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
Important to the business. He wasn't quite smart enough, and failing that, not
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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
Any more trouble. It was all sort of an accident anyway. I'll explain when I see
you."
14 "When will that be?" she asked.
15 Michael pondered. "How about late tonight? We'll have a drink and supper in
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Your hotel and then I'll go to the hospital and see my old man. I'm getting tired of
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