mp.godfather-第99节

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ad　never　felt　anything　but　affection　for　her。　But　he　was　so　bewildered　by　her　action　that　he　decided　to　let　a　few　days　go　by　before　he　went　over　to　her　family's　house　to　talk　to　her。
　
　It　was　unfortunate　that　the　next　night　he　ran　into　trouble　on　his　shift。　His　car　answered　a　call　in　Harlem；　a　report　of　a　deadly　assault。　As　usual　Neri　jumped　out　of　the　patrol　car　while　it　was　still　rolling　to　a　stop。　It　was　after　midnight　and　he　was　carrying　his　huge　flashlight。　It　was　easy　spotting　the　trouble。　There　was　a　crowd　gathered　outside　a　tenement　doorway。　One　Negro　woman　said　to　Neri；　〃There's　a　man　in　there　cutting　a　little　girl。〃
　
　Neri　went　into　the　hallway。　There　was　an　open　door　at　the　far　end　with　light　streaming　out　and　he　could　hear　moaning。　Still　handling　the　flashlight；　he　went　down　the　hall　and　through　the　open　doorway。
　
　He　almost　fell　over　two　bodies　stretched　out　on　the　floor。　One　was　a　Negro　woman　of　about　twenty…five。　The　other　was　a　Negro　girl　of　no　more　than　twelve。　Both　were　bloody　from　razor　cuts　on　their　faces　and　bodies。　In　the　living　room　Neri　saw　the　man　who　was　responsible。　He　knew　him　well。
　
　The　man　was　Wax　Baines；　a　notorious　pimp；　dope　pusher　and　strong…arm　artist。　His　eyes　were　popping　from　drugs　now；　the　bloody　knife　he　held　in　his　hand　wavered。　Neri　had　arrested　him　two　weeks　before　for　severely　assaulting　one　of　his　whores　in　the　street。　Baines　had　told　him；　〃Hey；　man；　this　none　of　your　business。〃　And　Neri's　partner　had　also　said　something　about　letting　the　niggers　cut　each　other　up　if　they　wanted　to；　but　Neri　had　hauled　Baines　into　the　station　house。　Baines　was　bailed　out　the　very　next　day。
　
　Neri　had　never　much　liked　Negroes；　and　working　in　Harlem　had　made　him　like　them　even　less。　They　all　were　on　drugs　or　booze　while　they　let　their　women　work　or　peddle　ass。　He　didn't　have　any　use　for　any　of　the　bastards。　So　Baines'　brazen　breaking　of　the　law　infuriated　him。　And　the　sight　of　the　little　girl　all　cut　up　with　the　razor　sickened　him。　Quite　coolly；　in　his　own　mind；　he　decided　not　to　bring　Baines　in。
　
　But　witnesses　were　already　crowding　into　the　apartment　behind　him；　some　people　who　lived　in　the　building　and　his　partner　from　the　patrol　car。
　
　Neri　ordered　Baines；　〃Drop　your　knife；　you're　under　arrest。〃
　
　Baines　laughed。　〃Man；　you　gotta　use　your　gun　to　arrest　me。〃　He　held　his　knife　up。　〃Or　maybe　you　want　this。〃
　
　Neri　moved　very　quickly；　so　his　partner　would　not　have　time　to　draw　a　gun。　The　Negro　stabbed　with　his　knife；　but　Neri's　extraordinary　reflexes　enabled　him　to　catch　the　thrust　with　his　left　palm。　With　his　right　hand　he　swung　the　flashlight　in　a　short　vicious　arc。　The　blow　caught　Baines　on　the　side　of　the　head　and　made　his　knees　buckle　ically　like　a　drunk's。　The　knife　dropped　from　his　hand。　He　was　quite　helpless。　So　Neri's　second　blow　was　inexcusable；　as　the　police　departmental　hearing　and　his　criminal　trial　later　proved　with　the　help　of　the　testimony　of　witnesses　and　his　fellow　policeman。　Neri　brought　the　flashlight　down　on　the　top　of　Baines'　skull　in　an　incredibly　powerful　blow　which　shattered　the　glass　of　the　flashlight；　the　enamel　shield　and　the　bulb　itself　popping　out　and　flying　across　the　room。　The　heavy　aluminum　barrel　of　the　flashlight　tube　bent　and　only　the　batteries　inside　prevented　it　from　doubling　on　itself。　One　awed　onlooker；　a　Negro　man　who　lived　in　the　tenement　and　later　testified　against　Neri；　said；　〃Man　that's　a　hard…headed　nigger。〃
　
　But　Baines'　head　was　not　quite　hard　enough。　The　blow　caved　in　his　skull。　He　died　two　hours　later　in　the　Harlem　Hospital。
　
　Albert　Neri　was　the　only　one　surprised　when　he　was　brought　up　on　departmental　charges　for　using　excessive　force。　He　was　suspended　and　criminal　charges　were　brought　against　him。　He　was　indicted　for　manslaughter；　convicted　and　sentenced　to　from　one　to　ten　years　in　prison。　By　this　time　he　was　so　filled　with　a　baffled　rage　and　hatred　of　all　society　that　he　didn't　give　a　damn。　That　they　dared　to　judge　him　a　criminal！　That　they　dared　to　send　him　to　prison　for　killing　an　animal　like　that　pimp…nigger！　That　they　didn't　give　a　damn　for　the　woman　and　little　girl　who　had　been　carved　up；　disfigured　for　life；　and　still　in　the　hospital。
　
　He　did　not　fear　prison。　He　felt　that　because　of　his　having　been　a　policeman　and　especially　because　of　the　nature　of　the　offense；　he　would　be　well　taken　care　of。　Several　of　his　buddy　officers　had　already　assured　him　they　would　speak　to　friends。　Only　his　wife's　father；　a　shrewd　old…style　Italian　who　owned　a　fish　market　in　the　Bronx；　realized　that　a　man　like　Albert　Neri　had　little　chance　of　surviving　a　year　in　prison。　One　of　his　fellow　inmates　might　kill　him；　if　not；　he　was　almost　certain　to　kill　one　of　them。　Out　of　guilt　that　his　daughter　had　deserted　a　fine　husband　for　some　womanly　foolishness；　Neri's　father…in…law　used　his　contacts　with　the　Corleone　Family　（he　paid　protection　money　to　one　of　its　representatives　and　supplied　the　Corleone　itself　with　the　finest　fish　available；　as　a　gift）；　he　petitioned　for　their　intercession。
　
　The　Corleone　Family　knew　about　Albert　Neri。　He　was　something　of　a　legend　as　a　legitimately　tough　cop；　he　had　made　a　certain　reputation　as　a　man　not　to　be　held　lightly；　as　a　man　who　could　inspire　fear　out　of　his　own　person　regardless　of　the　uniform　and　the　sanctioned　gun　he　wore。　The　Corleone　Family　was　always　interested　in　such　man。。　The　fact　that　he　was　a　policeman　did　not　mean　too　much。　Many　young　men　started　down　a　false　path　to　their　true　destiny。　Time　and　fortune　usually　set　them　aright。
　
　It　was　Pete　Clemenza；　with　his　fine　nose　for　good　personnel；　who　brought　the　Neri　affair　to　Tom　Hagen's　attention。　Hagen　studied　the　copy　of　the　official　police　dossier　and　listened　to　Clemenza。　He　said；　〃Maybe　we　have　another　Luca　Brasi　here。〃
　
　Clemenza　nodded　his　head　vigorously。　Though　he　was　very　fat；　his　face　had　none　of　the　usual　stout　man's　benignity。　〃My　thinking　exactly。　Mike　should　look　into　this　himself。〃
　
　And　so　it　was　that　before　Albert　Neri　was　transferred　from　the　temporary　jail　to　what　would　have　been　his　permanent　residence　upstate；　he　was　informed　that　the　judge　had　reconsidered　his　case　on　the　basis　of　new　information　and　affidavits　submitted　by　high　police　officials。　His　sentence　was　suspended　and　he　was　released。
　
　Albert　Neri　was　no　fool　and　his　father…in…law　no　shrinking　violet。　Neri　learned　what　had　happened　and　paid　his　debt　to　his　father…in…law　by　agreeing　to　get　a　divorce　from　Rita。　Then　he　made　a　trip　out　to　Long　Beach　to　thank　his　benefactor。　Arrangements　had　been　made　beforehand；　of　course。　Michael　received　him　in　his　library。
　
　Neri　stated　his　thanks　in　formal　tones　and　was　surprised　and　gratified　by　the　warmth　with　which　Michael　received　his　thanks。
　
　〃Hell；　I　couldn't　let　them　do　that　to　a　fellow　Sicilian；〃　Michael　said。　〃They　should　have　given　you　a　goddamn　medal。　But　those　damn　politicians　don't　give　a　shit　about　anything　except　pressure　groups。　Listen；　I　would　never　have　stepped　into　the　picture　if　I　hadn't　checked　everything　out　and　saw　what　a　raw　deal　you　got。　One　of　my　people　talked　to　your　sister　and　she　told　us　how　you　were　always　worried　about　her　and　her　kid；　how　you　straightened　the　kid　out；　kept　him　from　going　bad。　Your　father…in…law　says　you're　the　finest　fellow　in　the　world。　That's　rare。〃　Tactfully　Michael　did　not　mention　anything　about　Neri's　wife　having　left　him。
　
　They　chatted　for　a　while。　Neri　had　always　been　a　taciturn　man；　but　he　found　himself　opening　up　to　Michael　Corleone。　Michael　was　only　about　five　years　his　senior；　but　Neri　spoke　to　him　as　if　he　were　much　older；　older　enough　to　be　his　father。
　
　Finally　Michael　said；　〃There's　no　sense　getting　you　out　of　jail　and　then　just　leaving　you　high　and　dry。　I　can　arrange　some　work　for　you。　I　have　interests　out　in　Las　Vegas；　with　your　experience　you　could　be　a　hotel　security　man。　Or　if　there's　some　little　business　you'd　like　to　go　into；　I　can　put　a　word　in　with　the　banks　to　advance　you　a　loan　for　capital。〃
　
　Neri　was　overe　with　grateful　embarrassment。　He　proudly　refused　and　then　added；　〃I　have　to　stay　under　the　jurisdiction　of　the　court　anyway　with　the　suspended　sentence。〃
　
　Michael　said　briskly；　〃That's　all　crap　detail；　I　can　fix　that。　Forget　about　that　supervision　and　just　so　the　banks　won't　get　choosy　I'll　have　your　yellow　sheet　pulled。〃
　
　The　yellow　sheet　was　a　police　record　of　criminal　offenses　mitted　by　any　individual。　It　was　usually　submitted　to　a　judge　when　he　was　considering　what　sentence　to　give　a　convicted　criminal。　Neri　had　been　long　enough　on　the　police　force　to　know　that　many　hoodlums　going　up　for　sentencing　had　been　treated　leniently　by　the　judge　because　a　clean　yellow　sheet　had　been　submitted　by　the　bribed　Police　Records　Department。　So　he　was　not　too　surprised　that　Michael　Corleone　could　do　such　a　thing；　he　was；　however；　surprised　that　such　trouble　would　be　taken　on　his　account。
　
　〃If　I　need　help；　I'll　get　in　touch；〃　Neri　said。
　
　〃Good；　good；〃　Michael　said。　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　Neri　took　this　for　his　dismissal。　He　rose　to　go。　Again　he　was　surprised。
　
　〃Lunchtime；〃　Michael　said。　〃e　on　and　eat　with　me　and　my　family。　My　father　said　he'd　like　to　meet　you。　We'll　w