mp.godfather-第24节

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　Clemenza　worked　inside　the　heated　garage；　he　hated　cold。　He　ran　over　his　plans。　You　had　to　be　careful　with　Paulie；　the　man　was　like　a　rat；　he　could　smell　danger。　And　now　of　course　despite　being　so　tough　he　must　be　shitting　in　his　pants　because　the　old　man　was　still　alive。　He'd　be　as　skittish　as　a　donkey　with　ants　up　his　ass。　But　Clemenza　was　accustomed　to　these　circumstances；　usual　in　his　work。　First；　he　had　to　have　a　good　excuse　for　Rocco　to　acpany　them。　Second；　he　had　to　have　a　plausible　mission　for　the　three　of　them　to　go　on。
　
　Of　course；　strictly　speaking；　this　was　not　necessary。　Paulie　Gatto　could　be　killed　without　any　of　these　frills。　He　was　locked　in；　he　could　not　run　away。　But　Clemenza　felt　strongly　that　it　was　important　to　keep　good　working　habits　and　never　give　away　a　fraction　of　a　percentage　point。　You　never　could　tell　what　might　happen　and　these　matters　were；　after　all；　questions　of　life　and　death。
　
　As　he　washed　his　baby…blue　Cadillac；　Peter　Clemenza　pondered　and　rehearsed　his　lines；　the　expressions　of　his　face。　He　would　be　curt　with　Paulie；　as　if　displeased　with　him。　With　a　man　so　sensitive　and　suspicious　as　Gatto　this　would　throw　him　off　the　track　or　at　least　leave　him　uncertain。　Undue　friendliness　would　make　him　wary。　But　of　course　the　curtness　must　not　be　too　angry。　It　had　to　be　rather　an　absentminded　sort　of　irritation。　And　why　Lampone？　Paulie　would　find　that　most　alarming；　especially　since　Lampone　had　to　be　in　the　rear　seat。　Paulie　wouldn't　like　being　helpless　at　the　wheel　with　Lampone　behind　his　head。　Clemenza　rubbed　and　polished　the　metal　of　his　Cadillac　furiously。　It　was　going　to　be　tricky。　Very　tricky。　For　a　moment　he　debated　whether　to　recruit　another　man　but　decided　against　it。　Here　he　followed　basic　reasoning。　In　years　to　e　a　situation　might　arise　where　it　might　be　profitable　for　one　of　his　partners　to　testify　against　him。　If　there　were　just　one　acplice　it　was　one's　word　against　the　other。　But　the　word　of　a　second　acplice　could　swing　the　balance。　No；　they　would　stick　to　procedure。
　
　What　annoyed　Clemenza　was　that　the　execution　had　to　be　〃public。〃　That　is；　the　body　was　to　be　found。　He　would　have　much　preferred　having　it　disappear。　（Usual　burying　grounds　were　the　nearby　ocean　or　the　swamplands　of　New　Jersey　on　land　owned　by　friends　of　the　Family　or　by　other　more　plicated　methods。）　But　it　had　to　be　public　so　that　embryo　traitors　would　be　frightened　and　the　enemy　warned　that　the　Corleone　Family　had　by　no　means　gone　stupid　or　soft。　Sollozzo　would　be　made　wary　by　this　quick　discovery　of　his　spy。　The　Corleone　Family　would　win　back　some　of　its　prestige。　It　had　been　made　to　look　foolish　by　the　shooting　of　the　old　man。
　
　Clemenza　sighed。　The　Cadillac　gleamed　like　a　huge　blue　steel　egg；　and　he　was　nowhere　near　the　solving　of　his　problem。　Then　the　solution　hit　him；　logical　and　to　the　point。　It　would　explain　Rocco　Lampone；　himself　and　Paulie　being　together　and　give　them　a　mission　of　sufficient　secrecy　and　importance。
　
　He　would　tell　Paulie　that　their　job　today　was　to　find　an　apartment　in　case　the　Family　decided　to　〃go　to　the　mattresses。〃
　
　Whenever　a　war　between　the　Families　became　bitterly　intense；　the　opponents　would　set　up　headquarters　in　secret　apartments　where　the　〃soldiers〃　could　sleep　on　mattresses　scattered　through　the　rooms。　This　was　not　so　much　to　keep　their　families　out　of　danger；　their　wives　and　little　children；　since　any　attack　on　nonbatants　was　undreamed　of。　All　parties　were　too　vulnerable　to　similar　retaliation。　But　it　was　always　smarter　to　live　in　some　secret　place　where　your　everyday　movements　could　not　be　charted　either　by　your　opponents　or　by　some　police　who　might　arbitrarily　decide　to　meddle。
　
　And　so　usually　a　trusted　caporegime　would　be　sent　out　to　rent　a　secret　apartment　and　fill　it　with　mattresses。　That　apartment　would　be　used　as　a　sally　port　into　the　city　when　an　offensive　was　mounted。　It　was　natural　for　Clemenza　to　be　sent　on　such　an　errand。　It　was　natural　for　him　to　take　Gatto　and　Lampone　with　him　to　arrange　all　the　details；　including　the　furnishing　of　the　apartment。　Also；　Clemenza　thought　with　a　grin；　Paulie　Gatto　had　proved　he　was　greedy　and　the　first　thought　that　would　pop　into　his　head　was　how　much　he　could　get　from　Sollozzo　for　this　valuable　intelligence。
　
　Rocco　Lampone　arrived　early　and　Clemenza　explained　what　had　to　be　done　and　what　their　roles　would　be。　Lampone's　face　lit　up　with　surprised　gratitude　and　he　thanked　Clemenza　respectfully　for　the　promotion　allowing　him　to　serve　the　Family。　Clemenza　was　sure　he　had　done　well。　He　clapped　Lampone　on　the　shoulder　and　said；　〃You'll　get　something　better　for　your　living　after　today。　We'll　talk　about　that　later。　You　understand　the　Family　now　is　occupied　with　more　critical　matters；　more　important　things　to　do。〃　Lampone　made　a　gesture　that　said　he　would　be　patient；　knowing　his　reward　was　certain。
　
　Clemenza　went　to　his　den's　safe　and　opened　it。　He　took　out　a　gun　and　gave　it　to　Lampone。　〃Use　this　one；〃　he　said。。　〃They　can　never　trace　it。　Leave　it　in　the　car　with　Paulie。　When　this　job　is　finished　I　want　you　to　take　your　wife　and　children　on　a　vacation　to　Florida。　Use　your　own　money　now　and　I'll　pay　you　back　later。　Relax；　get　the　sun。　Use　the　Family　hotel　in　Miami　Beach　so　I'll　know　where　I　can　get　you　when　I　want。〃
　
　Clemenza's　wife　knocked　on　the　door　of　the　den　to　tell　them　that　Paulie　Gatto　had　arrived。　He　was　parked　in　the　driveway。　Clemenza　led　the　way　through　the　garage　and　Lampone　followed　him。　When　Clemenza　got　into　the　front　seat　with　Gatto　he　merely　grunted　in　greeting；　an　exasperated　look　on　his　face。　He　looked　at　his　wristwatch　as　if　he　expected　to　find　that　Gatto　was　late。
　
　The　ferret…faced　button　man　was　watching　him　intently；　looking　for　a　clue。　He　flinched　a　little　when　Lampone　got　into　the　rear　seat　behind　him　and　said；　〃Rocco；　sit　on　the　other　site。　A　big　guy　like　you　blocks　up　my　rear…view　mirror。〃　Lampone　shifted　dutifully；　so　that　he　was　sitting　behind　Clemenza；　as　if　such　a　request　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。
　
　Clemenza　said　sourly　to　Gatto；　〃Damn　that　Sonny；　he's　running　scared。　He's　already　thinking　of　going　to　the　mattresses。　We　have　to　find　a　place　on　the　West　Side。　Paulie；　you　and　Rocco　gotta　staff　and　supply　it　until　the　word　es　down　for　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　to　use　it。　You　know　a　good　location？〃
　
　As　he　had　expected；　Gatto's　eyes　became　greedily　interested。　Paulie　had　swallowed　the　bait　and　because　he　was　thinking　how　much　the　information　was　worth　to　Sollozzo；　he　was　forgetting　to　think　about　whether　he　was　in　danger。　Also；　Lampone　was　acting　his　part　perfectly；　staring　out　the　window　in　a　disinterested；　relaxed　way。　Clemenza　congratulated　himself　on　his　choice。
　
　Gatto　shrugged。　〃I'd　have　to　think　about　it；〃　he　said。
　
　Clemenza　grunted。　〃Drive　while　you　think；　I　want　to　get。　to　New　York　today。〃
　
　Paulie　was　an　expert　driver　and　traffic　going　into　the　city　was　light　at　this　time　in　the　afternoon；　so　the　early　winter　darkness　was　just　beginning　to　fall　when　they　arrived。　There　was　no　small　talk　in　the　car。　Clemenza　directed　Paulie　to　drive　up　to　the　Washington　Heights　section。　He　checked　a　few　apartment　buildings　and　told　him　to　park　near　Arthur　Avenue　and　wait。　He　also　left　Rocco　Lampone　in　the　car。　He　went　into　the　Vera　Mario　Restaurant　and　had　a　light　dinner　of　veal　and　salad；　nodding　his　hellos　to　some　acquaintances。　After　an　hour　had　gone　by　he　walked　the　several　blocks　to　where　the　car　was　parked　and　entered　it。　Gatto　and　Lampone　were　still　waiting。　〃Shit；〃　Clemenza　said；　〃they　want　us　back　in　Long　Beach。　They　got　some　other　job　for　us　now。　Sonny　says　we　can　let　this　one　go　until　later。　Rocco；　you　live　in　the　city；　can　we　drop　you　off？〃
　
　Rocco　said　quietly；　〃I　have　my　car　out　at　your　place　and　my　old　lady　needs　it　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃
　
　〃That's　right；〃　Clemenza　said。　〃Then　you　have　to　e　back　with　us；　after　all。〃
　
　Again　on　the　ride　back　to　Long　Beach　nothing　was　said。　On　the　stretch　of　road　that　led　into　the　city；　Clemenza　said　suddenly；　〃Paulie；　pull　over；　I　gotta　take　a　leak。〃　From　working　together　so　long；　Gatto　knew　the　fat　caporegime　had　a　weak　bladder。　He　had　often　made　such　a　request。　Gatto　pulled　the　car　off　the　highway　onto　the　soft　earth　that　led　to　the　swamp。　Clemenza　climbed　out　of　the　car　and　took　a　few　steps　into　the　bushes。　He　actually　relieved　himself。　Then　as　he　opened　the　door　to　get　back　into　the　car　he　took　a　quick　look　up　and　down　the　highway。　There　were　no　lights；　the　road　was　pletely　dark。　〃Go　ahead；〃　Clemenza　said。　A　second　later　the　interior　of　the　car　reverberated　with　the　report　of　a　gun。　Paulie　Gatto　seemed　to　jump　forward；　his　body　flinging　against　the　steering　wheel　and　then　slumping　over　to　the　seat。　Clemenza　had　stepped　back　hastily　to　avoid　being　hit　with　fragments　of　skull　bone　and　blood。
　
　Rocco　Lampone　scrambled　out　of　the　back　seat。　He　still　held　the　gun　and　he　threw　it　into　the　swamp。　He　and　Clemenza　walked　hastily　to　a　car　parked　nearby　and　got　in。　Lampone　reached　underneath　the　seat　and　found　the　key　that　had　been　left　for　them。　He　started　the　car　and　drove　Clemenza　to　his　home。　Then　instead　of　going　back　by　the　same　route；　he　took　the　Jones　Beach　Causeway