Pets Investigate: Volume 1 - A Collection of Short Stories by Steve Higgs

Author:Steve Higgs [Higgs, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-11T23:00:00+00:00

Trapped/Ambush

Rex leapt the fence that bordered the front of the garden, following the cat. ‘I’m gonna get you, cat!’ he barked as he chased after it, his tongue lolling from the right side of his mouth. He’d heard the shouts from his human - it wasn’t so much that he chose to ignore him, Rex simply knew what was best. If his human’s nose worked properly, he would know the cat had been in the bedroom and would be thanking Rex for his diligence.

The cat shot under a car, evading Rex just when he was almost close enough to pounce. Forced to stop and go around, Rex lost sight of the cat and had to use his nose to continue the chase. Down a side alley between the houses, Rex plunged through brambles and gnarly undergrowth that pulled at his fur. He barely noticed any of it because the cat had somehow given him the slip. Had it found a bolt hole in the mouth of the alley and slipped through it to escape?

He would have to go back and check, but he pushed on another yard first because a leafy green bush obscured what was ahead and the whole area stunk of cat. Bursting through the bush, leaves exploding in every direction, Rex skidded to a stop. It was a blind alley and he’d reached the end. He spun around to go back but, confronted with an unexpected sight, he froze to the spot in shock. Now he understood why the alleyway smelled of cats.

Back at the house, Albert and Roy were also frozen to the spot. Below them, the front door swung open - Ophelia was back from wherever she had gone, and they were intruders in her house. How could they possibly talk their way out of this one? It wasn’t as if the story about the dog would work any longer, Rex was goodness knows where by now, probably still chasing the cat.

Albert felt a pang of concern for his big, dopey dog, but he had a bigger problem right now: what to do? The sensible thing would be to call out to Ophelia, give her a completely honest explanation and beg for her forgiveness. She could call the police, and if she did, he would wait patiently for their arrival. Embarrassment was the biggest issue.

Roy whispered, ‘Any thoughts, old boy? We seem to have landed ourselves in a bit of a pickle.’

Unwilling to speak because he could see Ophelia from his position at the top of the stairs. She was standing in the hallway, taking off her boots, bending over awkwardly to unzip them one at a time with her left hand. Her right hand was holding her phone to her ear. Employing a professional voice, she sounded like she was selling someone a life insurance policy or something similar. Too engrossed in her work, she didn’t see the two old men standing at the top of the stairs. While they gawped at her and wondered what to do, she padded out of sight through her house in stockinged feet.

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