The Private Club 2 by J. S. Cooper, Helen Cooper Page A

mouth.
    “Shh,” he whispered angrily. “We don’t want to alert anyone to the fact that I’m in here.”
    “ Greyson may come in,” I told him reluctantly. “He’s come into my last two test rooms. He may come in here as well.”
    “He’s really taken a liking to you , hasn’t he?” He looked me over in surprise.
    “Why is that so surprising to you? Am I not his usual type?”
    “I don’t know his usual type. He doesn’t normally come around the girls.” He scratched his head. “That’s another reason why I need your help. There’s something about you that intrigues him. You need to get us answers.”
    “What answers am I supposed to get?”
    “We think that Greyson is involved in some sort of prostitution ring. He’s grooming these young girls for rich men all over the world.”
    “I don’t believe it.” I shook my head.
    “Don’t you wonder what happened to Maria?”
    “Maria?” My heart stopped as he said her name. How did he know about Maria ? And more importantly, which Maria was he talking about?
    “Your roommate, Nancy’s sister?”
    “How do you know that Nancy had a sister?”
    “I told you. I know everything.” His voice was slightly angry this time.
    “I don’t really understand what you expect me to do.”
    “Just keep getting close to Greyson. Try and find out what your job is going to be.”
    “Won’t he just send me off with the other girls , though?”
    “You’re too old.” David looked apologetic as his words crushed down on me. “These men, they want young girls, girls they can mold. You’ve got your own mind, now that you’re older. You would never be a desired woman.”
    “Well , thanks.”
    “These men are sick, Meg. They want weak, pliant women. That’s how they get off.”
    “So this is some sort of sex trade thing going on?” I frowned. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”
    “I don’t know all the answers.” He sounded angry that I wasn’t taking him one hundred percent at his word. “That’s why I came to you.”
    “Why did you kiss me?”
    “Because I like you and you’re hot.” He grinned. “I’m still a man, after all.”
    “So are Frank and Elizabeth working with you as well?” I thought back to the conversation I’d overheard earlier.
    “What? No?” He frowned. “Why would you think that?”
    “No reason .” I walked over to the desk and started picking up files. My brain was racing a million miles a minute. There was no way that David was working with Frank and Elizabeth, which meant that they were up to something else – maybe something even more sinister, if that was possible. “What about Brandon Hastings?” I looked back at him. “What role does he have in this?”
    “We think he’s on the outside, getting the Johns lined up for the girls.” David looked at me in anger. “We think he’s the one that corrupts the girls.”
    “Oh no.”
    “He’s this rich piece of shit that preys on younger girls.” David’s voice was emotional and I could see his hands were clenched. “I can’t wait until he goes away for a long time.”
    “Goes away?”
    “To jail.” His words were harsh but when his eyes looked at me his expression was oddly empty. “I’m not going to stop until he and Greyson are imprisoned.”
    “Oh.” A feeling of fear surrounded me then and I looked down at the files in my hand with heavy eyes. All of the information he’d given me was giving me a headache and a burdened heart. “Well, I’ll do what I can do help.” I nodded at him. “You should leave now, just in case Greyson comes in the room.” I turned away from him quickly, my mouth feeling dry as I said Greyson’s name. How could he be that person? Was he pure evil? He had to be, if what David said was true. He was basically trafficking women. I felt sick to my stomach. I had made out with a human trafficker. I’d let him touch me and grope me, and I’d been about to let him fuck me. My body still ached for his touch. How could