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ican gamblers。
Moe Greene said to his bodyguards； 〃Draw some chips for all these people so that they can gamble on the house。〃 He obviously meant Jules； Lucy； Johnny Fontane and Michael's bodyguard； Albert Neri。
Michael Corleone nodded agreeably。 〃That's a good idea。〃 It was only then that Neri got out of his chair and prepared to follow the others out。
After the good…byes were said； there were Freddie； Tom Hagen； Moe Greene and Michael Corleone left in the room。
Greene put his drink down on the table and said with barely controlled fury； 〃What's this I hear the Corleone Family is going to buy me out？ I'll buy you out。 You don't buy me out。〃
Michael said reasonably； 〃Your casino has been losing money against all the odds。 There's something wrong with the way you operate。 Maybe we can do better。〃
Greene laughed harshly。 〃You goddamn Dagos； I do you a favor and take Freddie in when you're having a bad time and now you push me out。 That's what you think。 I don't get pushed out by nobody and I got friends that will back me up。〃
Michael was still quietly reasonable。 〃You took Freddie in because the Corleone Family gave you a big chunk of money to finish furnishing your hotel。 And bankroll your casino。 And because the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed his safety and gave you some service for taking him in。 The Corleone Family and you are evened out。 I don't know what you're getting sore about。 We'll buy your share at any reasonable price you name； what's wrong with that？ What's unfair about that？ With your casino losing money we're doing you a favor。〃
Greene shook his head。 〃The Corleone Family don't have that much muscle anymore。 The Godfather is sick。 You're getting chased out of New York by the other Families and you think you can find easier pickings here。 I'll give you some advice； Mike； don't try。〃
Michael said softly； 〃Is that why you thought you could slap Freddie around in public？〃
Tom Hagen； startled； turned his attention to Freddie。 Freddie Corleone's face was getting red。 〃Ah； Mike； that wasn't anything。 Moe didn't mean anything。 He flies off the handle sometimes； but me and him are good friends。 Right； Moe？〃
Greene was wary。 〃Yeah； sure。 Sometimes I got to kick asses to make this place run right。 I got sore at Freddie because he was banging all the cocktail waitresses and letting them goof off on the job。 We had a little argument and I straightened him out。〃
Michael's face was impassive when he said to his brother； 〃You straightened out； Freddie？〃
Freddie stared sullenly at his younger brother。 He didn't answer。 Greene laughed and said； 〃The son of a bitch was taking them to bed two at a time； the old sandwich job。 Freddie； I gotta admit you really put it to those broads。 Nobody else could make them happy after you got through with them。〃
Hagen saw that this had caught Michael by surprise。 They looked at each other。 This was perhaps the real reason the Don was displeased with Freddie。 The Don was straitlaced about sex。 He would consider such cavorting by his son Freddie； two girls at a time； as degeneracy。 Allowing himself to be physically humiliated by a man like Moe Greene would decrease respect for the Corleone Family。 That too would be part of the reason for being in his father's bad books。
Michael rising from his chair； said； in a tone of dismissal； 〃I have to get back to New York tomorrow； so think about your price。〃
Greene said savagely； 〃You son of a bitch； you think you can just brush me off like that？ I killed more men than you before I could jerk off。 I'll fly to New York and talk to the Don himself。 I'll make him an offer。〃
Freddie said nervously to Tom Hagen； 〃Tom； you're the Consigliere； you can talk to the Don and advise him。〃
It was then that Michael turned the full chilly blast of his personality on the two Vegas men。 〃The Don has sort of semiretired；〃 he said。 〃I'm running the Family business now。 And I've removed Tom from the Consigliere spot。 He'll be strictly my lawyer here in Vegas。 He'll be moving out with his family in a couple of months to get all the legal work started。 So anything you have to say； say it to me。〃
Nobody answered。 Michael said formally； 〃Freddie； you're my older brother； I have respect for you。 But don't ever take sides with anybody against the Family again。 I won't even mention it to the Don。〃 He turned to Moe Greene。 〃Don't insult people who are trying to help you。 You'd do better to use your energy to find out why the casino is losing money。 The Corleone Family has big dough invested here and we're not getting our money's worth； but I still didn't e here to abuse you。 I offer a helping hand。 Well； if you prefer to spit on that helping hand； that's your business。 I can't say any more。〃
He had not once raised his voice but his words had a sobering effect on both Greene and Freddie。 Michael stared at both of them； moving away from the table to indicate that he expected them both to leave。 Hagen went to the door and opened it。 Both men left without saying good night。
**********
The next morning Michael Corleone got the message from Moe Greene： he would not sell his share of the hotel at any price。 It was Freddie who delivered the message。 Michael shrugged and said to his brother； 〃I want to see Nino before I go back to New York。〃
In Nino's suite they found Johnny Fontane sitting on the couch eating breakfast。 Jules was examining Nino behind the closed drapes of the bedroom。 Finally the drapes were drawn back。 Michael was shocked at how Nino looked。 The man was visibly disintegrating。 The eyes were dazed； the mouth loose； all the muscles of his face slack。 Michael sat on his bedside and said； 〃Nino； it's good to catch up with you。 The Don always asks about you。〃
Nino grinned； it was the old grin。 〃Tell him I'm dying。 Tell him show business is more dangerous than the olive oil business。〃
〃You'll be OK；〃 Michael said。 〃If there's anything bothering you that the Family can help； just tell me。〃
Nino shook his head。 〃There's nothing；〃 he said。 〃Nothing。〃
Michael chatted for a few more moments and then left。 Freddie acpanied him and his party to the airport； but at Michael's request didn't hang around for departure time。 As he boarded the plane with Tom Hagen and Al Neri； Michael turned to Neri and said； 〃Did you make him good？〃
Neri tapped his forehead。 〃I got Moe Greene mugged and numbered up here。〃
Chapter 28
On the plane ride back to New York； Michael Corleone relaxed and tried to sleep。 It was useless。 The most terrible period of his life was approaching； perhaps even a fatal time。 It could no longer be put off。 Everything was in readiness； all precautions had been taken； two years of precautions。 There could be no further delay。 Last week when the Don had formally announced his retirement to the caporegimes and other members of the Corleone Family； Michael knew that this was his father's way of telling him the time was ripe。
It was almost three years now since he had returned home and over two years since he had married Kay。 The three years had been spent in learning the Family business。 He had put in long hours with Tom Hagen； long hours with the Don。 He was amazed at how wealthy and powerful the Corleone Family truly was。 It owned tremendously valuable real estate in midtown New York； whole office buildings。 It owned； through fronts； partnerships in two Wall Street brokerage houses； pieces of banks on Long Island； partnerships in some garment center firms； all this in addition to its illegal operations in gambling。
The most interesting thing Michael Corleone learned； in going back over past transactions of the Corleone Family； was that the Family had received some protection ine shortly after the war from a group of music record counterfeiters。 The counterfeiters duplicated and sold phonograph records of famous artists； packaging everything so skillfully they were never caught。 Naturally on the records they sold to stores the artists and original production pany received not a penny。 Michael Corleone noticed that Johnny Fontane had lost a lot of money owing to this counterfeiting because at that time； just before he lost his voice； his records were the most popular in the country。
He asked Tom Hagen about it。 Why did the Don allow the counterfeiters to cheat his godson？ Hagen shrugged。 Business was business。 Besides； Johnny was in the Don's bad graces； Johnny having divorced his childhood sweetheart to marry Margot Ashton。 This had displeased the Don greatly。
〃How e these guys stopped their operation？〃 Michael asked。 〃The cops got on to them？〃
Hagen shook his head。 〃The Don withdrew his protection。 That was right after Connie's wedding。〃
It was a pattern he was to see often； the Don helping those in misfortune whose misfortune he had partly created。 Not perhaps out of cunning or planning but because of his variety of interests or perhaps because of the nature of the universe； the interlinking of good and evil； natural of itself。
Michael had married Kay up in New England； a quiet wedding； with only her family and a few of her friends present。 Then they had moved into one of the houses on the mall in Long Beach。 Michael was surprised at how well Kay got along with his parents and the other people living on the mall。 And of course she had gotten pregnant right away； like a good； old…style Italian wife was supposed to； and that helped。 The second kid on the way in two years was just icing。
Kay would be waiting for him at the airport； she always came to meet him； she was always so glad when he came back from a trip。 And he was too。 Except now。 For the end of this trip meant that he finally had to take the action he had been groomed for over the last three years。 The Don would be waiting for him。 The caporegimes would be waiting for him。 And he； Michael Corleone； would have to give the orders； make the decisions which would decide his and his Family's fate。
**********
Every morning when Kay Adams Corleone got up to take care of the baby's early feeding； she saw Mama Corleone； the Don's wife； being driven away from the mall by one of the bodyguards； to return an hour later。 Kay soon learned that her mother…in…law went to church every single morning。 Often on her return； the old woman stopped by for morning coffee and to see her new grandchild。
Mama Corleone always started off by asking Kay why she didn't think of being a Catholic； ignoring the fact that Kay's child had already been baptized a Protestant。 So Kay felt it was proper to ask the old woman why she went to church every morning； whether that was a necessary part of being a Catholic。
As if she thought that this might have stopped Kay from converting the old woman said； 〃Oh； no； no； some Catholics only go to church on Easter and Christmas。 You go when you feel like going。〃
Kay laughed。 〃Then why do you go every single morning？〃
In a pletely natural way； Mama Corleone said； 〃I go for my husband；〃 she pointed down toward the floor； 〃so he don't go down there。〃 She paused。 〃I say prayers for his soul every day so he go up there。〃 She pointed heavenward。 She said this with an impish smile； as if she were subverting her husband's will in some way； or as if it were a losing cause。 It was said jokingly almost； in her grim； Italian； old crone fashion。 And as always when her husband was not present； there was an attitude of disrespect to the great Don。
〃How is your husband feeling？〃 Kay asked politely。
Mama Corleone shrugged。 〃He's not the same man since they shot him。 He lets Michael do all the work； he just plays the fool with his garden； his peppers； his tomatoes。 As if he were some peasant still。 But men are always like that。〃
Later in the morning Connie Corleone would walk across the mall with her two children to pay Kay a visit and chat。 Kay liked Connie； her vivaciousness； her obvious fondness for her brother Michael。 Connie had taught Kay how to cook some Italian dishes but sometimes brought her own more expert concoctions over for Michael to taste。
Now this morning as she usually did； she asked Kay what Michael thou