Danielle LaRue - Fashion Model - Part 9

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I woke up with Scott beside me, and the sun was streaming in through our window.  I guess I had forgotten to close the curtains last night.  I quietly slipped out of bed, went over to our living room, and started the coffee going in the little coffee maker.  I was famished, so I decided to call up room service, and I had them send up a continental breakfast for four people to our room.

Betty then strolled in, and I told her I had ordered a continental breakfast for us all.  She smiled and helped herself to a coffee, and we sat and chatted about what we were going to do today.

I said, “I enjoyed traveling around on the scooters yesterday, and Tony has many other tours available if you would like to do that again.”

Betty replied, “Well, the best part about riding around on the scooters was my feet were not killing me like after the first day we were here.”

I grabbed my phone and called Tony’s number, and left a message that we wanted to reserve two scooters for today, along with a GPS for another tour. Room service soon brought up breakfast, and we shared some fruit and a crouton and a Danish.  They also brought a toaster, and we made some toast as well.  The boys soon showed up, and they helped themselves to the coffee and juice and some of the many pastries available to us.

We told the boys we wanted to do another scooter tour, and they were happy too, as they thoroughly enjoyed scooting around Rome on the Vespas yesterday.

We all finished breakfast and then got showered and ready to go.  We soon all left the hotel together and walked over to the Scooter rental, and Tony was there and greeted us and showed us our rides.  Today, we had an orange one and a yellow one, and they had little more horsepower than the first ones we had rented yesterday.  He showed us some of the other available tours, and we chose the fountains and museums tour.  We said arrivederci to Tony, and we were off to our first stop.

The Turtle Fountain (Fontana della Tartarughe) was one of the fountains on my list, and we took pictures of it and ourselves in front, and we were off to our first museum.  The Capitoline Museum was an art museum filled with old masters, and we spent an hour looking around.

We then jumped on our scooters and headed off to another fountain. Again we stopped to take pictures, and we were just about ready to get back on our scooters when a handsome man stepped up in front of me.

“Scusami Miss?  Are you a model?  I have seen your photos somewhere.  We stopped to listen to him.  My name is Antonio Verrelli, and I am a talent scout looking for new models.  You have a youthful look for which I have been searching.”   He explained that he worked for a modeling agency in Milan and had happened to be in Rome for a fashion show, and by chance, he had seen me on the street today.

I explained that I was a model in America and had been on TV and in print there.  Ah!  That’s where I saw you, in American Style magazine.   I told him I was presently under contract in America, and I pulled an extra card I had from Cindy Rome and told her if he was interested in me, he would have to go through her.  If he wished to contact me directly, I gave him the hotel’s name where we were staying and my modeling name Danielle LaRue.

He gave me his card as well, and when I read the name of his modeling agency, I coughed.  It was Elite Models, a worldwide agency.  They were one of the top modeling agencies in the world.  And he was interested in me?  Wow!  He thanked me for his time and left us to enjoy our sightseeing tour.

Scott looked at me, “Was he for real?”

I don’t know Scott, but this business card is from a very top-end modeling agency that does business worldwide.  I am just not going to worry about it now.  If he is genuinely interested in me, I am sure he will contact Cindy, and they will be in contact with me.

We continued our Vespa tour the rest of the day, but I couldn’t get Antonio out of my mind.  What would they want me to do?  We continued to see a whirlwind of fountains and museums all day, but my mind was elsewhere.  Dannielle LaRue – Supermodel?

When 4 pm rolled around, we turned the scooters back to Tony and returned to our hotel.  I walked over to the front desk and asked them if there were any messages for Danielle LaRue.  Ah yes, we were wondering who you were.  Here are your notes.  Now that we know you are with the Jonsson party and your room, we will have them forwarded to your room’s voicemail.

Cindy left me a message and asked me to call her back later tonight.  Antonio had left me a couple of notes too, but I figured I would talk to Cindy first before returning any of Antonio’s calls.

We showered and dressed up for dinner, and we enjoyed another fine restaurant in Rome.  Il Pagliaccio had a Michelin two-star rating, and it was an exquisite meal.

We returned to the hotel, and when it was time to call Cindy, I gave her a ring.

Danielle, how is your honeymoon going?  You had undoubtedly caused a stir here in the office when Elite Models called here asking about you.

I explained to Cindy how this was a chance meeting by a fountain in Rome, and Antonio seemed interested in me.  I realized I am currently under contract, so I wasn’t about to do anything unless you gave me your go-ahead.

Ok, Danielle, here is the deal; they are willing to subcontract you from us with your approval and would like you to go to Milan so you can give them an audition.  If they want you, you may have to stay for an extra month in Italy.  Since you have completed the summer catalog, we can spare you, and the Fall clothing line won’t be out for another month.  How does that sound?  It’s all up to you, dear, and I won’t hold you back from this opportunity.  Besides, if they want to use your talent, we will both stand to make some money from this.

My mind was in the clouds after I hung up the call.  Scott looked at me and said Earth to Danielle, are you there?  I came back to earth and smiled. Yes, Scott jumped into his lap and gave him a big kiss.

In a matter of minutes, we were both naked, and Scott was chasing me around the bedroom before he caught me and ravished me again.

The following day I called Antonio, and he asked me if it were possible for me to travel up to Milan and perform an audition for them.  He gave me their address and, I said I didn’t think there would be an issue and asked him to hold for a minute.

I asked everyone if they wanted to visit Milan.  Sure, we have the jet, and we can get up there in no time.  Scott called up the pilots and told them to get the plane ready for a short hop up to Milan.  He gave me a thumbs up and said it was “wheels up” in two hours.  So that would be 3 hours to get into Milan.

I spoke again to Antonio, I have a private jet at my disposal, and I can be there this afternoon in three hours if you like, unless you would prefer later this week.  He paused and said, this afternoon would be great.  I told him the name of the airport we would be flying into, and he said he would have a car waiting for our group.

And then, we were on our way.

Our destination was the Milano-Linate Airport, which was very close to Milan’s city center.  Our flight would be just over an hour to get there.  We soon landed, and as Antonio promised, a car was waiting for us at the airport.  We were driven quickly to the offices of Elite Models and were ushered in by Antonio when we arrived at their reception.

There were photographs on the walls of many famous models as we walked to Antonio’s office.  Antonio told me he had received my dress size information from Cindy, and they were waiting for me at their studio, and I could start in right away.

Betty was interested and followed me into the wardrobe area and left the boys in the studio.  She watched their makeup artists as they made up my face and hair, and she helped me into the first outfit.  I was ready to go, and we went back to the studio, and the boys watched me while I posed for the photographer.  For the next three hours, I was back in my little world, thinking of where my light was, and making my best smiles and gestures for the camera, as well as the many poses they wished me to make.  I loved doing modeling, and I never got bored with it.  It was always exciting for me.  The outfits I wore ranged from casual to Haute Couture.  These high fashions were fabulous, and I had never worn anything like them before.

After I had modeled all the outfits they wanted, I changed back into my street clothes but left on the high fashion makeup.  I knew this would get Scott hot and bothered, and I was right.

We met back in Antonio’s office, and he showed us their photos of me.  Wow!  He said to me.  Bella Donna was all he could say.  I think he was impressed with me.  Antonio thanked me for my time, gave me copies of the photos, and told me he would contact us by the end of the week.

We were off to go sightseeing while we were here in Milan.  Betty and I turned it into a shopping trip and dragged the boys along to Milan’s famous downtown fashion district.  There were many shops and boutiques as well as many high-end stores.  They watched us, while we tried on the new fashions at the shops there.  I would go by how large a smile Scott and Frank were wearing when we tried on a new outfit.   Betty had a great time too, and we both purchased several new designs we liked.

We stayed for dinner in Milan and returned to the airport when we had agreed to depart with the pilots.

On the way back, everyone was excited for me.  Betty couldn’t believe how well I looked modeling Haute Couture.  She said I was a natural and thought for sure I would get a call from them by the end of the week.

“Scott, would you have any issue with my staying in Milan for a month before returning home”?

Scott smiled at me and said, “No, because I will stay with you, and I’m not letting you out of my sight.”  He laughed and kissed me. He had already called his firm and had taken a month’s leave of absence so that he could stay with me.

I was overjoyed, as I would have hated being apart from Scott for a month.  What a man I had married!

We got back to Rome and turned in for the evening.  On Friday, Antonio called me up in the morning and told me Elite Models were in love with me, and he would like for me to start modeling for them in a week, just after my honeymoon.  I told him my husband would accompany me, and he gave me the address to a furnished apartment we could use while I was in Milan.  Antonio also faxed a copy of my contract between Elite models and Cindy’s agency, and Scott looked it over.  He told me it looked satisfactory to him.  They had also arranged for a Work Visa for the month I was in Milan.

Our honeymoon wasn’t yet over, so we spent the day touring the Vatican City, the last remaining vestige of the Holy Roman Empire.  I didn’t see the Pope, but we did visit the Sistine Chapel to view the fantastic ceiling and St Peter’s square and the other Vatican museums that were open to the public.  The amount of artwork and sculptures they had on the display was incredible.

When we got back to the hotel, I asked the group if they wanted to travel and stay in Venice for the next week or preferred to remain in Rome.

Venice!  We cried.  We found a fine four-star hotel in Venice, and on Saturday, we checked out of our hotel in Rome and flew in the jet over to Marco Polo airport near Venice.

We checked into our new Venetian Hotel, and it was as beautiful as our last one in Rome.

Meanwhile, back in the USA

Howie Cihak was finishing his morning coffee when he saw a news report on TV.  “Shit!”

He turned up the volume on the TV.   He was a middle-aged, unkempt, overweight, balding, slob of a man.  He was sitting in his usual home attire, wearing his underwear and a wife-beater t-shirt.

“Last week, both heirs of one of our leading families in Sacramento took part in a double wedding ceremony at St. John’s Lutheran Church here in Sacramento….”

“So, he married that tranny bitch.  No wonder the old bat didn’t give the bonus money she had promised me.”

Howie was a private detective and had his little agency, which consisted of himself and a part-time secretary/bookkeeper.  He hadn’t been doing too well lately and was hoping he could score big with the Jonsson woman when she called to have him investigate that Danielle LaRue girl, who turned out not to be a girl after all.  Now it looked like the tranny was able to work her way into their family.  No wonder he hadn’t heard back from the Jonsson broad.

A commercial then came on the TV, and it showed that same tranny girl in a closeup.  She was a model, too, letting everyone believe that she was a real girl when she was a he.

He sat back and thought about it for a minute, picked up his phone, and dialed a number.

“Hello National Tattler Magazine?  Could you connect me to the editor?”

The editor soon picked up.  Howie asked him, “Say, how much would you guys pay for a story that would expose a tranny girl who has not only married into a wealthy family but also is on TV letting everyone think she is a real girl?”

“Yes, uh-huh.  That much?  We may have a deal.  Let me talk to my associates, and I will get back to you.  My name is Howard Cihak, and I am a private detective in California.” Howie gave the editor his contact info and hung up.

A week later, Valerie Jonsson received a letter in the mail.  She opened it up and then had to sit down, as she almost fainted.  Valerie sat there stunned, not knowing what to do.  She got up and went looking for her husband Lars and found him in his study.

“Look at this Lars, I think I have opened Pandora’s box, and I don’t know what we should do,” Valerie handed him the letter.

Lars read the letter and whistled as he exhaled.  I think we know who is behind this.

“It’s that disgusting private detective I used to investigate Danielle.  It looks like he wants us to pay him a ransom, or he will sell his information about Danielle to a tabloid.  My god, he wants us to pay him two million dollars by the end of the week, or he will sell the story.”

Valerie sat down and cried for her family and what this would cost them.

“We have no guarantee that he won’t release his information to the press regardless of what we do,” said Lars

We should assume he will release this information regardless of what we do, so let’s call the police.  If he wants us to pay him a ransom, we have him for extortion here.

Lars got on the phone with the police chief who was just at the wedding.  Lars told the Chief about their problem and the ransom note and hung up the phone.

Lars told Valerie, “The Chief told me he was coming right over and was bringing his best detectives with him.  He wants to nail that guy.”

About an hour later, Andrew brought the Chief and a couple of detectives into the study to speak with Lars and Valerie.

“Do you have an idea of the person behind this ransom?” asked the Chief while he was reading the ransom note.

Valerie spoke up.  “I made the mistake of using this man to investigate my daughter-in-law before she married my son.  He was one of the most unsavory characters I have ever met.  Here is his business card,” as she handed it to the Chief.

We uncovered some information about her that was shocking to us at the time, although in the end, it didn’t make much difference to my son, as he was still in love with the girl, it seems Danielle LaRue is a transgender woman.  For the sake of our family, I asked her to forgive me for putting her through all of that.

But this news, if it gets out, could make all our lives much more difficult.

The Chief nodded his head and looked at his detectives.  They were both examining the letter as well as the business card.  And one of them put both items in an evidence bag.  We want to dust these for fingerprints.   This Howard Cihak P I is a real piece of work, and he may have a police record as well.  We will check into him.

We think the best way forward is to make him believe you will pay the ransom.   We can provide you with fake bills to make it look natural, but we will arrest him if he tries to collect the money.

We would like you to respond to him the way he has requested, and we will track him.  Under the detective’s supervision, Valerie called the number given in the letter and left a message saying they would pay the ransom.

Howie Cihak was overjoyed when he called the number for the message on his burner phone.  She’s going to pay; this will be great.  He then left his apartment, went over to a park, and sent her phone a text message telling her how and where to drop off the money. He immediately turned off the phone again.

The money was in a bag, and Valerie was sure this wouldn’t work.  She received a text message from the ransomer, which directed her to a public park, where she was to stuff the bag into a trash can by the road.  Valerie walked up the can, took the bag, and stuffed it in.  She looked around, turned, and quickly walked away.  It was up to the police now.

The police had the area under surveillance.  There was no one around the can at all for several hours.  Darkness fell, and there was still no one.  Suddenly a motorcycle rider popped up on the sidewalk beside the can; he reached in and pulled out the bag.  He then revved the bike and sped away.  Two unmarked cars followed him in pursuit.  The rider led them on a chase, and they finally cornered him at a roadblock.

They pulled their guns on the rider and told him to remove their helmet.  The rider was only a teenager.

They said, “Who are you, and why did you take that bag?”

The teen answered, “An old fat guy gave me 50 bucks to take that bag out of the trash can and said he would give me another 50 when I brought it to him.

“Where is he?”

“I was supposed to meet him at a bar down on Broadway St.”

“Can you still make it?”

“Maybe.”

They took his wallet and told him to get back on his bike, and the police followed him to the bar.  They covered the entrances and let him walk inside, and then the detectives walked in behind him.

They saw the kid walk to the back of the bar, up to the booth where Howie Cihak was sitting.  He dropped the bag on the table, and they watched as Howie gave him another 50, and the kid turned to walk away.  The two detectives moved in, sat on either side of Howie, introduced themselves, and informed him that he was under arrest.  Howie just smiled at them.

Valerie received the call from the police telling her they had arrested Howie and charged him with extortion.

The next day, there were television crews in front of the Jonsson family home, and reporters were buzzing the intercom so often that they had to turn it off.  The story about Danielle LaRue recently married into the wealthy Jonsson family and famous model being outed as a transgender woman was now in the headline news.

Valerie just cried on Lar’s shoulder as he consoled her.

“We are going to have to call the children and tell them.”

“I know.  Let me call Scott, and you can listen in.”

Back to Venice.

Danielle and Scott had just returned to their room from a day of sightseeing in Venice when her phone started ringing, and Danielle picked up.

“Hello, may I speak to Danielle LaRue?”

“This is she.”

“It’s been reported here that you have been outed as a transgender woman.  Is this true?”

“Who told you that?”

“It’s everywhere in the news, ma’am.  Haven’t you heard?”

“No, I haven’t.  I’m sorry, I have to hang up now.”

Danielle collapsed on a nearby sofa and started to cry.

“What’s wrong?” asked Scott.

Just then, his phone rang, and he picked it up and said, “Hello.”

“Son?  It’s Dad calling you.  I don’t know if you have heard, but something terrible has happened.  They are reporting Danielle was exposed as being a transgender woman in the news.  We have a mob of reporters here camped in front of the house.”

Scott turned on the TV and found an American News channel.  The scrolling headline read, “Famous TV Model, Amelia’s Girl - Danielle LaRue, outed as Transgender Woman.”