[TheStellarEnsemble.com] The Godfather - Mario Puzo

policemen. They all went to Fordham University and since by that time Mark McCluskey wasrising from sergeant to lieutenant and finally to captain, they lacked for nothing. It was at thistime that McCluskey got the reputation for being a hard bargainer. The bookmakers in his districtpaid more protection money than the bookmakers in any other part of the city, but maybe thatwas because of the expense of putting four boys through college.McCluskey himself felt there was nothing wrong with clean graft. Why the hell shouldhis kids go to CCNY or a cheap Southern college just because the Police Department didn’t payits people enough money to live on and take care of their families properly? He protected allthese people with his life and his record showed his citations for gun duels with stickup men onhis beat, strong-arm protection guys, would-be pimps. He had hammered them into the ground.He had kept his little corner of the city safe for ordinary people and he sure as hell was entitled tomore than his lousy one C note a week. But he wasn’t indignant about his low pay, heunderstood that everybody had to take care of themselves.Bruno Tattaglia was an old friend of his. Bruno had gone to Fordham with one of his sonsand then Bruno had opened his nightclub and whenever the McCluskey family spent aninfrequent night on the town, they could enjoy the cabaret with liquor and dinner--on the house.On New Year’s Eve they received engraved invitations to be guests of the management andalways received one of the best tables. Bruno always made sure they were introduced to thecelebrities who performed in his club, some of them famous singers and Hollywood stars. Ofcourse sometimes he asked a little favor, like getting an employee with a record cleared for acabaret work license, usually a pretty girl with a police dossier as a hustler or roller. McCluskeywould be glad to oblige.McCluskey made it a policy never to show that he understood what other people were upto. When Sollozzo had approached him with the proposition to leave old man Corleoneuncovered in the hospital, McCluskey didn’t ask why. He asked price. When Sollozzo said tengrand, McCluskey knew why. He did not hesitate. Corleone was one of the biggest Mafia men inthe country with more political connections than Capone had ever had. Whoever knocked himoff would be doing the country a big favor. McCluskey took the money in advance and did thejob. When he received a call from Sollozzo that there were still two of Corleone’s men in frontof the hospital he had flown into a rage. He had locked up all of Tessio’s men, he had pulled thedetective guards off the door of Corleone’s hospital room. And now, being a man of principle, he121