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Sonny looked at his two caporegimes。 Tessio shrugged。 〃It's tricky；〃 he said。 Clemenza didn't answer at all。
Sonny said to Clemenza； 〃One thing we can take care of without discussion。 I don't want Paulie around here anymore。 Make that first on your list。〃 The fat caporegime nodded。
Hagen said； 〃What about Luca？ Sollozzo didn't seem worried about Luca。 That worries me。 If Luca sold us out； we're in real trouble。 That's the first thing we have to know。 Has anybody been able to get in touch with him？〃
〃No；〃 Sonny said。 〃I've been calling him all night。 Maybe he's shacked up。〃
〃No；〃 Hagen said。 〃He never sleeps over with a broad。 He always goes home when he's through。 Mike； keep ringing his number until you get an answer。〃 Michael dutifully picked up the phone and dialed。 He could hear the phone ringing on the other end but no one answered。 Finally he hung up。 〃Keep trying every fifteen minutes；〃 Hagen said。
Sonny said impatiently； 〃OK； Tom you're the Consigliere； how about some advice？ What the hell do you think we should do？〃
Hagen helped himself to the whiskey bottle on the desk。 〃We negotiate with Sollozzo until your father is in shape to take charge。 We might even make a deal if we have to。 When your father gets out of bed he can settle the whole business without a fuss and all the Families will go along with him。〃
Sonny said angrily； 〃You think I can't handle this guy Sollozzo？〃
Tom Hagen looked him directly in the eye。 〃Sonny； sure you can outfight him。 The Corleone Family has the power。 You have Clemenza and Tessio here and they can muster a thousand men if it es to an all…out war。 But at the end there will be a shambles over the whole East Coast and all the other Families will blame the Corleones。 We'll make a lot of enemies。 And that's something your father never believed in。〃
Michael； watching Sonny； thought he took this well。 But then Sonny said to Hagen； 〃What if the old man dies； what do you advise then； Consigliere？〃
Hagen said quietly； 〃I know you won't do it； but I would advise you to make a real deal with Sollozzo on the drugs。 Without your father's political contacts and personal influence the Corleone Family loses half its strength。 Without your father； the other New York Families might wind up supporting the Tattaglias and Sollozzo just to make sure there isn't a long destructive war。 If your father dies； make the deal。 Then wait and see。〃
Sonny was white…faced with anger。 〃That's easy for you to say； it's not your father they killed。〃
Hagen said quickly and proudly； 〃I was as good a son to him as you or Mike； maybe better。 I'm giving you a professional opinion。 Personally I want to kill all those bastards。〃 The emotion in his voice shamed Sonny； who said； 〃Oh； Christ； Tom； I didn't mean it that way。〃 But he had； really。 Blood was blood and nothing else was its equal。
Sonny brooded for a moment as the others waited in embarrassed silence。 Then he sighed and spoke quietly。 〃OK； we'll sit tight until the old man can give us the lead。 But； Tom； I want you to stay inside the mall； too。 Don't take any chances。 Mike； you be careful； though I don't think。 even Sollozzo would bring personal family into the war。 Everybody would be against him then。 But be careful。 Tessio； you hold your people in reserve but have them nosing around the city。 Clemenza； after you settle the Paulie Gatto thing； you move your men into the house and the mall to replace Tessio's people。 Tessio； you keep your men at the hospital； though。 Tom； start negotiation over the phone or by messenger with Sollozzo and the Tattaglias the first thing in the morning。 Mike； tomorrow you take a couple of Clemenza's people and go to Luca's house and wait for him to show up or find out where the hell he is。 That crazy bastard might be going after Sollozzo right now if he's heard the news。 I can't believe he'd ever go against his Don； no matter what the Turk offered him。〃
Hagen said reluctantly； 〃Maybe Mike shouldn't get mixed up in this so directly。〃
〃Right；〃 Sonny said。 〃Forget that； Mike。 Anyway I need you on the phone here in the house； that's more important。〃
Michael didn't say anything。 He felt awkward； almost ashamed； and he noticed Clemenza and Tessio with faces so carefully impassive that he was sure that they were hiding their contempt。 He picked up the phone and dialed Luca Brasi's number and kept the receiver to his ear as it rang and rang。
Chapter 06
Peter Clemenza slept badly that night。 In the morning he got up early and made his own breakfast of a glass of grappa； a thick slice of Genoa salami with a chunk of fresh Italian bread that was still delivered to his door as in the old days。 Then he drank a great； plain china mug filled with hot coffee that had been lashed with anisette。 But as he padded about the house in his old bathrobe and red felt slippers he pondered on the day's work that lay ahead of him。 Last night Sonny Corleone had made it very clear that Paulie Gatto was to be taken care of immediately。 It had to be today。
Clemenza was troubled。 Not because Gatto had been his protégé and had turned traitor。 This did not reflect on the caporegime's judgment。 After all； Paulie's background had been perfect。 He came from a Sicilian family； he had grown up in the same neighborhood as the Corleone children； had indeed even gone to school with one of the sons。 He had been brought up through each level in the proper manner。 He had been tested and not found wanting。 And then after he had 〃made his bones〃 he had received a good living from the Family； a percentage of an East Side 〃book〃 and a union payroll slot。 Clemenza had not been unaware that Paulie Gatto 'supplemented his ine with free…lance stickups； strictly against the Family rules； but even this was a sign of the man's worth。 The breaking of such regulations was considered a sign of high…spiritedness； like that shown by a fine racing horse fighting the reins。
And Paulie had never caused trouble with his stickups。 They had always been meticulously planned and carried out with the minimum of fuss and trouble； with no one ever getting hurt： a three…thousand…dollar Manhattan garment center payroll； a small chinaware factory payroll in the slums of Brooklyn。 After all； a young man could always use some extra pocket money。 It was all in the pattern。 Who could ever foretell that Paulie Gatto would turn traitor？
What was troubling Peter Clemenza this morning was an administrative problem。 The actual execution of Gatto was a cut…and…dried chore。 The problem was； who should the caporegime bring up from the ranks to replace Gatto in the Family？ It was an important promotion； that to 〃button〃 man； one not to be handed out lightly。 The man had to be tough and he had to be smart。 He had to be safe； not a person who would talk to the police if he got in trouble； one well saturated in the Sicilians' law of omerta； the law of silence。 And then； what kind of a living would he receive for his new duties？ Clemenza had several times spoken to the Don about better rewards for the all…important button man who was first in the front line when trouble arose； but the