mp.godfather-第31节

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tain　helping　him　who　knows　what　the　hell　might　happen。　We　can't　take　that　chance。　We　have　to　get　Sollozzo　right　away。〃
　
　Sonny　was　scratching　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃You're　right；　kid；〃　he　said。　〃You　got　right　to　the　old　nuts。　We　can't　let　Sollozzo　get　another　crack　at　the　old　man。〃
　
　Hagen　said　quietly；　〃What　about　Captain　McCluskey？〃
　
　Sonny　turned　to　Michael　with　an　odd　little　smile。　〃Yeah；　kid；　what　about　that　tough　police　captain？〃
　
　Michael　said　slowly；　〃OK；　it's　an　extreme。　But　there　are　times　when　the　most　extreme　measures　are　justified。　Let's　think　now　that　we　have　to　kill　McCluskey。　The　way　to　do　it　would　be　to　have　him　heavily　implicated　so　that　it's　not　an　honest　police　captain　doing　his　duty　but　a　crooked　police　official　mixed　up　in　the　rackets　who　got　what　was　ing　to　him；　like　any　crook。　We　have　newspaper　people　on　our　payroll　we　can　give　that　story　to　with　enough　proof　so　that　they　can　back　it　up。　That　should　take　some　of　the　heat　off。　How　does　that　sound？〃　Michael　looked　around　deferentially　to　the　others。　Tessio　and　Clemenza　had　gloomy　faces　and　refused　to　speak。　Sonny　said　with　the　same　odd　smile；　〃Go　on；　kid；　you're　doing　great。　Out　of　the　mouths　of　infants；　as　the　Don　always　used　to　say。　Go　ahead；　Mike；　tell　us　more。〃
　
　Hagen　was　smiling　too　a　little　and　averting　his　head。　Michael　flushed。　〃Well；　they　want　me　to　go　to　a　conference　with　Sollozzo。　It　will　be　me；　Sollozzo　and　McCluskey　all　on　our　own。　Set　up　the　meeting　for　two　days　from　now；　then　get　our　informers　to　find　out　where　the　meeting　will　be　held。　Insist　that　it　has　to　be　a　public　place；　that　I'm　not　going　to　let　them　take　me　into　any　apartments　or　houses。　Let　it　be　a　restaurant　or　a　bar　at　the　height　of　the　dinner　hour；　something　like　that；　so　that　I'll　feel　safe。　They'll　feel　safe　too。　Even　Sollozzo　won't　figure　that　we'll　dare　to　gun　the　captain。　They'll　frisk　me　when　I　meet　them　so　I'll　have　to　be　clean　then；　but　figure　out　a　way　you　can　get　a　weapon　to　me　while　I'm　meeting　them。　Then　I'll　take　both　of　them。〃
　
　All　four　heads　turned　and　stared　at　him。　Clemenza　and　Tessio　were　gravely　astonished。　Hagen　looked　a　little　sad　but　not　surprised。　He　started　to　speak　and　thought　better　of　it。　But　Sonny；　his　heavy　Cupid's　face　twitching　with　mirth；　suddenly　broke　out　in　loud　roars　of　laughter。　It　was　deep　belly　laughter；　not　faking。　He　was　really　breaking　up。　He　pointed　a　finger　at　Michael；　trying　to　speak　through　gasps　of　mirth。　〃You；　the　high…class　college　kid；　you　never　wanted　to　get　mixed　up　in　the　Family　business。　Now　you　wanta　kill　a　police　captain　and　the　Turk　just　because　you　got　your　face　smashed　by　McCluskey。　You're　taking　it　personal；　it's　just　business　and　you're　taking　it　personal。　You　wanta　kill　these　two　guys　just　because　you　got　slapped　in　the　face。　It　was　all　a　lot　of　crap。　All　these　years　it　was　just　a　lot　of　crap。〃
　
　Clemenza　and　Tessio；　pletely　misunderstanding；　thinking　that　Sonny　was　laughing　at　his　young　brother's　bravado　for　making　such　an　offer；　were　also　smiling　broadly　and　a　little　patronizingly　at　Michael。　Only　Hagen　warily　kept　his　face　impassive。
　
　Michael　looked　around　at　all　of　them；　then　stared　at　Sonny；　who　still　couldn't　stop　laughing。　〃You'll　take　both　of　them？〃　Sonny　said。　〃Hey；　kid；　they　won't　give　you　medals；　they　put　you　in　the　electric　chair。　You　know　that？　This　is　no　hero　business；　kid；　you　don't　shoot　people　from　a　mile　away。　You　shoot　when　you　see　the　whites　of　their　eyes　like　we　got　taught　in　school；　remember？　You　gotta　stand　right　next　to　them　and　blow　their　heads　off　and　their　brains　get　all　over　your　nice　Ivy　League　suit。　How　about　that；　kid；　you　wanta　do　that　just　because　some　dumb　cop　slapped　you　around？〃　He　was　still　laughing。
　
　Michael　stood　up。　〃You'd　better　stop　laughing；〃　he　said。　The　change　in　him　was　so　extraordinary　that　the　smiles　vanished　from　the　faces　of　Clemenza　and　Tessio。　Michael　was　not　tall　or　heavily　built　but　his　presence　seemed　to　radiate　danger。　In　that　moment　he　was　a　reincarnation　of　Don　Corleone　himself。　His　eyes　had　gone　a　pale　tan　and　his　face　was　bleached　of　color。　He　seemed　at　any　moment　about　to　fling　himself　on　his　older　and　stronger　brother。　There　was　no　doubt　that　if　he　had　had　a　weapon　in　his　hands　Sonny　would　have　been　in　danger。　Sonny　stopped　laughing；　and　Michael　said　to　him　in　a　cold　deadly　voice；　〃Don't　you　think　I　can　do　it；　you　son　of　a　bitch？〃
　
　Sonny　had　got　over　his　laughing　fit。　〃I　know　you　can　do　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　wasn't　laughing　at　what　you　said。　I　was　just　laughing　at　how　funny　things　turn　out。　I　always　said　you　were　the　toughest　one　in　the　Family；　tougher　than　the　Don　himself。　You　were　the　only　one　who　could　stand　off　the　old　man。　I　remember　you　when　you　were　a　kid。　What　a　temper　you　had　then。　Hell；　you　even　used　to　fight　me　and　I　was　a　lot　older　than　you。　And　Freddie　had　to　beat　the　shit　out　of　you　at　least　once　a　week。　And　now　Sollozzo　has　you　figured　for　the　soft　touch　in　the　Family　because　you　let　McCluskey　hit　you　without　fighting　back　and　you　wouldn't　get　mixed　up　in　the　Family　fights。　He　figures　he　got　nothing　to　worry　about　if　he　meets　you　head　to　head。　And　McCluskey　too；　he's　got　you　figured　for　a　yellow　guinea。〃　Sonny　paused　and　then　said　softly；　〃But　you're　a　Corleone　after　all；　you　son　of　a　bitch。　And　I　was　the　only　one　who　knew　it。　I've　been　sitting　here　waiting　for　the　last　three　days；　ever　since　the　old　man　got　shot；　waiting　for　you　to　crack　out　of　that　Ivy　League；　war　hero　bullshit　character　you've　been　wearing。　I've　been　waiting　for　you　to　bee　my　right　arm　so　we　can　kill　those　fucks　that　are　trying　to　destroy　our　father　and　our　Family。　And　all　it　took　was　a　sock　on　the　jaw。　How　do　you　like　that？〃　Sonny　made　a　ical　gesture；　a　punch；　and　repeated；　〃How　do　you　like　that？〃
　
　The　tension　had　relaxed　in　the　room。　Mike　shook　his　head。　〃Sonny；　I'm　doing　it　because　it's　the　only　thing　to　do。　I　can't　give　Sollozzo　another　crack　at　the　old　man。　I　seem　to　be　the　only　one　who　can　get　close　enough　to　him。　And　I　figured　it　out。　I　don't　think　you　can　get　anybody　else　to　knock　off　a　police　captain。　Maybe　you　would　do　it；　Sonny；　but　you　have　a　wife　and　kids　and　you　have　to　run　the　Family　business　until　the　old　man　is　in　shape。　So　that　leaves　me　and　Freddie。　Freddie　is　in　shock　and　out　of　action。　Finally　that　leaves　just　me。　It's　all　logic。　The　sock　on　the　jaw　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　
　Sonny　came　over　and　embraced　him。　〃I　don't　give　a　damn　what　your　reasons　are；　just　so　long　as　you're　with　us　now。　And　I'll　tell　you　another　thing；　you're　right　all　the　way。　Tom；　what's　your　say？〃
　
　Hagen　shrugged。　〃The　reasoning　is　solid。　What　makes　it　so　is　that　I　don't　think　the　Turk　is　sincere　about　a　deal。　I　think　he'll　still　try　to　get　at　the　Don。　Anyway　on　his　past　performance　that's　how　we　have　to　figure　him。　So　we　try　to　get　Sollozzo。　We　get　him　even　if　we　have　to　get　the　police　captain。　But　whoever　does　the　job　is　going　to　get　an　awful　lot　of　heat。　Does　it　have　to　be　Mike？〃
　
　Sonny　said　softly；　〃I　could　do　it。〃
　
　Hagen　shook　his　head　impatiently。　〃Sollozzo　wouldn't　let　you　get　within　a　mile　of　him　if　he　had　ten　police　captains。　And　besides　you're　the　acting　head　of　the　Family。　You　can't　be　risked。〃　Hagen　paused　and　said　to　Clemenza　and　Tessio；　〃Do　either　one　of　you　have　a　top　button　man；　someone　really　special；　who　would　take　on　this　job？　He　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　money　for　the　rest　of　his　life。〃
　
　Clemenza　spoke　first。　〃Nobody　that　Sollozzo　wouldn't　know；　he'd　catch　on　right　away。　He'd　catch　on　if　me　or　Tessio　went　too。〃
　
　Hagen　said；　〃What　about　somebody　really　tough　who　hasn't　made　his　rep　yet；　a　good　rookie？〃
　
　Both　caporegimes　shook　their　heads。　Tessio　smiled　to　take　the　sting　out　of　his　words　and　said；　〃That's　like　bringing　a　guy　up　from　the　minors　to　pitch　the　World　Series。〃
　
　Sonny　broke　in　curtly；　〃It　has　to　be　Mike。　For　a　million　different　reasons。　Most　important　they　got　him　down　as　faggy。　And　he　can　do　the　job；　I　guarantee　that；　and　that's　important　because　this　is　the　only　shot　we'll　get　at　that　sneaky　bastard　Turk。　So　now　we　have　to　figure　out　the　best　way　to　back　him　up。　Tom；　Clemenza；　Tessio；　find　out　where　Sollozzo　will　take　him　for　the　conference；　I　don't　care　how　much　it　costs。　When　we　find　that　out　we　can　figure　out　how　we　can　get　a　weapon　into　his　hands。　Clemenza；　I　want　you　to　get　him　a　really　'safe'　gun　out　of　your　collection；　the　'coldest'　one　you　got。　Impossible　to　trace。　Try　to　make　it　short　barrel　with　a　lot　of　blasting　power。　It　doesn't　have　to　be　accurate。　He'll　be　right　on　top　of　them　when　he　uses　it。　Mike；　as　soon　as　you've　used　the　gun；　drop　it　on　the　floor。　Don't　be　caught　with　it　on　you。　Clemenza；　tape　the　barrel　and　the　trigger　with　that　special　stuff　you　got　so　he　won't　leave　prints。　Remember；　Mike；　we　can　square　everything；　witnesses；　and　so　forth；　but　if　they　catch　you　with　the　gun　on　you　we　can't　square　that。　We'll　have　transportation　and　protection　and　then　we'll　make　you　disappear　for　a　nice　long　vacation　until　the　heat　wears　off。　You'll　be　gone　a　long　time；　Mike；　but　I　don't　want　you　saying　good…bye　to　your　girl　friend　or　even　calling　her。　After　it's　all　over　and　you're　out　of　the　country　I'll　send　her　word　that　you're　OK。　Those　are　order