## JAMES PATTERSON

making. And it's not like she's running off to do something crazy. After all, Wendy's assured her already that there's nothing to worry about.

Mary's father is Cuban- -an immigrant-a self-made man who runs a contracting business. He's wise to the ways of the world and highly protective of his two daughters. They're good girls, he knows. Almost angels. As far as he knows, they don't drink. They've never tried drugs. They love clothes and, especially, music-Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, Maroon 5, the boy band with that dreamy lead singer. Mary loves California, which she's never seen but daydreams about. She just knows she'll live there someday- y-a plan that's okay with her father as long as Mary keeps up with her homework and chores.

What he worries about, in the meantime, is the crowd that Mary runs with.

Joe is a fine boy. More responsible than most American boys his age. But Joe's cousin, Wendy, is another story. Mary's father doesn't like Wendy at all and would have liked her even less had he known about Wendy's intentions.

In just one hour, Wendy's told Mary, she can make more money than her father makes in a day: "This guy in Palm Beach. He's rich. Very rich. He has an airplane. He owns an island, you know?"

Like a lot of kids who live inland, away from the Florida coast, Mary's dreams reach way beyond the dull, scrubby flat-

* Wendy Dobbs's name, some identifying details, and dialogue have been changed.

lands and strip malls s
that she wants to do and
miles away, might as we
"Yes," she had said, v
Then there was Joe t
"Who is this guy?" Jo
know a thing about him
"Hundreds of dollar:
quite look at Joe, but she
Joe seemed to think
conversation-some bac
hadn't even crossed Mar
would become a regular
"To rub his feet? Are
it, why haven't you told y
"It's your cousin, Joe!
"The guy's feet must þ
"Shut up!"

"Tell your father."

"You know how D
everything."

"I'm not going to som "That's right. I am.” "And if I told your fatl "You'd never see me a Mary felt bad as she sa She knew that it woul Wendy had told her th

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