Page 59 of Without Judgment

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Avery

We drove for miles. With every signpost passed, I breathed easier. Meanwhile, Mason laid out his investigations into both Edward and the video itself. I was impressed. Then I felt guilty I’d accused him of siding with my father.

But I also had a lot of questions. “How much do you think Edward was in debt for and when did it begin?”

“I’d estimate a couple hundred thousand at this point. It appears as though it started during last year. Do you remember him stressing or saying anything?”

“I recall him being tense, but it had more to do with not getting into the grad schools he’d applied for. At least that’s what he said. I—”

My hesitation had Mason looking my way. “You what?”

“He was going out with his friends more than usual. He said it was his last hurrah before marriage, and it was no big deal, but he could’ve been gambling.”

“Local?”

“No. Mostly he’d go to College Station to meet up with his best friend who went to school there.”

“What’s his name?”

“Theodore or Theo Knopff. I gave you his name before when you asked for a list of Edward’s friends.”

“Nothing came up, but that only means this Theo didn’t have anything on his record. I’ll do more of a deep dive. Do you know much about him?”

“I didn’t care for him as he’s always been a party boy, womanizer type. That’s why I didn’t like it when Edward hung out with him. I’m positive he was into drugs, recreationally at least. I wouldn’t be surprised if he introduced Edward to gambling. Theo has a father who does something with real estate in Houston. Who does Edward owe the money to?”

“Low-level loan shark. At least he used to, but someone bought his debt.”

“What does that mean?”

Mason pulled into a gas station off the freeway. “It means there’s a high probability whoever bought Edward’s debt is the person who didn’t want your father running for mayor. He allowed Edward to pay up by implicating you in a scandal he hoped would derail the campaign. The thing I don’t get though is why your ex, who comes from money, didn’t simply ask Daddy for the cash?”

That was an easy answer. “His father wouldn’t give it to him. Especially for something illegal, and I can guarantee Edward would never tell him about that. Remember, he already felt as though he was the failure of the family compared to his brothers. He wouldn’t want to give his dad more of an excuse to look down on him.”

“Makes sense, then. I’m going to fill up. You need anything from inside?”

“Just the bathroom. How much longer of a drive is it?”

“Two hours. We’ll stop one last time before we get there.”

I made quick work out of using the restroom so we could be on our way. Once back on the road, Mason spoke to someone on his phone, and I listened for a bit as he relayed the details of Theo and his father, Wade Knopff. But mostly I was lost in my own thoughts. My ex had been leading a double life during the last year we were together. I’d thought perhaps he was having some misgivings over marriage, but I’d never suspected he had a gambling problem. That being said, I couldn’t have imagined him cheating on me, either. You think you know someone.

It was early evening before we drove off the two-lane highway we’d been traversing for the last hour and into a small town. Mason pulled into a grocer’s parking lot. “You okay to wait here a few minutes? I’d prefer nobody spot you and call the press. Just a precaution. Meanwhile, I’ll go get us something for dinner.”

“Yeah. Um, here, let me give you money.” I reached into my purse, but he was already out of the truck.

My offer appeared to irritate him.

“It’s on me, princess,” he said through the open door. “Stay here. Last chance for consistent cell signal is here, so make whatever phone calls you need to while you can.”

Using the time, I cancelled my hotel reservation and then decided to call my brother. I had two missed calls from him and a text message in all caps asking me to let him know I was all right.

He picked up on the first ring. “Are you okay?”

“I am. Thanks. You? How’s the new construction?”

He cursed. “Only you could try to change the subject on me. What’s going on?”

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