When Michael Corleone arrived at his father's house in Long Beach he found
The narrow entrance mouth of the mall blocked off with a link chain. The mall
Itself was bright with the floodlights of all eight houses, outlining at least ten cars
Parked along the curving cement walk.
Two men he didn't know were leaning against the chain. One of them asked in
a Brooklyn accent, "Who're you?"
He told them. Another man came out of the nearest house and peered at his
face. "That's the Don's kid," he said. "I'll bring him inside." Mike followed this
Man to his father's house, where two men at the door let him and his escort pass
Inside.
The house seemed to be full of men he didn't know, until he went into the
Living room. There Michael saw Tom Hagen's wife, Theresa, sitting stiffly on the
Sofa, smoking a cigarette. On the coffee table in front of her was a glass of
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whiskey. On the other side of the sofa sat the bulky Clemenza. The caporegime's
Face was impassive, but he was sweating and the cigar in his hand glistened
Slickly black with his saliva.
5 Clemenza came to wring his hand in a consoling way, muttering, "Your mother
is at the hospital with your father, he's going to be all right." Paulie Gatto stood
Up to shake hands. Michael looked at him curiously. He knew Paulie was his
Father's bodyguard but did not know that Paulie had stayed home sick that day.
But he sensed tension in the thin dark face. He knew Gatto's reputation as an up-
And-coming man, a very quick man who knew how to get delicate jobs done
Without complications, and today he had failed in his duty. He noticed several
Other men in the corners of the room but he did not recognize them. They were
Not of Clemenza's people. Michael put these facts together and understood.
Clemenza and Gatto were suspect. Thinking that Paulie had been at the scene, he
asked the ferret-faced young man, "How is Freddie? He OK?"
6 "The doctor gave him a shot," Clemenza said. "He's sleeping."
Michael went to Hagen's wife and bent down to kiss her cheek. They had
always liked each other. He whispered, "Don't worry, Tom will be OK. Have you
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talked to Sonny yet?"
Theresa clung to him for a moment and shook her head. She was a delicate,
Very pretty woman, more American than Italian, and very scared. He took her
Hand and lifted her off the sofa. Then he led her into his father's corner room
Office.
Sonny was sprawled out in his chair behind the desk holding a yellow pad in
One hand and a pencil in the other. The only other man in the room with him was
the caporegime Tessio, whom Michael recognized and immediately realized that it
Must be his men who were in the house and forming the new palace guard. He
Too had a pencil and pad in his hands.
When Sonny saw them he came from behind his desk and took Hagen's wife
in his arms. "Don't worry, Theresa," he said. "Tom's OK. They just wanta give him
The proposition, they said they'd turn him loose (отпустят ) . He's not on the
Operating end, he's just our lawyer. There's no reason for anybody to do him
harm."
He released Theresa and then to Michael's surprise he too, got a hug and a
kiss on the cheek. He pushed Sonny away and said grinning, "After I get used to
you beating me up I gotta put up with this?" They had often fought when they
Were younger.
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12 Sonny shrugged. "Listen, kid, I was worried when I couldn't get ahold of you
In that hick town. Not that I gave a crap if they knocked you off, but I didn't like
the idea of bringing the news to the old lady. I had to tell her about Pop."
13 "How'd she take it?" Michael asked.
14 "Good," Sonny said. "She's been through it before. Me too. You were too
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."
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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
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