Book chapter excerpt describing a teenager's recruitment by Epstein, 2005

CHAPTER 7 Mary: March 2005 Still, a friend. “Nothing,” says Mary. “You got your period? “Shut the fuck up,” M: There have been run Rumors started by a girl v “Whore,” her rival sho “You’re the whore,” M: Mary rushes the girl, w twisting and tugging. Son bell rings for next period, N She shakes her head i feeling humiliated. Then, in her wallet, th Mary’s too young and too : are all twenties, not single ents, her teachers sugges Mary do drugs or deal the Mary’s father knows be chologist is called in. And Once she does, she can It’s a wild story. Highly A powerful man. This is al It’s definitely a matter for th recommending a transfer, troubled kids-ones with Mary’s a good girl, it’s t high school will not be tole If there’s no traffic, Mary’s hometown is less than thirty minutes away from the island of Palm Beach. But in economic terms it’s a world away. Her high school is run by the county. Most of Mary’s classmates are black. Thirty percent are Hispanic, as she is. The rest are white. The school has a C rating, and lots of students receive free or discounted lunches. Mary is one of those students. But inch by inch, she’s working her way out of the crab barrel. A good kid, her teachers think. A kid with a future in front of her. Weeks have gone by since her meeting with Epstein. She hasn’t told anyone about the visit. Still, other kids at the high school have noticed a change. “Yo, Mary,” a friend says. “What’s up with you anyway?” This is a kid who veers from nice to mean, depending on who else is around. 20 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009075¶