mp.godfather-第51部分

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uties　to　a　wife　whose　family　he　feared？　It　was　an　impossible　situation　and　he　dared　not　meddle。　Then　when　Connie　became　pregnant　he　was　convinced　of　the　wisdom　of　his　decision　and　felt　he　never　could　interfere　though　Connie　plained　to　her　mother　about　a　few　more　beatings　and　the　mother　finally　became　concerned　enough　to　mention　it　to　the　Don。　Connie　even　hinted　that　she　might　want　a　divorce。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　the　Don　was　angry　with　her。　〃He　is　the　father　of　your　child。　What　can　a　child　e　to　in　this　world　if　he　has　no　father？〃　he　said　to　Connie。
　
　Learning　all　this；　Carlo　Rizzi　grew　confident。　He　was　perfectly　safe。　In　fact　he　bragged　to　his　two　〃writers〃　on　the　book；　Sally　Rags　and　Coach；　about　how　he　bounced　his　wife　around　when　she　got　snotty　and　saw　their　looks　of　respect　that　he　had　the　guts　to　manhandle　the　daughter　of　the　great　Don　Corleone。
　
　But　Rizzi　would　not　have　felt　so　safe　if　he　had　known　that　when　Sonny　Cotleone　learned　of　the　beatings　he　had　flown　into　a　murderous　rage　and　had　been　restrained　only　by　the　sternest　and　most　imperious　mand　of　the　Don　himself；　a　mand　that　even　Sonny　dared　not　disobey。　Which　was　why　Sonny　avoided　Rizzi；　not　trusting　himself　to　control　his　temper。
　
　So　feeling　perfectly　safe　on　this　beautiful　Sunday　morning；　Carlo　Rizzi　sped　crosstown　on　96th　Street　to　the　East　Side。　He　did　not　see　Sonny's　car　ing　the　opposite　way　toward　his　house。
　
　**********
　
　Sonny　Corleone　had　left　the　protection　of　the　mall　and　spent　the　night　with　Lucy　Mancini　in　town。　Now　on　the　way　home　he　was　traveling　with　four　bodyguards；　two　in　front　and　two　behind。　He　didn't　need　guards　right　beside　him；　he　could　take　care　of　a　single　direct　assault。　The　other　men　traveled　in　their　own　cars　and　had　apartments　on　either　side　of　Lucy's　apartment。　It　was　safe　to　visit　her　as　long　as　he　didn't　do　it　too　often。　But　now　that　he　was　in　town　he　figured　he　would　pick　up　his　sister　Connie　and　take　her　out　to　Long　Beach。　He　knew　Carlo　would　be　working　at　his　book　and　the　cheap　bastard　wouldn't　get　her　a　car。　So　he'd　give　his　sister　a　lift　out。
　
　He　waited　for　the　two　men　in　front　to　go　into　the　building　and　then　followed　them。　He　saw　the　two　men　in　back　pull　up　behind　his　car　and　get　out　to　watch　the　streets。　He　kept　his　own　eyes　open。　It　was　a　million…to…one　shot　that　the　opposition　even　knew　he　was　in　town　but　he　was　always　careful。　He　had　learned　that　in　the　1930's　war。
　
　He　never　used　elevators。　They　were　death　traps。　He　climbed　the　eight　flights　to　Connie's　apartment；　going　fast。　He　knocked　on　her　door。　He　had　seen　Carlo's　car　go　by　and　knew　she　would　be　alone。　There　was　no　answer。　He　knocked　again　and　then　he　heard　his　sister's　voice；　frightened；　timid；　asking；　〃Who　is　it？〃
　
　The　fright　in　the　voice　stunned　him。　His　kid　sister　had　always　been　fresh　and　snotty；　tough　as　anybody　in　the　family。　What　the　hell　had　happened　to　her？　He　said；　〃It's　Sonny。〃　The　bolt　inside　slid　back　and　the　door　opened　and　Connie　was　in　his　arms　sobbing。　He　was　so　surprised　he　just　stood　there。　He　pushed　her　away　from　him　and　saw　her　swollen　face　and　he　understood　what　had　happened。
　
　He　pulled　away　from　her　to　run　down　the　stairs　and　go　after　her　husband。　Rage　flamed　up　in　him；　contorting　his　own　face。　Connie　saw　the　rage　and　clung　to　him；　not　letting　him　go；　making　him　e　into　the　apartment。　She　was　weeping　out　of　terror　now。　She　knew　her　older　brother's　temper　and　feared　it。　She　had　never　plained　to　him　about　Carlo　for　that　reason。　Now　she　made　him　e　into　the　apartment　with　her。
　
　〃It　was　my　fault；〃　she　said。　〃I　started　a　fight　with　him　and　I　tried　to　hit　him　so　he　hit　me。　He　really　didn't　try　to　hit　me　that　hard。　I　walked　into　it。〃
　
　Sonny's　heavy　Cupid　face　was　under　control。　〃You　going　to　see　the　old　man　today？〃
　
　She　didn't　answer；　so　he　added；　〃I　thought　you　were；　so　I　dropped　over　to　give　you　a　lift。　I　was　in　the　city　anyway。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　want　them　to　see　me　this　way。　I'll　e　next　week。〃
　
　〃OK；〃　Sonny　said。　He　picked　up　her　kitchen　phone　and　dialed　a　number。　〃I'm　getting　a　doctor　to　e　over　here　and　take　a　look　at　you　and　fix　you　up。　In　your　condition　you　have　to　be　careful。　How　many　months　before　you　have　the　kid？〃
　
　〃Two　months；〃　Connie　said。　〃Sonny；　please　don't　do　anything。　Please　don't。〃
　
　Sonny　laughed。　His　face　was　cruelly　intent　when　he　said；　〃Don't　worry；　I　won't　make　your　kid　an　orphan　before　he's　born。〃　He　left　the　apartment　after　kissing　her　lightly　on　her　uninjured　cheek。
　
　**********
　
　On　East　112th　Street　a　long　line　of　cars　were　doubleparked　in　front　of　a　candy　store　that　was　the　headquarters　of　Carlo　Rizzi's　book。　On　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　store；　fathers　played　catch　with　small　children　they　had　taken　for　a　Sunday　morning　ride　and　to　keep　them　pany　as　they　placed　their　bets。　When　they　saw　Carlo　Rizzi　ing　they　stopped　playing　ball　and　bought　their　kids　ice　cream　to　keep　them　quiet。　Then　they　started　studying　the　newspapers　that　gave　the　starting　pitchers；　trying　to　pick　out　winning　baseball　bets　for　the　day。
　
　Carlo　went　into　the　large　room　in　the　back　of　the　store。　His　two　〃writers；〃　a　small　wiry　man　called　Sally　Rags　and　a　big　husky　fellow　called　Coach；　were　already　waiting　for　the　action　to　start。　They　had　their　huge；　lined　pads　in　front　of　them　ready　to　write　down　bets。　On　a　wooden　stand　was　a　blackboard　with　the　names　of　the　sixteen　big　league　baseball　teams　chalked　on　it；　paired　to　show　who　was　playing　against　who。　Against　each　pairing　was　a　blocked…out　square　to　enter　the　odds。
　
　Carlo　asked　Coach；　〃Is　the　store　phone　tapped　today？〃
　
　Coach　shook　his　head。　〃The　tap　is　still　off。〃
　
　Carlo　went　to　the　wall　phone　and　dialed　a　number。　Sally　Rags　and　Coach　watched　him　impassively　as　he　jotted　down　the　〃line；〃　the　odds　on　all　the　baseball　games　for　that　day。　They　watched　him　as　he　hung　up　the　phone　and　walked　over　to　the　blackboard　and　chalked　up　the　odds　against　each　game。　Though　Carlo　did　not　know　it；　they　had　already　gotten　the　line　and　were　checking　his　work。　In　the　first　week　in　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