This Is My America(39)
If he thinks you helped get me on the show.
He’ll never tell you more about the Pike. Let’s wait it out.
ANGELA 4/26:
Chris won’t be much help anyway. He’s clammed up after talking to Scott.
It’s a dead end. This might be your shot.
I skip through more messages.
ANGELA 4/30:
He came to see me! Just showed up at my work.
JAMAL 4/30:
What!
What did he want?
ANGELA 4/30:
IDK. Chris must have told him I was asking about him.
JAMAL 4/30:
Are you okay?
I don’t want you seeing Chris anymore.
ANGELA 4/30:
Another week.
I promise. I just need to look through more photos.
Keep the memory card safe for me.
JAMAL 4/30:
All right. I’ll keep it in the production room so you can get to it.
ANGELA 5/1:
Chris is pissed. That’s why he showed up at the studio. I promise it’s over.
Where are you?
JAMAL 5/1:
Walking. Don’t wanna go home. Interview went to hell.
My sister goes too hard. This wasn’t her deal.
ANGELA 5/1:
Meet me at Herron?
JAMAL 5/1:
OK
ANGELA 5/4:
Chris is pissed at me. Scott told him I’ve been going around his back.
Using him for information.
He also knows I took it. I covered, though.
JAMAL 5/4
Return it. I’m tired of getting caught up in drama.
Let it go. You don’t need to do this. It’s a school paper.
Either end it with him for real or don’t deal with me.
ANGELA 5/4:
I’ll end it. No more. I promise.
Gotta go, your sister’s here.
The messages lead up to the day Angela was murdered. Jamal wanted her to drop something, and that same day Angela asked me to help, to keep it from Jamal. Angela needed information from Chris, and when Chris showed up at NBS World News, neither Jamal nor Angela looked happy. I thought Jamal ran because of the cops, but maybe that was only part of the reason.
I search through the rest of her phone, stopping at her photos, quickly scrolling through. It hurts to see Angela so happy and carefree. The selfies, pics with Mandy, and shots of her family. I pause when I see videos of Angela and Jamal.
I press play and hear Jamal’s laugh. It crushes me. My heart jumps hearing Jamal’s voice. The video lasts ten seconds.
“This is stupid, Ang.”
Off-screen Angela says, “What? No. You have to practice, Jamal.”
“I don’t want to. Come here, kiss me.”
Angela laughs, and the video goes on with them kissing. She captures the moment with her phone. Angela’s voice rocks me. My throat goes tight, eyes water. I play it again. Jamal will want to see this.
I take a moment. Wipe my eyes before viewing the next video. Jamal practicing for The Susan Touric Show. After some easy questions, he looks away from the camera and seems to lock eyes with Angela.
“What if I just say it? Put all the cards on the table.”
“Susan would hate that. She loves thinking she asked the question that broke the door open.”
“Are you sure she’s going to ask about my dad? What if she doesn’t? What’s our plan then? Tracy wants me to say something, but my moms would kill me if I bring it up.”
“She’s going to ask. At least she’s going to give you an opportunity to open the door. I know she didn’t want to agree to the interview terms; that was all NBS One. Oh, shoot, I was recording that whole…”
Jamal was planning to listen to me and say more on Touric’s show, but he decided not to. I scroll through her phone quickly, as if secrets will slip from my grasp and I’ll lose the chance to save Jamal. Then it rocks me why Jamal is gone.
Jamal knows who killed Angela.
He could tell the police, but not if he knows they won’t believe him. What if he claims Chris killed Angela? Chris is surrounded by people who’d protect him. I imagine handing over the phone and it being locked up with all the other evidence in the precinct that was ignored in Daddy’s case. Giving it to them would be like giving away all we’ve prayed for since Jamal ran. I hold on to a shriveled piece of hope that it’s better to keep the phone than to give it up.
This evidence might prove Jamal was worried for Angela, not out to hurt her. Without Jamal by my side, and with Angela gone, I know the only evidence left is that memory card.
I tuck Angela’s phone in the hidden compartment of my purse. Pull out the burner and ask Jamal about the memory card, hoping his answer reveals one of three things.
He has it.
He gave it to Quincy.
He left it at Herron Media.
SNITCHES GET STITCHES
The last place I want to be is school. The media, the students, even the teachers make it hard. But these are things I swallow. No choice to shy away if I ever stand the chance of discovering Angela’s exposé. I arrive at school, thankful there’s only one camera in sight. The rest gone since the memorial at school on Monday.
I mentally check off my list of people I need to talk to and set my goals of what I’m trying to accomplish today. Angela and Chris were always locked up together. That’s why it was shocking when I saw her with Jamal. A secret like that she had to have told Mandy; she was Angela’s best friend. Maybe also Natalie, the new editor of the paper. I despise her now. Still, she might know something. The chances she’ll help me are slim, but I gotta try. For Jamal.