Крестный отец

           They’lljusttakeitoffmeandnoharmdone."

           Sonnyshookhishead."Nah,"hesaid."WehavetomakethisasurehitonthatbastardSollozzo.Remember,gethimfirstifyoupossiblycan.McCluskeyissloweranddumber.Youshouldhaveplentyoftimetotakehim.DidClemenzatellyoutobesuretodropthegun?"

           "Amilliontimes,"Michaelsaid.

           Sonnygotupfromthesofaandstretched."Howdoesyourjawfeel,kid?"

           "Lousy,"Michaelsaid.Theleftsideofhisfaceachedexceptthosepartsthatfeltnumbbecauseofthedruggedwireholdingittogether.Hetookthebottleofwhiskeyfromthetableandswiggeddirectlyfromit.Thepaineased.

           Sonnysaid,"Easy,Mike,nowisnotimetogetslowedupbybooze."

           Michaelsaid,"Oh,Christ,Sonny,stopplayingthebigbrother.I’vebeenincombatagainsttougherguysthanSollozzoandunderworseconditions.Wherethehellarehismortars?Hashegotaircover?Heavyartillery?Landmines?He’sjustawisesonofabitchwithabig-wheelcopsidekick.Onceanybodymakesuptheirmindtokillthemthere’snootherproblem.That’sthehardpart,makingupyourmind.They’llneverknowwhathitthem."

           TomHagencameintotheroom.Hegreetedthemwithanodandwentdirectlytothefalselylistedtelephone.HecalledafewtimesandthenshookhisheadatSonny."Notawhisper,"hesaid."Sollozzoiskeepingittohimselfaslongashecan."

           Thephonerang.Sonnyanswereditandheheldupahandasiftosignalforquietthoughnoonehadspoken.