mp.godfather-第34节

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aking　him。〃
　
　Clemenza　put　in；　〃Maybe　we　should　start　trying　to　figure　why　lie's　making　it　such　a　big　secret。〃
　
　Michael　said　impatiently；　〃Because　it's　the　percentage。　Why　should　he　let　us　know　anything　if　he　can　prevent　it？　Besides；　he　smells　danger。　He　must　be　leery　as　hell　even　with　that　police　captain　for　his　shadow。〃
　
　Hagen　snapped　his　fingers。　〃That　detective；　that　guy　Phillips。　Why　don't　you　give　him　a　ring；　Sonny？　Maybe　he　can　find　out　where　the　hell　the　captain　can　be　reached。　It's　worth　a　try。　McCluskey　won't　give　a　damn　who　knows　where　he's　going。〃
　
　Sonny　picked　up　the　phone　and　dialed　a　number。　He　spoke　softly　into　the　phone；　then　hung　up。　〃He'll　call　us　back；〃　Sonny　said。
　
　They　waited　for　nearly　another　thirty　minutes　and　then　the　phone　rang。　It　was　Phillips。　Sonny　jotted　something　down　on　his　pad　and　then　hung　up。　His　face　was　taut。　〃I　think　we've　got　it；〃　he　said。　〃Captain　McCluskey　always　has　to　leave　word　on　where　he　can　be　reached。　From　eight　to　ten　tonight　he'll　be　at　the　Luna　Azure　up　in　the　Bronx。　Anybody　know　it？〃
　
　Tessio　spoke　confidently。　〃I　do。　It's　perfect　for　us。　A　small　family　place　with　big　booths　where　people　can　talk　in　private。　Good　food。　Everybody　minds　their　own　business。　Perfect。〃　He　leaned　over　Sonny's　desk　and　arranged　stubbed…out　cigarettes　into　map　figures。　〃This　is　the　entrance。　Mike；　when　you　finish　just　walk　out　and　turn　left；　then　turn　the　corner。　I'll　spot　you　and　put　on　my　headlights　and　catch　you　on　the　fly。　If　you　have　any　trouble；　yell　and　I'll　try　to　e　in　and　get　you　out。　Clemenza；　you　gotta　work　fast。　Send　somebody　up　there　to　plant　the　gun。　They　got　an　old…fashioned　toilet　with　a　space　between　the　water　container　and　the　wall。　Have　your　man　tape　the　gun　behind　there。　Mike；　after　they　frisk　you　in　the　car　and　find　you're　clean；　they　won't　be　too　worried　about　you。　In　the　restaurant；　wait　a　bit　before　you　excuse　yourself。　No；　better　still；　ask　permission　to　go。　Act　a　little　in　trouble　first；　very　natural。　They　can't　figure　anything。　But　when　you　e　out　again；　don't　waste　any　time。　Don't　sit　down　again　at　the　table；　start　blasting。　And　don't　take　chances。　In　the　head；　two　shots　apiece；　and　out　as　fast　as　your　legs　can　travel。〃
　
　Sonny　had　been　listening　judiciously。　〃I　want　somebody　very　good；　very　safe；　to　plant　that　gun；〃　he　told　Clemenza。　〃I　don't　want　my　brother　ing　out　of　that　toilet　with　just　his　dick　in　his　hand。〃
　
　Clemenza　said　emphatically；　〃The　gun　will　be　there。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Sonny　said。　〃Everybody　get　rolling。〃
　
　Tessio　and　Clemenza　left。　Tom　Hagen　said；　〃Sonny；　should　I　drive　Mike　down　to　New　York？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Sonny　said。　〃I　want　you　here。　When　Mike　finishes；　then　our　work　begins　and　I'll　need　you。　Have　you　got　those　newspaper　guys　lined　up？〃
　
　Hagen　nodded。　〃I'll　be　feeding　them　info　as　soon　as　things　break。〃
　
　Sonny　got　up　and　came　to　stand　in　front　of　Michael。　He　shook　his　hand。　〃OK；　kid；〃　he　said；　〃you're　on。　I'll　square　it　with　Mom　your　not　seeing　her　before　you　left。　And　I'll　get　a　message　to　your　girl　friend　when　I　think　the　time　is　right。　OK？〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Mike　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　before　I　can　e　back？〃
　
　〃At　least　a　year；〃　Sonny　said。
　
　Tom　Hagen　put　in；　〃The　Don　might　be　able　to　work　faster　than　that；　Mike；　but　don't　count　on　it。　The　time　element　hinges　on　a　lot　of　factors。　How　well　we　can　plant　stories　with　the　newsmen。　How　much　the　Police　Department　wants　to　cover　up。　How　violently　the　other　Families　react。　There's　going　to　be　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　heat　and　trouble。　That's　the　only　thing　we　can　be　sure　of。〃
　
　Michael　shook　Hagen's　hand。　〃Do　your　best；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　do　another　three…year　stretch　away　from　home。〃
　
　Hagen　said　gently；　〃It's　not　too　late　to　back　out；　Mike；　we　can　get　somebody　else；　we　can　go　back　over　our　alternatives。　Maybe　it's　not　necessary　to　get　rid　of　Sollozzo。〃
　
　Michael　laughed。　〃We　can　talk　ourselves　into　any　viewpoint；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　figured　it　right　the　first　time。　I've　been　riding　the　gravy　train　all　my　life；　it's　about　time　I　paid　my　dues。〃
　
　〃You　shouldn't　let　that　broken　jaw　influence　you；〃　Hagen　said。　〃McCluskey　is　a　stupid　man　and　it　was　business；　not　personal。〃
　
　For　the　second　time　he　saw　Michael　Corleone's　face　freeze　into　a　mask　that　resembled　uncannily　the　Don's。　〃Tom；　don't　let　anybody　kid　you。　It's　all　personal；　every　bit　of　business。　Every　piece　of　shit　every　man　has　to　eat　every　day　of　his　life　is　personal。　They　call　it　business。　OK。　But　it's　personal　as　hell。　You　know　where　I　learned　that　from？　The　Don。　My　old　man。　The　Godfather。　If　a　bolt　of　lightning　hit　a　friend　of　his　the　old　man　would　take　it　personal。　He　took　my　going　into　the　Marines　personal。　That's　what　makes　him　great。　The　Great　Don。　He　takes　everything　personal。　Like　God。　He　knows　every　feather　that　falls　from　the　tail　of　a　sparrow　or　however　the　hell　it　goes。　Right？　And　you　know　something？　Accidents　don't　happen　to　people　who　take　accidents　as　a　personal　insult。　So　I　came　late；　OK；　but　I'm　ing　all　the　way。　Damn　right；　I　take　that　broken　jaw　personal；　damn　right；　I　take　Sollozzo　trying　to　kill　my　father　personal。〃　He　laughed。　〃Tell　the　old　man　I　learned　it　all　from　him　and　that　I'm　glad　I　had　this　chance　to　pay　him　back　for　all　he　did　for　me。　He　was　a　good　father。〃　He　paused　and　then　he　said　thoughtfully　to　Hagen；　〃You　know；　I　can　never　remember　him　hitting　me。　Or　Sonny。　Or　Freddie。　And　of　course　Connie；　he　wouldn't　even　yell　at　her。　And　tell　me　the　truth；　Tom；　how　many　men　do　you　figure　the　Don　killed　or　had　killed。〃
　
　Tom　Hagen　turned　away。　〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing　you　didn't　learn　from　him：　talking　the　way　you're　talking　now。　There　are　things　that　have　to　be　done　and　you　do　them　and　you　never　talk　about　them。　You　don't　try　to　justify　them。　They　can't　be　justified。　You　just　do　them。　Then　you　forget　it。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　frowned。　He　said　quietly；　〃As　the　Consigliere；　you　agree　that　it's　dangerous　to　the　Don　and　our　Family　to　let　Sollozzo　live？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　Hagen　said。
　
　〃OK；〃　Michael　said。　〃Then　I　have　to　kill　him。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　stood　in　front　of　Jack　Dempsey's　restaurant　on　Broadway　and　waited　for　his　pickup。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　It　said　five　minutes　to　eight。　Sollozzo　was　going　to　be　punctual。　Michael　had　made　sure　he　was　there　in　plenty　of　time。　He　had　been　waiting　fifteen　minutes。
　
　All　during　the　ride　from　Long　Beach　into　the　city　he　had　been　trying　to　forget　what　he　had　said　to　Hagen。　For　if　he　believed　what　he　said；　then　his　life　was　set　on　an　irrevocable　course。　And　yet；　could　it　be　otherwise　after　tonight？　He　might　be　dead　after　tonight　if　he　didn't　stop　all　this　crap；　Michael　thought　grimly。　He　had　to　keep　his　mind　on　the　business　at　hand。　Sollozzo　was　no　dummy　and　McCluskey　was　a　very　tough　egg。　He　felt　the　ache　in　his　wired　jaw　and　weled　the　pain；　it　would　keep　him　alert。
　
　Broadway　wasn't　that　crowded　on　this　cold　winter　night；　even　though　it　was　near　theater　time。　Michael　flinched　as　a　long　black　car　pulled　up　to　the　curb　and　the　driver；　leaning　over；　opened　the　front　door　and　said；　〃Get　in；　Mike。〃　He　didn't　know　the　driver；　a　young　punk　with　slick　black　hair　and　an　open　shirt；　but　he　got　in。　In　the　back　seat　were　Captain　McCluskey　and　Sollozzo。
　
　Sollozzo　reached　a　hand　over　the　back　of　the　seat　and　Michael　shook　it。　The　hand　was　firm；　warm　and　dry。　Sollozzo　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　came；　Mike。　I　hope　we　can　straighten　everything　out。　All　this　is　terrible；　it's　not　the　way　I　wanted　things　to　happen　at　all。　It　should　never　have　happened。〃
　
　Michael　Corleone　said　quietly；　〃I　hope　we　can　settle　things　tonight；　I　don't　want　my　father　bothered　any　more。〃
　
　〃He　won't　be；〃　Sollozzo　said　sincerely。　〃I　swear　to　you　by　my　children　he　won't　be。　Just　keep　an　open　mind　when　we　talk。　I　hope　you're　not　a　hothead　like　your　brother　Sonny。　It's　impossible　to　talk　business　with　him。〃
　
　Captain　McCluskey　grunted。　〃He's　a　good　kid；　he's　all　right。〃　He　leaned　over　to　give　Michael　an　affectionate　pat　on　the　shoulder。　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　other　night；　Mike。　I'm　getting　too　old　for　my　job；　too　grouchy。　I　guess　I'll　have　to　retire　pretty　soon。　Can't　stand　the　aggravation；　all　day　I　get　aggravation。　You　know　how　it　is。〃　Then　with　a　doleful　sigh；　he　gave　Michael　a　thorough　frisk　for　a　weapon。
　
　Michael　saw　a　slight　smile　on　the　driver's　lips。　The　car　was　going　west　with　no　apparent　attempt　to　elude　any　trailers。　It　went　up　on　to　the　West　Side　Highway；　speeding　in　and　out　of　traffic。　Anyone　following　would　have　had　to　do　the　same。　Then　to　Michael's　dismay　it　took　the　exit　for　the　George　Washington　Bridge；　they　were　going　over　to　New　Jersey。　Whoever　had　given　Sonny　the　info　on　where　the　meeting　was　to　be　held　had　given　him　the　wrong　dope。
　
　The　car　threaded　through　the　bridge　approaches　and　then　was　on　it；　leaving　the　blazing　city　behind。　Michael　kept　his　face　impassive。　Were　they　going　to　dump　him　into　the　swamps　or　was　it　just　a　last…minute　change　in　meeting　place　by　the　wily　Sollozzo？　But　when　they　were　nearly　all　the　way　across；　the　driver　gave　the　wheel　a　violent　twist。　The　heavy　automobile　jumped　into　the　air　when　it　hit　the　divider　and　bounced　over　into　the　lanes　going　back　to　New　York　City。