All of the sudden, Ellie ran out the door and down the street! I was more than surprised, and without shoes or a key (to be able to close the door and then get back in), I was left in the lurch. Luckily, as I ran inside for shoes and the key, my neighbor went in search of Ellie (who had run down the alleyway in our normal morning beach-walk routine).
PS- Tim just got back and asked the neighbors about the saint. It's Saint Rosa, and although no one knows what she did, they were quick to inform us that she's the saint of policemen.