Whispers of Danger and Love by Janis Lane Page A

around, but if you look for me, it could call attention, and then we’ll both be in the suds.
    “Second, it might not be me. You don’t know all the policemen and detectives in the police department, but they know to keep a watch on you. Just trust me that you’re being monitored at all times when you’re at Toledo’s. We want you to relax and just be yourself, which is a sweet thing indeed. Not that you need to be sweet to that sleaze ball Toledo.”
    “It’s difficult to relax, but I can forget all this police/criminal stuff when I get into my work. I’ll try my best. Was that you down by the road today?”
    “Yes, for a while. Now remember what I said. Don’t look for me and if you do see me, don’t recognize me. For heaven’s sake, don’t talk to me. Hopefully all this will be over soon. I gotta go. You wanna come over to my house tonight for pizza?”
    “Actually I have a date tonight. A dinner date. But I’ll take a rain check on the pizza.” She closed her book and tidied the counter. “Thanks for the information. Good luck tomorrow.” She gave him a dismissal smile as he stood rooted to the floor.
    Finally, he turned without a word and left the shop.
    Cheryl leaned across the counter in relief. Larkin was getting harder and harder to handle. Or was it her hormones that were acting up? Difficult to tell at this point. Something or someone was certainly straining her ability to control herself. A dinner date is just what I need. Mom and Dad do qualify, I think. Who knows whom I’ll run into at the country club dining room? I hope not Gordon.
    She punched in a number on her cell. “Mom? Are you and Dad going to be at dinner tonight at the Club? . . . May I join you? . . . Great. What time? . . . Okay, around six it is. See you later.” Still short of breath, which seemed to be a perpetual status whenever the huge detective was around, Cheryl went around the corner to cover the parrot’s cage.
    “Sorry, Gany, he really doesn’t mean to upset you anymore. He’s just oblivious to what to do and what not to do around a sensitive bird. He sort of grows on you if you relax and let him. Which I’m certainly not going to be doing any time in the future, and forget that I mentioned it, will you? ‘Night, ‘night now.”
    “Parting is such sweet awk .”
    Cheryl laughed. “Yes it is, Gany. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Cheryl could hear the bird settling down on her roost for the night.
    She viewed her fingernails. It would take some doing to get them in shape before she met her parents. They loved her but they were baffled by her work. Okay, everyone was baffled because she loved to be outside doing manual labor. She headed for the shower wondering if she’d gotten just a bit too much sun on her nose today. Probably popped out a dozen freckles.
    She paused in her appraisal of herself to answer her cell. Not him again.
    “Hello, Gordon . . . No, I was just about to get into the shower. What’s up? . . . Not tonight. I have plans. . . . No, with Mom and Dad. . . . I’m meeting them at the Club. Haven’t seen them in a week or two. . . . Well, if you do, make it around dessert time. I have some private things I want to share with my parents, if you don’t mind . . .”
    “Gordon, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you do remember we’re no longer engaged, don’t you?” She listened to his protests.
    “Of course, we’re friends. Just because I want to have some privacy with my parents doesn’t mean I don’t want to be your friend. I have to go. . . . Yes, right now. Good-bye, Gordon.”
    “Can I go to the shower now, do you think?” she asked the heavens above. “I’m determined to get to the shower. Will Gordon never stop being a pest? You’d think he would have figured out he can’t control me when I finally broke off the engagement.”
    David Larkin was making the very same mistake. Admittedly, she was oversensitive to being ordered about, but she would hold firm. No man was