It is impossible to focus in school today. I have tried to bump into Betsy all morning but somehow not quite managed it. I could always catch her at lunch.
"Ani!"
"Mr. Fennell."
"Shouldn't you be in class."
"On my way sir."
"Right. Hey Ani, can I ask you why the Silicon Mafia seem to be eyeing you during History class this morning."
"Silicon Mafia? Seriously Wallace where do you come up with this stuff? The computer geeks are in no way that organized or menacing."
"Dodging the question, girl."
"Fine. I may have been on a date with Bennett."
"I see. Do we need to have the talk, Ani?"
"God no! We never need to have the talk. You even attempt to have the talk with me again and I may be scared for life!" I then adopt my best southern accent, bat my eyes and say, "Why Uncle Wallace, I assure you my honor will be kept in tact." I cannot help but giggle a little as I walk away.
"Ani. Ani darling, how are you?" Miss Castle my cheerleading coach has suddenly materialized in front of me. Miss Castle is always a sight to behold, a fresh manicure, mystic tan, blond highlights, lips a little more plump than natural, and not to mention the silicon deposited elsewhere on her body. She also is always dressed in school colors from head to foot.
"Um. Fine I guess Miss Castle. Oh, but I won't be able to make practice today. I need to visit my mom."
"Oh course. You let me know if there is anything we can do. Pirate Cheerleaders are here for you." I nod and hurry past her to calculus class.
Lunch TableToday we are having Chinese food. I sit between Aly and Betsy and in minutes manage to secure my introduction to the Rimes campaign at 4 o'clock. Betsy assures me the team will be grateful to have me. Aly and Eric promise to take care of Back Up while I visit my mom. All is well and good until Malco sweeps in and squeezes between Aly and me on the bench.
"Seriously Benn, please tell me the rumor about you and the NARC are a joke. I mean man she's like your lo-mien over there, once you've had her you'll be hungry for something more in an hour." I immediately start to reach for the taser in my book bag. I am not in the mood for this. I have my hands on it when I hear Bennett speak.
"Malco. If you have a problem with my girlfriend you may leave now." Wow, from one date to girlfriend. I know this is high school but things are moving pretty fast.
St. Vincent's HospitalI am a little shocked when I enter my mom's room and see Logan and my grandfather in the middle of a heated game of poker.
"Hi. How's mom?"
"About the same. Her bruises are fading some." My grandfather replies, still focusing on the game. "How was school?"
"About the same." I sit on the edge of my mom's bed. "Well, are you going to deal mom and me in?" We play until the alarm I set on my cell phone goes off. With mom on my side I actually do fairly well. "Okay guys, I hate to win and run but I have a school project to do."
"Right." My grandfather and Logan say at the same time. "Take Back Up." I laugh. Kiss mom on the cheek and head out for my new afterschool job.
Senator Rimes Re-election Campaign OfficeBetsy is standing outside the office when I arrive. "I cannot believe with everything you've got going on you want to do this."
"Well, mom would want me to continue pursuing my dreams." God, at least I hope mom will understand this. I hope Betsy will too. Betsy just smiles.
"In that case, let me introduce you around." Betsy does just that. She introduces me to everyone from campaign manager to copy boy. Neither of her parents is currently in the office so I'll have to pursue other leads. The office manager puts me in a back room with another volunteer named Melissa. We are stuffing envelopes.
"So, Melissa have you been working here long?"
"God yeah. I joined the campaign before they had an office."
"So do you know the Senator well?"
"Sure we've talked a few times. I went to his Christmas party last year." Great. How does Mom do this? How do I ask about Angelina without drawing attention to myself?
"I mean I don't know him as well as Angelina does?" Okay. That's lucky.
"Who is Angelina?"
"She's my best friend on the campaign."
"Is she around? I don't think I met her yet."
"Nah. She took a few weeks off to go see her folks in Arizona. She was homesick or something."
"Arizona. Really? My grandmother lives in Arizona. Where is Angelina from?"
"Oh. I doubt they know each other. Angelina is from a really small town called Hope." Over the next two hours I stuff envelopes and receive no less than seven paper cuts. I won't know until later if it was all worth it. On my way to my car I fish my cell out of my bag.
"Aly?" Aly is breathing heavy and giggling.
"Hey how is the new Barbra Walters doing?"
"I'm good. What are you up to?"
"Quality time with Eric. He's about to show me his diving skills."
"Ah. I'll be back around 11 then."
"K." With that Aly hung up. I go to the McDonald's drive through across the street from the campaign office and drive around town until I find a spot I can park and have Internet access. I try not to think about the fact that the spot I end up with is across the street from Bennett's house. Luckily there is only one D'Agostino listed in Hope, AZ. I call. A man's voice picks up.
"Hello."
"Hi. I'm a friend of Angelina's and I was wondering if I could speak with her."
"And who may I say is calling?"
"Melissa." He disappears from the line. I guess this at least means Angelina is alive and well. Why would mom be following up on this story? What is the story?
"Hello Melissa."
"Angelina. How have you been? I've missed you. We've all missed you." I hope the connection is bad enough that she doesn't notice my voice sounds nothing like Melissa's. Mom can mimic voices. I've heard her. She's great. Me, not so much.
"I'm good. Umm. Who exactly are we all?"
"Oh. You know everyone. Why did you leave so suddenly?" Angelina sighs.
"I just needed to get away. See my folks. You know."
"Come on it's more than that. You are running from something. What is it? Maybe I can help."
"When did you get so smart Melissa? I need to go now. I'll be back in a few weeks." She hung up. Nothing! I have learned nothing. I close my eyes and rest my head on the steering wheel. I try and run through what little I know but am snapped out of my revelry by the sound of my passenger door opening. I look up and see Bennett getting in my car.
"I must admit, I am rather flattered. I have never been stalked before."
"I'm not stalking. I just didn't want to go to the hospital and have nowhere else to go."
"So, how is the investigation so far?" I bring him up to speed in about 2 minutes. "Well, I suggest we go to my place. You can research Angelina a little more and I'll look into the Rimes family." Bennett doesn't even need access to the sites bookmarked on my mom's computer. After about an hour with neither of us speaking Bennett asks, "What night was our rival game with Pan High?" I reach in my book bag and pull out my day planner.
"July 13th. Why?"
"Betsy was there right?"
"Absolutely. Again, why?"
"Well, Mrs. Rimes paid for what looks like two meals at McDonald's on that night at 7:15. Who do you think she would eat Big Macs with?"
"Her daughter."
"Hey, you agreed that Betsy was at Neptune High that night."
"I mean, her other daughter, Angelina D'Agostino. I just found her adoption and birth certificates." I cannot help having a smug look on my face.
"Well do you think the Rimes would resort to beating your mom to keep this secret?"
"I don't know. I find it hard to believe Mom would expose it just for the story. It's not really her style. Then again, when I first started hanging out with Betsy, my mom did mention that she absolutely hated Mrs. Rimes in high school."
"Really? Why?"
"I never got the whole story but I do know she spit in mom's drink at a party once."
"Gross but hardly on the same level as ruining a political career." I shrug. He doesn't need to know my mother extreme want for revenge.
"Let's check for alibis. You take Mrs. Rimes and I'll take the Senator." Both had what appeared like rock solid alibis for the tiimeof my mom's beating. I kinda expected it. After all, I couldn't picture either Mr. or Mrs. Rimes actually doing their dirty work.