Крестный отец

           IthinkI’vegotmostofmyfather’spoliticalpowerinmyhandsnow,butI’mtheonlyonewhoreallyknowsthat."HesmiledatHagen,areassuringsmile."I’llmakethemcallmeDon.ButIfeellousyaboutTessio."

           Hagensaid,"HaveyouagreedtothemeetingwithBarzini?"’

           "Yeah,"Michaelsaid."Aweekfromtonight.InBrooklyn,onTessio’sgroundwhereI’llbesafe."Helaughedagain.

           Hagensaid,"Becarefulbeforethen."

           ForthefirsttimeMichaelwascoldwithHagen."Idon’tneedaConsiglieretogivemethatkindofadvice,"hesaid.

           DuringtheweekprecedingthepeacemeetingbetweentheCorleoneandBarziniFamilies,MichaelshowedHagenjusthowcarefulhecouldbe.HeneversetfootoutsidethemallandneverreceivedanyonewithoutNeribesidehim.Therewasonlyoneannoyingcomplication.ConnieandCarlo’soldestboywastoreceivehisConfirmationintheCatholicChurchandKayaskedMichaeltobetheGodfather.Michaelrefused.

           "Idon’toftenbegyou,"Kaysaid."Pleasedothisjustforme.Conniewantsitsomuch.AndsodoesCarlo.It’sveryimportanttothem.Please,Michael."

           Shecouldseehewasangrywithherforinsistingandexpectedhimtorefuse.Soshewassurprisedwhenhenoddedandsaid,"OK.ButIcan’tleavethemall.Tellthemtoarrangeforthepriesttoconfirmthekidhere.I’llpaywhateveritcosts.Iftheyrunintotroublewiththechurchpeople,Hagenwillstraightenitout."