AUTHOR'S NOTE

in the middle of the block. The imposing residence had a stone facade and a fifteen-foot-high front door that wouldn't have looked out of place protecting a castle. And, like our neighbor's slippers, the house had a monogram: raised brass letters that spelled out JE.

The house and, quite possibly, the two women belonged to Jeffrey Epstein, a rich and powerful man who was also a regis- tered sex offender with a strong taste for underage women.

Not just sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds. But younger girls as well.

Epstein was alleged to have abused dozens of young women, or, more accurately, girls. He'd settled potential lawsuits with some of them. He'd done a bit of prison time for his crimes. A bit of time. And now here he was, out in the world again.

Accompanied by two beautiful young women.

I had been hearing hair-raising stories about Jeffrey Epstein for a couple of years. Our interests could not have been more differ- ent, but Palm Beach, where we both live, is small and tightly knit, and we knew some of the same people.

Epstein's arrest had made headlines in papers all over the world. But in Palm Beach, it caused a scandal that continues to set off aftershocks and leave a bad smell.

So I had followed Epstein's case in the media and talked about it over dinners with friends. I wondered why it had taken so long for the Palm Beach police to catch up with Epstein. And, once they did, why he had served so little jail time.

Those were the obvious questions, but there were others: How had Epstein made his money, possibly billions? No one

seemed to know. And w
about the underage girls
had happened at the mom
Epstein definitely like
even three, young wome
island. He'd been operat
who were these girls? Wh
find their way to his hom
Epstein had powerful
in his private jet and rubb
Prize winners, any num]
man sixth in line to the E
Were any of these co
now a free man?
I wanted to know. Aft
and Epstein's actions had
where I lived. Stirred by t
Tim Malloy and I began t
We partnered with
journalist who had once
following the Epstein sto:
Working together, we
the way back to his chil
tances, employees, neight
with the families of his
ment officers who'd work
and lawyers on all sides
which are still working th
Combining our inter
from court filings and

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{"people":["jeffrey epstein","tim malloy"]}