The day after the shooting of Don Corleone was a busy time for the Family.

Michael stayed by the phone relaying messages to Sonny. Tom Hagen was busy

Trying to find a mediator satisfactory to both parties so that a conference could be

Arranged with Sollozzo. The Turk had suddenly become cagey, perhaps he knew

That the Family button men of Clemenza and Tessio were ranging far and wide

Over the city in an attempt to pick up his trail. But Sollozzo was sticking close to

His hideout, as were all top members of the Tattaglia Family. This was expected

By Sonny, an elementary precaution he knew the enemy was bound to take.

Clemenza was tied up with Paulie Gatto. Tessio had been given the

Assignment of trying to track down the whereabouts of Luca Brasi. Luca had not

Been home since the night before the shooting, a bad sign. But Sonny could not

Believe that Brasi had either turned traitor or had been taken by surprise.

Mama Corleone was staying in the city with friends of the Family so that she

Could be near the hospital. Carlo Rizzi, the son-in-law, had offered his services

But had been told to take care of his own business that Don Corleone had set him

Up in, a lucrative bookmaking territory in the Italian section of Manhattan. Connie

Was staying with her mother in town so that she too could visit her father in the

Hospital.

Freddie was still under sedation in his own room of his parents' house. Sonny

And Michael had paid him a visit and had been astonished at his paleness, his

obvious illness. "Christ," Sonny said to Michael when they left Freddie's room,

"he looks like he got plugged worse than the old man."

Michael shrugged. He had seen soldiers in the same condition on the

Battlefield. But he had never expected it to happen to Freddie. He remembered the

Middle brother as being physically the toughest one in the family when all of

Them were kids. But he had also been the most obedient son to his father. And

Yet everyone knew that the Don had given up on this middle son ever being

 

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Important to the business. He wasn't quite smart enough, and failing that, not

Quite ruthless enough. He was too retiring a person, did not have enough force.

Late in the afternoon, Michael got a call from Johnny Fontane in Hollywood.

Sonny took the phone. "Nah, Johnny, no use coming back here to see the Old

Man. He's too sick and it would give you a lot of bad publicity, and I know the old

Man wouldn't like that. Wait until he's better and we can move him home, then

come see him. OK, I'll give him your regards." Sonny hung up the phone. He

turned to Michael and said. "That'll make Pop happy, that Johnny wanted to fly

from California to see how he was."

Late that afternoon, Michael was called to the listed phone in the kitchen by

One of Clemenza's men. It was Kay.

8 "Is your father all right?" she asked. Her voice was a little strained, a little

Unnatural. Michael knew that she couldn't quite believe what had happened, that

His father really was what the newspapers called a gangster.

9 "He'll be OK," Michael said.

10 "Can I come with you when you visit him in the hospital?" Kay asked.

Michael laughed. She had remembered him telling her how important it was

to do such things if you wanted to get along with the old Italians. "This is a

special case," he said. "If the newspaper guys get a hold of your name and

background you'll be on page three of the Daily News. Girl from old Yankee family

mixed up with son of big Mafia chief. How would your parents like that?"

12 Kay said dryly, "My parents never read the Daily News. " Again there was an

awkward pause and then she said, "You're OK, aren't you, Mike, you're not in any

danger?"

13 Mike laughed again. "I'm known as the sissy of the Corleone family. No threat.

So they don't have to bother coming after me. No, it's all over, Kay, there won't be