Originally posted by deathkiss:
I don't think Michael was fleeing to Florida because of the hits. Michael had a scheduled set of meeting with Roth and the other investors in Cuba. The NYC meeting with Frankie was an irritating setback to him because it was interferring with his work into getting into the Cuba gaming. I do believe that Michael may have left several hours earlier than he planned. Perhaps, to prevent further hit attempts by off-tracking the potiential traitor from knowing his schedule.
When Michael has his heart-to-heart talk with Hagen after the shooting, he says, "If what I think has happened has happened, I leave tonight." That could mean either he's leaving to meet Roth ahead of schedule, or that he's having an unplanned, emergency meeting with Roth. But there's an interesting anomaly in the film(s) that supports both points. In the theatrical release version (the one included with the DVD set), the scene with Michael in Anthony's bedroom occurs
after the shooting, indicating a sudden change of plans. But in the chronologically spliced "Saga" version shown on TV, the Anthony bedroom scene occurs
before the shooting, which firmly supports a planned visit to Roth.
