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
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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
Want it to be Paulie either.
27 He shook his head. "Neither one of them," he said. But he said it only
Because Sonny had said he had the answer. If it had been a vote, he would have
Voted Paulie guilty.
28 Sonny was smiling at him. "Don't worry," he said. "Clemenza is OK. It's
Paulie."
29 Michael could see that Tessio was relieved. As a fellow caporegime his
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Sympathy would be with Clemenza. Also the present situation was not so serious
if treachery did not reach so high. Tessio said cautiously, "Then I can send my
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people home tomorrow?"
30 Sonny said, "The day after tomorrow. I don't want anybody to know about
This until then. Listen, I want to talk some family business with my brother,
Personal. Wait out in the living room, eh? We can finish our list later. You and
Clemenza will work together on it."
31 "Sure," Tessio said. He went out.
32 "How do you know for sure it's Paulie?" Michael asked.
33 Sonny said, "We have people in the telephone company and they tracked
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