When Michael returned from Havana, he asked Rocco and Neri to leave the room before querying Tom about Fredo. Michael assumed Tom knew about Fredo’s treason because he said, “Tell him I know Roth misled him…” But evidently, Michael didn’t want R&N to know about it—at least at that point. That would be consistent with his character as a controller and as one who kept all info close to himself.

Later, when Fredo and Michael had it out in the boathouse, Michael had Neri wait outside, unseen by Fredo. Probably he did that to make Fredo think they were alone, and to encourage him to tell all. It’s also possible he wanted Neri to be ready to defend him in case Fredo made a move against him—not totally inconceivable given Fredo’s treason with Roth. Neri would have known by that time that Fredo and Michael were on the outs because Fredo was no longer at the compound. But, do you think at that point he knew why? I can’t dismiss the possibility that Michael hadn’t told Neri exactly why—but wanted him to overhear Fredo’s treason from his own lips so that Neri could be that much more motivated to kill Fredo at the appropriate time.

Also, when Connie got on her knees and beseeched Michael to forgive Fredo during Mama’s wake, do you think she knew that Fredo had betrayed Michael to Roth? Michael wouldn’t have told her, and Fredo may not have told her everything. Also, she prefaced her plea by confessing that “I hated you…until I realized that you were just being strong for all of us.” She wanted back in. Do you think that her plea for Fredo was a ploy to come back into the compound and be taken care of?