The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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checked had been hired for round-the-clock care, and Dr. Kennedy, with the payment of 
a huge fee, had been persuaded to become the physician in residence to this private 
hospital. At least until the Don would need only nursing care. 
The mall itself was made impregnable. Button men were moved into the extra houses, 
the tenants sent on vacations to their native villages in Italy, all expenses paid. 
Freddie Corleone had been sent to Las Vegas to recuperate and also to scout out the 
ground for a Family operation in the luxury hotel-gambling casino complex that was 
springing up. Las Vegas was part of the West Coast empire still neutral and the Don of 
that empire had guaranteed Freddie’s safety there. The New York five Families had no 
desire to make more enemies by going into Vegas after Freddie Corleone. They had 
enough trouble on their hands in New York. 
Dr. Kennedy had forbade any discussion of business in front of the Don. This edict was 
completely disregarded. The Don insisted on the council of war being held in his room. 
Sonny, Tom Hagen, Pete Clemenza and Tessio gathered there the very first night of his 
homecoming. 
Don Corleone was too weak to speak much but he wished to listen and exercise veto 
powers. When it was explained that Freddie had been sent to Las Vegas to learn the 
gambling casino business he nodded his head approvingly. When he learned that Bruno 
Tattaglia had been killed by Corleone button men he shook his head and sighed. But 
what distressed him most of all was learning that Michael had killed Sollozzo and 
Captain McCluskey and had then been forced to flee to Sicily. When he heard this he 
motioned them out and they continued the conference in the corner room that held the 
law library. 
Sonny Corleone relaxed in the huge armchair behind the desk. “I think we’d better let 
the old man take it easy for a couple of weeks, until the doc says he can do business.” 
He paused. “I’d like to have it going again before he gets better. We have the go-ahead 
from the cops to operate. The first thing is the policy banks in Harlem. The black boys 
up there had their fun, now we have to take it back. They screwed up the works but 
good, just like they usually do when they run things. A lot of their runners didn’t pay off 
winners. They drive up in Cadillacs and tell their players they gotta wait for their dough 
or maybe just pay them half what they win. I don’t want any runner looking rich to his 
players. I don’t want them dressing too good. I don’t want them driving new cars. I don’t 
want them welching on paying a winner. And I don’t want any free-lancers staying in 

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