29.

They were on their way to a home game with the Reds. Burke was driving.

“They came to my home,” Robinson said. “They know where we live.”

“Just two of them,” Burke said. “One of them is dead and the other one is running away.”

“You’re sure he’s running?”

“He told me that Paglia sent him. When Paglia finds out he’ll have him killed, if he can find him.”

“And this guy knows that,” Jackie said.

“Yes.”

Jackie nodded.

“How’s Paglia going to find out?” he said.

“I’m going to tell him,” Burke said.

“Why?”

“This needs to stop,” Burke said. “I’m going to talk with Paglia.”

“You think you can?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you going to say?”

“I’ll think of something,” Burke said.

Jackie started to speak, and stopped, and looked thoughtfully at Burke.

“We knew it would be tough,” Jackie said. “Me and Rachel, when we signed on. I don’t think we knew it would be this tough.”

“Nobody knew,” Burke said.

“She has to be safe,” Jackie said.

“She’ll be all right,” Burke said. “It’s sort of against the rules to kill wives and children.”

“Rules?”

Burke nodded.

“You think they got in, they wouldn’t have hurt her?” Jackie said.

“They weren’t supposed to.”

“How do you know?”

“I know a lot of thugs,” Burke said.

“And they have rules.”

“Sure. Most people got rules.”

“You?” Jackie said.

“Except me,” Burke said.

Jackie stared at Burke for a moment. It was what Burke had come to think of as the look. Jackie didn’t say anything and Burke wheeled the car into the players’ parking lot. They walked to the clubhouse in silence. When Jackie was inside, Burke went around and in through the rotunda to sit in his place by the dugout.

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