“Did you know Eleanor Lavelle?” she asked.

Catherine took a small sip of the wine and shook her head. “I never met her. I know she worked for my father briefly, but I was at school in Boston at the time. In any case, I had no real interest in the business back then. I was far more interested in boys and parties. I rarely visited the premises, so I didn’t really know any of the employees.”

“But you do remember the case?”

“Of course,” she said. “Everyone was shocked by what happened. A young woman attacked in her own home like that. But I don’t remember a lot of the details, I’m afraid. It was a difficult time for my family.

“My father had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in August of that year, and his health deteriorated very quickly. My mother and I spent a lot of time at the hospital with him while he underwent various tests and treatment before eventually moving on to palliative care. All that money and they still couldn’t save him.”

Catherine smiled sadly, lost in the memory.

She went on. “He died in November 1992, and most of my time in the weeks after his death was spent dealing with lawyers with regard to the business and his estate. I do recall what happened to the woman and her daughter being on the news a lot around the same time, but my focus was on my father. We were very close.”

“I lost my own father two years ago,” Jessica said. “I don’t think it’s something you ever get over.” Her voice caught slightly on the words, and she coughed to clear her throat. “If you don’t mind me asking, why did your father leave the business to you rather than Mrs. Tavernier?”

Catherine gave a short laugh. “My mother was a lovely woman but not business minded at all. The only thing she knew about money was how to spend it. She was well looked after, of course, but both my parents were happy for Tav-Con to be passed into my hands. And I had my father’s blessing to sell the company and set up my own business. He always knew the construction industry wasn’t really me.”

“I’m sure he would have been very proud of what you’ve gone on to achieve.”

“Yes, I suppose he would.” She smiled ruefully. “In a business sense, anyway.”

According to the profiles Jessica had read online, Catherine Tavernier had been married twice but never had any children. Her first husband had been a fellow student at Boston University, and the marriage had been short lived. Her second husband, a partner in a law firm, had two sons from a previous relationship, but they didn’t have any kids together.

All very interesting in a Page Six kind of way, but Jessica was keen to steer the conversation back to the Lavelles.