mp.godfather-第47章

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his　job　Carlo　had　made　a　mistake　in　transposing　the　odds　onto　the　blackboard　and　had　created　that　dream　of　all　gamblers；　a　〃middle。〃　That　is；　by　betting　the　odds　with　him　and　then　betting　against　the　same　team　with　another　bookmaker　at　the　correct。　odds；　the　gambler　could　not　lose。　The　only　one　who　coud　lose　was　Carlo's　book。　That　mistake　had　caused　a　six…thousand…dollar　loss　in　the　book　for　the　week　and　confirmed　the　Don's　judgment　about　his　son…in…law。　He　had　given　the　word　that　all　of　Carlo's　work　was　to　be　checked。
　
　Normally　the　highly　placed　members　of　the　Corleone　Family　would　never　be　concerned　with　such　an　operational　detail。　There　was　at　least　a　five…layer　insulation　to　their　level。　But　since　the　book　was　being　used　as　a　testing　ground　for　the　son…in…law；　it　had　been　placed　under　the　direct　scrutiny　of　Tom　Hagen；　to　whom　a　report　was　sent　every　day。
　
　Now　with　the　line　posted；　the　gamblers　were　thronging　into　the　back　room　of　the　candy　store　to　jot　down　the　odds　on　their　newspapers　next　to　the　games　printed　there　with　probable　pitchers。　Some　of　them　held　their　little　children　by　the　hand　as　they　looked　up　at　the　blackboard。　One　guy　who　made　big　bets　looked　down　at　the　little　girl　he　was　holding　by　the　hand　and　said　teasingly；　〃Who　do　you　like　today；　Honey；　Giants　or　the　Pirates？〃　The　little　girl；　fascinated　by　the　colorful　names；　said；　〃Are　Giants　stronger　than　Pirates？〃　The　father　laughed。
　
　A　line　began　to　form　in　front　of　the　two　writers。　When　a　writer　filled　one　of　his　sheets　he　tore　it　off；　wrapped　the　money　he　had　collected　in　it　and　handed　it　to　Carlo。　Carlo　went　out　the　back　exit　of　the　room　and　up　a　flight　of　steps　to　an　apartment　which　housed　the　candy　store　owner's　family。　He　called　in　the　bets　to　his　central　exchange　and　put　the　money　in　a　small　wall　safe　that　was　hidden　by　an　extended　window　drape。　Then　he　went　back　down　into　the　candy　store　after　having　first　burned　the　bet　sheet　and　flushed　its　ashes　down　the　toilet　bowl。
　
　None　of　the　Sunday　games　started　before　two　P。M。　because　of　the　blue　laws；　so　after　the　first　crowd　of　bettors；　family　men　who　had　to　get　their　bets　in　and　rush　home　to　take　their　families　to　the　beach；　came　the　trickling　of　bachelor　gamblers　or　the　diehards　who　condemned　their　families　to　Sundays　in　the　hot　city　apartments。　These　bachelor　bettors　were　the　big　gamblers；　they　bet　heavier　and　came　back　around　four　o'clock　to　bet　the　second　games　of　doubleheaders。　They　were　the　ones　who　made　Carlo's　Sundays　a　full…time　day　with　overtime；　though　some　married　men　called　in　from　the　beach　to　try　and　recoup　their　losses。
　
　By　one…thirty　the　betting　had　trickled　off　so　that　Carlo　and　Sally　Rags　could　go　out　and　sit　on　the　stoop　beside　the　candy　store　and　get　some　fresh　air。　They　watched　the　stickball　game　the　kids　were　having。　A　police　car　went　by。　They　ignored　it。　This　book　had　very　heavy　protection　at　the　precinct　and　couldn't　be　touched　on　a　local　level。　A　raid　would　have　to　be　ordered　from　the　very　top　and　even　then　a　warning　would　e　through　in　plenty　of　time。
　
　Coach　came　out　and　sat　beside　them。　They　gossiped　a　while　about　baseball　and　women。　Carlo　said　laughingly；　〃I　had　to　bat　my　wife　around　again　today；　teach　her　who's　boss。〃
　
　Coach　said　casually；　〃She's　knocked　up　pretty　big　now；　ain't　she？〃
　
　〃Ahh；　I　just　slapped　her　face　a　few　times；〃　Carlo　said。　〃I　didn't　hurt　her。〃　He　brooded　for　a　moment。　〃She　thinks　she　can　boss　me　around；　I　don't　stand　for　that。〃
　
　There　were　still　a　few　bettors　hanging　around　shooting　the　breeze；　talking　baseball；　some　of　them　sitting　on　the　steps　above　the　two　writers　and　Carlo。　Suddenly　the　kids　playing　stickball　in　the　street　scattered。　A　car　came　screeching　up　the　block　and　to　a　halt　in　front　of　the　candy　store。　It　stopped　so　abruptly　that　the　tires　screamed　and　before　it　had　stopped；　almost；　a　man　came　hurtling　out　of　the　driver's　seat；　moving　so　fast　that　everybody　was　paralyzed。　The　man　was　Sonny　Corleone。
　
　His　heavy　Cupid…featured　face　with　its　thick；　curved　mouth　was　an　ugly　mask　of　fury。　In　a　split　second　he　was　at　the　stoop　and　had　grabbed　Carlo　Rizzi　by　the　throat。　He　pulled　Carlo　away　from　the　others；　trying　to　drag　him　into　the　street；　but　Carlo　wrapped　his　huge　muscular　arms　around　the　iron　railings　of　the　stoop　and　hung　on。　He　cringed　away；　trying　to　hide　his　head　and　face　in　the　hollow　of　his　shoulders。　His　shirt　ripped　away　in　Sonny's　hand。
　
　What　followed　then　was　sickening。　Sonny　began　beating　the　cowering　Carlo　with　his　fists；　cursing　him　in　a　thick；　rage…choked　voice。　Carlo；　despite　his　tremendous　physique；　offered　no　resistance；　gave　no　cry　for　mercy　or　protest。　Coach　and　Sally　Rags　dared　not　interfere。　They　thought　Sonny　meant　to　kill　his　brother…in…law　and　had　no　desire　to　share　his　fate。　The　kids　playing　stickball　gathered　to　curse　the　driver　who　had　made　them　scatter；　but　now　were　watching　with　awestruck　interest。　They　were　tough　kids　but　the　sight　of　Sonny　in　his　rage　silenced　them。　Meanwhile　another　car　had　drawn　up　behind　Sonny's　and　two　of　his　bodyguards　jumped　out。　When　they　saw　what　was　happening　they　too　dared　not　interfere。　They　stood　alert；　ready　to　protect　their　chief　if　any　bystanders　had　the　stupidity　to　try　to　help　Carlo。
　
　What　made　the　sight　sickening　was　Carlo's　plete　subjection；　but　it　was　perhaps　this　that　saved　his　life。　He　clung　to　the　iron　railings　with　his　hands　so　that　Sonny　could　not　drag　him　into　the　street　and　despite　his　obvious　equal　strength；　still　refused　to　fight　back。　He　let　the　blows　rain　on　his　unprotected　head　and　neck　until　Sonny's　rage　ebbed。　Finally；　his　chest　heaving；　Sonny　looked　down　at　him　and　said；　〃You　dirty　bastard；　you　ever　beat　up　my　sister　again　I'll　kill　you。〃
　
　These　words　released　the　tension。　Because　of　course；　if　Sonny　intended　to　kill　the　man　he　would　never　have　uttered　the　threat。　He　uttered　it　in　frustration　because　he　could　not　carry　it　out。　Carlo　refused　to　look　at　Sonny。　He　kept　his　head　down　and　his　hands　and　arms　entwined　in　the　iron　railing。　He　stayed　that　way　until　the　car　roared　off　and　he　heard　Coach　say　in　his　curiously　paternal　voice；　〃OK；　Carlo；　e　on　into　the　store。　Let's　get　out　of　sight。〃
　
　It　was　only　then　that　Carlo　dared　to　get　out　of　his　crouch　against　the　stone　steps　of　the　stoop　and　unlock　his　hands　from　the　railing。　Standing　up；　he　could　see　the　kids　look　at　him　with　the　staring；　sickened　faces　of　people　who　had　witnessed　the　degradation　of　a　fellow　human　being。　He　was　a　little　dizzy　but　if　was　more　from　shock；　the　raw　fear　that　had　taken　mand　of　his　body；　he　was　not　badly　hurt　despite　the　shower　of　heavy　blows。　He　let　Coach　lead　him　by　the　arm　into　the　back　room　of　the　candy　store　and　put　ice　on　his　face；　which；　though　it　was　not　cut　or　bleeding；　was　lumpy　with　swelling　bruises。　The　fear　was　subsiding　now　and　the　humiliation　he　had　suffered　made　him　sick　to　his　stomach　so　that　he　had　to　throw　up。　Coach　held　his　head　over　the　sink；　supported　him　as　if　he　were　drunk；　then　helped　him　upstairs　to　the　apartment　and　made　him　lie　down　in　one　of　the　bedrooms。　Carlo　never　noticed　that　Sally　Rags　had　disappeared。
　
　Sally　Rags　had　walked　down　to　Third　Avenue　and　called　Rocco　Lampone　to　report　what　had　happened。　Rocco　took　the　news　calmly　and　in　his　turn　called　his　caporegime；　Pete　Clemenza。　Clemenza　groaned　and　said；　〃Oh；　Christ；　that　goddamn　Sonny　and　his　temper；〃　but　his　finger　had　prudently　clicked　down　on　the　hook　so　that　Rocco　never　heard　his　remark。
　
　Clemenza　called　the　house　in　Long　Beach　and　got　Tom　Hagen。　Hagen　was　silent　for　a　moment　and　then　he　said；　〃Send　some　of　your　people　and　cars　out　on　the　road　to　Long　Beach　as　soon　as　you　can；　just　in　case　Sonny　gets　held　up　by　traffic　or　an　accident。　When　he　gets　sore　like　that　he　doesn't　know　what　the　hell　he's　doing。　Maybe　some　of　our　friends　on　the　other　side　will　hear　he　was　in　town。　You　sever　can　tell。〃
　
　Clemenza　said　doubtfully；　〃By　the　time　I　could　get　anybody　on　the　road；　Sonny　will　be　home。　That　goes　for　the　Tattaglias　too。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　Hagen　said　patiently。　〃But　if　something　out　of　the　ordinary　happens；　Sonny　may　be　held　up。　Do　the　best　you　can；　Pete。〃
　
　Grudgingly　Clemenza　called　Rocco　Lampone　and　told　him　to　get　a　few　people　and　cars　and　cover　the　road　to　Long　Beach。　He　himself　went　out　to　his　beloved　Cadillac　and　with　three　of　the　platoon　of　guards　who　now　garrisoned　his　home；　started　over　the　Atlantic　Beach　Bridge；　toward　New　York　City。
　
　One　of　the　hangers…on　around　the　candy　store；　a　small　bettor　on　the　payroll　of　the　Tattaglia　Family　as　an　informer；　called　the　contact　he　had　with　his　people。　But　the　Tattaglia　Family　had　not　streamlined　itself　for　the　war；　the　contact　still　had　to　go　all　the　way　through　the　insulation　layers　before　he　finally　got　to　the　caporegime；　who　contacted　the　Tattaglia　chief。　By　that　time　Sonny　Corleone　was　safely　back　in　the　mall；　in　his　father's　house；　in　Long　Beach；　about　to　face　his　father's　wrath。
　
　Chapter　17
　
　The　war　of　1947　between　the　Corleone　Family　and　the　Five　Families　bined　against　them　proved　to　be　expensive　for　both　sides。　It　was　plicated　by　the　police　pressure　put　on　everybody　to　solve　the　murder　of　Captain　McCluskey。　It　was　rare　that　operating　officials　of　the　Police　Department　ignored　political　muscle　that　protected　gambling　and　vice　operations；　but　in　this　case　the　politicians　were　as　helpless　as　the　general　staff　of　a　rampaging；　looting　army　whose　field　officers　refuse　to　follow　orders。
　
　This　lack　of　protection　did　not　hurt　the　Corleone　Family　as　much　as　it　did　their　opponents。　The　Corleone　group　depended　on　gambling　for　most　of　its　ine；　and　was　hit　especially　hard　in　its　〃numbers〃　or　〃policy〃　branch　of　operations。　The　runners　who　picked　up　the　action　were　swept　into　police　nets　and　usually　given　a　medium　shellacking　before　being　booked。　Even　some　of　the　〃banks〃　were　located　and　raided；　with　heavy　financial　loss。　The　〃bankers；〃　。90　calibers　in　their　own　right；　plained　to　the　caporegimes；　who　brought　their　plaints　to　the　family　council　table。　But　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　The　bankers　were　told　to　go　out　of　business。　Local　Negro　free…lancers　were　allowed　to　take　over　the　operation　in　Harlem；　the　richest　territory；　and　they　operated　in　such　scattered　fashion　that　the　police　found　it　hard　to　pin　them　down。
　
　After　the　death　of　Captain　McCluskey；　some　newspapers　printed　stories　involving　him　with　Sollozzo。　They　published　proof　that　McCluskey　had　received　large　sums　of　money　in　cash；　shortly　before　his　death。　These　stories　had　been　planted　by　Hagen；　the　information　supplied　by　him。　The　Police　Department　refused　to　confirm　or　deny　these　stories；　but　they　were　taking　effect。　The　police　force　got　the　word　through　informers；　through　police　on　the　Family　payroll；　that　McCluskey　had　been　a　rogue　cop。　Not　that　he　had　taken　money　or　clean　graft；　there　was　no　rank…and…file　onus　to　that。　But　that　he　had　taken　the　dirtiest　of　dirty　money；　murder　and　drugs　money。　And　in　the　morality　of　policemen；　this　was　unforgivable。
　
　Hagen　understood　that　the　policeman　believes　in　law　and　order　in　a　curiously　innocent　way。　He　believes　in　it　more　than　does　the　public　he　serves。　Law　and　order　is；　after　all；　the　magic　from　which　he　derives　his　power；　individual　power　which