The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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her in the limousine. “If you don’t come out there in two days, I’ll come back to get you,” 
she threatened him. 
He gave her a polite husbandly smile of sexual complicity. “I’ll be there,” he said. 
She hung out the window. “What do you think Michael wants you for?” she asked. Her 
worried frown made her look old and unattractive. 
Carlo shrugged. “He’s been promising me a big deal. Maybe that’s what he wants to talk 
about. That’s what he hinted anyway.” Carlo did not know of the meeting scheduled with 
the Barzini Family for that night. 
Connie said eagerly, “Really, Carlo?” 
Carlo nodded at her reassuringly. The limousine moved off through the gates of the 
mall. 
It was only after the first limousine had left that Michael appeared to say good-bye to 
Kay and his own two children. Carlo also came over and wished Kay a good trip and a 
good vacation. Finally the second limousine pulled away and went through the gate. 
Michael said, “I’m sorry I had to keep you here, Carlo. It won’t be more than a couple of 
days.” 
Carlo said quickly, “I don’t mind at all.” 
“Good,” Michael said. “Just stay by your phone and I’ll call you when I’m ready for you. I 
have to get some other dope before. OK?” 
“Sure, Mike, sure,” Carlo said. He went into his own house, made a phone call to the 
mistress he was discreetly keeping in Westbury, promising he would try to get to her late 
that night. Then he got set with a bottle of rye and waited. He waited a long time. Cars 
started coming through the gate shortly after noontime. He saw Clemenza get out of 
one, and then a little later Tessio came out of another. Both of them were admitted to 
Michael’s house by one of the bodyguards. Clemenza left after a few hours, but Tessio 
did not reappear. 
Carlo took a breath of fresh air around the mall, not more than ten minutes. He was 
familiar with all the guards who pulled duty on the mall, was even friendly with some of 
them. He thought he might gossip a bit to pass the time. But to his surprise none of the 
guards today were men he knew. They were all strangers to him. Even more surprising, 
the man in charge at the gate was Rocco Lampone, and Carlo knew that Rocco was of 
too high a rank is the Family to be pulling such menial duty unless something 

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