It would be his pleasure to take care of this renegade Sicilian

22 "Do you know what I am going to ask of you?" Sollozzo asked.

Luca shook his head.

24 "There's big business to be made," Sollozzo said. "I mean millions for

Everybody at the top level. On the first shipment I can guarantee you fifty

thousand dollars. I'm talking about drugs. It's the coming thing."

25 Luca said, "Why come to me? You want me to talk to my Don?"

26 Sollozzo grimaced. "I've already talked to the Don. He wants no part of it. All

Right, I can do without him. But I need somebody strong to protect the operation

physically. I understand you're not happy with your Family, you might make a

switch."

27 Luca shrugged. "If the offer is good enough."

Sollozzo had been watching him intently and seemed to have come to a

decision. "Think about my offer for a few days and then we'll talk again," he said.

He put out his hand but Luca pretended not to see it and busied himself putting a

Cigarette in his mouth. Behind the bar, Bruno Tattaglia made a lighter appear

magically and held it to Luca's cigarette. And then he did a strange thing. He

dropped the lighter on the bar and grabbed Luca's right hand, holding it tight.

Luca reacted instantly, his body slipping off the bar stool and trying to twist

Away. But Sollozzo had grabbed his other hand at the wrist. Still, Luca was too