And what about Paulie? he was Sollozzo's ace in the hole-someone close to Vito and Clemenza, keeping an eye on them both. If there's no assassination attempt does Sollozzo give him the high hand and cut him loose?

Or does he keep on paying him and use him later on?

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."
Winter is Coming

Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.