"Who's Vinnie Baratto?"

"We played high school football-at least Vinnie played-I mostly sat. 'Yellow 42' was a running play."

"I didn't know you played football."

"Neither did anyone else," Dean replied. "I spent two years on the bench and never played a down until the last game of my jun­ior year. Nick Volpe had his bell rung and they sent me in for one play, 'Yellow 42.' Vinnie Baratto was the star running back for three years. He was one of those guys who drank beer all night, smoked Camels and never practiced while I broke my butt and sat on the bench. Just as Vinnie was tackled he flipped me the ball and I scored. We tied Doylestown-my one athletic claim to fame. The only one-I didn't even make the team the next year. We finished the season with eight losses and that one tie."

"So what's he want and why is he so secretive?"

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"Beats me. He's probably looking for help to keep from going back to jail. I hear he's been messing with the bad guys again. Ol' Vinnie was a hell of a jock but not 'the most likely' at anything but getting in trouble."

"Well, he said he'd call back later," Fred answered. Dean was already on the stairs, just about asleep on his feet.




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