Book 2, Chapter 5 Summary

In the lobby of an abandoned casino on Rattlesnake Island, Geraci meets Laughing Sal Narducci, the man Michael secretly conspired with at the Clemenza-Zaluchi wedding, and also consigliere to Nick's godfather, Don Forlenza. These two men go way back, and yet Narducci pats down Nick when he hugs him. They catch up; we learn Nick's mother recently died, and his father's having a hard time with retirement. Not a problem Nick expects to face. In the Mafia, "You come in alive ... and you go out dead."

Don Forlenza greets his godson warmly; he is the only man besides Michael who calls Nick by his given name, Fausto. Falcone and Molinari rejoin them, recovered from the difficult flight in the storm, which continues to lash Rattlesnake Island. As planned, Molinari has told Falcone that Nick is actually a capo representing the Corleone...