The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
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extraordinary was afoot. 
Rocco gave him a friendly smile and hello. Carlo was wary. Rocco said, “Hey, I thought 
you were going an vacation with the Don?” 
Carlo shrugged. “Mike wanted me to stick around for a couple of days. He has 
something for me to do.” 
“Yeah,” Rocco Lampone said. “Me too. Then he tells me to keep a check on the gate. 
Well, what the hell, he’s the boss.” His tones implied that Michael was not the man his 
father was; a bit derogatory. 
Carlo ignored the tone. “Mike knows what he’s doing,” he said. Rocco accepted the 
rebuke in silence. Carlo said so long and walked back to the house. Something was up, 
but Rocco didn’t know what it was. 
* * *
Michael stood in the window of his living room and watched Carlo strolling around the 
mall. Hagen brought him a drink, strong brandy. Michael sipped at it gratefully. Behind 
him, Hagen said, gently, “Mike, you have to start moving. It’s time.” 
Michael sighed. “I wish it weren’t so soon. I wish the old man had lasted a little longer.” 
“Nothing will go wrong,” Hagen said. “If I didn’t tumble, then nobody did. You set it up 
real good.” 
Michael turned away from the window. “The old man planned a lot of it. I never realized 
how smart he was. But I guess you know.” 
“Nobody like him,” Hagen said. “But this is beautiful. This is the best. So you can’t be too 
bad either.” 
“Let’s see what happens,” Michael said. “Are Tessio and Clemenza on the mall?” 
Hagen nodded. Michael finished the brandy in his glass. “Send Clemenza in to me. I’ll 
instruct him personally. I don’t want to see Tessio at all. Just tell him I’ll be ready to go to 
the Barzini meeting with him in about a half hour. Clemenza’s people will take care of 
him after that.” 
Hagen said in a noncommittal voice, “There’s no way to let Tessio off the hook?” 
“No way,” Michael said.