Крестный отец

           Thatwasanotherthingtowonderabout.HowdidWoltzknowhewastakingthemorningplanebacktoNewYork?Hethoughtaboutitforamoment.ThemostlikelyexplanationwasthatWoltzhadsetprivatedetectivesonhistrailtogetallpossibleinformation.ThenWoltzcertainlyknewherepresentedtheDon,whichmeantthatheknewsomethingabouttheDon,whichinturnmeantthathewasnowreadytotakethewholematterseriously.Somethingmightbedoneafterall,Hagenthought.AndmaybeWoltzwassmarterthanhehadappearedthismorning.

           ***

           ThehomeofJackWoltzlookedlikeanimplausiblemovieset.Therewasaplantation-typemansion,hugegroundsgirdledbyarichblack-dirtbridlepath,stablesandpastureforaherdofhorses.Thehedges,flowerbedsandgrasseswereascarefullymanicuredasamoviestar’snails.

           WoltzgreetedHagenonaglass-paneledair-conditionedporch.Theproducerwasinformallydressedinbluesilkshirtopenattheneck,mustard-coloredslacks,softleathersandals.Framedinallthiscolorandrichfabrichisseamed,toughfacewasstartling.HehandedHagenanoutsizedmartiniglassandtookoneforhimselffromthepreparedtray.Heseemedmorefriendlythanhehadbeenearlierintheday.HeputhisarmoverHagen’sshoulderandsaid,"Wehavealittletimebeforedinner,let’sgolookatmyhorses."Astheywalkedtowardthestableshesaid,"Icheckedyouout,Tom;youshouldhavetoldmeyourbossisCorleone.Ithoughtyouwerejustsomethird-ratehustlerJohnnywasrunningintobluffme.AndIdon’tbluff."