The Saturday afternoon that Roy and his friends heard about the fire at Our Lady of Abandoned and Irredeemable Boys, they were on their way to see a double feature at the Riviera. The movies were Rumble on the Docks and Don't Knock the Rock. Roy was eager to see Don't Knock the Rock because his favorite singer, Little Richard, was in it performing "Long Tall Sally." The boys were on foot passing through Greektown when a kid Jimmy Boyle knew named Martin Kenna, whose great-great-Uncle Hinky Dink Kenna had been a strongarm boss before Capone, came up to them and said, "You guys heard Irredeemable Boys burned down?"
It was an overcast, bone-rattlingly windy day in early March. A blizzard was supposedly on the way but the streets were clear of evidence from the last storm almost two weeks before. Neither Roy nor the Viper nor Boyle was wearing a hat; they kept their gloveless hands shoved deep into their coat pockets.
"When?" asked Jimmy.
Martin Kenna's nose was blue. He wore a black watchcap under the hood of his gray parka. His hands were buried in the pockets and Roy bet he had gloves on.
"Real early this morning," Kenna said, "before it got light out."
"They know how it started?" Roy asked.
Martin Kenna shook his head. "I ain't heard. Worst part is the main staircase collapsed as the orphans was comin' down it. Bunch of 'em died. Fried up. Don't know how many. You guys goin' to the Riv?"
Jimmy Boyle nodded.
"I thought so. Nick Kilennis said Don't Knock the Rock's good but Rumble on the Docks is bunk."
"You goin'?"
"No, I gotta work today at the bakery. See ya."
"See ya," said Jimmy.
Kenna walked away and turned the corner onto Clark. The three boys continued toward the theater. Roy wished he'd worn a hat or had a coat with a hood.
