Page 15 of Perfume Girl
I ignored her innuendo. “We have plenty of land at Bridgestone to exercise my horses. I head back to the office after having a break in the afternoon and work late into the night—”
“No dating?”
“That again? Why don’t you ask me something else?”
“What are you reading right now?”
“Sophie’s Worldby Jostein Gaarder.”
“So you consider yourself a philosopher, Mr. Beauregard?”
“Are we not all philosophers?”
“We are not all elusive.” She sat back. “Tell us a little about your childhood.”
“A happy one.”
“You went to live in Cuba at thirteen and yet your sister remained behind?”
I drew in a wary breath. “It was a decision my mother made after my father’s death. I respected it.”
“Your father’s death…how did it affect you?”
I leaned forward and pressed STOP on the recorder.
“Sorry.” She looked apologetic. “I forgot.”
“I remembered for you.”
She didn’t seem deterred. “How did you cope with being so young when you were sent away? Separated from your family…no time to grieve.”
“Admirably.”
“Was it because your mother was grieving? Or something else?”
“My heritage was important to my family. It still is. I visit Havana often.”
“What about Penelope?”
“I’ll let her answer her own questions.”
“She’s not here.”
I forced a smile. “I was allowed to experience and appreciate my heritage at a very young age and, as such, it shapes my work and influences my creations.”
“Were you lonely?” she asked softly.
I glanced at the window, feeling suffocated. “Turn the air conditioning up, please, Taylor.”
She rose and headed across the room. “I’ll take care of it.”
I looked over at Katy. “Where were we?”
“We were talking about the Cuban monastery where you lived as a boy?”
“Sir,” Taylor got my attention and raised her phone. “Sorry, this email just came in and it says it’s urgent.” She threw Katy an annoyed look.
Katy’s skeptical expression let me know she saw through our ruse.
