Крестный отец

           SheaskedTomHagendirectly,"DoyouknowwhereMikeis?DoyouknowwhereIcangetintouchwithhim?"

           Hagensaidsmoothly,"Weknowhe’sallrightbutwedon’tknowwhereheisrightnow.Whenheheardaboutthatcaptainbeingshothewasafraidthey’daccusehim.Sohejustdecidedtodisappear.Hetoldmehe’dgetintouchinafewmonths."

           Thestorywasnotonlyfalsebutmeanttobeseenthrough,hewasgivingherthatmuch."Didthatcaptainreallybreakhisjaw?"Kayasked.

           "I’mafraidthat’strue,"Tomsaid."ButMikewasneveravindictiveman.I’msurethathadnothingtodowithwhathappened."

           Kayopenedherpurseandtookoutaletter."Willyoudeliverthistohimifhegetsintouchwithyou?"

           Hagenshookhishead."IfIacceptedthatletter.andyoutoldacourtoflawIacceptedthatletter,itmightbeinterpretedasmyhavingknowledgeofhiswhereabouts.Whydon’tyoujustwaitabit?I’msureMikewillgetintouch."

           Shefinishedherdrinkandgotuptoleave.Hagenescortedhertothehallbutasheopenedthedoor,awomancameinfromoutside.Ashort,stoutwomandressedinblack.KayrecognizedherasMichael’smother.Sheheldoutherhandandsaid,"Howareyou,Mrs.Corleone?"

           Thewoman’ssmallblackeyesdartedatherforamoment,thenthewrinkled,leathery,oliveskinnedfacebrokeintoasmallcurtsmileofgreetingthatwasyetinsomecuriouswaytrulyfriendly."Ah,youMikey’slittlegirl,"Mrs.Corleonesaid.ShehadaheavyItalianaccent,Kaycouldbarelyunderstandher.