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d and small hard bones that he realized were his teeth。 He could feel the side of his head puff up as if it were filling with air。 His legs were weightless and he would have fallen if the two policemen had not held him up。 But he was still conscious。 The plainclothes detective had stepped in front of him to keep the captain from hitting him again and was saying； 〃Jesus Christ； Captain； you really hurt him。〃
The captain said loudly； 〃I didn't touch him。 He attacked me and he fell。 Do you understand that？ He resisted arrest。〃
Through a red haze Michael could see more cars pulling up to the curb。 Men were getting out。 One of them he recognized as Clemenza's lawyer； who was now speaking to the police captain； suavely and surely。 〃The Corleone Family has hired a firm of private detectives to guard Mr。 Corleone。 These men with me are licensed to carry firearms； Captain。 If you arrest them； you'll have to appear before a judge in the morning and tell him why。〃
The lawyer glanced at Michael。 〃Do you want to prefer charges against whoever did this to you？〃 he asked。
Michael had trouble talking。 His jaws wouldn't e together but he managed to mumble。 〃I slipped；〃 he said。 〃I slipped and fell。〃 He saw the captain give him a triumphant glance and he tried to answer that glance with a smile。 At all costs he wanted to hide the delicious icy chilliness that controlled his brain； the surge of wintry cold hatred that pervaded his body。 He wanted to give no warning to anyone in this world as to how he felt at this moment。 As the Don would not。 Then he felt himself carried into the hospital and he lost consciousness。
When he woke up in the morning he found that his jaw had been wired together and that four of his teeth along the left side of his mouth were missing。 Hagen was sitting beside his bed。
〃Did they drug me up？〃 Michael asked。
〃Yeah；〃 Hagen said。 〃They had to dig some bone fragments out of your gums and they figured it would be too painful。 Besides you were practically out anyway。〃
〃Is there anything else wrong with me？〃 Michael asked。
〃No；〃 Hagen said。 〃Sonny wants you out at the Long Beach house。 Think you can make it？〃
〃Sure；〃 Michael said。 〃Is the Don all right？〃
Hagen flushed。 〃I think we've solved the problem now。 We have a firm of private detectives and we have the whole area loaded。 I'll tell you more when we get in the car。〃
Clemenza was driving； Michael and Hagen sat in the back。 Michael's head throbbed。 〃So what the hell really happened last night； did you guys ever find out？〃
Hagen spoke quietly。 〃Sonny has an inside man； that Detective Phillips who tried to protect you。 He gave us the scoop。 The police captain； McCluskey； is a guy who's been on the take very heavy ever since he's been a patrolman。 Our Family has paid him quite a bit。 And he's greedy and untrustworthy to do business with。 But Sollozzo must have paid him a big price。 McCluskey had all Tessio's men around and in the hospital arrested right after visiting hours。 It didn't help that some of them were carrying guns。 Then McCluskey pulled the official guard detectives off the Don's door。 Claimed he needed them and that some other cops were supposed to go over and take their place but they got their assignments bollixed。 Baloney。 He was paid off to set the Don up。 And Phillips said he's the kind of guy who'll try it again。 Sollozzo must have given him a fortune for openers and promised him the moon to e。〃
〃Was my getting hurt in the papers？〃
〃No；〃 Hagen said。 〃We kept that quiet。 Nobody wants that known。 Not the cops。 Not us。〃
〃Good；〃 Michael said。 〃Did that boy Enzo get away？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Hagen said。 〃He was smarter than you。 When the cops came he disappeared。 He claims he stuck with you while Sollozzo's car went by。 Is that true？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Michael said。 〃He's a good kid。〃
〃He'll be taken care of；〃 Hagen said。 〃You feeling OK？〃 His face was concerned。 〃You look lousy。〃
〃I'm OK；〃 Michael said。 〃What was that police captain's name？〃
〃McCluskey；〃 Hagen said。 〃By the way； it might make you feel better to know that the Corleone Family finally got up on the scoreboard。 Bruno Tattaglia； four o'clock this morning。〃
Michael sat up。 〃How e？ I thought we were supposed to sit tight。〃
Hagen shrugged。 〃After what happened at the hospital Sonny got hard。 The button men are out all over New York and New Jersey。 We made the list last night。 I'm trying to hold Sonny in； Mike。 Maybe you can talk to him。 This whole business can still be settled without a major war。〃
〃I'll talk to him；〃 Michael said。 〃Is there a conference this morning？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Hagen said。 〃Sollozzo finally got in touch and wants to sit down with us。 A negotiator is arranging the details。 That means we win。 Sollozzo knows he's lost and he wants to get out with his life。〃 Hagen paused。 〃Maybe he thought we were soft； ready to be taken； because we didn't strike back。 Now with one of the Tattaglia sons dead he knows we mean business。 He really took an awful gamble bucking the Don。 By the way； we got the confirmation on Luca。 They killed him the night before they shot your father。 In Bruno's nightclub。 Imagine that？〃
Michael said； 〃No wonder they caught him off guard。〃
**********
At the houses in Long Beach the entrance to the mall was blocked by a long black car parked across its mouth。 Two men leaned against the hood of the car。 The two houses on each side； Michael noticed； had opened windows on their upper floors。 Christ； Sonny must really mean business。
Clemenza parked the car outside the mall and they walked inside it。 The two guards were Clemenza's men and he gave them a frown of greeting that served as a salute。 The men nodded their heads in acknowledgment。 There were no smiles； no greetings。 Clemenza led Hagen and Michael Corleone into the house。
The door was opened by another guard before they rang。 He had obviously been watching from a window。 They went to the corner office and found Sonny and Tessio waiting for them。 Sonny came to Michael； took his younger brother's head in his hands and said kiddingly； 〃Beautiful。 Beautiful。〃 Michael knocked his hands away； and went to the desk and poured himself some scotch； hoping it would dull the ache in his wired jaw。
The five of them sat around the room but the atmosphere was different from their earlier meetings。 Sonny was gayer； more cheerful； and Michael realized what that gaiety meant。 There were no longer any doubts in his older brother's mind。 He was mitted and nothing would sway him。 The attempt by Sollozzo the night before was the final straw。 There could no longer be any question of a truce。
〃We got a call from the negotiator while you were gone；〃 Sonny said to Hagen。 〃The Turk wants a meeting now。〃 Sonny laughed。 〃The balls on that son of a bitch；〃 he said admiringly。 〃After he craps out last night he wants a meeting today or the next day。 Meanwhile we're supposed just to lay back and take everything he dishes out。 What fucking nerve。〃
Tom asked cautiously； 〃What did you answer？〃
Sonny grinned。 〃I said sure； why not？ Anytime he says； I'