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15 What annoyed Clemenza was that the execution had to be "public." That is,

the body was to be found. He would have much preferred having it disappear.

(Usual burying grounds were the nearby ocean or the swamplands of New Jersey

on land owned by friends of the Family or by other more complicated methods.)

But it had to be public so that embryo traitors would be frightened and the enemy

warned that the Corleone Family had by no means gone stupid or soft. Sollozzo

would be made wary by this quick discovery of his spy. The Corleone Family

would win back some of its prestige. It had been made to look foolish by the

shooting of the old man.

16 Clemenza sighed. The Cadillac gleamed like a huge blue steel egg, and he

was nowhere near the solving of his problem. Then the solution hit him, logical

and to the point. It would explain Rocco Lampone, himself and Paulie being

together and give them a mission of sufficient secrecy and importance.

17 He would tell Paulie that their job today was to find an apartment in case the

Family decided to "go to the mattresses."

18 Whenever a war between the Families became bitterly intense, the opponents

would set up headquarters in secret apartments where the "soldiers" could sleep

on mattresses scattered through the rooms. This was not so much to keep their

families out of danger, their wives and little children, since any attack on

noncombatants was undreamed of. All parties were too vulnerable to similar

retaliation. But it was always smarter to live in some secret place where your

everyday movements could not be charted either by your opponents or by some

police who might arbitrarily decide to meddle.

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19 And so usually a trusted caporegime would be sent out to rent a secret

apartment and fill it with mattresses. That apartment would be used as a sally

215

port into the city when an offensive was mounted. It was natural for Clemenza to

be sent on such an errand. It was natural for him to take Gatto and Lampone with

him to arrange all the details, including the furnishing of the apartment. Also,

Clemenza thought with a grin, Paulie Gatto had proved he was greedy and the

first thought that would pop into his head was how much he could get from

Sollozzo for this valuable intelligence.

20 Rocco Lampone arrived early and Clemenza explained what had to be done

and what their roles would be. Lampone's face lit up with surprised gratitude and

he thanked Clemenza respectfully for the promotion allowing him to serve the

Family. Clemenza was sure he had done well. He clapped Lampone on the

shoulder and said, "You'll get something better for your living after today. We'll

talk about that later. You understand the Family now is occupied with more

critical matters, more important things to do." Lampone made a gesture that said

he would be patient, knowing his reward was certain.

21 Clemenza went to his den's safe and opened it. He took out a gun and gave it

to Lampone. "Use this one," he said. "They can never trace it. Leave it in the car

with Paulie. When this job is finished I want you to take your wife and children on

a vacation to Florida. Use your own money now and I'll pay you back later. Relax,

get the sun. Use the Family hotel in Miami Beach so I'll know where I can get you

when I want."

22 Clemenza's wife knocked on the door of the den to tell them that Paulie Gatto

had arrived. He was parked in the driveway. Clemenza led the way through the

garage and Lampone followed him. When Clemenza got into the front seat with

Gatto he merely grunted in greeting, an exasperated look on his face. He looked

at his wrist watch as if he expected to find that Gatto was late.

23 The ferret-faced button man was watching him intently, looking for a clue. He

flinched a little when Lampone got into the rear seat behind him and said, "Rocco,

sit on the other side. A big guy like you blocks up my rear-view mirror." Lampone

shifted dutifully so that he was sitting behind Clemenza, as if such a request was

the most natural thing in the world.

24 Clemenza said sourly to Gatto, "Damn that Sonny, he's running scared. He's

already thinking of going to the mattresses. We have to find a place on the West

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216

Side. Paulie, you and Rocco gotta staff and supply it until the word comes down

for the rest of the soldiers to use it. You know a good location?"

25 As he had expected, Gatto's eyes became greedily interested. Paulie had

swallowed the bait and because he was thinking how much the information was

worth to Sollozzo, he was forgetting to think about whether he was in danger.

Also, Lampone was acting his part perfectly, staring out the window in a

disinterested, relaxed way. Clemenza congratulated himself on his choice.

26 Gatto shrugged. "I'd have to think about it," he said.

27 Clemenza grunted. "Drive while you think, I want to get to New York today."

28 Paulie was an expert driver and traffic going into the city was light at this time

in the afternoon, so the early winter darkness was just beginning to fall when they

arrived. There was no small talk in the car. Clemenza directed Paulie to drive up

to the Washington Heights section. He checked a few apartment buildings and

told him to park near Arthur Avenue and wait. He also left Rocco Lampone in the

car. He went into the Vera Mario Restaurant and had a light dinner of veal and

salad, nodding his hello's to some acquaintances. After an hour had gone by he

walked the several blocks to where the car was parked and entered it. Gatto and

Lampone were still waiting. "Shit," Clemenza said, "they want us back in Long

Beach. They got some other job for us now. Sonny says we can let this one go

until later. Rocco, you live in the city, can we drop you off?"

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