Chapter 3
Chapter Three
With her mind racing, the hour-long drive back to Flynn’s place passed with Lily barely noticing.
“Are you okay?” Flynn asked, pulling into his space in the underground parking.
“Yeah.”
He killed the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt. “Are you sure? You didn’t speak the entire way home. Even when I asked you a question.”
“Oh.” She really hadn’t registered anything. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I was enjoying the peace.”
Her lips twitched into an involuntary smile at his jokey tone. Then her features turned serious. “I don’t think Mr Harper is going to call me.”
“He might. Marianne seemed genuine that she’d pass the message on.”
“It’s weird. I was expecting an enormous company with the resources to cover up a crime, but they’re really not what I had in mind. They’re just regular people.”
“Regular people can cover up crimes too.”
“Maybe.”
“She got very defensive about me being a police officer.”
Lily pressed her lips together. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s interesting how it put her on edge though.”
“Not really. The police put most people on edge. No offence.”
He shrugged. “I don’t actually think that’s true. But she was also quick to assume you were there to accuse her dad of a crime.”
“Yeah, because he’s been accused of it before. I guess that sort of thing has an impact on people.”
“If he doesn’t call you, we can go back there and be more insistent.”
“Maybe. Hopefully, he’ll call.”
“Come on,” Flynn said, opening the door.
Lily trailed him through the underground doors and into the stairwell which led up to the flats.
“How about we grab lunch here, then head out on a little sightseeing tour?” Flynn said once they were outside his door.
Lily didn’t reply. Her attention was on the door along the hall, which was slightly ajar. “That’s odd,” she said, moving in that direction.
“What is?” Flynn asked.
“Why would she leave her door open? The dog could get out.”
Flynn raised an eyebrow and followed her to the open door.
“Hello?” Lily called at the doorway. When there was no answer, she pushed the door further open and called out again.
A lock clicked before an internal door opened and the dog lady’s head appeared, along with a waft of steam. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, and her hand clutched another towel at her chest.
“Sorry,” Lily called. “Your front door was open. We wanted to check everything is okay.”
“Oh, my god. Not again!” Striding out of the bathroom, her eyes darted all around.
“Pixie!” she called frantically. After disappearing into the other rooms of her flat, she came back to the door.
“I left the door open again,” she said, features scrunched with anguish.
“It doesn’t always close properly, but I swear I’m usually careful to make sure it’s shut properly.
Is she out there?” She stuck her head into the hallway before her eyes darted to Lily.
“Sorry. I’m Georgina. Everyone calls me Gigi. ”
“Lily,” she replied. “I’m staying with Flynn for a few days.”
Her brow furrowed as her eyes went to Flynn.
“I live there,” he said, twisting to point along the hall.
“Oh. Yeah. Of course.” She looked past them. “My dog’s got out. Pixie. Do you know if anyone has opened the main door?” She glanced down at her towel-clad body. “I hope she hasn’t got all the way outside. I need to get dressed and look for her.”
“We came up from the car park and didn’t see her,” Flynn said. “I can have a quick check outside.”
“Thank you so much,” Gigi said. “I’ll throw some clothes on.”
“I can have a look around in here,” Lily said as Flynn headed for the front door.
At a noise from upstairs, Lily made her way up to the first floor.
“Could you please just stay out of trouble for once!” a middle-aged woman was saying from the doorway of the flat above Flynn’s. There was a hint of mahogany in her shoulder-length brown hair. “I’ll be an hour, okay.” Turning, she caught sight of Lily and flinched.
“Sorry,” Lily said, raising her hands. “Have you seen a dog?”
“Bloody hell, has Gigi lost Pixie again?”
“Yeah.”
“In another life, I swear that dog was some sort of magician or escape artist.” She pushed her door open again and shouted inside. “Liam! Pixie is missing. If you want to act like a decent human being, you could help look for her.”
“The dog clearly wants its freedom,” a voice shouted back. “I sympathise with her.”
“Teenagers!” The woman gave Lily a withering look. “Give me a toddler any day of the week.” She pulled the door shut behind her and deposited her keys into the pocket of her green anorak. “Are you a friend of Gigi?”
“No. I met her about sixty seconds ago. I’m staying with Flynn for a few days.”
Her features softened as a smile lifted her lips. “You’re his friend from the Scillies? Lily?”
“Yes.” Lily smiled awkwardly as the woman introduced herself as Caroline.
“Lovely to meet you,” she said, moving past Lily. “I have to pop out and do some shopping. I’ll keep an eye out for Pixie, but she always turns up.”
“Nice to meet you,” Lily muttered as the woman dashed away.
Along the hall, movement caught Lily’s eye, but all she saw was the door clicking into place. If someone had just arrived home, they slipped in quietly. Or had they just looked out to see what was going on? Lily moved closer, noting that the door didn’t have a peephole like Flynn’s.
She contemplated knocking on doors to ask about the dog, then decided to check if Flynn had spotted the dog first. Downstairs, Gigi stepped out of her flat in a baby-blue velour tracksuit, her damp blonde hair dripping onto her shoulders. “Any sign of her?” she asked Lily.
“Nothing upstairs,” she said, then glanced at the front door, but there was no sign of Flynn.
“Mrs Patel!” Gigi called while knocking frantically on the door. “Are you in?”
The door opened a crack, and the dark features of Mr Patel appeared. “Shh!” He pressed a finger to his lips. “She’s in bed.”
“Sorry.” Gigi dipped into an odd curtsy as she lowered her voice. “Have you seen Pixie?”
“No.” Mr Patel glanced briefly at Lily before addressing Gigi again. “You really should keep a better eye on her.”
“I know, I know. It’s the door. Sometimes it doesn’t click into place properly.”
“Maybe you should lock it,” he suggested quietly.
“I know, but I worry that’s a fire hazard. What if I need to get out in a rush?”
“Leave the key in the door.”
“I really should. I’m a scatterbrain, aren’t I?”
Mr Patel gave a quick shake of his head. “I’ll get my shoes and help you look.”
“Thank you,” Gigi said, hands pressed together in a prayer-like gesture. “Could you check the storage area, and I’ll look in the laundry room?” She didn’t wait for a response, but headed for the stairs. “Can you come with me?” she asked Lily. “I hate the laundry room. It gives me the creeps.”
“Sure,” Lily said and followed her into the warren of hallways beneath the building. Automatic lights triggered in a dark hall, then more in the large room with a washer, dryer and several washing lines strung across the ceiling.
“I thought she might have come down here where it’s nice and warm,” Gigi said. “Jeremy found her in here once when she escaped.”
“Jeremy?”
“The landlord. He’s going to freak out if he finds out Pixie is on the loose again. He’s a patient man, but I think he might run out of patience soon.” She checked the gap beside the dryer, then her eyes darted to Lily. “Have you known Flynn long?”
“About six months.”
“He’s a mysterious one. Comes and goes at all hours. Keeps to himself. Then he disappeared for months on end. The man who sublet the flat was a friendly sort, but he didn’t seem to know much about Flynn.”
It seemed as though Lily was supposed to supply some information, but she merely smiled and followed her back the way they’d come.
“He used to bring a lot of different women back with him,” Gigi continued. “You’re the first one I’ve seen in a while, though.”
“Good to know,” Lily mumbled.
“What does he do for a living?” Gigi asked as they ascended the stairs.
A high-pitched bark saved Lily from having to answer and sent Gigi rushing ahead. “Pixie!” she called, rushing to a well-dressed man standing outside Gigi’s door with the little white dog in his arms.
“I found her on the landing upstairs,” he said with an exasperated sigh that seemed to be full of affection. He was around forty with neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair.
“I’m so sorry,” Gigi said, lifting the wriggling dog from his arms. “Thank goodness you found her, Jeremy.”
“You have to be more careful,” Jeremy replied. “One day she might get out onto the road.”
“Don’t,” Gigi said, pouting as she rubbed her face against the dog. “I can’t even bear to think about it.”
“Hello,” Jeremy said, catching Lily’s eye.
“Oh, this is Flynn’s friend,” Gigi explained. “She was very kind and helped me search.”
He looked confused for a moment, then realisation dawned. “Grainger,” he said. “In number 3.”
“Yes. My boyfriend. I’m staying with him for a few days.”
“That’s nice,” he said with a friendly smile.
“No sign downstairs,” Mr Patel said, trudging up the stairs, then clocking Pixie. “There she is!”
“Jeremy found her,” Gigi said.
“I seem to have a knack for finding this little runaway,” Jeremy said smoothly. “I’m fairly sure you owe me a drink, Gigi.”
She hugged the dog and took a discreet step back. “I probably do.”
“What’s going on?” The door to the Patels’ opened and the sleep-riddled face of Mrs Patel blinked at them. “Why is there so much noise? I was working last night… Oh! Hello, Mr Latham.”
“It’s Jeremy,” the landlord replied. “I keep telling you that.”
“Gigi lost Pixie,” Mr Patel said, approaching his wife. “But she’s back again now. Everything is fine. Go back to bed.”
Nodding, Mrs Patel disappeared again.
“I’m glad you found the dog,” Lily said, backing away.
“Thanks for your help,” Gigi said, while continuing to nuzzle the dog’s face.
Realising she couldn’t get into the flat without Flynn, Lily made for the main entrance.
He’d been ages. Where on earth was he?