One thing neither the novel nor the film explore is the relationship between Tom and Fredo. The only real interaction I can remember is from II, when Fredo asks if he can talk to Mike and Tom tells him rather coldly "No Chance."
We only saw Tom and Fredo together when Michael or others were present, and then (in the examples you and Pete cited), Tom was "on duty." I can't prove this, but I
sense that Tom
may have felt a bond with Fredo, and even may have felt protective toward him, because they were both treated shabbily by Michael.
