The Godfather

 “The Godfather” By Mario Puzo
 
309
“I believe you,” Michael said. 
“Did you?” she whispered in a softer voice. 
“Yes,” Michael said. He felt her stiffen a little. “But not in the last six months.” It was true. 
Kay was the first woman he had made love to since the death of Apollonia. 
Chapter 26
The garish suite overlooked the fake fairyland grounds in the rear of the hotel; 
transplanted palm trees lit up by climbers of orange lights, two huge swimming pools 
shimmering dark blue by the light of the desert stars. On the horizon were the sand and 
stone mountains that ringed Las Vegas nestling in its neon valley. Johnny Fontane let 
the heavy, richly embroidered gray drape fall and turned back to the room. 
A special detail of four men, a pit boss, a dealer, extra relief man, and a cocktail 
waitress in her scanty nightclub costume were getting things ready for private action. 
Nino Valenti was lying on the sofa in the living room part of the suite, a water glass of 
whiskey in his hand. He watched the people from the casino setting up the blackjack 
table with the proper six padded chairs around its horseshoe outer rim. “That’s great, 
that’s great,” he said in a slurred vote that was not quite drunken. “Johnny, come on and 
gamble with me against these bastards. I got the luck. We’ll beat their crullers in.” 
Johnny sat on a footstool opposite the couch. “You know I don’t gamble,” he said: “How 
you feeling, Nino?” 
Nino Valenti grinned at him. “Great. I got broads coming up at midnight, then some 
supper, then back to the blackjack table. You know I got the house beat for almost fifty 
grand and they’ve been grinding me for a week?” 
“Yeah;” Johnny Fontane said. “Who do you want to leave it to when you croak?” 
Nino drained his glass empty. “Johnny, where the hell did you get your rep as a 
swinger? You’re a deadhead, Johnny. Christ, the tourists in this town have more fun 
than you do.” 
Johnny said, “Yeah. You want a lift to that blackjack table?” 
Nino struggled erect on the sofa and pleated his feet firmly on the rug. “I can make it,” 
he said. He let the glass slip to the floor and got up and walked quite steadily to where 
the blackjack table had been set up. The dealer was ready. The pit boss stood behind 
the dealer watching. The relief dealer sat on a chair away from the table. The cocktail 

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