mp.godfather-第44章

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　Much　to　the　Don's　annoyance　he　was　summoned　into　the　house　by　his　bodyguard。　The　three　workmen；　all　big　burly　fellows；　were　grouped　around　the　furnace。　They　had　taken　it　apart；　it　was　strewn　around　the　cement　basement　floor。　Their　leader；　an　authoritative　man；　said　to　the　Don　in　a　gruff　voice；　〃Your　furnace　is　in　lousy　shape。　If　you　want　us　to　fix　it　and　put　it　together　again；　it'll　cost　you　one　hundred　fifty　dollars　for　labor　and　parts　and　then　we'll　pass　you　for　county　inspection。〃　He　took　out　a　red　paper　label。　〃We　stamp　this　seal　on　it；　see；　then　nobody　from　the　county　bothers　you　again。〃
　
　The　Don　was　amused。　It　had　been　a　boring；　quiet　week　in　which　he　had　had　to　neglect　his　business　to　take　care　of　such　family　details　moving　to　a　new　house　entailed。　In　more　broken　English　than　his　usual　slight　accent　he　asked；　〃If　I　don't　pay　you；　what　happens　to　my　furnace？〃
　
　The　leader　of　the　three　men　shrugged。　〃We　just　leave　the　furnace　the　way　it　is　now。〃　He　gestured　at　the　metal　parts　strewn　over　the　floor。
　
　The　Don　said　meekly；　〃Wait；　I'll　get　you　your　money。〃　Then　he　went　out　into　the　garden　and　said　to　Sonny；　〃Listen；　there's　some　men　working　on　the　furnace；　I　don't　understand　what　they　want。　Go　in　and　take　care　of　the　matter。〃　It　was　not　simply　a　joke；　he　was　considering　making　his　son　his　underboss。　This　was　one　of　the　tests　a　business　executive　had　to　pass。
　
　Sonny's　solution　did　not　altogether　please　his　father。　It　was　too　direct；　too　lacking　in　Sicilian　subtleness。　He　was　the　Club；　not　the　Rapier。　For　as　soon　as　Sonny　heard　the　leader's　demand　he　held　the　three　men　at　gunpoint　and　had　them　thoroughly　bastinadoed　by　the　bodyguards。　Then　he　made　them　put　the　furnace　together　again　and　tidy　up　the　basement。　He　searched　them　and　found　that　they　actually　were　employed　by　a　house…improvement　firm　with　headquarters　in　Suffolk　County。　He　learned　the　name　of　the　man　who　owned　the　firm。　Then　he　kicked　the　three　men　to　their　truck。　〃Don't　let　me　see　you　in　Long　Beach　again；〃　he　told　them。　〃I'll　have　your　balls　hanging　from　your　ears。〃
　
　It　was　typical　of　the　young　Santino；　before　he　became　older　and　crueler；　that　he　extended　his　protection　to　the　munity　he　lived　in。　Sonny　paid　a　personal　call　to　the　home…improvement　firm　owner　and　told　him　not　to　send　any　of　his　men　into　the　Long　Beach　area　ever　again。　As　soon　as　the　Corleone　Family　set　up　their　usual　business　liaison　with　the　local　police　force　they　were　informed　of　all　such　plaints　and　all　crimes　by　professional　criminals。　In　less　than　a　year　Long　Beach　became　the　most　crime…free　town　of　its　size　in　the　United　States。　Professional　stickup　artists　and　strong…arms　received　one　warning　not　to　ply　their　trade　in　the　town。　They　were　allowed　one　offense。　When　they　mitted　a　second　they　simply　disappeared。　The　flimflam　home…improvement　gyp　artists；　the　door…to…door　con　men　were　politely　warned　that　they　were　not　wele　in　Long　Beach。　Those　confident　con　men　who　disregarded　the　warning　were　beaten　within　an　inch　of　their　lives。　Resident　young　punks　who　had　no　respect　for　law　and　proper　authority　were　advised　in　the　most　fatherly　fashion　to　run　away　from　home。　Long　Beach　became　a　model　city。
　
　What　impressed　the　Don　was　the　legal　validity　of　these　sales　swindles。　Clearly　there　was　a　place　for　a　man　of　his　talents　in　that　other　world　which　had　been　closed　to　him　as　an　honest　youth。　He　took　appropriate　steps　to　enter　that　world。
　
　And　so　he　lived　happily　on　the　mall　in　Long　Beach；　consolidating　and　enlarging　his　empire；　until　after　the　war　was　over；　the　Turk　Sollozzo　broke　the　peace　and　plunged　the　Don's　world　into　its　own　war；　and　brought　him　to　his　hospital　bed。
　
　Book　four
　
　Chapter　15
　
　In　the　New　Hampshire　village；　every　foreign　phenomenon　was　properly　noticed　by　housewives　peering　from　windows；　storekeepers　lounging　behind　their　doors。　And　so　when　the　black　automobile　bearing　New　York　license　plates　stopped　in　front　of　the　Adams'　home；　every　citizen　knew　about　it　in　a　matter　of　minutes。
　
　Kay　Adams；　really　a　small…town　girl　despite　her　college　education；　was　also　peering　from　her　bedroom　window。　She　had　been　studying　for　her　exams　and　preparing　to　go　downstairs　for　lunch　when　she　spotted　the　car　ing　up　the　street；　and　for　some　reason　she　was　not　surprised　when　it　rolled　to　a　halt　in　front　of　her　lawn。　Two　men　got　out；　big　burly　men　who　looked　like　gangsters　in　the　movies　to　her　eyes；　and　she　flew　down　the　stairs　to　be　the　first　at　the　door。　She　was　sure　they　came　from　Michael　or　his　family　and　she　didn't　want　them　talking　to　her　father　and　mother　without　any　introduction。　It　wasn't　that　she　was　ashamed　of　any　of　Mike's　friends；　she　thought；　it　was　just　that　her　mother　and　father　were　old…fashioned　New　England　Yankees　and　wouldn't　understand　her　even　knowing　such　people。
　
　She　got　to　the　door　just　as　the　bell　rang　and　she　called　to　her　mother；　〃I'll　get　it。〃　She　opened　the　door　and　the　two　big　men　stood　there。　One　reached　inside　his　breast　pocket　like　a　gangster　reaching　for　a　gun　and　the　move　so　surprised　Kay　that　she　let　out　a　little　gasp　but　the　man　had　taken　out　a　small　leather　case　which　he　flapped　open　to　show　an　identification　card。　〃I'm　Detective　John　Phillips　from　the　New　York　Police　Department；〃　he　said。　He　motioned　to　the　other　man；　a　dark…plexioned　man　with　very　thick；　very　black　eyebrows。　〃This　is　my　partner；　Detective　Siriani。　Are　you　Miss　Kay　Adams？〃
　
　Kay　nodded。　Phillips　said；　〃May　we　e　in　and　talk　to　you　for　a　few　minutes。　It's　about　Michael　Corleone。〃
　
　She　stood　aside　to　let　them　in。　At　that　moment　her　father　appeared　in　the　small　side　hall　that　led　to　his　study。　〃Kay；　what　is　it？〃　he　asked。
　
　Her　father　was　a　gray…haired；　slender；　distinguished…looking　man　who　not　only　was　the　pastor　of　the　town　Baptist　church　but　had　a　reputation　in　religious　circles　as　a　scholar。　Kay　really　didn't　know　her　father　well；　he　puzzled　her；　but　she　knew　he　loved　her　even　if　he　gave　the　impression　he　found　her　uninteresting　as　a　person。　Though　they　had　never　been　close；　she　trusted　him。　So　she　said　simply；　〃These　men　are　detectives　from　New　York。　They　want　to　ask　me　questions　about　a　boy　I　know。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　didn't　seem　surprised。　〃Why　don't　we　go　into　my　study？〃　he　said。
　
　Detective　Phillips　said　gently；　〃We'd　rather　talk　to　your　daughter　alone；　Mr。　Adams。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　said　courteously；　〃That　depends　on　Kay；　I　think。　My　dear；　would…you　rather　speak　to　these　gentlemen　alone　or　would　you　prefer　to　have　me　present？　Or　perhaps　your　mother？〃
　
　Kay　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　talk　to　them　alone。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　said　to　Phillips；　〃You　can　use　my　study。　Will　you　stay　for　lunch？〃　The　two　men　shook　their　heads。　Kay　led　them　into　the　study。
　
　They　rested　unfortably　on　the　edge　of　the　couch　as　she　sat　in　her　father's　big　leather　chair。　Detective　Phillips　opened　the　conversation　by　saying；　〃Miss　Adams；　have　you　seen　or　heard　from　Michael　Corleone　at　any　time　in　the　last　three　weeks？〃　The　one　question　was　enough　to　warn　her。　Three　weeks　ago　she　had　read　the　Boston　newspapers　with　their　headlines　about　the　killing　of　a　New　York　police　captain　and　a　narcotics　smuggler　named　Virgil　Sollozzo。　The　newspaper　had　said　it　was　part　of　the　gang　war　involving　the　Corleone　Family。
　
　Kay　shook　her　head。　〃No；　the　last　time　I　saw　him　he　was　going　to　see　his　father　in　the　hospital。　That　was　perhaps　a　month　ago。〃
　
　The　other　detective　said　in　a　harsh　voice；　〃We　know　all　about　that　meeting。　Have　you　seen　or　heard　from　him　since　then？〃
　
　〃No；〃　Kay　said。
　
　Detective　Phillips　said　in　a　polite　voice；　〃If　you　do　have　contact　with　him　we'd　like　you　to　let　us　know。　It's　very　important　we　get　to　talk　to　Michael　Corleone。　I　must　warn　you　that　if　you　do　have　contact　with　him　you　may　be　getting　involved　in　a　very　dangerous　situation。　If　you　help　him　in　any　way；　you　may　get　yourself　in　very　serious　trouble。〃
　
　Kay　sat　up　very　straight　in　the　chair。　〃Why　shouldn't　I　help　him？〃　she　asked。　〃We're　going　to　be　married；　married　people　help　each　other。〃
　
　It　was　Detective　Siriani　who　answered　her。　〃If　you　help；　you　may　be　an　accessory　to　murder。　We're　looking　for　your　boy　friend　because　he　killed　a　police　captain　in　New　York　plus　an　informer　the　police　officer　was　contacting。　We　know　Michael　Corleone　is　the　person　who　did　the　shooting。〃
　
　Kay　laughed。　Her　laughter　was　so　unaffected；　so　incredulous；　that　the　officers　were　impressed。　〃Mike　wouldn't　do　anything　like　that；〃　she　said。　〃He　never　had　anything　to　do　with　his　family。　When　we　went　to　his　sister's　wedding　it　was　obvious　that　he　was　treated　as　an　outsider；　almost　as　much　as　I　was。　If　he's　hiding　now　it's　just　so　that　he　won't　get　any　publicity；　so　his　name　won't　be　dragged　through　all　this。　Mike　is　not　a　gangster。　I　know　him　better　than　you　or　anybody　else　can　know　him。　He　is　too　nice　a　man　to　do　anything　as　despicable　as　murder。　He　is　the　most　law…abiding　person　I　know；　and　I've　never　known　him　to　lie。〃
　
　Detective　Phillips　asked　gentiy；　〃How　long　have　you　known　him？〃
　
　〃Over　a　year；〃　Kay　said　and　was　surprised　when　the　two　men　smiled。
　
　〃I　think　there　are　a　few　things　you　should　know；〃　Detective　Phillips　said。　〃On　the　night　he　left　you；　he　went　to　the　hospital。　When　he　came　out　he　got　into　an　argument　with　a　police　captain　who　had　e　to　the　hospital　on　official　business。　He　assaulted　that　police　officer　but　got　the　worst　of　it。　In　fact　he　got　a　broken　jaw　and　lost　some　teeth。　His　friends　took　him　out　to　the　Corleone　Family　houses　at　Long　Beach。　The　following　night　the　police　captain　he　had　the　fight　with　was　gunned　down　and　Michael　Corleone　disappeared。　Vanished。　We　have　our　contacts；　our　informers。　They　all　point　the　finger　at　Michael　Corleone　but　we　have　no　evidence　for　a　court　of　law。　The　waiter　who　witnessed　the　shooting　doesn't　recognize　a　picture　of　Mike　but　he　may　recognize　him　in　person。　And　we　have　Sollozzo's　driver；　who　refuses　to　talk；　but　we　might　make　him　talk　if　we　have　Michael　Corleone　in　our　hands。　So　we　have　all　our　people　looking　for　him；　the　FBI　is　looking　for　him；　everybody　is　looking　for　him。　So　far；　no　luck；　so　we　thought　you　might　be　able　to　give　us　a　lead。〃
　
　Kay　said　coldly；　〃I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it。〃　But　she　felt　a　bit　sick　knowing　the　part　about　Mike　getting　his　jaw　broken　must　be　true。　Not　that　that　would　make　Mike　mit　murder。
　
　〃Will　you　let　us　know　if　Mike　contacts　you？〃　Phillips　asked。
　
　Kay　shook　her　head。　The　other　detective；　Siriani；　said　roughly；　〃We　know　you　two　have　been　shacking　up　together。　We　have　the　hotel　records　and　witnesses。　If　we　let　that　information　slip　to　the　newspapers　your　father　and　mother　would　feel　pretty　lousy。　Real　respectable　people　like　them　wouldn't　think　much　of　a　daughter　shacking　up　with　a　gangster。　If　you　don't　e　clean　right　now　I'll　call　your　old　man　in　here　and　give　it　to　him　straight。〃
　
　Kay　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。　Then　she　got　up　and　went　to　the　door　of　the　study　and　opened　it。　She　could　see　her　father　standing　at　the　living…room　window；　sucking　at　his　pipe。　She　called　out；　〃Dad；　can　you　join　us？〃　He　turned；　smiled　at　her；　and　walked　to　the　study。　When　he　came　through　the　door　he　put　his　arm　around　his　daughter's　waist　and　faced　the　detectives　and　said；