Крестный отец

           Whoapproachedyou,TattagliaorBarzini?"

           CarloRizziinhisanguishedhopeforlife,inthesweetfloodingreliefthathewasnotgoingtobekilled,murmured,"Barzini."

           "Good,good,"Michaelsaidsoftly.Hebeckonedwithhisrighthand."Iwantyoutoleavenow.There’sacarwaitingtotakeyoutotheairport."

           Carlowentoutthedoorfirst,theotherthreemenveryclosetohim.Itwasnightnow,butthemailasusualwasbrightwithfloodlights.Acarpulledup.Carlosawitwashisowncar.Hedidn’trecognizethedriver.Therewassomeonesittinginthebackbutonthefarside.LamponeopenedthefrontdoorandmotionedtoCarlotogetin.Michaelsaid,"I’llcallyourwifeandtellheryou’reonyourwaydown."Carlogotintothecar.Hissilkshirtwassoakedwithsweat.

           Thecarpulledaway,movingswiftlytowardthegate.Carlostartedtoturnhisheadtoseeifheknewthemansittingbehindhim.Atthatmoment,Clemenza,ascunninglyanddaintilyasalittlegirlslippingaribbonovertheheadofakitten,threwhisgarrotaroundCarloRizzisneck.ThesmoothropecutintotheskinwithClemenza’spowerfulyankingthrottle,CarloRizzi’sbodywentleapingintotheairlikeafishonaline,butClemenzaheldhimfast,tighteningthegarrotuntilthebodywentslack.Suddenlytherewasafoulodorintheairofthecar.Carlo’sbody,sphincterreleasedbyapproachingdeath,hadvoideditself.Clemenzakeptthegarrottightforanotherfewminutestomakesure,thenreleasedtheropeandputitbackinhispocket.