Whispers of Danger and Love by Janis Lane

Sweetheart. He squirmed in the seat and put the cold coffee cup in its holder ready to roll if anyone else noticed him lurking there. Look away, Cher. Look away!
    The blonde said something to her and the two of them walked toward the house and out of sight. David felt his stomach lurch. This was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated. Perhaps it would work. Worth a try. He switched on the ignition and coasted down the hill before engaging the gears and gas .
    It is definitely worth a try. Anything is better than just sitting here watching. It made him feel helpless. What if something happened in that house to his little girl? What could he do sitting on his rear out here on the road? He clenched his hands on the steering wheel and glared. He understood Fowler’s reasoning, but not when it came to a stubborn little girl who went her own way and was too naïve to sense danger.
    “It went well, Gany.” Cheryl stroked the feathers on the parrot and then filled its food dish. “There were no gun-carrying thugs that I could see. I only chatted with Francine for a few minutes. Otherwise we got most of the hardscape in place and quite a few of the trees and shrubs.”
    “Awk. All the world’s a stage.”
    Cheryl had to laugh. Her Nana was fond of Shakespeare and often quoted from his plays as she worked around the house. Although she had given up trying to explain to David Larkin that the parrot’s name was Ganymede, alternatively Rosalind, from the play, As You Like It , he refused to call the majestic bird anything but Polly and insisted she needed a cracker.
    “Awk. Naughty Boy. Naughty Boy.”
    Cheryl turned in time to see David walking through the front door of the shop. Gany had never forgiven or forgotten the teasing she had gotten from the mischievous teenager next door. She flew off her perch and into her large cage, plucking at the door until it shut behind her.
    I should pay attention. That bird has more sense than I do. Cheryl turned to greet David with a bland smile.
    “What can I do for you, Detective? Was that your car I glimpsed down by the road today?” She took a deep breath as he loomed over her. She refused to move closer to inhale his scent as she would dearly like to do. That fragrant, spicy shaving lotion had been a part of him since as a teenager he had bungled his first shave. Now she suspected he had to shave twice a day to keep his face from becoming scruffy. The thought of that rough cheek next to hers had her drawing a deep breath.
    “What can you do for me?” His face went from a smile to a wicked grin to an outright leer. “Now that’s a topic for later tonight. Lots of chatting about that for sure, sweet thing. But I need to discuss your police work for now.”
    “I’m not doing police work. I merely agreed to identify Mr. Toledo’s guests if they arrived while I am working. Police work is what you do. I design gardens,” she said firmly as she rearranged some garden folders on the counter.
    “ Awk, awk! Naughty boy! Don’t slam the door.” The parrot shifted restlessly in her cage and plucked at a bell hanging there, clearly disturbed by the detective’s visit.
    “Awww, Polly want a cracker?” Larkin walked over and tapped on the side of the cage.
    The parrot tucked its head underneath its wings.
    “There, I got her quiet now,” he said.
    Cheryl couldn’t contain her smile. “She’s got your number, David.” Her chuckles tumbled out, and Larkin paused to consider her with renewed concentrated interest. He drew closer and reached for her across the counter. Cheryl, still laughing, darted out of his reach.
    “Now I remember you,” he said, his voice dropping into the sexy range. “You’re that little girl next door and you’re all grown up now.” He started around the counter but paused when Cheryl stopped laughing and frowned at him.
    “Okay, okay. I’ll behave. Now listen. First of all, don’t look for me when you’re on the job. I may or may not be