mp.godfather-第23部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Hagen said quietly； 〃I know you won't do it； but I would advise you to make a real deal with Sollozzo on the drugs。 Without your father's political contacts and personal influence the Corleone Family loses half its strength。 Without your father； the other New York Families might wind up supporting the Tattaglias and Sollozzo just to make sure there isn't a long destructive war。 If your father dies； make the deal。 Then wait and see。〃
Sonny was white…faced with anger。 〃That's easy for you to say； it's not your father they killed。〃
Hagen said quickly and proudly； 〃I was as good a son to him as you or Mike； maybe better。 I'm giving you a professional opinion。 Personally I want to kill all those bastards。〃 The emotion in his voice shamed Sonny； who said； 〃Oh； Christ； Tom； I didn't mean it that way。〃 But he had； really。 Blood was blood and nothing else was its equal。
Sonny brooded for a moment as the others waited in embarrassed silence。 Then he sighed and spoke quietly。 〃OK； we'll sit tight until the old man can give us the lead。 But； Tom； I want you to stay inside the mall； too。 Don't take any chances。 Mike； you be careful； though I don't think。 even Sollozzo would bring personal family into the war。 Everybody would be against him then。 But be careful。 Tessio； you hold your people in reserve but have them nosing around the city。 Clemenza； after you settle the Paulie Gatto thing； you move your men into the house and the mall to replace Tessio's people。 Tessio； you keep your men at the hospital； though。 Tom； start negotiation over the phone or by messenger with Sollozzo and the Tattaglias the first thing in the morning。 Mike； tomorrow you take a couple of Clemenza's people and go to Luca's house and wait for him to show up or find out where the hell he is。 That crazy bastard might be going after Sollozzo right now if he's heard the news。 I can't believe he'd ever go against his Don； no matter what the Turk offered him。〃
Hagen said reluctantly； 〃Maybe Mike shouldn't get mixed up in this so directly。〃
〃Right；〃 Sonny said。 〃Forget that； Mike。 Anyway I need you on the phone here in the house； that's more important。〃
Michael didn't say anything。 He felt awkward； almost ashamed； and he noticed Clemenza and Tessio with faces so carefully impassive that he was sure that they were hiding their contempt。 He picked up the phone and dialed Luca Brasi's number and kept the receiver to his ear as it rang and rang。
Chapter 06
Peter Clemenza slept badly that night。 In the morning he got up early and made his own breakfast of a glass of grappa； a thick slice of Genoa salami with a chunk of fresh Italian bread that was still delivered to his door as in the old days。 Then he drank a great； plain china mug filled with hot coffee that had been lashed with anisette。 But as he padded about the house in his old bathrobe and red felt slippers he pondered on the day's work that lay ahead of him。 Last night Sonny Corleone had made it very clear that Paulie Gatto was to be taken care of immediately。 It had to be today。
Clemenza was troubled。 Not because Gatto had been his protégé and had turned traitor。 This did not reflect on the caporegime's judgment。 After all； Paulie's background had been perfect。 He came from a Sicilian family； he had grown up in the same neighborhood as the Corleone children； had indeed even gone to school with one of the sons。 He had been brought up through each level in the proper manner。 He had been tested and not found wanting。 And then after he had 〃made his bones〃 he had received a good living from the Family； a percentage of an East Side 〃book〃 and a union payroll slot。 Clemenza had not been unaware that Paulie Gatto 'supplemented his ine with free…lance stickups； strictly against the Family rules； but even this was a sign of the man's worth。 The breaking of such regulations was considered a sign of high…spiritedness； like that shown by a fine racing horse fighting the reins。
And Paulie had never caused trouble with his stickups。 They had always been meticulously planned and carried out with the minimum of fuss and trouble； with no one ever getting hurt： a three…thousand…dollar Manhattan garment center payroll； a small chinaware factory payroll in the slums of Brooklyn。 After all； a young man could always use some extra pocket money。 It was all in the pattern。 Who could ever foretell that Paulie Gatto would turn traitor？
What was troubling Peter Clemenza this morning was an administrative problem。 The actual execution of Gatto was a cut…and…dried chore。 The problem was； who should the caporegime bring up from the ranks to replace Gatto in the Family？ It was an important promotion； that to 〃button〃 man； one not to be handed out lightly。 The man had to be tough and he had to be smart。 He had to be safe； not a person who would talk to the police if he got in trouble； one well saturated in the Sicilians' law of omerta； the law of silence。 And then； what kind of a living would he receive for his new duties？ Clemenza had several times spoken to the Don about better rewards for the all…important button man who was first in the front line when trouble arose； but the Don had put him off。 If Paulie had been making more money； he might have been able to resist the blandishments of the wily Turk； Sollozzo。
Clemenza finally narrowed down the list of candidates to three men。 The first was an enforcer who worked with the colored policy bankers in Harlem； a big brawny brute of a man of great physical strength； a man with a great deal of personal charm who could get along with people and yet when necessary make them go in fear of him。 But Clemenza scratched him off the list after considering his name for a half hour。 This man got along too well with the black people； which hinted at some flaw of character。 Also he would be too hard to replace in the position he now held。
The second name Clemenza considered and almost settled on was a hard…working chap who served faithfully and well in the organization。 This man was the collector of delinquent accounts for Family…licensed shylocks in Manhattan。 He had started off as a bookmaker's runner。 But he was not quite yet ready for such an important promotion。
Finally he settled on Rocco Lampone。 Lampone had served a short but impressive apprenticeship in the Family。 During the war he had been wounded in Africa and been discharged in 1943。 Because of the shortage of young men； Clemenza had taken him on even though Lampone was partially incapacitated by his injuries and walked with a pronounced limp。 Clemenza had used him as a black…market contact in the garment center and with government employees controlling OPA food stamps。 From that； Lampone had graduated to trouble…shooter for the whole operation。 What Clemenza liked about him was his good judgment。 He knew that there was no percentage in being tough about something that would only cost a heavy fine or six months in jail； small prices to pay for the enormous profits earned。 He had the good sense to know that it was not an area for heavy threats but light ones。 He kept the whole operation in a minor key； which was exactly what was needed。
Clemenza felt the relief of a conscientious administrator who has solved a knotty personnel problem。 Yes； it would be Rocco Lampone who would assist。 For Clemenza planned to handle this job himself； not only to help a new； inexperienced man 〃make his bones；〃 but to settle a personal score with Paulie Gatto。 Paulie had been his protégé； he had advanced Paulie over the heads of more deserving and more loyal people； he had helped Paulie 〃make his bones〃 and furthered his career in every way。 Paulie had not only betrayed the Family； he had betrayed his padrone； Peter Clemenza。 This lack of respect had to be repaid。
Everything else was arranged。 Paulie Gatto had been instructed to pick him up at three in the afternoon； and to pick him up with his own car； nothing hot。 Now Clemenza took up the telephone and dialed Rocco Lampone's number。 He did not identify himself。 He simply said； 〃e to my house； I have an errand for you。〃 He was pleased to note that despite the early hour； Lampone's voice was not surprised or dazed with sleep and he simply said； 〃OK。〃 Good man。 Clemenza added； 〃No rush； have your breakfast and lunch first before you e see me。 But not later than two in the afternoon。〃
There was another laconic OK on the other end and Clemenza hung up the phone。 He had already alerted his people about replacing caporegime Tessio's people in the Corleone mall so that was done。 He had capable subordinates and never interfered in a mechanical operation of that kind。
He decided to wash his Cadillac。 He loved the car。 It gave him such a quiet peaceful ride； and its upholstery was so rich that he sometimes sat in it for an hour when the weather was good because it was more pleasant than sitting in the house。 And it always helped him think when he was grooming the car。 He remembered his father in Italy doing the same thing with donkeys。
Clemenza worked inside the heated garage； he hated cold。 He ran over his plans。 You had to be careful with Paulie； the man was like a rat； he could smell danger。 And now o
