James PATTERSON come up, and Mary’s head drops dramatically in anticipation. } block out the Barbies bi Then a loud, sexy throb spills out of the earbuds: Britney Spears. f in big, high-ceilinged bx The bass line takes over, and she starts to dance, moving her with natural smiles, per hips as she lip-synchs the lyrics: 4 dolls are beautiful. The: if Mom and Dad are w With a taste of a poison paradise... mothers and fathers are you get Barbies— passe Mary's swept away by the song. She's twirling around and sister to sister. They’re rz around, flinging her arms out to grab the clothes hanging up in of knowingness to the c her closet —it’s like embracing ten thousand fans! Then she stops American Girl dolls are and pulls out the earbuds. Suddenly she’s become fourteen again. Barbie’s dangling her loi Just a girl, jittery, nervous. | from women. What she’s thinking about: now is what she will wear to the i Be like Barbie, Mary t | big fancy house. She can’t be nervous. | What she tells hersel a deal. Mary desperately wants to make an impression. This will be her : But, of course, it is a first trip to the house. She does not want to look like a child on big fancy house will bec | this outing. 1 q police investigation—ar | She picks out a pair of skinny white jeans, puts on a freshly 7 the Palm Beach PD —ar washed halter top that leaves her flat stomach bare. The cross : i the home's owner, Jeffrey that Joe gave her last Christmas hangs from her neck. 9 : 4 Think of the money, she thinks. 4 E i For Mary, it’s incredible money. Several weeks’ wages at : i | Mickey D’s. And just for giving some old man a massage? She 1 fee twists the earbuds back in, dives into the closet, sings along with =~ q 4 Britney Spears: : q i Don’t you know that you're toxic? Bi The tight white jeans fit Mary perfectly. She turns to check | ig | herself out in the mirror, cropping the scene with her fingers to 4 q 3 4 ; . HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019120