Крестный отец

           Hehadcountedonthatforanalibi,Fanuccileavingthetenementalive.HeonlylearnedlaterthatthepolicehadbeendelightedwiththemurderofFanucciandnottooanxioustopursuehiskillers.Theyhadassumeditwasanothergangexecution,andhadquestionedhoodlumswithrecordsintheracketsandahistoryofstrongarm.SinceVitohadneverbeenintroublehenevercameintothepicture.

           Butifhehadoutwittedthepolice,hispartnerswereanothermatter.PeteClemenzaandTessioavoidedhimforthenextweek,forthenexttwoweeks,thentheycametocallonhimoneevening.Theycamewithobviousrespect.VitoCorleonegreetedthemwithimpassivecourtesyandservedthemwine.

           Clemenzaspokefirst.Hesaidsoftly,"NobodyiscollectingfromthestoreownersonNinthAvenue.Nobodyiscollectingfromthecardgamesandgamblingintheneighborhood."

           VitoCorleonegazedatbothmensteadilybutdidnotreply.Tessiospoke."WecouldtakeoverFanucci’scustomers.Theywouldpayus."

           VitoCorleoneshrugged."Whycometome?Ihavenointerestinsuchthings."

           Clemenzalaughed.Eveninhisyouth,beforegrowinghisenormousbelly,hehadafatman’slaugh.HesaidnowtoVitoCorleone,"HowaboutthatgunIgaveyouforthetruckjob?Sinceyouwon’tneeditanymoreyoucangiveitbacktome."

           VeryslowlyanddeliberatelyVitoCorleonetookawadofbillsoutofhissidepocketandpeeledofffivetens."Here,I’llpayyou.Ithrewthegunawayafterthetruckjob."Hesmiledatthetwomen.