app. We can track him down immediately.’
Pippa pulled the phone from her back pocketed of her jeans. Her hands were trembling as she unlocked her phone. ‘I-I can’t stop shaking.’
‘Here, let me do it for you.’ Oliver took the phone from her hands and expertly flipped through the screens.’
‘Is there anything I can do?’ asked Declan.
Morgan looked over her shoulder at him. ‘Can you go with them? Three sets of eyes are better than two.’ Pippa noticed Oliver glance up from the phone at her aunt’s suggestion. ‘Brett and I will stay here in case he comes back and scratches at the door to be let in.’
Oliver turned the phone around to show the screen to Pippa. ‘I don’t believe it. It appears he’s somewhere close to my house.’ He passed the phone to Pippa. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
Pippa, Oliver and Declan raced from the kitchen, through the lounge, and out of the pub. Oliver’s house was located at the top of Steep Street and Pippa was relieved when he headed for the quick way they used to take when they were teenagers, through the narrow alleyways at the back of the small gardens, which were everywhere around Seagull Bay giving access to residents whose dwellings were behind the main streets, walked daily by the many tourists attracted to the small seaside town.
The tension in her shoulders only got worse the closer they got, and it didn’t help that there was also tension radiating from Oliver towards Declan, either.
Nearing the alley that lead out onto Steep Street, Declan spoke for the first time since leaving The Cheese Wedge and Pickles. ‘Check the app again Pippa, to see if he’s moved.’
Pippa stopped walking, quickly tapped in the numbers to unlock her screen. The app tab was still open and she studied the screen. ‘He’s moving, but he’s still somewhere at the top of Steep Street.’
‘Let’s spread out,’ said Oliver.
They emerged from the alley and set off in different directions all calling out Ginger’s name.
Pippa grimaced as she watched Oliver and Declan calling simultaneously, both loud—as if competing with each other. She was worried about their over enthusiastic shouting scaring Ginger away. She stared down at the screen and concentrated on her own search.
The red blip which represented Ginger had started to move erratically. She gritted her teeth. She was right. He was getting spooked. He would already be frightened alone in a place he didn’t know.
‘I’ve found him!’ shouted Declan. Pippa felt as if a boulder had been lifted from her shoulders. ‘I’m over here by number fifteen. I’ll wait here.’
He was right by Oliver’s house. Pippa quickly made her way from out of an alley she’d been searching back onto Steep Street. Declan was on his haunches with his hand held firmly on Ginger’s collar, while stroking him. Oliver appeared from the back of number nineteen with a perplexed look. If Pippa didn’t know any better, she’d swear he was jealous.
