Picture Perfect

By LaVerne Shaw

Photo journalist Caci Calhoon, ordered to Houston to prepare Jobe Morrison to be the next cover selection for Chrysilis magazine, finds him to be enormously fat! What can she do? Strict dieting and sessions with a couture clothier enable him to succeed in his publicity for the magazine. He is a smashing success.

Suddenly, Caci finds herself drawn to the man in spite of her better judgment.

Does he feel the same? But shockingly, he is accused of murder! What can Caci do to help? Anything? Nothing? Is he guilty?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781543450767

LaVerne Shaw

A third generation New Mexican, La Verne has spent her life living in the southeastern comer of the state surrounded by Texas. She calls herself a New Texican. Writing mystery romance novels is a hobby along with water coloring and piecing quilts. She and her husband were married for 65 years, raised two sons and helped raise two granddaughters all now married. In retirement, she lives alone and spins her talessometimes late at night. She can be contacted at [e-mail] and would love to hear from YOU!

Book preview

Chapter 1

But you promised, Wymar! You promised!

I know Casi, honey, but this is crucial. Listen to me!

I don’t want to listen. You promised that if I took the case of Iselda in Lisbon and made a success of that, I would have an entire week free to soak up the sun in Malibu.

"I know, honey, and you did a great job. The latest issue is coming out tomorrow and her picture on the cover is outstanding. I don’t know how you did it in just two weeks.

She was beginning to be a hellcat of a teenager when you took over."

"She was a real challenge – but when I mentioned throwing her an eighteenth

birthday bash, she blossomed like a rose."

That was a true inspiration. I can’t begin to thank you enough – and you will find a bit of an increase in your latest paycheck.

That’s well and good but what I really want is a week off to sun in Malibu.

Tears filled Casi’s blue eyes as she stared down twenty stories to the bustling traffic below.Cars crawled like tiny bugs and palm trees waved in miniature splendor to mark the streets ofdowntown Los Angeles.

Wymar Randall smoothed back a lock of his white hair as he stared at the angry

girl staring out the window at the scene far below. He had to get through to her somehow.

This new crisis would blow up in his face if she didn’t agree to go to Houston immediately.

You said Lu Smyth was already down there. Why can’t he take care of everything thistime?

"For some reason he has been unable to make contact with Jobe Morrison. Oh, he’s met him and visited with him a bit but he cannot pin him down to an interview nor authorize the

proper kind of pictures for our write-up in CHRYSILIS magazine".

Then let’s drop him and move on to the tennis star in Venezuela for the next issue.Why not?

No I don’t think that is a good idea. I have met Jobe Morrison and he is an outstanding young man – just the type we need to create interest in our magazine. We have had greatsuccess with our publications all this year and it’s due to the type of people we are unearthing towrite articles about. They inspire people to do something on their own.

Casi turned to face Wymar with anger flashing from her icy blue eyes.

Are you doing this because you don’t like David Duncan?

No, Casi, it’s true I don’t like David - for you – but as a person he is doing a good job of reporting for WBNN.

2.

Well, thanks for that anyway. Casi’s remark held a note of bitterness. I told you that we are just good friends. I don’t have any plans to marry the man.

I know. That’s what worries me. You are getting to the age that you need a husbandand a few babies in your life. I worry about you a lot. And David hasn’t been in any hurry tosettle down and give you any of those things.

Oooooh! Casi almost stomped a foot in anger.

Was he planning to join you in Malibu for the next week?

No. He is off to Caracas on a field trip concerning a recent drug bash down here. Hewas planning to loan me his house in Malibu for this coming week and I could do just as Ipleased.

Oh, Casi, I am so sorry. But Lu called and asked specifically for your help in Houston and I assured him you would come. Must I go back on my word?

Casi turned again to stare out the windows. She lifted a lace handkerchief from herjacket pocket and wiped a tear from her eyes. How could she refuse Wymar’s request?

He had hired her right out of university and had given her every advantage in the publication of the new magazine CHRYSILIS. Although Lu was his right hand man she came next and was an expert at obtaining information and seeing that it was written up for each issue she was

assigned to. She had recently filmed and written about the teenage model that was just now all the rage in Europe – Iselda Marin from Lisbon. She had spied the new copy of the magazine asshe came up to Wymar’s office to report in. It was outstanding. It was something she could be proud of. She deserved a week off!

Wymar rang for his secretary. "Let’s have a cup of tea and relax while I tell you all

about this new assignment." He knew her innate curiosity would soon take over if he was luckyand played his cards just right

An hour later Casi set her fine china cup atop its saucer and sighed. She knew when

she was out-maneuvered. She was going to Houston whether she wanted to or not. WymarSAID and all of his staff DID.

How soon do I need to leave?

I have your reservation on United at 3:49 this afternoon.

WHAT? Were you that sure of me? Thank goodness I haven’t unpacked!

Stop by my secretary’s desk and pick up your boarding pass and the papers you will need. Everything is ready and waiting for you.

Casi shook her dark curls and knew that she had lost this round. But she couldn’t beangry with Wymar. He had been exceptionally good to her for the past five years so she reallyhad no grounds for complaining - except that she was tired.

As Casi fled from his office in a hurry Wymar sat back down in his maroon leather chair.

He gave a deep sigh and rubbed the back of is neck. He had almost lost that battle with Casi this time. One of these days he would. Meanwhile he gave a mild chuckle and knew everything would be all right now with her on the job. Casi, short for Cassandra which shehated, Calhoon, was his best journalist. She was twenty-eight, unmarried and a beauty Shehad worked a few so-called miracles for him in the past few years as he had managed to bringhis magazine to the forefront of the news media circus.

3.

Casi had been an only child. Her parents were close friends of Wymar and his wife,Lily, for years. They had all met in college; they had married and stayed close through theyears. Wymar and Lily had no children but Glen and Sue had Casi. They were killed in anairplane crash while returning from a summer vacation the year Casi was a Senior at UCLA.Wymar and Lily had clung to Casi and tried to ease her way through the sadness of losingboth parents.

Wymar had taken her under his wing and hired her to work for him. Tough and clever,Casi had climbed the corporate ladder from copy room to third in command of the magazine,CHRYSILIS. Wymar treasured her for she was often able to connect with a prospectivecelebrant better than his right hand man, Lu Smyth.

Casi scrambled to weave her way through the L.A. traffic with so little time to spare.

At last she parked her almost new SUV in the underground parking lot and scanned its interiorto be sure she had everything she needed out of it. With a decided click she locked it and

patted the fender saying See you later, kid.

At last the elevator disgorged her on the correct floor and she hurried to unlock hercondo door.

Thank goodness I didn’t completely unpack this morning! She dropped her purse

and lifted her half-full suitcase to the edge of the bed. Luckily she had done laundry as sheunpacked a few things before going to report to Wymar at the magazine’s office.

I should have known! she exclaimed to no one in particular. "I should have guessed

he would have something else for me to do if he thought I was spending quality time withDavid. I don’t now why he dislikes David so. He’s a perfectly nice individual. Who knows what makes Wymar tick?"

She soon found herself folding lingerie, night wear and cool clothing back into her case.

A quick glance at the diamond studded watch attached to her wrist told her that she still had afew minutes to make a quick call to her favorite friend, Lynda, to tell her of the change of plans.It took only two explanations to cancel their plans for some time at the Malibu house during thecoming week.Lynda had planned to come out Thursday night to spend the weekend whileDavid was in South America.

I am SO sorry, Lynda. I am really disappointed. But maybe we can schedule a fun time again soon. I’ll try! With that she replaced the receiver and dialed for Wymar’schauffeur who was to drive her to LAX.

4.

Chapter 2

The air terminal was busy as usual and Casi had to run to make her flight. She was the last passenger to board. The door was closing as she made a jump from the jetway. Her seatwas in the very tail of the plane where traffic was thick as people made their way back and forthto the tiny bathroom.

At least Wymar could have booked me into first class, she muttered as she shuffledinto her seat. Her seat mate, napping against a pillow leaning against the window, opened oneeye and gave her a sour look, then returned to his nap.

"Anyway I won’t have to endure some stranger telling me all his