The door opened and Anya found herself staring at a boy a bit older than her – but it definitely wasn’t Zach. And there was a littler boy peering round him, too.
“Oh! Sorry! Wrong house,” Anya stammered. “Um, I don’t suppose you know where Zach and Rachel are staying, do you?”
“No,” the boy said, staring at her as though she was mad.
“Sorry…” Anya backed away, blushing scarlet and gently tugging Molly after her.
“I should have explained why I was asking,” Anya muttered to Molly, as they went on to the next house. “Oh, that was so embarrassing.”
No one answered at the following two houses – which Anya was secretly relieved about. The next door was opened by a friendly looking lady, who smiled at Molly and said, “Oh, what a sweet dog.”
“She isn’t mine,” Anya said, grateful that the lady had made it easy for her to explain. “I found her on the beach, but I know who she belongs to and I’m pretty sure they’re staying round here. They told me they were in a cottage by the ice-cream shop. No one’s asked about a dog, have they? There’s three children – a boy and two girls.”
The lady looked at the houses around the green, thoughtfully. “It’s very nice of you to try to bring her home. I wonder if it’s Mrs Merritt’s family? I know they were staying with her and she does have three grandchildren. She told me she was going to have trouble squashing them and their dog all in, especially now her grandson’s so tall.”
“Oh!” Anya said delightedly. “That sounds right! Zach is really tall. Where does she live, please?”
“That white house over there in the corner. Good luck! If you don’t find her owners, do you know where the vet’s surgery is? I’m sure they’d help you out – it’s on the high street.”
“Thanks!” Anya beamed at her. “Come on, Molly.” She patted her leg and Molly scampered after her across the green to the white house. Anya hurried up the little path between the bright flowerbeds and rang the doorbell firmly, not feeling as nervous as she had before. She was sure this had to be the right place, even though Rachel hadn’t mentioned that they were staying with their grandma.
The door took a long time to be answered, though. Wasn’t that a bit odd? Wouldn’t Rachel or Zach or Lily have run to get it? Perhaps they were out? In fact, they were probably out looking for Molly. Anya sighed and pressed the bell one last time, just in case.
The door swung open sharply and a very cross-looking elderly lady stared out at Anya.
“What is it? Couldn’t you tell that I was coming? I was asleep – so rude!”
“Oh… Oh, I’m really sorry.” Anya backed away and so did Molly, with a little whimper. “The lady across the road thought this might be your grandchildren’s dog – she said they were staying with you.”
“Of course it isn’t. They have a Jack Russell. And they went home yesterday. Silly woman.”
“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I was just trying to find the dog’s owners, that’s all.” Anya swallowed, trying not to cry. The old lady seemed so grumpy.
“Hmm. Well, I hope you find them.” The old lady looked slightly less annoyed. “There are children in the house next door but one, that way – why don’t you try there?”
Anya nodded. “Thank you,” she said, hurrying off as fast as she could and ringing the bell at the house the old lady had pointed to.
She had to stand on the step for a few moments, but when the door opened, it was worth the wait. “Oh, thank goodness it’s you!” she gasped, as Rachel peered round the door in front of her.
Chapter Six
“Have you come to see us? It’s Anya,” Rachel called back into the house. “My friend from the beach, Mum.” Rachel smiled at Anya and then looked down at Molly. “Oh! You’ve brought Molly, too.”
She looked a little bit puzzled, Anya thought. “Hadn’t you noticed she was gone?” she asked Rachel. Molly had been out since the middle of the afternoon! It did seem strange that they hadn’t noticed.
Rachel frowned. “Gone where?”
“She was running along the beach this afternoon, but I couldn’t catch her,” Anya explained. “I told Mum and Dad I was going to see the sea, so I could have another look for her. She must have slipped out earlier on – or maybe you left her on the beach,” she added doubtfully. She couldn’t imagine being that careless, but Rachel didn’t seem to have a clue where her dog was…
“We haven’t been to the beach,” Rachel said slowly. “We went to an adventure park. We’ve only just got back.”
Anya nodded. “She slipped out, then.” She crouched down and rubbed Molly’s poor scruffy ears that needed brushing so badly. She was almost tempted not to give Molly back…
Rachel crouched down, too, and Molly sniffed her fingers in a friendly sort of way. Anya watched, frowning a little. Molly didn’t seem that excited to see her owner.
“Anya, I don’t understand.” Rachel looked at her over Molly’s head. “Why would we notice Molly had gone? And gone where?”
“Don’t you care about her at all?” Anya felt her eyes filling with tears. How could Rachel not even be worried that Molly had been out on her own all day? She could have been run over! “She’s your dog! You’re supposed to look after her!”
Rachel simply stared at her for a moment. Then she shook her head. “No, she isn’t,” she said slowly.
“What?”
“She’s not our dog, Anya.” Rachel frowned. “She doesn’t belong to us. We don’t even have a dog.”
“But she was with you on the beach!” Anya looked down at Molly, who was watching them anxiously.
The little dog wagged her tail, very faintly. She could tell they were getting cross with each other, Anya realized and she patted Molly’s ears gently. “It’s OK,” she murmured. Then she looked up at Rachel. “She’s really not yours? I was so sure… She was with us all that afternoon. And you knew her name – you told me she was called Molly!”
“Yes, because it’s on her collar.” Rachel pointed to the name, woven into the fabric. “She was watching us playing in the sea and then she just tagged along. She was so gorgeous – but I thought she belonged to those teenage boys who were sitting further up the beach. I was sure she did.” Rachel frowned. “I thought they were mean, not playing with her… And they didn’t seem to mind her being with us, so I just kept fussing over her.”
“Oh, wow,” Anya muttered. “I suppose I just thought she was yours because of the way you apologized about her knocking over my tower. Sorry,” she added. “I was really telling you off just now. You must have thought I was mad!”
“That’s all right,” said Rachel. “I would have done the same if I thought you weren’t looking after your dog. But how did you find us? I never told you the address of the cottage, did I? I wished I’d thought of giving you Mum’s mobile number, so we could meet up on the beach again. I was so cross with myself last night when I realized I couldn’t even call you!”
Anya sighed. “You told me you were staying near the ice-cream shop, so I knocked on doors. It was so embarrassing. And the old lady two doors down was really angry with me!”
“Ooooh, she exploded at Lily the other day because she spilled sand out of her bucket on to the pavement. I think she’s just a bit grumpy. Poor you.” Rachel put her arm round Anya’s shoulders and gave her a hug. “I’m sorry you got into trouble.”
Anya smiled at her, but then her smile faded. “It doesn’t matter – but, Rachel, if Molly doesn’t belong to you, then whose dog is she?”