mp.godfather-第37章

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and　then　to　keep　their　potato　farms　and　he　sent　the　money　to　do　the　trick。　He　didn't　begrudge　it。　And　when　he　and　his　wife　visited　the　old　country　they　were　treated　like　a　king　and　queen。　Maybe　they　would　go　again　this　summer　now　that　the　war　was　over　and　with　all　this　extra　money　ing　in。　McCluskey　told　his　patrolman　clerk　where　he　would　be　if　he　was　needed。　He　did　not　feel　it　necessary　to　take　any　precautions。　He　could　always　claim　Sollozzo　was　an　informer　he　was　meeting。　Outside　the　station　house　he　walked　a　few　blocks　and　then　caught　a　cab　to　the　house　where　he　would　meet　with　Sollozzo。
　
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　It　was　Tom　Hagen　who　had　to　make　all　the　arrangements　for　Michael's　leaving　the　country；　his　false　passport；　his　seaman's　card；　his　berth　on　an　Italian　freighter　that　would　dock　in　a　Sicilian　port。　Emissaries　were　sent　that　very　day　by　plane　to　Sicily　to　prepare　a　hiding　plate　with　the　Mafia　chief　in　the　hill　country。
　
　Sonny　arranged　for　a　car　and　an　absolutely　trustworthy　driver　to　be　waiting　for　Michael　when　he　stepped　out　of　the　restaurant　where　the　meeting　would　be　held　with　Sollozzo。　The　driver　would　be　Tessio　himself；　who　had　volunteered　for　the　job。　It　would　be　a　beat…up…looking　car　but　with　a　fine　motor。　It　would　have　phony　license　plates　and　the　car　itself　would　be　untraceable。　It　had　been　saved　for　a　special　job　requiring　the　best。
　
　Michael　spent　the　day　with　Clemenza；　practicing　with　the　small　gun　that　would　be　gotten　to　him。　It　was　a　。22　filled　with　soft…nosed　bullets　that　made　pinpricks　going　in　and　left　insulting　gaping　holes　when　they　exited　from　the　human　body。　He　found　that　it　was　accurate　up　to　five　of　his　steps　away　from　a　target。　After　that　the　bullets　might　go　anywhere。　The　trigger　was　tight　but　Clemenza　worked　on　this　with　some　tools　so　that　it　pulled　easier。　They　decided　to　leave　it　noisy。　They　didn't　want　an　innocent　bystander　misunderstanding　the　situation　and　interfering　out　of　ignorant　courage。　The　report　of　the　gun　would　keep　them　away　from　Michael。
　
　Clemenza　kept　instructing　him　during　the　training　session。　〃Drop　the　gun　as　soon　as　you've　finished　using　it。　Just　let　your　hand　drop　to　your　side　and　the　gun　slip　out。　Nobody　will　notice。　Everybody　will　think　you're　still　armed。　They'll　be　staring　at　your　face。　Walk　out　of　the　place　very　quickly　but　don't　run。　Don't　look　anybody　directly　in　the　eye　but　don't　look　away　from　them　either。　Remember；　they'll　be　scared　of　you；　believe　me；　they'll　be　scared　of　you。　Nobody　will　interfere。　As　soon　as　you're　outside　Tessio　will　be　in　the　car　waiting　for　you。　Get　in　and　leave　the　rest　to　him。　Don't　be　worried　about　accidents。　You'd　be　surprised　how　well　these　affairs　go。　Now　put　this　hat　on　and　let's　see　how　you　look。〃　He　clapped　a　gray　fedora　on　Michael's　head。　Michael；　who　never　wore　a　hat；　grimaced。　Clemenza　reassured　him。　〃It　helps　against　identification；　just　in　case。　Mostly　it　gives　witnesses　an　excuse　to　change　their　identification　when　we　make　them　see　the　light。　Remember；　Mike；　don't　worry　about　prints。　The　butt　and　trigger　are　fixed　with　special　tape。　Don't　touch　any　other　part　of　the　gun；　remember　that。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃Has　Sonny　found　out　where　Soliozzo　is　taking　me？〃
　
　Clemenza　shrugged。　〃Not　yet。　Sollozzo　is　being　very　careful。　But　don't　worry　about　him　harming　you。　The　negotiator　stays　in　our　hands　until　you　e　back　safe。　If　anything　happens　to　you；　the　negotiator　pays。〃
　
　〃Why　the　hell　should　he　stick　his　neck　out？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃He　gets　a　big　fee；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃A　small　fortune。　Also　he　is　an　important　man　in　the　Families。　He　knows　Sollozzo　can't　let　anything　happen　to　him。　Your　life　is　not　worth　the　negotiator's　life　to　Sollozzo。　Very　simple。　You'll　be　safe　all　right。　We're　the　ones　who　catch　hell　afterwards。〃
　
　〃How　bad　will　it　be？〃　Michael　asked。
　
　〃Very　bad；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃It　means　an　all…out　war　with　the　Tattaglia　Family　against　the　Corleone　Family。　Most　of　the　others　will　line　up　with　the　Tattaglias。　The　Sanitation　Department　will　be　sweeping　up　a　lot　of　dead　bodies　this　winter。〃　He　shrugged。　〃These　things　have　to　happen　once　every　ten　years　or　so。　It　gets　rid　of　the　bad　blood。　And　then　if　we　let　them　push　us　around　on　the　little　things　they　wanta　take　over　everything。　You　gotta　stop　them　at　the　beginning。　Like　they　shoulda　stopped　Hitler　at　Munich；　they　should　never　let　him　get　away　with　that；　they　were　just　asking　for　big　trouble　when　they　let　him　get　away　with　that。〃
　
　Michael　had　heard　his　father　say　this　same　thing　before；　only　in　1939　before　the　war　actually　started。　If　the　Families　had　been　running　the　State　Department　there　would　never　have　been　World　War　II；　he　thought　with　a　grin。
　
　They　drove　back　to　the　mall　and　to　the　Don's　house；　where　Sonny　still　made　his　headquarters。　Michael　wondered　how　long　Sonny　could　stay　cooped　up　in　the　safe　territory　of　the　mall。　Eventually　he　would　have　to　venture　out。　They　found　Sonny　taking　a　nap　on　the　couch。　On　the　coffee　table　was　the　remains　of　his　late　lunch；　scraps　of　steak　and　bread　crumbs　and　a　half…empty　bottle　of　whiskey。
　
　His　father's　usually　neat　office　was　taking　on　the　look　of　a　badly　kept　furnished　room。　Michael　shook　his　brother　awake　and　said；　〃Why　don't　you　stop　living　like。　a　bum　and　get　this　place　cleaned　up？〃
　
　Sonny　yawned。　〃What　the　hell　are　you；　inspecting　the　barracks？　Mike；　we　haven't　got　the　word　yet　where　they　plan　to　take　you；　those　bastards　Sollozzo　and　McCluskey。　If　we　don't　find　that　out；　how　the　hell　are　we　going　to　get　the　gun　to　you？〃
　
　〃Can't　I　carry　it　on　me？〃　Michael　asked。　〃Maybe　they　won't　frisk　me　and　even　if　they　do　maybe　they'll　miss　it　if　we're　smart　enough。　And　even　if　they　find　it…　so　what。　They'll　just　take　it　off　me　and　no　harm　done。〃
　
　Sonny　shook　his　head。　〃Nah；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　to　make　this　a　sure　hit　on　that　bastard　Sollozzo。　Remember；　get　him　first　if　you　possibly　can。　McCluskey　is　slower　and　dumber。　You　should　have　plenty　of　time　to　take　him。　Did　Clemenza　tell　you　to　be　sure　to　drop　the　gun？〃
　
　〃A　million　times；〃　Michael　said。
　
　Sonny　got　up　from　the　sofa　and　stretched。　〃How　does　your　jaw　feel；　kid？〃
　
　〃Lousy；〃　Michael　said。　The　left　side　of　his　face　ached　except　those　parts　that　felt　numb　because　of　the　drugged　wire　holding　it　together。　He　took　the　bottle　of　whiskey　from　the　table　and　swigged　directly　from　it。　The　pain　eased。
　
　Sonny　said；　〃Easy；　Mike；　now　is　no　time　to　get　slowed　up　by　booze。〃
　
　Michael　said；　〃Oh；　Christ；　Sonny；　stop　playing　the　big　brother。　I've　been　in　bat　against　tougher　guys　than　Sollozzo　and　under　worse　conditions。　Where　the　hell　are　his　mortars？　Has　he　got　air　cover？　Heavy　artillery？　Land　mines？　He's　just　a　wise　son　of　a　bitch　with　a　big…wheel　cop　sidekick。　Once　anybody　makes　up　their　mind　to　kill　them　there's　no　other　problem。　That's　the　hard　part；　making　up　your　mind。　They'll　never　know　what　hit　them。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　came　into　the　room。　He　greeted　them　with　a　nod　and　went　directly　to　the　falsely　listed　telephone。　He　called　a　few　times　and　then　shook　his　head　at　Sonny。　〃Not　a　whisper；〃　he　said。　〃Sollozzo　is　keeping　it　to　himself　as　long　as　he　can。〃
　
　The　phone　rang。　Sonny　answered　it　and　he　held　up　a　hand　as　if　to　signal　for　quiet　though　no　one　had　spoken。　He　jotted　some　notes　down　on　a　pad；　then　said；　〃OK；　he'll　be　there；〃　and　hung　up　the　phone。
　
　Sonny　was　laughing。　〃That　son　of　a　bitch　Sollozzo；　he　really　is　something。　Here's　the　deal。　At　eight　tonight　he　and　Captain　McCluskey　pick　up　Mike　in　front　of　Jack　Dempsey's　bar　on　Broadway。　They　go　someplace　to　talk；　and　get　this。　Mike　and　Sollozzo　talk　in　Italian　so　that　the　Irish　cop　don't　know　what　the　hell　they　are　talking　about。　He　even　tells　me；　don't　worry；　he　knows　McCluskey　doesn't　know　one　word　in　Italian　unless　it's　'soldi'　and　he's　checked　you　out；　Mike；　and　knows　you　can　understand　Sicilian　dialect。〃
　
　Michael　said　dryly；　〃I'm　pretty　rusty　but　we　won't　talk　long。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　said；　〃We　don't　let　Mike　go　until　we　have　the　negotiator。　Is　that　arranged？〃
　
　Clemenza　nodded。　〃The　negotiator　is　at　my　house　playing　pinochle　with　three　of　my　men。　They　wait　for　a　call　from　me　before　they　let　him　go。〃
　
　Sonny　sank　back　in　the