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〃A million times；〃 Michael said。
Sonny got up from the sofa and stretched。 〃How does your jaw feel； kid？〃
〃Lousy；〃 Michael said。 The left side of his face ached except those parts that felt numb because of the drugged wire holding it together。 He took the bottle of whiskey from the table and swigged directly from it。 The pain eased。
Sonny said； 〃Easy； Mike； now is no time to get slowed up by booze。〃
Michael said； 〃Oh； Christ； Sonny； stop playing the big brother。 I've been in bat against tougher guys than Sollozzo and under worse conditions。 Where the hell are his mortars？ Has he got air cover？ Heavy artillery？ Land mines？ He's just a wise son of a bitch with a big…wheel cop sidekick。 Once anybody makes up their mind to kill them there's no other problem。 That's the hard part； making up your mind。 They'll never know what hit them。〃
Tom Hagen came into the room。 He greeted them with a nod and went directly to the falsely listed telephone。 He called a few times and then shook his head at Sonny。 〃Not a whisper；〃 he said。 〃Sollozzo is keeping it to himself as long as he can。〃
The phone rang。 Sonny answered it and he held up a hand as if to signal for quiet though no one had spoken。 He jotted some notes down on a pad； then said； 〃OK； he'll be there；〃 and hung up the phone。
Sonny was laughing。 〃That son of a bitch Sollozzo； he really is something。 Here's the deal。 At eight tonight he and Captain McCluskey pick up Mike in front of Jack Dempsey's bar on Broadway。 They go someplace to talk； and get this。 Mike and Sollozzo talk in Italian so that the Irish cop don't know what the hell they are talking about。 He even tells me； don't worry； he knows McCluskey doesn't know one word in Italian unless it's 'soldi' and he's checked you out； Mike； and knows you can understand Sicilian dialect。〃
Michael said dryly； 〃I'm pretty rusty but we won't talk long。〃
Tom Hagen said； 〃We don't let Mike go until we have the negotiator。 Is that arranged？〃
Clemenza nodded。 〃The negotiator is at my house playing pinochle with three of my men。 They wait for a call from me before they let him go。〃
Sonny sank back in the leather armchair。 〃Now how the hell do we find out the meeting place？ Tom； we've got informers with the Tattaglia Family； how e they haven't given us the word？〃
Hagen shrugged。 〃Sollozzo is really damn smart。 He's playing this close to the vest； so close that he's not using any men as a cover。 He figures the captain will be enough and that security is more important than guns。 He's right too。 We'll have to put a tail on Mike and hope for the best。〃
Sonny shook his head。 〃Nah； anybody can lose a tail when they really want to。 That's the first thing they'll check out。〃
By this time it was five in the afternoon。 Sonny； with a worried look on his face； said； 〃Maybe we should just let Mike blast whoever is in the car when it tries to pick him up。〃
Hagen shook his head。 〃What if Sollozzo is not in the car？ We've tipped our hand for nothing。 Damn it； we have to find out where Sollozzo is taking him。〃
Clemenza put in； 〃Maybe we should start trying to figure why lie's making it such a big secret。〃
Michael said impatiently； 〃Because it's the percentage。 Why should he let us know anything if he can prevent it？ Besides； he smells danger。 He must be leery as hell even with that police captain for his shadow。〃
Hagen snapped his fingers。 〃That detective； that guy Phillips。 Why don't you give him a ring； Sonny？ Maybe he can find out where the hell the captain can be reached。 It's worth a try。 McCluskey won't give a damn who knows where he's going。〃
Sonny picked up the phone and dialed a number。 He spoke softly into the phone； then hung up。 〃He'll call us back；〃 Sonny said。
They waited for nearly another thirty minutes and then the phone rang。 It was Phillips。 Sonny jotted something down on his pad and then hung up。 His face was taut。 〃I think we've got it；〃 he said。 〃Captain McCluskey always has to leave word on where he can be reached。 From eight to ten tonight he'll be at the Luna Azure up in the Bronx。 Anybody know it？〃
Tessio spoke confidently。 〃I do。 It's perfect for us。 A small family place with big booths where people can talk in private。 Good food。 Everybody minds their own business。 Perfect。〃 He leaned over Sonny's desk and arranged stubbed…out cigarettes into map figures。 〃This is the entrance。 Mike； when you finish just walk out and turn left； then turn the corner。 I'll spot you and put on my headlights and catch you on the fly。 If you have any trouble； yell and I'll try to e in and get you out。 Clemenza； you gotta work fast。 Send somebody up there to plant the gun。 They got an old…fashioned toilet with a space between the water container and the wall。 Have your man tape the gun behind there。 Mike； after they frisk you in the car and find you're clean； they won't be too worried about you。 In the restaurant； wait a bit before you excuse yourself。 No； better still； ask permission to go。 Act a little in trouble first； very natural。 They can't figure anything。 But when you e out again； don't waste any time。 Don't sit down again at the table； start blasting。 And don't take chances。 In the head； two shots apiece； and out as fast as your legs can travel。〃
Sonny had been listening judiciously。 〃I want somebody very good； very safe； to plant that gun；〃 he told Clemenza。 〃I don't want my brother ing out of that toilet with just his dick in his hand。〃
Clemenza said emphatically； 〃The gun will be there。〃
〃OK；〃 Sonny said。 〃Everybody get rolling。〃
Tessio and Clemenza left。 Tom Hagen said； 〃Sonny； should I drive Mike down to New York？〃
〃No；〃 Sonny said。 〃I want you here。 When Mike finishes； then our work begins and I'll need you。 Have you got those newspaper guys lined up？〃
Hagen nodded。 〃I'll be feeding them info as soon as things break。〃
Sonny got up and came to stand in front of Michael。 He shook his hand。 〃OK； kid；〃 he said； 〃you're on。 I'll square it with Mom your not seeing her before you left。 And I'll get a message to your girl friend when I think the time is right。 OK？〃
〃OK；〃 Mike said。 〃How long do you think before I can e back？〃
〃At least a year；〃 Sonny said。
Tom Hagen put in； 〃The Don might be able to work faster than that； Mike； but don't count on it。 The time element hinges on a lot of factors。 How well we can plant stories with the newsmen。 How much the Police Department wants to cover up。 How violently the other Families react。 There's going to be a hell of a lot of heat and trouble。 That's the only thing we can be sure of。〃
Michael shook Hagen's hand。 〃Do your best；〃 he said。 〃I don't want to do another three…year stretch away from home。〃
Hagen said gently； 〃It's not too late to back out； Mike； we can get somebody else； we can go back over our alternatives。 Maybe it's not necessary to get rid of Sollozzo。〃
Michael laughed。 〃We can talk ourselves into any viewpoint；〃 he said。 〃But we figured it right the first time。 I've been riding the gravy train all my life； it's about time I paid my dues。〃
〃You shouldn'