Young to know about it and then things got pretty smooth while you were

growing up." He paused and then said, "She's down at the hospital with the old

man. He's gonna pull through."

15 "How about us going down?" Michael asked.

16 Sonny shook his head and said dryly, "I can't leave this house until it's all

over." The phone rang. Sonny picked it up and listened intently. While he was

Listening Michael sauntered over to the desk and glanced down at the yellow pad

Sonny had been writing on. There was a list of seven names. The first three were

Sollozzo, Phillip Tattaglia, and John Tattaglia. It struck Michael with full force that

He had interrupted Sonny and Tessio as they were making up a list of men to be

Killed.

17 When Sonny hung up the phone he said to Theresa Hagen and Michael, "Can

you two wait outside? I got some business with Tessio we have to finish."

18 Hagen's wife said, "Was that call about Tom?" She said it almost truculently

But she was weeping with fright. Sonny put his arm around her and led her to the

door. "I swear he's going to be OK," he said. "Wait in the living room. I'll come out

as soon as I hear something." He shut the door behind her. Michael had sat down

In one of the big leather armchairs. Sonny gave him a quick sharp look and then

Went to sit down behind the desk.

19 "You hang around me, Mike," he said, "you're gonna hear things you don't

wanta hear."

20 Michael lit a cigarette. "I can help out," he said.

21 "No, you can't," Sonny said. "The old man would be sore as hell if I let you

get mixed up in this."

22 Michael stood up and yelled. "You lousy bastard, he's my father. I'm not

Supposed to help him? I can help. I don't have to go out and kill people but I can

Help. Stop treating me like a kid brother. I was in the war. I got shot, remember? I

 

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Killed some Japs. What the hell do you think I'll do when you knock somebody off?

Faint?"

23 Sonny grinned at him. "Pretty soon you'll want me to put up my dukes. OK,

stick around, you can handle the phone." He turned to Tessio. "That call I just got

gave me dope we needed." He turned to Michael. "Somebody had to finger the old

Man. It could have been Clemenza, it could have been Paulie Gatto, who was very

Conveniently sick today. I know the answer now, let's see how smart you are,

Mike, you're the college boy. Who sold out to Sollozzo?"

Michael sat down again and relaxed back into the leather armchair. He

thought everything over very carefully. Clemenza was a caporegime in the

Corleone Family structure. Don Corleone had made him a millionaire and they

Had been intimate friends for over twenty years. He held one of the most powerful

Posts in the organization. What could Clemenza gain for betraying his Don? More

Money? He was rich enough but then men are always greedy. More power?

Revenge for some fancied insult or slight? That Hagen had been made the

Consigliori? Or perhaps a businessman's conviction that Sollozzo would win out?

No, it was impossible for Clemenza to be a traitor, and then Michael thought sadly

It was only impossible because he didn't want Clemenza to die. The fat man had

Always brought him gifts when he was growing up, had sometimes taken him on

Outings when the Don had been too busy. He could not believe that Clemenza

Was guilty of treachery.

But, on the other hand, Sollozzo would want Clemenza in his pocket more

Than any other man in the Corleone Family.

Michael thought about Paulie Gatto. Paulie as yet had not become rich. He

Was well thought of, his rise in the organization was certain but he would have to

Put in his time like everybody else. Also he would have wilder dreams of power,

As the young always do. It had to be Paulie. And then Michael remembered that in

The sixth grade he and Paulie had been in the same class in school and he didn't