Tom Hagen arrived in Hollywood early the next morning. From the airport he went straight to his hotel, showered, shaved, and had breakfast. Then he drove to the film company for his meeting with Jack Woltz at ten o'clock.
Jack WoltZ was giving a birthday party for one of his young girl stars in front of a lot of reporters. Tom waited patiently. Finally, Woltz walked up to him. He was a tall man with thick silver hair, expensive clothes and a hard , unfriendly face.
'OK, start talking,' he said to Tom. 'I am a busy amn.'
' I was sent by a friend of Johnny Fontane, 'Tom said, 'He would be very grateful to you if you could do him a small favour.'
'I am listening, 'Woltz said, busily signing papers.
'Give Johnny the part in that new war film you are going to make.' Woltz stopped writing and laughed. He took Tom by the arm, as if he was an old friend, and led him towards the door. 'And if I give Johnny Fontane this part, what favour would your friend do for me ? he said.
'You have some problems with your workers, 'Tom said. 'My friend could make these problems disappear. You also have a top star who's takin drugs...'
But Jack Woltz had heared enough. 'Listen to me!' he shouted angrily. 'You tell your boss, whoever he is, that Johnny Fontane will never get that film! you do not frighten me!'
'I am lawyer, Tom said calmly,' Tom said . Now, you have my number . i will wait for your call.' He shook Woltz's hand and added before leaving: 'By yhe way, I like your films very much.' Tom was sure that , when Woltz realized who he worked for, he would call. And he was right. Late that afternoon, a car picked him up from the hotel and drove him out of the city to Jack Wp;tz's home in the country.
Woltz's house looked like something from a film. it was a huge pink-walled house surrounded by beautiful gardens, lakes and fields full of horses. Woltz welcomed Tom like an old friend, gave him a drink and showed him around.
'Why did not you tell me you worked for Corleone, Tom?; he asked.
'I do not like to use his name unless it is really necesarry.' Woltz took Tom bythe arm. 'Come with me, Tom,' he said. 'I want to show you something really beauriful.'
Woltz led Tom into a white building which was guarded by private detectives. Inside the building there were rows of horses. Woltz led Tom straight towards a beautiful horse with smooth black skin and large, with, diamond-shaped mark between its eyes.
'You ahve an eye for beauty, don't you , Tom?' Woltz said proudly. 'Thisn is Khartoum, the greatest racehorse in the world.Ibought him in Englannd for $600,000.He looked lovingly into the animal's enormous dark eyes for a long time, talking to it softly like a lover, forgetting about Tom. Tom coughed with embarrassment.Woltz touched the horse one last time on the neck, the said to Tom:'Let's go and have dinner.,
'Corleone is Johnny's godfather,' Tom began to explain at dinner. AIthough there were only two people at the table, the food was served by three waiters. 'To Itallians, that's very important.
'I respect that, 'Woltz said. 'just tell him he can ask me anything he likes. But not this. This is one faviur I can't give him.'
'He never asks a second favour when the first one is refused.' Tom gave Woltz a warning look.'Understood?'
This made Woltz angry.'No,' he said, pointing his finger across the table at Tom.' Yuou don't understand. Johnny Fontane never gets that film. The part is perfect for him. It'd make him a big star. But I'm not going to give it to him. And do yoyu know Why?' He stood up and began to move slowly around the table towards Tom. 'I had a beautiful young actress. She was going to be a star. I spent houndreds of thousands of dollars on he, singing lossons, acting lossons, dancing lossons. Then Johnny Fontane came along and took her away from me. I llost her. He made me look stupid, and that's something I can never forgive. That's why I'll make sure that Johnny Fontane never works in ilms. Now, you get ou of here! And if your boss wants to frighten me, tell him i'm no bandleader!
Tom waited until Woltz had finished.'Thank you for the dinner,'he said quietly.'Could your car take me to the airport now,please? Mr Corleone is man who likes to hear bad news immediately.'
Then without another word he left the table,took his hat from one of the servants and walked quickly out of the room.
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