Крестный отец

           Thatwillcutcostsonyourpicturestosomeextent,sowhentheaccountantslumpsomeofthatin,disregardthosefigures."

           Johnnysaidcautiously,"DoIhavetogetyourOKonanythingelse,scripts,slats,anyofthat?"

           Hagenshookhishead."No,"heaid."ItmayhappenthattheDonwouldobjecttosomethingbuthe’llobjecttoyoudirectifhedoes.ButIcan’timaginewhatthatwouldbe.Moviesdon’taffecthimatall,inanyway,sohehasnointerest.Andhedoesn’tbelieveinmeddling,thatIcantellyoufromexperience."

           "Good,"Johnnysaid."I’lldriveyoutotheairportmyself.AndthanktheGodfatherforme.I’dcallhimupandthankhimbuthenevercomestothephone.Whyisthat,bytheway?"

           Hagenshrugged."Hehardlyevertalksonthephone.Hedoesn’twanthisvoicerecorded,evensayingsomethingperfectlyinnocent.He’safraidthattheycansplicethewordstogethersothatitsoundsasifhesayssomethingelse.Ithinkthat’swhatitis.Anywayhisonlyworryisthatsomedayhe’llbeframedbytheauthorities.Sohedoesn’twanttogivethemanedge."

           TheygotintoJohnny’scaranddrovetotheairport.HagenwasthinkingthatJohnnywasabetterguythanhefigured.He’dalreadylearnedsomething,justhisdrivinghimpersonallytotheairportprovedthat.Thepersonalcourtesy,somethingtheDonhimselfalwaysbelievedin.Andtheapology.Thathadbeensincere.HehadknownJohnnyalongtimeandheknewtheapologywouldneverbemadeoutoffear.Johnnyhadalwayshadguts.