Крестный отец

           WhenhemeetsMikefortheconference,McCluskeywillbesittingbesidehim.Incivilianclothesbutcarryinghisgun.Nowwhatyouhavetounderstand,Sonny,isthatwhileSollozzoisguardedlikethis,he’sinvulnerable.NobodyhasevergunneddownaNewYorkpolicecaptainandgottenawaywithit.Theheatinthistownwouldbeunbearablewhatwiththenewspapers,thewholepolicedepartment,thechurches,everything.Thatwouldbedisastrous.TheFamilieswouldbeafteryou.TheCorleoneFamilywouldbecomeoutcasts.Eventheoldman’spoliticalprotectionwouldrunforcover.Sotakethatintoconsideration."

           Sonnyshrugged."McCluskeycan’tstaywiththeTurkforever.We’llwait."

           TessioandClemenzawerepuffingontheircigarsuneasily,notdaringtospeak,butsweating.Itwouldbetheirskinsthatwouldgoonthelineifthewrongdecisionwasmade.

           Michaelspokeforthefirsttime.HeaskedHagen,"Cantheoldmanbemovedoutofthehospitalontothemallhere?"

           Hagenshookhishead."That’sthefirstthingIasked.Impossible.He’sinverybadshape.He’llpullthroughbutheneedsallkindsofattention,maybesomemoresurgery.Impossible."

           "ThenyouhavetogetSollozzorightaway,"Michaelsaid."Wecan’twait.Theguyistoodangerous.He’llcomeupwithsomenewidea.Remember,thekeyisstillthathegetsridoftheoldman.Heknowsthat.OK,heknowsthatnowit’sverytoughsohe’swillingtotakedefeatforhislife.Butifhe’sgoingtogetkilledanyway,he’llhaveanothercrackattheDon.