Yes, shed been kidding when she told Jessie that shed keep her eyes out for scummy guys with business cards looking for potential sex slaves. But the truth was she didnt need to, because shed already been approached. Just not by a guy.

It was only her third day on campus when a fellow senior had approached her and asked her if shed ever considered going on dates. Hannah had misinterpreted the question and said she wasnt into girls (though she had no idea if that was really true or not).

I dont mean that kind of date, the girl, who called herself Elodie, had said. There are older guys who will pay good money to be with a high school girl, especially if she can prove she isnt eighteen yet.

Hannah, who knew girls back at her old San Fernando Valley high school whod done porn, wasnt shocked that a variation on the sex work theme existed at this school too. Of the many things shed seen and been through, learning about an underage prostitution ring didnt make the top five.

At the time, shed politely declined. She wasnt interested, but not knowing who had the power at her new school, she didnt want to alienate anyone. Elodie hadnt seemed too broken up about it. Hannah got the sense that getting candidates for this gig was a volume business.

Reach out if you change your mind, Elodie had told her before moving on.

Thats what Hannah was about to do. She had no idea if this was a run of the mill teen hooker ring or if it might be part of the larger sex trafficking operation that had Jessie so upset. She aimed to find out.

She walked over to Elodie Peters, whose last name she had learned earlier that morning. The girl was sitting at a picnic table under a tree, scrolling through her phone. Hannah let a bit of self-doubt creep in. She couldnt help but wonder if what she planned to do was a violation of her promise to Kat.

Their deal was that Kat wouldnt mention the drug dealer confrontation if Hannah agreed not to take any more unnecessary, dangerous risks. But this wasnt an unnecessary risk. It wasnt pushing boundaries just for the sake of seeing what would happen.

If talking to Elodie got her a lead that helped her sister with a case that was clearly worrying her, it seemed more than worth it. Moreover, if it in some way saved young girls in trouble, then there wasnt even a question about whether it was justified. And if she happened to get a little thrill out if it along the way, there was no harm in that.

Hey, she said, sitting down on the bench next to Elodie.