'Sure. Do you want to meet him?' Michael smiled. 'My father helped him to become famous.'
'He did? How?'
At that moment, Johnny Fontane began to sing. 'Let's listen to the song,' Michael tried to change the subject.
'Please Michael,' Kay said impatiently, reaching across the table and squeezing his hand. 'Tell me.'
'Well, Johnny is my father's godson. When Johnny was beginning to become popular, he had a problem with his boss, a band-leader. Johnny wanted to leave the band, but this man wouldn't let him. So Johnny asked my father to help. My father went to see the band-leader and offered him $10,000 to let Johnny go. He said no. The next day my father went to see him with Luca Brasi. One hour later, the band-leader let Johnny go. For $1,000.'
Kay looked confused. 'How did he do that?'
'My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Luca held a gun to his head and my father told him that if he didn't agree to let Johnny go, Luca would blow his brains out.'
At first Kay didn't say anything. She thought Michael was joking. But Michael wasn't smiling. 'That's a true story, Kay,' he said quietly. Then he saw Kay beginning to look worried, a little frightened, so he squeezed her hand and added quickly: 'That's my family, Kay. That's not me.'
♦