Крестный отец

           ThatthisfriendwasaverypowerfulmanwhowouldpledgehisgratitudeandundyingfriendshiptoMr.WoltzifMr.Woltzwouldgrantasmallfavor.ThesmallfavorwouldbethecastingofJohnnyFontaneinthenewwarmoviethestudioplannedtostartnextweek.

           Theseamedfacewasimpassive,polite."Whatfavorscanyourfrienddome?"Woltzasked.Therewasjustatraceofcondescensioninhisvoice.

           Hagenignoredthecondescension.Heexplained."You’vegotsomelabortroublecomingup.Myfriendcanabsolutelyguaranteetomakethattroubledisappear.Youhaveatopmalestarwhomakesalotofmoneyforyourstudiobuthejustgraduatedfrommarijuanatoheroin.Myfriendwillguaranteethatyourmalestarwon’tbeabletogetanymoreheroin.Andifsomeotherlittlethingscomeupovertheyearsaphonecalltomecansolveyourproblems."

           JackWoltzlistenedtothisasifhewerehearingtheboastingofachild.Thenhesaidharshly,hisvoicedeliberatelyallEastSide,"Youtryingtoputmuscleonme?"

           Hagensaidcoolly,"Absolutelynot.I’vecometoaskaserviceforafriend.I’vetriedtoexplainthatyouwon’tloseanythingbyit."

           Almostasifhewilledit,Woltzmadehisfaceamaskofanger.Themouthcurled,hisheavybrows,dyedblack,contractedtoformathicklineoverhisglintingeyes.HeleanedoverthedesktowardHagen."Allright,yousmoothsonofabitch,letmelayitonthelineforyouandyourboss,whoeverheis.JohnnyFontanenevergetsthatmovie.