Крестный отец

           Hewassomethingofalegendasalegitimatelytoughcop;hehadmadeacertainreputationasamannottobeheldlightly,asamanwhocouldinspirefearoutofhisownpersonregardlessoftheuniformandthesanctionedgunhewore.TheCorleoneFamilywasalwaysinterestedinsuchman..Thefactthathewasapolicemandidnotmeantoomuch.Manyyoungmenstarteddownafalsepathtotheirtruedestiny.Timeandfortuneusuallysetthemaright.

           ItwasPeteClemenza,withhisfinenoseforgoodpersonnel,whobroughttheNeriaffairtoTomHagen’sattention.HagenstudiedthecopyoftheofficialpolicedossierandlistenedtoClemenza.Hesaid,"MaybewehaveanotherLucaBrasihere."

           Clemenzanoddedhisheadvigorously.Thoughhewasveryfat,hisfacehadnoneoftheusualstoutman’sbenignity."Mythinkingexactly.Mikeshouldlookintothishimself."

           AndsoitwasthatbeforeAlbertNeriwastransferredfromthetemporaryjailtowhatwouldhavebeenhispermanentresidenceupstate,hewasinformedthatthejudgehadreconsideredhiscaseonthebasisofnewinformationandaffidavitssubmittedbyhighpoliceofficials.Hissentencewassuspendedandhewasreleased.

           AlbertNeriwasnofoolandhisfather-in-lawnoshrinkingviolet.Nerilearnedwhathadhappenedandpaidhisdebttohisfather-in-lawbyagreeingtogetadivorcefromRita.ThenhemadeatripouttoLongBeachtothankhisbenefactor.Arrangementshadbeenmadebeforehand,ofcourse.Michaelreceivedhiminhislibrary.