he stand up to the Sheriff？〃
〃All he can do by standing up to him is lose his job〃； I said。 〃Yes； I think that in his heart he knows it was Wharton。 But what he says to himself is that； if he keeps his mouth shut and plays the game until Cribus either retires or eats himself to death； he gets the job。 And things will be different then。 That's what he tells himself to get to sleep； I imagine。 And he's probably not so much different than Homer about one thing。 He'll tell himself； 'After all； it's only a Negro。 It's not like they're going to burn a white man for it。； 〃
〃Then you'll have to go to them〃； Janice said； and my heart turned cold at the decisive； no…doubt…about…it tone of her voice。 〃Go and tell them what you found out。〃
〃And how should we tell them we found it out； Jan？〃 Brutal asked her in that same low voice。
〃Should we tell them about how Wharton grabbed John while we were taking him out of the prison to work a miracle on the Warden's wife？〃
〃No 。。。 of course not； but。。。〃 She saw how thin the ice was in that direction and skated in another one。 〃Lie； then；〃 she said。 She looked defiantly at Brutal； then turned that look on me。 It was hot enough to smoke a hole in newspaper； you'd have said。
〃Lie；〃 I repeated。 〃Lie about what？〃
〃About what got you going； first up to Purdom County and then down to Trapingus。 Go down there to that fat old Sheriff Cribus and say that Wharton told you he raped and murdered the Detterick girls。 That he confessed。〃 She switched her hot gaze to Brutal for a moment。 〃You can back him up； Brutus。 You can say you were there when he confessed； you heard it； too。 Why； Percy probably heard it as well； and that was probably what set him off。 He shot Wharton because he couldn't stand thinking