A Kind of Hush by Richard A. Johnson Page B

information on the other eight, but this book covers Gus's area completely/ He looked up. 'If this book is true, then it is the sickest thing that I have ever seen and it must be stopped.' He flicked to a page and looked at me.
    'Stu, Alison and Jen's names are on a list with the names of over two hundred others. Next to each name is a date of birth and a reference number. The reference number ties up with a list on the next page, each number describing a different kind of kid.
    'For instance, all of the even numbers are girls and the odd numbers are boys, with different numbers within those for different types of boys and girls - y'know, if they are black or Asian or something. Next to that list is a scale of charges. Every sex act that you can think of is listed here with its own code number and each of those code numbers is again listed with its basic cost beside it.'
    He turned the page.
    'On this page is contact information. Nine telephone numbers are listed, each of them with their own particular ringing code, you know, ring three times, hang up and ring again sort of thing. Several of the numbers have been scrubbed out and replaced with new ones, one of them four times. So we can safely assume that these numbers are always being changed. At the top of the page is a number that has to be used if there is a problem with any of the other numbers. That one has been changed six times.

    'I've made a swift count of the number of times that Ali and Jen have been used and checked that against the basic charges listed. Sorry Stu, but your old man must have made at least twenty grand from those two within the past year alone.'
    He sat back and sighed deeply, then he said, This book is dynamite. If all of this is true, then I don't doubt that they would kill to get it back. If they know that you've got it, then God help you, or anyone who knows you.'
    'What d'you mean by that?' I asked.
    They've already jumped you once,' he said. 'When you took Jen away. You thought they were getting heavy because they had lost some income, but it's not the girl they want, it's what she knows. While she was working for them, they controlled her. Now they don't know what she's doing or saying. Add to that the strange disappearance of your old man and the fact that they can't find this book, then it's a fair bet that they are going to put two and two together and come looking for you. If they can't find you, then they'll look for Jen, if they can't find Jen, then they'll go for Ali. It will go on and on until either they find you, or they are stopped. They have far too much to lose otherwise.'
    'Why did they leave such an important book with my old man?' I asked.
    'Could be a number of reasons,' said Chris. 'Maybe they thought that he could be totally trusted because he was in so deep. Maybe he kept it to protect himself if anything went wrong. He knew that if he tried anything they'd kill him and if he were to take this stuff to the Bill, maybe he thought that he would get a deal, though I'm sure that he would have to go down for what he'd been  doing. Anyway, who'd think that a slime like that would have this sort of stuff, he was perfect.
    Then again, maybe Gus didn't keep this book. Maybe it's your old man's. From what you said about his filing system for photos and the like, he seems to like to keep all of his affairs in order, so why couldn't he have kept it for his own use?'
    'Sounds likely,' said Mick. 'So what do we do?'
    'I agree that it might not be a good idea at this time to involve the police,' he said. 'But that must come sometime. Anyway, you guys have a few problems that I'm sure you don't need the Old Bill knowing about, so when they're dealt with, the Bill will get to know through another party and I've got an idea on that, so I'll check it out and let you know. For now, protect Jen and Ali or they'll get them. I know you've got to do something about this Gus creep and I'd rather not know any of the details, so get it done quick.