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RSON bing to his house tomorrow o set something up for you.” ” k to him tomorrow morning id?” :omorrow, and then I’ll bring¶

him about it.” agan. But she needs more. She :oo expectantly, she hopes. She or the girl. Or maybe she can’t Mary seems to have gotten the air, she begins to press Wendy. response. “I don’t know. You’re t. I mean, I don’t really work for m and they work for him… You o make more money?”

¶

u get paid,” Wendy says finally. or you? So that we can get paid saying. I’m working tomorrow, a schedule together for you and row when I leave Jeffrey with a¶

none. So if you guys call me, I’d ld get the phone.” age. That’s fine. I’ll leave you a 6 CHAPTER 10 Noel St. Pierre: March 2005 N oel St. Pierre* thinks of the kids he grew up with in Haiti. His old neighborhood was pressed up against the jungle border that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic, and some of the kids he knew would slip over. Those kids would stay in the DR for a few days, sometimes weeks. Some of them never returned. But the ones who did come back wouldn’t say too much about it. Most of them didn’t talk much at all. By the time he was ten, Noel had learned the truth about those kids. He’d learned that they’d ended up working as prostitutes. This was how Noel St. Pierre had learned about evil. There really were devils out in the world. Flesh-and-blood devils, and¶

• Noel St. Pierre is a composite character. 27

JAMES PATTERSON they were nothing like the demons he’d heard about in church. Noel had never forgotten the way those kids looked. The way they’d turned into old men and old women. They were like zombies trapped in children’s bodies. And now, in America, Noel’s been given a chance to help other kids. That’s what the police have told him, at least. Noel is a sanitation worker. Still strong at fifty, and lucky enough to have found his way to Palm Beach, he gets in to work before anyone else and keeps his white compactor truck clean, almost glistening. His pickup route runs hot and cold with the seasons. But even in the summer, with much less to do, he’s on the job early, braced for a six-hour shift that would break a lesser man’s back. In the winter, the job gets even harder. The Estate Section gets especially busy. Some of the parties have hundreds of guests. They leave behind mountains of refuse. That garbage gets picked up daily, or twice a day when requested. It’s carried by workers who slip, silently, under the porte cochères. Then it gets whisked twenty miles away to a landfill that the garbagemen call Mount Trashmore. Noel’s stretch of the Estate Section runs from the Everglades Club to the southernmost tip of the island. It encompasses Banyan Road, Jungle Road, El Bravo Way, and El Brillo Way. His performance record is spotless. As far as the Palm Beach PD is concerned, he’s the perfect man for the job. Chief Reiter’s authorized a “trash pull”-a legal way to collect discarded evidence. In this case, evidence culled from Jeffrey Epstein’s garbage. But when the police call him, Noel St. Pierre simply assumes that another refugee boat has run aground on 28 the beach. A sad thing time to time. His home desposts who line their p Many of the refugees: Most of them speak “Eske ou ka ede nou, “Can you help us, pl The cops always nee help out before. But thi impatient. “This time is differ special. You don’t have keep things to yourself, When he hears what “I’ll do it,” he says in The address he’s been g morning, St. Pierre move kitchen window at the women, one of them qui The fourth silhouette The police have give unsavory, but so is the detectives want from hi numbers, along with to wear. Anything that cou special truck on the El B aside in small trash bags end of every shift. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009177¶

RSON FILTHY RICH he’d heard about in church. those kids looked. The way women. They were like zom- And now, in America, Noel’s ids. him, at least. ill strong at fifty, and lucky¶

alm Beach, he gets in to work white compactor truck clean, e runs hot and cold with the with much less to do, he’s on shift that would break a lesser gets even harder. The Estate of the parties have hundreds ntains of refuse. That garbage y when requested. It’s carried ler the porte cocheres. Then it to a landfill that the garbagecction runs from the Everglades he island. It encompasses Ban- Vay, and El Brillo Way. His perfar as the Palm Beach PD is or the job. h pull”-a legal way to collect e, evidence culled from Jeffrey police call him, Noel St. Pierre fugee boat has run aground on 8 the beach. A sad thing, but something that does happen from time to time. His homeland, Haiti, is desperately poor. Run by despots who line their pockets while everyday people suffer. Many of the refugees are illiterate. Most of them speak only Creole. “Eske ou ka ede nou, souple,” they ask. “Can you help us, please?” The cops always need a translator, and Noel’s been asked to help out before. But this time the police officer’s voice is raspy, impatient. “This time is different,” the officer says. “Something very special. You don’t have to accept. But if you do, you’ll have to keep things to yourself, completely.” When he hears what the story is, Noel accepts. “I’ll do it,” he says immediately. The address he’s been given is 358 El Brillo Way. On his first morning, St. Pierre moves swiftly, sneaking a glance through the kitchen window at the four silhouettes standing inside. Three women, one of them quite short, with pigtails. The fourth silhouette is that of a tall man. The police have given him clear instructions. The work is unsavory, but so is the work Noel does every day. What the detectives want from him now are slips of paper with phone numbers, along with toothbrushes, condoms, discarded underwear. Anything that could provide DNA. He’s been told to use a special truck on the El Brillo run. Whatever he finds he’s to put aside in small trash bags he’ll deliver directly to the station at the end of every shift. 29 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009178¶

JAMES PATTERSON Jeffrey Epstein’s garbage will never arrive at Mount Trashmore. As he drives to the police station, St. Pierre thinks about Epstein and what he’s been told. It’s a wonder to him that American kids would do what the police say these kids have done. American kids are rich, after all. Some of them just don’t know it, he guesses. Americans always want more than they have. Then again, children do stupid things. They don’t know any better. And St. Pierre’s trips to the house make one thing clear. These girls are young. Really young. “I hope you can stop this man,” St. Pierre tells the cop. The detective shoots him a sharp look, and St. Pierre nods. “Please,” he says, more softly this time. “Can we count on seeing you here tomorrow?” The detective looks antsy, impatient again. In his hand he’s holding a scrap of paper that Noel St. Pierre has pulled from Epstein’s trash. Wendy Dobbs’s name is on it. Mary’s name is on it as well. The detective can’t wait to get it to Chief Reiter’s office. “As long as it takes, sir,” St. Pierre tells him. “Tomorrow, the next day. Whenever you need me.” 30 Michael Reiter: Sep T here’s a sense ir foundation. Fro residents will w How much more wou remarkably safe comm A tax write-off? Su genuine gesture. One c the department’s effort ciously, gratefully. In 2 Jeffrey Epstein-the Beach PD-for ninety generous standards of delivered personally, w ulator. But that day Mic off about Epstein. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009179¶

IRSON er arrive at Mount Trashmore. tion, St. Pierre thinks about : a wonder to him that Americe say these kids have done. ome of them just don’t know it, han they have. . things. They don’t know any : house make one thing clear. g. ” St. Pierre tells the cop. rp look, and St. Pierre nods. his time. ere tomorrow?” patient again. In his hand he’s bel St. Pierre has pulled from ame is on it. Mary’s name is on it to Chief Reiter’s office. ierre tells him. “Tomorrow, the ” 0 CHAPTER II Michael Reiter: September 2005 T here’s a sense in which the Palm Beach PD functions as a foundation. From time to time, one of the town’s wealthy residents will walk in with a check followed by an inquiry. How much more would the police force need to make this remarkably safe community feel even safer? A tax write-off? Sure. But why not? Coming from most, it’s a genuine gesture. One of appreciation for all they have and for all the department’s efforts to guard it. Donations are accepted graciously, gratefully. In 2004, the department had taken one from Jeffrey Epstein-the second donation he’d made to the Palm Beach PD-for ninety thousand dollars. Generous, even by the generous standards of Palm Beach. The donation, which Epstein delivered personally, was earmarked for a firearms training simulator. But that day Michael Reiter had thought something seemed off about Epstein. 31 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009180¶

JAMES PATTERSON Something an old cop would notice. Reiter’s officers had told him about complaints they’d gotten a few months earlier-young women hanging around at the end of the block or coming and going at all hours from Epstein’s house. “There was some follow-up to that,” Reiter said in a deposition for B.B. vs. Epstein, a civil suit, brought by a victim, that Jeffrey eventually settled. “I think we may have encountered one or two of them. [We] may have done a little bit of surveillance or talked to neighbors as to whether or not they had seen that. I think we were of the general understanding that, yes, there were very attractive young women coming and going from Mr. Epstein’s residence. “We did some level of further inquiry, and we were of the belief that they were all adults. And [we] were also of the belief that there was a possibility that there could be prostitution. But I mean that’s just not something that we heavily pursuedprostitution in private residences; it’s common everywhere in America. We didn’t believe that they were underage at that point, and so we had no further interest in it.” Reiter had recalled those complaints on the day Epstein had shown up with his $90,000 donation. And when Reiter had walked Epstein downstairs, he couldn’t help but notice the tall, beautiful woman whom Epstein had brought with him to the station. It struck him as strange that she was standing so stiffly, eyes cast downward, as though she were afraid to speak. Not a kid. But not a woman, either. Epstein did not introduce or even acknowledge her. To Reiter, this, too, seemed odd. Indeed, the statuesque woman was Nadia Marcinkova, a 32 nineteen-year-old bea described, by anothe tive Recarey, as one o In September, severa calls Reiter directly a arms simulator yet? Cautiously, Reiter If the departmen happy to provide the Reiter thanks hir now that Epstein knc Epstein’s crimes in P knows, if the charge public. Cops like Reiter that they’re no longe helps to hold on to a to understand: you s murders make a kin tion. There’s great sa Epstein’s been up to Who is this guy? Reiter’s detective him, they’ll have to k to know the people Wendy. That’s one pi What kind of per¶

ERSON tice. about complaints they’d gotten en hanging around at the end g at all hours from Epstein’s to that,” Reiter said in a depouit, brought by a victim, that we may have have encountered one ne a little bit of surveillance or r or not they had seen that. I rstanding that, yes, there were coming and going from Mr. r inquiry, and we were of the nd [we] were also of the belief here could be prostitution. But I g that we heavily pursuedes; it’s common everywhere in hey were underage at that point, t in it.” nplaints on the day Epstein had onation. And when Reiter had couldn’t help but notice the tall, a had brought with him to the : she was standing so stiffly, eyes were afraid to speak. Not a kid. tein did not introduce or even , too, seemed odd. man was Nadia Marcinkova, a 32 FILTHY RICH nineteen-year-old beauty who lived at Epstein’s home and was described, by another girl, in a recorded interview with Detective Recarey, as one of Epstein’s “like, slaves.” In September, several months into the investigation, Epstein calls Reiter directly and asks: Has Palm Beach bought the firearms simulator yet? Cautiously, Reiter tells him that they’re still doing research. If the department needs more funds, Epstein says, he’ll be happy to provide them. Reiter thanks him graciously and hangs up. But he’s certain now that Epstein knows about the investigation. Thinking about Epstein’s crimes in Palm Beach makes him shudder. And, Reiter knows, if the charges are true, things are going to get ugly and public. Cops like Reiter are family men, fathers. Some see so much that they’re no longer surprised by the ways of the world. Still, it helps to hold on to a natural capacity for outrage. Thefts are easy to understand: you see something you need, so you take it. Even murders make a kind of sense once you understand the motivation. There’s great satisfaction in catching a murderer. But what Epstein’s been up to is hard to explain. Who is this guy? Reiter’s detectives will have to get into Epstein’s head. To nail him, they’ll have to know him. And to do that, they’ll have to get to know the people around him. The police already know about Wendy. That’s one procurer, but out of how many? What kind of person would bring children to a child molester? 33 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009182¶

JAMES PATTERSON And-Reiter can’t shake the idea-other victims had to be out there. That lined up with what Epstein’s neighbor reported: there were many girls. He needed to find them as quickly as possible. It was a race against time. As long as Epstein was free in Palm Beach, more girls were sure to arrive at the side of the house on El Brillo Way. Alison: September 1] I t might start with th covers charity balls, Reporters there woul so juicy. On top of that, ( freelance paparazzi and : They’d kill for the sto Heat. Over at WPTV, the one day. It’s a tip from a kid, s from a local high school. There’s a prostitution The tip gets brought the producers divvy up newscasts. 34¶