Крестный отец

           ThenexttoarrivewasCarloTramonti,whohadmadethesouthernpartoftheUnitedStateshisterritory.Hewasanimpressivelyhandsomemiddle-agedman,tallforaSicilian,withaverydeepsunburn,exquisitelytailoredandbarbered.HedidnotlookItalian,helookedmorelikeoneofthosepicturesinthemagazinesofmillionairefishermenlollingontheiryachts.TheTramontiFamilyearneditslivelihoodfromgambling,andnoonemeetingtheirDonwouldeverguesswithwhatferocityhehadwonhisempire.

           EmigratingfromSicilyasasmallboy,hehadsettledinFloridaandgrowntomanhoodthere,employedbytheAmericansyndicateofSouthernsmall-townpoliticianswhocontrolledgambling.Thesewereverytoughmenbackedupbyverytoughpoliceofficialsandtheyneversuspectedthattheycouldbeoverthrownbysuchagreenhornimmigrant.Theywereunpreparedforhisferocityandcouldnotmatchitsimplybecausetherewardsbeingfoughtoverwerenot,totheirminds,worthsomuchbloodshed.Tramontiwonoverthepolicewithbiggersharesofthegross;heexterminatedthoseredneckhooliganswhorantheiroperationwithsuchacompletelackofimagination.ItwasTramontiwhoopenedtieswithCubaandtheBatistaregimeandeventuallypouredmoneyintothepleasureresortsofHavanagamblinghouses,whorehouses,toluregamblersfromtheAmericanmainland.TramontiwasnowamillionairemanytimesoverandownedoneofthemostluxurioushotelsinMiamiBeach.