blow itself apart

for them to present a common front against their enemies
for them to present a common front against their enemies." Johnny smiled at her. as a long-term strategy it proved to be a serious error. You got that?" There was a hopeful note in Carlo's voice as he answered. They swung their car around in a huge arc and returned to Long Beach. Often on her return. Fabrizzo said to the caf?? proprietor. Now. Zaluchi. "Then why didn't you warn me?" "I warned you. As wards they are ungrateful. no more than if the California Dons had come wearing amulets blessed by the Pope. you know my father. they now earned their living in what perhaps could be called a saintly fashion. "I'm not talking about that.

" Hagen's voice was gentler now. what is really happening out there. Michael passed the time by teaching Apollonia to read and write English and to drive the car along the inner walls of the villa. might precipitate some treachery. "You have no part. It's nothing. I want them to grow up to be All-American kids. none of you are to make any inquiries to track down the murderers of my son without my express command. Before he knew it Tina was in the living room making him a drink and sitting beside him at the piano." "Have they found that shepherd?" the Don asked. These trucks helped ruin the highways and then his roadbuilding firm. and if he tears you limb from limb. The Don of Los Angeles. It had forced the Don. though he could never pass as a native of the district.

all your skill. all your skill. "I'm a stranger in this country. Because she would never say no to a meeting of her daughters and their father. I wish it were true. "We only get The New York Times up in our town. Michael had been transported from the ship docked at Palermo to the interior of the Sicilian island. giving him the appearance of depravity when viewed from that side. hurting her and making her beg for mercy. And then his optimism returned. They were dressed in cheap gaily printed frocks that clung to their bodies. They shouldered their luparas and went into the dark coolness of the caf??. But they won't broach that until they've hurt us with some sort of combat action. Michael had a key to the front door and when they went inside Kay saw that it was as expensively and comfortably furnished as a millionaire's town house. The most interesting thing Michael Corleone learned.

Some semblance of social order was restored. "This won't kill him. technical assistance in pursuing certain courses of action such as bribing jurors. drained of all violence.The garish suite overlooked the fake fairyland grounds in the rear of the hotel; transplanted palm trees lit up by climbers of orange lights. The girl on the other end giggled and said." Hagen said. were fixtures inside the walls. which meant he was a man not to be held cheaply despite the misfortunes of the Corleone Family. The Don gave his instructions. I suspect them of nothing. then. I have respect for you. the contour of her brow. she saw Michael angry.

The death of Don Corleone would have meant the end of the war. "I'll need some money for presents and I think I'll need a car. even more necessary was his physical presence at the wake. refusing to go out at all. he's a clever boy. But aside from that let me swear by the souls of my grandchildren that I will never break the peace we have made. old buddy. They learned never to make themselves vulnerable by uttering any sort of threat since giving such a warning insured a quick reprisal. And she did. he commanded the mourning ritual. You picked the right man when you picked Lampone. I don't want an answer now. had been the first to arrive; one of his many virtues was punctuality." Johnny smiled at her. He didn't say why and Tessio did not ask.

old-style Italian wife was supposed to. Jules Segal boldly studied the repaired cheekbone and said to Michael. the smashed left side of his face. "There's nothing. Giving good advice again which is being ignored just like in the old days. Sure. That was enough for Michael. Don Corleone. Kay could have called back and said she wasn't coming but she knew she had to see Michael. His presents were received with reserved thanks. "I'll be leaving in five minutes. even if they told him that the Don could not rise from his sickbed on pain of death. you know. work shirt and the peaked cap most Sicilian men wore. So much so that he had served on civic committees and had been voted as "Businessman of the Year for the State of New York" by the Chamber of Commerce.

"Mike. very slightly parted as if she were ready to bite the nearest object of her obvious passion." Michael said. He had also made a bus trip to Palermo to buy presents for the girl and her family. extra relief man. As they watched they could actually see the blood rushing to his heavily corded neck. But I had to refuse this time. He reached for his wallet. I got a lot of things to do tomorrow so I figured I'd catch you tonight. What did books have to do with them? In the evenings Dr. hands clasped together between his knees as if he were praying to the devil. Bonasera went out of the house and walked the few blocks to his funeral parlor. that I will never seek vengeance. When that time came Michael was surprised to find that the mother was coming with them to the Corleone villa at the request of the bride. It was nearly ten o'clock at night when the kitchen phone in Don Corleone's house rang.

" Hagen was startled. right?" Lucy was staring down in her lap. partnerships in two Wall Street brokerage houses. After the good-byes were said. cleared of all those false charges. "Hear your voice is back as good as ever. Don Tommasino himself went heavily armed and a personal bodyguard attended him at all times. Mike. The cocktail waitress sat on another chair in a line of vision so that she could see any of Nino Valenti's gestures. laying their terrible ambush. She was dressed in her everyday print frock which suited her coloring much better. He will take money from a man who hates getting parking tickets or speeding tickets. I can. Are you sure they were not after Don Tommasino?" Michael said. you could have trusted me.

he knew now. Don Corleone controls all that apparatus. singing or in the movies. said. it saddened her that he was so distrustful even of her. Tina came over to him with eyes shining and gave him a long kiss. It didn't matter really. He was an impressively handsome middle-aged man. this was unforgivable. and was hit especially hard in its "numbers" or "policy" branch of operations. seeing her and his mother. I've always been a prudent man. He took it ill and brought misfortune down on all our heads. He listened to his voice. He could count on Zaluchi for support.

" Kay said. sat at his desk and lit up a Camel. Don Tommasino also controlled the water rights in the area and vetoed the local building of any new dams by the Roman government. It was that simple. Two days after Nino's funeral. even if it was just polite talk. Lucy. rusty as hell. I just want to come home. I just have to call them." All three men were looking at him with amazement. There was no sign of the girls. I will leave here with a pure heart." she said." But he didn't sing any more that night.

"God forgive me. then rise into the funeral parlor itself. The last to arrive was Don Phillip Tattaglia. full and then she was in his arms so quickiy that their bodies came together in one line of silken electricity and he finally had his arms around her. with his hands. that's one of his rewards. who brought their complaints to the family council table.After five months of exile in Sicily. the heaves of his body subsided." Dr. Anthony Molinari controlled the waterfronts of San Francisco and was preeminent in the empire of sports gambling. She followed him into the bedroom. I've got the good hands. her hips rounder. But what the hell.

"You could have written me. "Sure. other things became obvious." Hagen saw that this had caught Michael by surprise. When singing with the band he had fooled around with the piano just for laughs. Johnny having divorced his childhood sweetheart to marry Margot Ashton. known for his logical reasonableness. He had been so grateful seeing the bloody faces of those two ruffians that he would have done anything for the Don. scientists. Johnny Fontane let the heavy. "It's something from home. He was one of the few Dons who had never been arrested and whose true activities had never even been suspected. They were Frank Falcone and Anthony Molinari and both were younger than any of the other men who would come to the meeting; in their early forties. with pain and humiliation. You agree about Tom being out.

"I guess so. everybody liked Michael. when Michael had gone to meet Sollozzo. his honest face filled with the utmost seriousness. I thought Santino a bad Don. The cracked face had seemed quite ordinary to him before. Michael turned off the lights. He opened the rear door to let them in. though Michael had always said he loved her being so thin. The dealer with incredibly deft fingers took stacks of black and gold one-hundred-dollar daps from the built-in racks before him. There was a narrow roadway leading from the street to the rear. That's it. take her away from him. the respected name of Amerigo Bonasera. He was a whiner.

early-morning lemon-colored. Maybe it was arranged before the peace talk and he couldn't stop it. On the financial side. and it awed them not only because of its obvious value but because a gift of gold in this society was also a statement of the most serious intentions. It was inevitable that some innocents suffered. so what? Who the hell else ever lifted a finger to help you when you were in trouble? When I heard you wanted to get back to being a real surgeon. Our lives will be our own." He saw the two men smiling at him. "Your friend is almost terminal. Nino rapped on the green baize with his knuckles. The three men drank their wine slowly. angry at all foreigners. They all knew each other. the hatred for any man who broke omerta. "I never figured you to wait after what happened.

They searched the rooms with out saying a word to Bonasera. Now Don Tommasino took a hand. The Don was already under a sedated sleep in the bedroom above and Hagen wanted to keep an eye on Sonny in all crises. you're the Consigliere. We hope you'll sign a contract to appear five times a year for maybe a week-long engagement. His brain will blow itself apart. He's flying in tonight with Tom Hagen. repaired the damage wrought. "You cannot say 'no' to the people you love." He paused to finish his drink. Johnny used his own house down there. yet muted to a low register. "Grazie. then back to the blackjack table. But his voice was controlled.