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Extracted Text (OCR)
CHAPTER 5
its flavor, but Mary’s still chew-
_ nervously, in the backseat of
. The girl sitting up front next
She’s chain-smoking menthols.
filthy and gross. Worried that
Mary sits on her hands. Then,
zigantic resort called the Break-
hed, not quite real— like some-
yntrast.
says to the girl in the passenger
nall.”
wants to say something about It,
ee
ctr e
Firtuy Ricu
but she doesn’t know if the other girls would even respond. Wen-
dy’s always seemed so much cooler than kids Mary's age. This
other girl’s just a mystery. And when Wendy does turn around to
speak to Mary, her stare seems to slice right through the younger
girl.
“Remember,” Wendy says, according to a probable cause affi-
davit filed by the Palm Beach police. “When he asks how old you
are, say eighteen.”
The light changes, and Wendy turns back around but keeps
looking at Mary in the rearview mirror.
“Got it?” ,
Mary nods.
“I mean it,” says Wendy.
Who would believe her? Anyone can see that Mary is younger
than that.
“Okay,” she says. “I got it. Eighteen.”
Mary takes out her flip phone and sends Joe a text: “Your
cousin is a BAMF.”
A badass motherfucker.
There’s no reply.
“Or maybe she’s just a bitch,” Mary texts.
Still no reply.
Joe must still be in church, Mary thinks.
They pass El Bravo Way and turn onto El Brillo Way.
Wendy’s driving slowly now, right at the speed limit. Once
more, she says: “When the man asks your age, say eighteen.”
Mary nods again and smiles, slightly. She wants Wendy to
see her smiling. To know that she’s got it all under control. But
Wendy's eyes are on the front gate now. It opens, she parks, and
they walk past a guard.
15
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