MICHAEL CORLEONE, mob boss, walks out onto his screened-in porch. There his finds his younger brother, FREDO, slumped down in a chair. Fredo looks awful, and Michael looks like he doesn't really care.
FREDO. I haven't got alot to say, Mike.
MICHAEL. We have time.
FREDO. I was kept pretty much in the dark. I didn't know all that much.
MICHAEL. What about now? Is there anything you can help me out with? Anything you can tell me now?
FREDO. They got Pentangeli, that's all I can tell you. I didn't know it was gonna be a hit, Mike. I swear to God I didn't know it was gonna be a hit. Johnny Ola bumped into me in Beverly Hills and said that he wanted to talk. He said that you and Roth were in on a big deal together and that there was something in it for me if I could help him out. He said that you were being tough on the negotiations, but if they could get a little help they could close the deal fast. It'd be good for the Family.
MICHAEL. And you believed that story?
FREDO. He said there was something in it for me on my own!
MICHAEL. I've always taken care of you, Fredo.
FREDO. Taken care of me! You're my kid brother, you take care of me! Did ya ever think about that, huh? D'j' even once think about that? Send Fredo off to do this. Send Fredo off to do that. Let Fredo take care of some Mickey Mouse nightclub somewhere. Send Fredo to pick somebody up at the airport. I'm your older brother, Mike, and I was stepped over!
MICHAEL. It's the way Pop wanted it.
FREDO. It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle things. I'm smart. Not dumb like everybody says. I'm smart, and I wanted respect!
MICHAEL. Is there anything you can tell me about this investigation? Anything more?
FREDO. (after a long pause) The senate lawyer, Questadt, he belongs to Roth.
Michael turns from the window to look down at his brother.
MICHAEL. Fredo, you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother. You're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do. I don't want to see you at the hotels. I don't want you near my house. When you visit our mother, I want to know a day in advance so I won't be there. You understand?
FREDO. (pleading) Mikey...
But his words fall on deaf ears. Michael leaves the porch and enters the den, walking over to his right-hand man, Al NERI, to whisper in his ear.
MICHAEL. I don't want anything to happen to him while my mother's alive.