Крестный отец

           Iknowyouallrespectedmyfather,butnowyouhavetoworryaboutyourselvesandyourfamilies.Someofyouwonderhowwhathappenedisgoingtoaffecttheplanningwe’vedoneandthepromisesImade.Well,theanswertothatis:nothing.Everythinggoesonasbefore."

           Clemenzashookhisgreatshaggybuffalohead.Hishairwasanirongrayandhisfeatures,moredeeplyembeddedinaddedlayersoffat,wereunpleasant."TheBarzinisandTattagliasaregoingtomoveinonusrealhard,Mike.Yougottafightorhavea‘sit-down’withthem."EveryoneintheroomnoticedthatClemenzahadnotusedaformalformofaddresstoMichael,muchlessthetitleofDon.

           "Let’swaitandseewhathappens,"Michaelsaid."Letthembreakthepeacefirst."

           Tessiospokeupinhissoftvoice."Theyalreadyhave,Mike.Theyopeneduptwo‘books’inBrooklynthismorning.Igotthewordfromthepolicecaptainwhorunstheprotectionlistatthestationhouse.InamonthIwon’thaveaplacetohangmyhatinallBrooklyn."

           Michaelstaredathimthoughtfully."Haveyoudoneanythingaboutit?"

           Tessioshookhissmall,ferretlikehead."No,"hesaid."Ididn’twanttogiveyouanyproblems."

           "Good,"Michaelsaid."Justsittight.AndIguessthat’swhatIwanttosaytoallofyou.Justsittight.Don’treacttoanyprovocation.Givemeafewweekstostraightenthingsout,toseewhichwaythewindisgoingtoblow.ThenI’llmakethebestdealIcanforeverybodyhere.Thenwe’llhaveafinalmeetingandmakesomefinaldecisions."