mp.godfather-第60部分

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　out　of　the　city。　Like　any　other　parent　he　wanted　his　children　to　go　to　better　schools　and　mix　with　better　panions。　For　his　own　personal　reasons　he　wanted　the　anonymity　of　suburban　life　where　his　reputation　was　not　known。　He　bought　the　mall　property　in　Long　Beach；　which　at　that　time　had　only　four　newly　built　houses　but　with　plenty　of　room　for　more。　Sonny　was　formally　engaged　to　Sandra　and　would　soon　marry；　one　of　the　houses　would　be　for　him。　One　of　the　houses　was　for　the　Don。　Another　was　for　Genco　Abbandando　and　his　family。　The　other　was　kept　vacant　at　the　time。
　
　A　week　after　the　mall　was　occupied；　a　group　of　three　workmen　came　in　all　innocence　with　their　truck。　They　claimed　to　be　furnace　inspectors　for　the　town　of　Long　Beach。　One　of　the　Don's　young　bodyguards　let　the　men　in　and　led　them　to　the　furnace　in　the　basement。　The　Don；　his　wife　and　Sonny　were　in　the　garden　taking　their　ease　and　enjoying　the　salty　sea　air。
　
　Much　to　the　Don's　annoyance　he　was　summoned　into　the　house　by　his　bodyguard。　The　three　workmen；　all　big　burly　fellows；　were　grouped　around　the　furnace。　They　had　taken　it　apart；　it　was　strewn　around　the　cement　basement　floor。　Their　leader；　an　authoritative　man；　said　to　the　Don　in　a　gruff　voice；　〃Your　furnace　is　in　lousy　shape。　If　you　want　us　to　fix　it　and　put　it　together　again；　it'll　cost　you　one　hundred　fifty　dollars　for　labor　and　parts　and　then　we'll　pass　you　for　county　inspection。〃　He　took　out　a　red　paper　label。　〃We　stamp　this　seal　on　it；　see；　then　nobody　from　the　county　bothers　you　again。〃
　
　The　Don　was　amused。　It　had　been　a　boring；　quiet　week　in　which　he　had　had　to　neglect　his　business　to　take　care　of　such　family　details　moving　to　a　new　house　entailed。　In　more　broken　English　than　his　usual　slight　accent　he　asked；　〃If　I　don't　pay　you；　what　happens　to　my　furnace？〃
　
　The　leader　of　the　three　men　shrugged。　〃We　just　leave　the　furnace　the　way　it　is　now。〃　He　gestured　at　the　metal　parts　strewn　over　the　floor。
　
　The　Don　said　meekly；　〃Wait；　I'll　get　you　your　money。〃　Then　he　went　out　into　the　garden　and　said　to　Sonny；　〃Listen；　there's　some　men　working　on　the　furnace；　I　don't　understand　what　they　want。　Go　in　and　take　care　of　the　matter。〃　It　was　not　simply　a　joke；　he　was　considering　making　his　son　his　underboss。　This　was　one　of　the　tests　a　business　executive　had　to　pass。
　
　Sonny's　solution　did　not　altogether　please　his　father。　It　was　too　direct；　too　lacking　in　Sicilian　subtleness。　He　was　the　Club；　not　the　Rapier。　For　as　soon　as　Sonny　heard　the　leader's　demand　he　held　the　three　men　at　gunpoint　and　had　them　thoroughly　bastinadoed　by　the　bodyguards。　Then　he　made　them　put　the　furnace　together　again　and　tidy　up　the　basement。　He　searched　them　and　found　that　they　actually　were　employed　by　a　house…improvement　firm　with　headquarters　in　Suffolk　County。　He　learned　the　name　of　the　man　who　owned　the　firm。　Then　he　kicked　the　three　men　to　their　truck。　〃Don't　let　me　see　you　in　Long　Beach　again；〃　he　told　them。　〃I'll　have　your　balls　hanging　from　your　ears。〃
　
　It　was　typical　of　the　young　Santino；　before　he　became　older　and　crueler；　that　he　extended　his　protection　to　the　munity　he　lived　in。　Sonny　paid　a　personal　call　to　the　home…improvement　firm　owner　and　told　him　not　to　send　any　of　his　men　into　the　Long　Beach　area　ever　again。　As　soon　as　the　Corleone　Family　set　up　their　usual　business　liaison　with　the　local　police　force　they　were　informed　of　all　such　plaints　and　all　crimes　by　professional　criminals。　In　less　than　a　year　Long　Beach　became　the　most　crime…free　town　of　its　size　in　the　United　States。　Professional　stickup　artists　and　strong…arms　received　one　warning　not　to　ply　their　trade　in　the　town。　They　were　allowed　one　offense。　When　they　mitted　a　second　they　simply　disappeared。　The　flimflam　home…improvement　gyp　artists；　the　door…to…door　con　men　were　politely　warned　that　they　were　not　wele　in　Long　Beach。　Those　confident　con　men　who　disregarded　the　warning　were　beaten　within　an　inch　of　their　lives。　Resident　young　punks　who　had　no　respect　for　law　and　proper　authority　were　advised　in　the　most　fatherly　fashion　to　run　away　from　home。　Long　Beach　became　a　model　city。
　
　What　impressed　the　Don　was　the　legal　validity　of　these　sales　swindles。　Clearly　there　was　a　place　for　a　man　of　his　talents　in　that　other　world　which　had　been　closed　to　him　as　an　honest　youth。　He　took　appropriate　steps　to　enter　that　world。
　
　And　so　he　lived　happily　on　the　mall　in　Long　Beach；　consolidating　and　enlarging　his　empire；　until　after　the　war　was　over；　the　Turk　Sollozzo　broke　the　peace　and　plunged　the　Don's　world　into　its　own　war；　and　brought　him　to　his　hospital　bed。
　
　Book　four
　
　Chapter　15
　
　In　the　New　Hampshire　village；　every　foreign　phenomenon　was　properly　noticed　by　housewives　peering　from　windows；　storekeepers　lounging　behind　their　doors。　And　so　when　the　black　automobile　bearing　New　York　license　plates　stopped　in　front　of　the　Adams'　home；　every　citizen　knew　about　it　in　a　matter　of　minutes。
　
　Kay　Adams；　really　a　small…town　girl　despite　her　college　education；　was　also　peering　from　her　bedroom　window。　She　had　been　studying　for　her　exams　and　preparing　to　go　downstairs　for　lunch　when　she　spotted　the　car　ing　up　the　street；　and　for　some　reason　she　was　not　surprised　when　it　rolled　to　a　halt　in　front　of　her　lawn。　Two　men　got　out；　big　burly　men　who　looked　like　gangsters　in　the　movies　to　her　eyes；　and　she　flew　down　the　stairs　to　be　the　first　at　the　door。　She　was　sure　they　came　from　Michael　or　his　family　and　she　didn't　want　them　talking　to　her　father　and　mother　without　any　introduction。　It　wasn't　that　she　was　ashamed　of　any　of　Mike's　friends；　she　thought；　it　was　just　that　her　mother　and　father　were　old…fashioned　New　England　Yankees　and　wouldn't　understand　her　even　knowing　such　people。
　
　She　got　to　the　door　just　as　the　bell　rang　and　she　called　to　her　mother；　〃I'll　get　it。〃　She　opened　the　door　and　the　two　big　men　stood　there。　One　reached　inside　his　breast　pocket　like　a　gangster　reaching　for　a　gun　and　the　move　so　surprised　Kay　that　she　let　out　a　little　gasp　but　the　man　had　taken　out　a　small　leather　case　which　he　flapped　open　to　show　an　identification　card。　〃I'm　Detective　John　Phillips　from　the　New　York　Police　Department；〃　he　said。　He　motioned　to　the　other　man；　a　dark…plexioned　man　with　very　thick；　very　black　eyebrows。　〃This　is　my　partner；　Detective　Siriani。　Are　you　Miss　Kay　Adams？〃
　
　Kay　nodded。　Phillips　said；　〃May　we　e　in　and　talk　to　you　for　a　few　minutes。　It's　about　Michael　Corleone。〃
　
　She　stood　aside　to　let　them　in。　At　that　moment　her　father　appeared　in　the　small　side　hall　that　led　to　his　study。　〃Kay；　what　is　it？〃　he　asked。
　
　Her　father　was　a　gray…haired；　slender；　distinguished…looking　man　who　not　only　was　the　pastor　of　the　town　Baptist　church　but　had　a　reputation　in　religious　circles　as　a　scholar。　Kay　really　didn't　know　her　father　well；　he　puzzled　her；　but　she　knew　he　loved　her　even　if　he　gave　the　impression　he　found　her　uninteresting　as　a　person。　Though　they　had　never　been　close；　she　trusted　him。　So　she　said　simply；　〃These　men　are　detectives　from　New　York。　They　want　to　ask　me　questions　about　a　boy　I　know。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　didn't　seem　surprised。　〃Why　don't　we　go　into　my　study？〃　he　said。
　
　Detective　Phillips　said　gently；　〃We'd　rather　talk　to　your　daughter　alone；　Mr。　Adams。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　said　courteously；　〃That　depends　on　Kay；　I　think。　My　dear；　would…you　rather　speak　to　these　gentlemen　alone　or　would　you　prefer　to　have　me　present？　Or　perhaps　your　mother？〃
　
　Kay　shook　her　head。　〃I'll　talk　to　them　alone。〃
　
　Mr。　Adams　said　to　Phillips；　〃You　can　use　my　study。　Will　you　stay　for　lunch？〃　The　two　men　shook　their　heads。　Kay　led　them　into　the　study。
　
　They　rested　unfortably　on　the　edge　of　the　couch　as　she　sat　in　her　father's　big　leather　chair。　Detective　Phillips　opened　the　conversation　by　saying；　〃Miss　Adams；　have　you　seen　or　heard　from　Michael　Corleone　at　any　time　in　the　last　three　weeks？〃　The　one　question　was　enough　to　warn　her。　Three　weeks　ago　she　had　read　the　Boston　newspapers　with　their　headlines　about　the　killing　of　a　New　York　police　captain　and　a　narcotics　smuggler　named　Virgil　Sollozzo。　The　newspaper　had　said　it　was　part　of　the　gang　war　involving　the　Corleone　Family。
　
　Kay　shook　her　hea