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"And right now, they are both in her bedroom dead on the bed. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"Where is she now?"
"She’s right here sitting next to me. We’re at a bar down the street from the apartment."
"Good. Find out how long she’s been gone from the apartment?"
"How long you been gone from the apartment?"
"No more than twenty-five, maybe thirty minutes," Avonte said, and I relayed what she said.
"Is there a store nearby where you are now? A deli or a liquor store maybe?"
"There’s a liquor store about a block from here."
"Good, ask her if she has a credit card with her?"
"Avonte, do you have a credit card with you?"
"No, I just ran out of the apartment. I didn’t bring anything with me."
"I heard her, and that’s not good," Wanda said, and took a deep breath. "All right, tell her that what I need her to do is to go back to her apartment. Get a credit card and go buy something from that liquor store, whatever she drinks is fine. I need her to do this as quickly as possible, because the clock is ticking. Now, when she’s been to the store and bought something, go back to the apartment. When you get in the room where the bodies are, I want you to scream as loud as you can. And then I want her to call the police."
"I understand."
"This is very important. What she’s gonna to tell the police, is that the two of them came to her apartment together. That she left them there to go and get something to drink, and when she came back, that is how she found them. Do you think you can do that?"
"I don’t know, Wanda. That seems like a lot of work."
"It’s the best advice I can offer, Angel."
"That’s okay, girl. Maybe I should just call Mike."
"If you think that’s best, Angel. Give me a call and let me know if you or your friend needs me," Wanda said, and ended the call.
I explained to Avonte what Wanda said, and she wasn’t feeling it either. "I got somebody else to call. In fact, I should have called him first." I dialed the number I had, and waited for somebody to answer.
"Hello."
"Hey, Victor, this is Angel, how are you?"
"Doin’ fine, Angel. What about you?"
"You know me, always got something going on. Is he with you?"
"He’s right here. Hold on."
"Who is it?" I heard him in the background.
"It’s Angel."
"What’s up, Angel?" Mike asked when he got on the phone.
"I need your help, Mike."
"That’s the only time you call me these days, is when you need help."