IMO by the time GFII rolled around, Kay was fully aware of all that her husband did and was. Yes, in GFI she is upset when Connie screams about Michael having Carlo killed. She then pressures Michael into telling her if it was true or not. Of course she wanted to hear that he was not involved, and at the moment he told her that he was not responsible for having Carlo and the heads of the families killed, I think that at that very moment she really believed him. Then the moment of truth was revealed to her the moment that she walked out of Michael's office. As she looks back, she sees Clemenza kissing his hand and calling him Don Corleone and Neri shuts the door on her. For me, that was the moment of truth for Kay. For me, at that moment, she relaized that Michael had just lied to her and was responsible for the deaths of Carlo and the heads of the families. And let's not forget that in a deleted scene, we see her going to church to light a candle for Michael's soul.

Now as far as his killing McClusky and Sollozo, she had to have an good idea that he was involved. The story was all over the newspapers. It had to be public knowledge at that point that there was a mob war going on and that a Police Captain and a Gangster had been excecuted gangland style in relation to this war. Headlines read "Mobster Barzini Questioned in Underworld Feud" "Police Hunt Cop Killer," and then Vito Corleone's picture, with the headline: "Syndicate Big Shot Vito Corleone Returns Home" She had to see all of this. Couple these stories and headlines with her going to seek out Michael at the Corelone compound, and not finding him there, she could not have been that nieve to think that he someone wasn't involved in all this. Especially after the things Tom says to her when she asks him about Michael :

"Nobody knows where he is. We know that he's alright, but that's all."

Then she trys to hand Tom a letter for Michael and what does he say? :

"Well, if I accepted that -- in a court of law they could prove that I have knowledge of his whereabouts. Now you just be patient, Kay -- he'll get in touch with you, alright?"

After hearing and probably seeing all these news stories, Michael missing, seeing the blown up car in the courtyard of the Corleone compound, and then hearing Tom's replies to her, she would have to be a complete moran not to realize that Michael was all wrapped up in this. While she may have never really known for sure if Michael killed Sollozo and McClusky, she had to know deep down inside that he was somehow involved in their murder.

Which brings us back to GFII. At that point she was getting impatient with Michael's promise of legitimacy
(the dancing scene), and after having her home shot up, she had to finally have come to the realization that she was only fooling herself over the years and that Michael was a mobster mixed up with murder.

I believe that at that point she had begun to contemplate leaving Michael. After all, she did go to get the abortion while he was gone. And as a "good" wife back in those days, she decided that it was her duty to stick by him during his hearings, be by his side, and when it was over, she would break the news to him.

Hey, who knows, after living with Michael all of those years she herself may have learned how to be cunning and deceiving. Maybe she decided to wait and see if Michael would be sent to jail before she told him about her leaving him. Maybe she figured that if he went to jail, she wouldn't have to do or say anything because she would no longer be with him anyway.

EDIT/NOTE : Turnbull, I actually read your original reply to Cristina only AFTER making this post. I don't want you to accuse me of Plagerism!


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