mp.godfather-第102章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　your　voice　is　back　as　good　as　ever；　you　got　all　your　old　fans　back。　Congratulations。〃
　
　〃Thanks；〃　Johnny　said。　He　was　curious　about　exactly　why　Michael　wanted　to　see　him。　What　favor　would　he　be　asked？
　
　Michael　addressed　them　all　in　general。　〃The　Corleone　Family　is　thinking　of　moving　out　here　to　Vegas。　Selling　out　all　our　interests　in　the　olive　oil　business　and　settling　here。　The　Don　and　Hagen　and　myself　have　talked　it　over　and　we　think　here　is　where　the　future　is　for　the　Family。　That　doesn't　mean　right　now　or　next　year。　It　may　take　two；　three；　even　four　years　to　get　things　squared　away。　But　that's　the　general　plan。　Some　friends　of　ours　own　a　good　percentage　of　this　hotel　and　casino　so　that　will　be　our　foundation。　Moe　Greene　will　sell　us　his　interest　so　it　can　be　wholly　owned　by　friends　of　the　Family。〃
　
　Freddie's　moon　face　was　anxious。　〃Mike；　you　sure　about　Moe　Greene　selling？　He　never　mentioned　it　to　me　and　he　loves　the　business。　I　really　don't　think　he'll　sell。〃
　
　Michael　said　quietly；　〃I'll　make　him　an　offer　he　can't　refuse。〃
　
　The　words　were　said　in　an　ordinary　voice；　yet　the　effect　was　chilling；　perhaps　because　it　was　a　favorite　phrase　of　the　Don's。　Michael　turned　to　Johnny　Fontane。　〃The　Don　is　counting　on　you　to　help　us　get　started。　It's　been　explained　to　us　that　entertainment　will　be　the　big　factor　in　drawing　gamblers。　We　hope　you'll　sign　a　contract　to　appear　five　times　a　year　for　maybe　a　week…long　engagement。　We　hope　your　friends　in　movies　do　the　same。　You've　done　them　a　lot　of　favors；　now　you　can　call　them　in。〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I'll　do　anything　for　my　Godfather；　you　know　that；　Mike。〃　But　there　was　just　the　faint　shadow　of　doubt　in　his　voice。
　
　Michael　smiled　and　said；　〃You　won't　lose　money　on　the　deal　and　neither　will　your　friends。　You　get　points　in　the　hotel；　and　if　there's　somebody　else　you　think　important　enough；　they　get　some　points　too。　Maybe　you　don't　believe　me；　so　let　me　say　I'm　speaking　the　Don's　words。〃
　
　Johnny　said　hurriedly；　〃I　believe　you；　Mike。　But　there's　ten　more　hotels　and　casinos　being　built　on　the　Strip　right　now。　When　you　e　in；　the　market　may　be　glutted；　you　may　be　too　late　with　all　that　petition　already　there。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　spoke　up。　〃The　Corleone　Family　has　friends　who　are　financing　three　of　those　hotels。〃　Johnny　understood　immediately　that　he　meant　the　Corleone　Family　owned　the　three　hotels；　with　their　casinos。　And　that　there　would　be　plenty　of　points　to　give　out。
　
　〃I'll　start　working　on　it；〃　Johnny　said。
　
　Michael　turned　to　Lucy　and　Jules　Segal。　〃I　owe　you；〃　he　said　to　Jules。　〃I　hear　you　want　to　go　back　to　cutting　people　up　and　that　hospitals　won't　let　you　use　their　facilities　because　of　that　old　abortion　business。　I　have　to　know　from　you；　is　that　what　you　want？〃
　
　Jules　smiles。　〃I　guess　so。　But　you　don't　know　the　medical　setup。　Whatever　power　you　have　doesn't　mean　anything　to　them。　I'm　afraid　you　can't　help　me　in　that。〃
　
　Michael　nodded　absentmindedly。　〃Sure；　you're　right。　But　some　friends　of　mine；　pretty　well…known　people；　are　going　to　build　a　big　hospital　for　Las　Vegas。　The　town　will　need　it　the　way　it's　growing　and　the　way　it's　projected　to　grow。　Maybe　they'll　let　you　into　the　operating　room　if　it's　put　to　them　right。　Hell；　how　many　surgeons　as　good　as　you　can　they　get　to　e　out　to　this　desert？　Or　any　half　as　good？　We'll　be　doing　the　hospital　a　favor。　So　stick　around。　I　hear　you　and　Lucy　are　going　to　get　married？〃
　
　Jules　shrugged。　〃When　I　see　that　I　have　any　future。〃
　
　Lucy　said　wryly；　〃Mike；　if　you　don't　build　that　hospital；　I'll　die　an　old　maid。〃
　
　They　all　laughed。　All　except　Jules。　He　said　to　Michael；　〃If　I　took　a　job　like　that　there　couldn't　be　any　strings　attached。〃
　
　Michael　said　coldly；　〃No　strings。　I　just　owe　you　and　I　want　to　even　out。〃
　
　Lucy　said　gently；　〃Mike；　don't　get　sore。〃
　
　Michael　smiled　at　her。　〃I'm　not　sore。〃　He　turned　to　Jules。　〃That　was　a　dumb　thing　for　you　to　say。　The　Corleone　Family　has　pulled　some　strings　for　you。　Do　you　think　I'm　so　stupid　I'd　ask　you　to　do　things　you'd　hate　to　do？　But　if　I　did；　so　what？　Who　the　hell　else　ever　lifted　a　finger　to　help　you　when　you　were　in　trouble？　When　I　heard　you　wanted　to　get　back　to　being　a　real　surgeon；　I　took　a　lot　of　time　to　find　out　if　I　could　help。　I　can。　I'm　not　asking　you　for　anything。　But　at　least　you　can　consider　our　relationship　friendly；　and　I　assume　you　would　do　for　me　what　you'd　do　for　any　good　friend。　That's　my　string。　But　you　can　refuse　it。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　lowered　his　head　and　smiled。　Not　even　the　Don　himself　could　have　done　it　any　better。
　
　Jules　was　flushing。　〃Mike；　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way　at　all。　I'm　very　grateful　to　you　and　your　father。　Forget　I　said　it。〃
　
　Michael　nodded　and　said；　〃Fine。　Until　the　hospital　gets　built　and　opens　up　you'll　be　medical　director　for　the　four　hotels。　Get　yourself　a　staff。　Your　money　goes　up　too；　but　you　can　discuss　that　with　Tom　at　a　later　time。　And　Lucy；　I　want　you　to　do　something　more　important。　Maybe　coordinate　all　the　shops　that　will　be　opening　up　in　the　hotel　arcades。　On　the　financial　side。　Or　maybe　hiring　the　girls　we　need　to　work　in　the　casinos。　something　like　that。　So　if　Jules　doesn't　marry　you；　you　can　be　a　rich　old　maid。〃
　
　Freddie　had　been　puffing　on　his　cigar　angrily。　Michael　turned　to　him　and　said　gently；　〃I'm　just　the　errand　boy　for　the　Don；　Freddie。　What　he　wants　you　to　do　he'll　tell　you　himself；　naturally；　but　I'm　sure　it　will　be　something　big　enough　to　make　you　happy。　Everybody　tells　us　what　a　great　job　you've　been　doing　here。〃
　
　〃Then　why　is　he　sore　at　me？〃　Freddie　asked　plaintively。　〃Just　because　the　casino　has　been　losing　money？　I　don't　control　that　end；　Moe　Greene　does。　What　the　hell　does　the　old　man　want　from　me？〃
　
　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Michael　said。　He　turned　to　Johnny　Fontane。　〃Where's　Nino？　I　was　looking　forward　to　seeing　him　again。〃
　
　Johnny　shrugged。　〃Nino　is　pretty　sick。　A　nurse　is　taking　care　of　him　in　his　room。　But　the　doc　here　says　he　should　be　mitted；　that　he's　trying　to　kill　himself。　Nino！〃
　
　Michael　said　thoughtfully；　really　surprised；　〃Nino　was　always　a　real　good　guy。　I　never　knew　him　to　do　anything　lousy；　say　anything　to　put　anybody　down。　He　never　gave　a　damn　about　anything。　Except　the　booze。〃
　
　〃Yeah；〃　Johnny　said。　〃The　money　is　rolling　in；　he　could　get　a　lot　of　work；　singing　or　in　the　movies。　He　gets　fifty　grand　a　picture　now　and　he　blows　it。　He　doesn't　give　a　damn　about　being　famous。　All　the　years　we've　been　buddies　I've　never　known　him　to　do　anything　creepy。　And　the　son　of　a　bitch　is　drinking　himself　to　death。〃
　
　Jules　was　about　to　say　something　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door　of　the　suite。　He　was　surprised　when　the　man　in　the　armchair；　the　man　nearest　the　door；　did　not　answer　it　but　kept　reading　the　newspaper。　It　was　Hagen　who　went　to　open　it。　And　was　almost　brushed　aside　when　Moe　Greene　came　striding　into　the　room　followed　by　his　two　bodyguards。
　
　Moe　Greene　was　a　handsome　hood　who　had　made　his　rep　as　a　Murder　Incorporated　executioner　in　Brooklyn。　He　had　branched　out　into　gambling　and　gone　west　to　seek　his　fortune；　had　been　the　first　person　to　see　the　possibilities　of　Las　Vegas　and　built　one　of　the　first　hotel　casinos　on　the　Strip。　He　still　had　murderous　tantrums　and　was　feared　by　everyone　in　the　hotel；　not　excluding　Freddie；　Lucy　and　Jules　Segal。　They　always　stayed　out　of　his　way　whenever　possible。
　
　His　handsome　face　was　grim　now。　He　said　to　Michael　Corleone；　〃I've　been　waiting　around　to　talk　to　you；　Mike。　I　got　a　lot　of　things　to　do　tomorrow　so　I　figured　I'd　catch　you　tonight。　How　about　it？〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　looked　at　him　with　what　seemed　to　be　friendly　astonishment。　〃Sure；〃　he　said。　He　motioned　in　Hagen's　direction。　〃Get　Mr。　Greene　a　drink；　Tom。〃
　
　Jules　noticed　that　the　man　called　Albert　Neri　was　studying　Moe　Greene　intently；　not　paying　any　attention　to　the　bodyguards　who　were　leaning　against　the　door。　He　knew　there　was　no　chance　of　any　violence；　not　in　Vegas　itself。　That　was　strictly　forbidden　as　fatal　to　the　whole　project　of　making　Vegas　the　legal　sanctuary　of　American　gamblers。
　
　Moe　Greene　said　to　his　bodyguards；　〃Draw　some　chips　for　all　these　people　so　th