Крестный отец

           "Isawtheirbrains,"Michaelsaid.

           TherewasachangeofclothesforMichaelinthecar.TwentyminuteslaterhewasonanItalianfreighterslatedforSicily.TwohourslaterthefreighterputouttoseaandfromhiscabinMichaelcouldseethelightsofNewYorkCityburninglikethefiresofhell.Hefeltanenormoussenseofrelief.Hewasoutofitnow.ThefeelingwasfamiliarandherememberedbeingtakenoffthebeachofanislandhisMarinedivisionhadinvaded.Thebattlehadbeenstillgoingonbuthehadreceivedaslightwoundandwasbeingferriedbacktoahospitalship.Hehadfeltthesameoverpoweringreliefthenthathefeltnow.Allhellwouldbreakloosebuthewouldn’tbethere.

           ***

           OnthedayafterthemurderofSollozzoandCaptainMcCluskey,thepolicecaptainsandlieutenantsineverystationhouseinNewYorkCitysentouttheword:therewouldbenomoregambling,nomoreprostitution,nomoredealsofanykinduntilthemurdererofCaptainMcCluskeywascaught.Massiveraidsbeganalloverthecity.Allunlawfulbusinessactivitiescametoastandstill.

           LaterthatdayanemissaryfromtheFamiliesaskedtheCorleoneFamilyiftheywerepreparedtogiveupthemurderer.Theyweretoldthattheaffairdidnotconcernthem.ThatnightabombexplodedintheCorleoneFamilymallinLongBeach,thrownfromacarthatpulleduptothechain,thenroaredaway.ThatnightalsotwobuttonmenoftheCorleoneFamilywerekilledastheypeaceablyatetheirdinnerinasmallItalianrestaurantinGreenwichVillage.TheFiveFamiliesWarof1946hadbegun.