[TheStellarEnsemble.com] The Godfather - Mario Puzo

office. “Oh, your father just had too many visitors, it interfered with the hospital service,” shesaid. “The police came and made them all leave about ten minutes ago. And then just fiveminutes ago I had to call the detectives to the phone for an emergency alarm from theirheadquarters, and then they left too. But don’t worry, I look in on your father often and I canhear any sound from his room. That’s why we leave the doors open.”“Thank you,” Michael said. “I’ll sit with him for a little while. OK?”She smiled at him. “Just for a little bit and then I’m afraid you’ll have to leave. It’s therules, you know.”Michael went back into his father’s room. He took the phone from its cradle and got thehospital operator to give him the house in Long Beach, the phone in the corner office room.Sonny answered. Michael whispered, “Sonny, I’m down at the hospital, I came down late. Sonny,there’s nobody here. None of Tessio’s people. No detectives at the door. The old man wascompletely unprotected.” His voice was trembling.There was a long silence and then Sonny’s voice came, low and impressed, “This isSollozzo’s move you were talking about.”Michael said, “That’s what I figured too. But how did he get the cops to clear everybodyout and where did they go? What happened to Tessio’s men? Jesus Christ, has that bastardSollozzo got the New York Police Department in his pocket too?”“Take it easy, kid.” Sonny’s voice was soothing. “We got lucky again with you going tovisit the hospital so late. Stay in the old man’s room. Lock the door from the inside. I’ll havesome men there inside of fifteen minutes, soon as I make some calls. Just sit tight and don’tpanic. OK, kid?”“I won’t panic,” Michael said. For the first time since it had all started he felt a furiousanger rising in him, a cold hatred for his father’s enemies.He hung up the phone and rang the buzzer for the nurse. He decided to use his ownjudgment and disregard Sonny’s orders. When the nurse came in he said, “I don’t want you toget frightened, but we have to move my father right away. To another room or another floor. Canyou disconnect all these tubes so we can wheel the bed out?”The nurse said, “That’s ridiculous. We have to get permission from the doctor.”Michael spoke very quickly. “You’ve read about my father in the papers. You’ve seenthat there’s no one here tonight to guard him. Now I’ve just gotten word some men will come107