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remembered how efficiently he’d stopped the assistant director on her first film from touching her when she’d objected to his familiarity.
    Rory was laughing. “Really?”
    â€œShe wasn’t really cut out for police work,” he said. “She couldn’t talk on the phone and type at the same time, so she didn’t do much typing.”
    â€œWhy…?” Tippy fished.
    â€œâ€¦did she empty a trash can on me?” he finished for her.
    â€œDamned if I know! I told her not to force the lock on my filing cabinet, but she wouldn’t listen. Is it my fault my babypython, Mikey, jumped out of the drawer at her? She scared him. He has a nervous condition.”
    They’d both stopped now and were staring at him.
    He sighed. “Isn’t it strange how snakes make some people nervous?” he asked philosophically.
    â€œYou have a snake named Mikey?” Tippy exclaimed.
    â€œCag Hart had an albino python that he gave to a breeder after he got married. The python’s mate had a litter of the cute little things, and I asked for one. The day he gave me Mikey, I didn’t have time to take him home so I put him in the filing cabinet, temporarily, in a little plastic aquarium with water and a limb to climb. It was working very nicely until my secretary jimmied the lock. Sadly, Mikey had escaped and was sitting on top of the files in the filing cabinet drawer.”
    â€œWhat did she do?” Rory asked.
    He scowled. “She scared the poor little thing half to death,” he muttered. “I’m sure he’s going to have psychological problems for the rest of his…”
    â€œAfterward!” Rory interrupted.
    His dark eyebrows rose. “After she screamed bloody murder and threw my spare handcuffs at me, you mean?”
    Tippy just stared at him, her green eyes twinkling.
    â€œThat was when she dumped my trash can over my head. It was almost worth it. She had a spike haircut and black lipstick and nail polish, and body piercings with little silver rings all over visible space. Mikey’s slowly getting over the trauma. He’s living in my house now.”
    Tippy was laughing too hard to talk at all.
    Rory shook his head. “I almost had a snake once.”
    â€œWhat happened to it?” Cash asked.
    â€œShe wouldn’t let me out of the pet shop with it,” Rory sighed, pointing at his sister.
    â€œDoesn’t like snakes, hmm?” he drawled with a wicked glance at Tippy.
    â€œIt wasn’t because I was afraid of it, it was because he couldn’t take it to school with him and I’m not home long enough to take care of a pet. But if you really need a secretary, as soon as I finish this movie, I’ll have my nose pierced and my hair spiked, first thing,” she said, tongue in cheek.
    Cash’s perfect white teeth flashed at her. “I don’t know. Can you type and chew gum at the same time?”
    â€œShe can’t type a word. And she is scared of snakes…” Rory began enthusiastically.
    â€œStop right there,” Tippy murmured with a quick look at her brother. “And don’t you let him corrupt you,” she cautioned. “Unless you want me to tell him your fatal weakness!”
    Rory held up both hands. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Honest.”
    She pursed her full lips. “Okay.”
    â€œLook! There’s the guy with the bagpipes! Give me a twenty, sis, would you?” Rory exclaimed, nodding to ward a man in a kilt standing just outside a hotel near the park with a set of bagpipes. He was playing “Amazing Grace.”
    Tippy pulled a large bill from her fanny pack and handed it to Rory. “Here you go. We’ll wait here for you,” she said with an indulgent smile.
    Cash watched him go, his eyes sliding to the bag piper. “He plays well,” Cash said.
    â€œRory wants a set of bagpipes, but I doubt the commandant would be