Chapter 2: House Rules

Getting a cab proved a challenge, but three well dressed girls will not scare one off. Soon they were moving across the bridge to Manhattan. Once in the car, Angie and Gretchen held a hushed argument about what would happen on arrival.

Saint Evangelina Missionary Hotel for Women, better known as Saint Evie's, was one of the places wealthy New York families sent their prized daughters. The accommodations were snug, by Park Avenue standards, but the security was unparalleled. The hotel was well situated to the uptown area and cabs were on contract for trips to the various colleges and universities. Even far off Columbia had regular service. Likewise, there was a bonded messenger service, as well as a nurse on staff and MD on call.

This was all nice. The main attraction, to parents, was that no men were allowed above the lobby—ever. Not boyfriends, brothers, or even fathers. Only bonded furniture movers, escorted, were allowed upstairs, and then on a posted schedule. It was the preferred way to deliver virgins to the altar. Immediately on moving in, Gretchen had fought an undercover war against the principal of virginity. This was, by far, her boldest attack.

The hotel's first line of defense was the staff, led by Irina Walker. Gretchen started by attacking the strongest point.

"Miss Walker. This is Patricia de la Garza. She's Puerto Rican and her boyfriend just threw her out, so she has no place to stay. Plus she hit her head. Poor thing. Can she have permission to stay for a few days til she can find a place?"

Miss Walker, she was 55 and still a Miss, had been an army nurse in France. She usually believed very little that the girls in her charge said to her, but Pedro's very real, and very fresh, bruises convinced her quite well.

"She could have had a concussion with a bump like that, but she seems alert enough. When did it happen? Did you wash the wound?" Miss Walker was satisfied with Miss de la Garza's injuries, but not with Miss Schneider.

Gretchen recognized victory. As long as the attention was on her, and not Pedro, this were good. "Maybe two hours ago. I didn't see it all, but I saw her hit her head. She was pretty dizzy for a while, but Angela and I got her on her feet. We were near a service station, so we could wash her and throw away her torn dress. I had this one in my gym bag. I thought for a minute the guy would kick her in the face."

That covered three questions that had leapt to Miss Walker's mind: lack of blood, a familiar dress and the smell of shampoo. Then her attention returned to Pedro, who was feeling extremely shy. At that moment, he could not have chosen a better attitude. Miss Walker reached her decision.

"Such a pretty girl. Well, she should not be left alone tonight. Is she going to sleep with you?"

Angie had been looking the other way, so she was safe. She would forever after be impressed when Gretchen managed a straight face and even voice. "Actually, Miss Walker, that's exactly what I had in mind."

"Very good then, Miss Schneider. Frankly, I didn't think you capable of it."

"Oh I'm full of surprises, Miss Walker."

Pedro did not know what to make of the Hotel. He knew that a large piece of his money, which he had painstakingly saved up over six months, had gone to cab fair. He also knew a rich house when he saw one. It did not take him long to notice that only women went anywhere. Patricia. Mia nombre, no, my name, is Patricia.

Within minutes they were on the fifth floor, where Gretchen held court. She had been there two years and these were her girls. Of the seven, three had arrived virgins. Not one remained so by the end of the first week. Three were secretly on the pill. All carried condoms and diaphragms. Til this night, no one had ever managed to get a boy past Miss Walker. These were the makings of a party.