Why did FFC allow Danny Aiello's ad-lib, "Michael Corleone says hello," to stay in the script. My theory is that it was intended for Richie the bartender, not for Frankie, who was going to be killed. Richie obviously was a civilian, and he was scared ("Anthony, NO-O-O-O!"). The cops would question Richie when they found Pentangeli's body, if the hit had gone according to plan. Richie wouldn't dare give up the Rosatos, so they fed him that line as a way out: "I dunno who the guys were, but one of them said, 'Micahel Corleone says hello.'" That would have sent the cops directly to Michael. And, even though he had an alibi, the newspapers would play it up: "Pentangeli Murder Points to Top Nevada Gaming Mogul."