“First off, he can’t shoot me. He’s locked up. And in the second place-”

“He doesn’t do it himself, idiot. He has one of his gorillas do it for him.”

“And in the second place,” I steamroller on, “it’s a little late now. I already asked for his help. He already gave it.”

“It’s not too late. You could explain it all. You could explain everything.”

“To the warden?” I snort. “Look Annie, Capone didn’t ask for anything.”

“He will, though. You know he will.”

“And I won’t do it.”

“Yeah, and then what?”

It feels suddenly hot and stuffy in her apartment. “Look, Annie, this isn’t your problem, okay?”

Annie’s blue eyes are extra round, like the pressure inside her head is pushing them out of her skull. “I thought you were like me. I thought you didn’t like to get in trouble either.”

“I am like you. But this is my family, okay? I’m not going to mess this up for Natalie. You wouldn’t either, if you were me.” I hadn’t really decided what I was going to do about all of this, but suddenly this much is clear.

Annie shakes her big square head. “My mom says a school can’t make Natalie normal anyway. My mom says everybody knows that… except you.”

“Annie, shut up, okay? Just shut up!” I squeeze out the door and heave the screen closed. I’m looking for a big slamming noise, but all I get is a flimsy, tinny clap.

Scout squints, looking up at me. I take big, fast steps to get us as far away from Annie as possible.

“She won’t play,” I mutter as we head for the stairwell.

Scout hops on one foot, takes off his shoe, and dumps out a trickling of sand. “Can’t imagine she’s any good anyway.”

“Oh she’s good, all right. She could strike you out.”

“Excuse me?” He pokes me in the ribs with his bat. “No girl could strike me out.”

Annie shoves open the door behind us. “This girl could,” she calls after us.