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didn’t have any of this type of lifestyle until my early forties. By then my body was considerably further south than this dress would allow.” Helena laughed but Sofia sensed something melancholy behind it.
    Changing back into her skirt and blouse, Sofia peeked through the silk curtain to see Helena looking off into space. Sofia noted with sympathy that it was not only she who must kept the past at bay.
    Sofia and Helena spent a pleasant day hunting for the rest of Sofia’s ensemble, shoes, jewelry and clutch, a gorgeous peacock green Prada, before stopping for a late lunch at a small Cuban restaurant on Calle Ocho and returning to the yacht.
    Upon their return, they found Joe and Quint deep in conversation in the living room. As they entered, Joe began rolling up maps and shutting down the laptop. Quint rose and said, “It looks like you two had a successful trip. Here let me help you with those”, reaching for the bags and boxes in Sofia’s arms.
    “Thanks, let’s just put them in my cabin. Helena, I’ll see you in a bit, thank you so much for your help today.” Helena nodded and Sofia turned toward the passageway.
    After Quint placed the items on her bed, he turned. “Did you have a good time?”
    She rounded on Quint. “How could you have told them about my mother? How did you know she died?”
    He sighed, “Look, I’m sorry but these folks are very private and don’t take people on unless they know everything about them, and I mean everything. Family, friends, enemies, everything. I promise that they won’t hold it against you, they just need to know. Everyone has dirty laundry.” Sofia cocked an eyebrow. She briefly wondered about what his dirty laundry would reveal. She forced her mind away from that line of thought. It had been a long day and she didn’t have the energy to contemplate it. She lowered the eyebrow and replied.
    “Well, now they really know everything. I was basically forced to tell Helena about my mother’s suicide.” Quint didn’t say anything but he briefly put a hand on her arm sending a surge of electricity through her, at odds with the anger she felt.
    She continued her tone softened “Quint, the reason I moved to Charleston was to get away from all that and now I have to relive it.”
    He shook his head. “Well, I understand if you want to call it quits with the interview and go back to Charleston, but, I hope you’ll stay through this evening. We really need your help.”
    Sofia thought of the freedom she felt earlier. “No, I don’t want to leave, but I want to know what else you told them. I can’t handle any more surprises like that.”
    “I think that’s most of it or the worst of it anyway. Are you ready for tonight?”
    Sofia allowed the change of subject. “No, but at least I’ll look good while failing miserably.”
    He gave a crooked grin. “In two years, I’ve never seen that happen to you.”
    She returned the smile. “First time for everything.” Then her face took on a more focused look. “Seriously, what tactics can I use tonight? I feel like I’m going in blind.”
    “Sofia, believe me when I say that all four of us are going in blind when it comes to the Caracciola. Joe, Helena and I have some people we need to talk to about funding and operational support, but you know just as much about the car as we do.”
    “But…”
    Quint cut across her. “Sofia, this isn’t some classroom exam where the professor has the answer key in the desk drawer. This is a real assignment with real consequences.”
    “Thanks, and here I thought you were supposed to be here for support.”
    “I am, and part of that is being honest with you about the situation. I know you can do this.” His confidence in her soothed her frustration.
    “What will be your job tonight? You just said something about funding.”
    “Right. When you’ve located the car, we need capital to acquire and transport it.”
    Sofia felt utterly ridiculous, of course they weren’t going