Friday Five — On the Lam

It’s Friday, so it must be time for The Friday Five writing prompt! Five different words each week to get the creative juices flowing. To visit the other participants, click here.
This week’s words are: proper, brand, husband, pigeon, offend
Back to #SaveFred… Here is a link the last installment if you need it…

On the Lam

I snatched at the key like a pigeon at breadcrumbs and pulled it out of the box. It had only been a few hours since all this started, but it felt like days. With shaking fingers, I put the key in the lock, turned it and opened the door. For some reason, I’d expected Fred to be sitting there, waiting patiently on the seat, as anxious to see me as I was to see him. But there was no sign of him. I was going to give him a proper dressing down as soon as I found him.
I peered under the seat. “Fred?”
Nothing.
I opened the back door and checked there. “Fred?” I made the squeaking noises I used to call him when I was at home.
Joel peered over my shoulder like a nervous husband. “Are you sure you left him in here?”
I glared at him. “Do you think I’m that stupid?”
He put his hands up in surrender. “Didn’t mean to offend you, but I sure don’t see–” He screamed like someone had just branded his butt, and I saw a blur of gray scoot past him and out the open door.
Fred.
Now he was loose. I’d thought things were getting better. I was wrong.