“No, I couldn’t. At least not until the interrogations and psychological evaluations were through. Even if those went fine, they could take weeks. And if either Ava or Maggie made even a single suspicious comment, they would start investigating you next! Even if those investigations turned up nothing, there is no way in hell they’d let a minor live with a relative who was even suspected of committing incest in concomitance with statutory rape. I’d be stuck in the system for the next eleven months! So, if we’re done telling each other how this really isn’t as bad as it seems ... can I PLEASE continue now?!”
That caused the two of them to also keep quiet for the rest of the discussion.
“Why did you single out Maggie and me? You could make a suspicious comment too.” Ava said quietly, like she was offended by me thinking I was better than her. I did think that. But that wasn’t the reason why I singled them out.
“Because I never participated, Princess.” I said after taking a deep breath. “Since Granny and Gramps weren’t in any of the videos, and they also weren’t at your sixteenth, I never saw anything that could even indicate their involvement. I wouldn’t have to lie when asked about it. I wouldn’t have to check my own answers for irregularities. I wouldn’t have to worry about saying too much. That’s why I didn’t include myself. I could just honestly and earnestly answer all their questions without even thinking about it. Can you say the same?”
That seemed to satisfy her, and I hoped they would shut the hell up now.
“Logan!” I said loudly to get his attention back. “What do you owe them money for?”
“I ... eh ... thought, with my insight from the football team, I could place a few surefire bets. But ... I lost. A lot.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Aaron breathed out.
I could not help but notice how this was the very first time I had ever heard Aaron express any kind of disapproval with his beloved son’s behavior. After everything that asshole did, it was placing bad bets that finally elicited a reaction from Aaron.
“And how did they get the videos?” I asked.
“After I lost the last bet, I avoided them for a few days ... Until they grabbed me off the street, drove me to their shop, and took my phone. When the guy came back with it, he told their boss about the videos he found.”
I was hoping that he would just start talking freely, but I really had to pull all the details out of him, and it started to piss me off even more. But I had to control myself or he would probably just stop talking altogether, like when I left him with the others.
“Their shop? You mean a betting shop? In Austin?” I asked with hope, formulating a plan.
“Yes.” Logan answered.
“What’s the front?” I followed up, but Logan just looked at me in confusion. “Gambling is illegal in this state, Logan. Even online betting sites are prohibited from being operated from here. I know that for a fact, since I was asked to create one a year or so ago. They’d need a front to cover that up.”
“Oh!” Logan said. “A sports bar.”
“Well visited?” I asked.
“Yes? It’s pretty full in the evenings.”
So, it probably wasn’t just a front. They’d actually have something to lose if it went down. But that would be a ‘last resort’ type of option.
“All right. I can work with that. When we met them in the parking lot, one of them said something about interest. How much would you have to pay to at least settle the debt?”
“Uh ... I’m not...” Logan stammered.
“Christ, Logan! You owed sixteen. You paid ‘maybe’ eight. Do you have ANY way to find out how much you still owe them!?” I asked, finally losing my patience with him.
“They didn’t give me receipts!” he defended himself.
“And I assume you’re secretly so damn loaded that you don’t have to worry about giving away eight or nine grand, so you wouldn’t have to keep track of it yourself either?” I asked, before sighing “Spoiled fucking bitch.”
Did I have the means to start a war with people like that? Fuck, no! Did I have the means to get rid of the videos and keep them off my ass? Probably ... If they were pacified by at least getting the money they were actually owed. Anyway, I could work it. I’d just have to bring $8,000. If they try to push the interest thing, I’d use it to check on the videos.
If all went well, I could get the police involved if they tried to threaten me afterwards. Logan could go to jail for all I cared. He gambled. His problem. Of course, since they had already taken $2,200 from me, the parents were probably at the point where they couldn’t provide those additional $8,000. I would have to come up with that money as well. Were they worth $10,200 to me? I wasn’t too sure at that moment. Not being forced into a group home certainly was worth that amount. I’d still have enough saved away to furnish and renovate my apartment.
“How did you communicate with them?” I asked him.
“Mostly by phone calls.” Logan answered.
“Show me the sports bar on Google Maps.” I ordered, and he complied. I’d have to check them out myself.
